Would someone please summarize how the "Big Three" calculate GPA? Details, please.

Would someone please summarize how the "Big Three" calculate GPA? Details, please. Thank you! Fred

 

I will explain how Thomas Edison State College (TESC) calculates the GPA based on my own experience. I have not used any testing out options so therefore cannot address those specifics.

Transfer credits from domestic institutions (community colleges and universities): grade earned at source is transferred to TESC.

Transfer credit from foreign institutions (evaluation of transcripts done by a third party credential evaluation organization such as AACRAO): no grade transferred but credit hours are transferred to TESC; thus no effect on GPA for TESC degree.

Courses taken from Thomas Edison State College are included in the GPA calculation.

I think most of the testing out options (CLEP, DANTES, DSST) are simply pass/fail without a letter grade, but hopefully someone with firsthand knowledge will chime in soon.

Transfer limit (domestic): 80 credit hours from 2-year colleges; no limit from 4-year colleges and universities.

Transfer limit (foreign): 45 credit hours towards an associate degree and 90 credit hours towards a bachelor degree.

 

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On my degree (September 08) they did NOT include the grades I earned at other colleges as part of my GPA.

 

So, they only included courses taken from Thomas Edison State College in the GPA calculation? If that is the situation, applying to graduate schools will presumably be more difficult without a more inclusive GPA on the transcript if all courses are transferred into Thomas Edison State College. I can understand not including foreign grades in the GPA since the grading standards typically vary between countries. However, Canada is aligning its post-secondary grading system more closely with those of schools in the US of A.

 

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Well, you'll remember TESC didn't used to do GPAs. They only started in July. So, when I took those classes, I wasn't sure how they would come in. At the time, they appeared on myEdison (TESC's online view of your current transcript) WITH a grade, so I always assumed it was part of my GPA. Now, when I got my transcript a few weeks back with my diploma, they were NOT part of my GPA. I have no explanation or knowledge of this, especially since they just started the GPA calculation program.

For grad school applications, I tried only sending my TESC transcripts (I posted about it here) and every one wanted ALL my transcripts- so I don't see it as being a factor pro or con. The grad schools will presumably see all of your grades from all of your college work.

For what it's worth, if I would have known what a serious PAIN it would have been gathering a zillion transcripts each time I wanted to apply for a degree or job, I would have taken all of my credits at TESC. I unnecessarily added 3 additional colleges to my list of "required" transcripts for the sake of my GPA- which in the end didn't even matter.