The studio notebook
Ideas with a practical next step.
Start with a real task, choose a useful guide, and make it your own.
How GPA scales work in the US: 4.0, 4.3 and weighted 5.0
A plain explanation of the common US GPA scales, how letters become points, and why the same grades can produce different GPAs at different schools.
Converting international grades for US applications
Why converting grades from another country is not a single formula, what credential evaluators do, and how to prepare before you apply.
Weighted vs unweighted GPA: what colleges look at
The difference between weighted and unweighted GPA, and what is publicly known about how colleges treat each one.
How to calculate GPA by hand, with credits
A worked example that shows how to turn letter grades and credits into a GPA, and why credits change the answer.
Percentage vs letter grades: why conversion tables differ
Why one percentage can be a different letter, and a different 4.0 value, at different schools.
What to put on applications when your school uses a different scale
How to approach GPA fields on college applications when your school does not use a 4.0 scale.