What's the lowest GPA you can have?

Asked by: Octavia Oberbrunner  |  Last update: November 8, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (49 votes)

Technically speaking, the lowest GPA you can receive is 0.0, which is a complete fail. You can only score a 0.0 for an unweighted GPA. That said, a 1.0 is considered the lowest GPA you can get. A 1.0 means, overall, you have received a D average in high school or college.

What is the lowest acceptable GPA?

A GPA below 2.0 is typically seen as low and is likely to affect college, job, and scholarship opportunities. However, what is considered “low” can vary across institutions and programs. For example, highly selective universities may deem any GPA below 3.0 as below standard.

Is a 1.0 a good GPA?

A 1.0 GPA is generally considered low. On a standard 4.0 scale, a 1.0 GPA indicates that you have mostly D grades. A 1.0 is significantly below the typical "average" GPA and will likely significantly impact your chances of being admitted to most colleges.

Is a 0.1 GPA possible?

The number 0.0 is assigned for failing work, which includes grades reported in 0.1 to 0.9 range. A grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned for the quarter by the total number of credit hours in which an individual was registered.

Can you have a 1.5 GPA?

A 1.5 GPA means that you've gotten C-s and D+s in your high school classes so far. Since this GPA is significantly below a 2.0, it will make things very difficult for you in the college application process. You can apply to colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted.

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19 related questions found

Is a 2.5 GPA failing?

Is a 2.5 GPA good? A 2.5 GPA means that you've earned high Cs and low Bs across all of your classes. This GPA is below the 3.0 national average for high school students, and it will most likely make it difficult for you to get into all but the least selective colleges. 1.91% of schools have an average GPA below a 2.5.

Is a 2.0 GPA okay?

A 2.0 GPA means that you have a solid C average across all of your classes. This GPA is essentially the unofficial cut off point for how low your GPA can be in order to get into college. With a 2.0 GPA, there are only a couple schools in the country where you'll have a high chance of being accepted.

Is a 1.000 GPA passing?

D 1.000–Barely passing. D- 0.700. F 0.000–Not passing (work so poor that it must be repeated to receive recognition)

Is 1.8 A failing GPA?

Is a 1.8 GPA good? A 1.8 GPA indicates that you've gotten Cs and C-s in all or most of your high school classes so far. A GPA that's lower than a 2.0 means that you may have some trouble getting into college, and any school that you apply to will end up being a reach.

Can I get into Harvard with a 1.0 GPA?

What GPA should I have? Applicants should be between 3.9 and 4.0 to be strong candidates for admission to this school. Having less than this will require compensating by increasing your SAT or ACT score.

Is a 5.0 GPA good?

A 5.0 GPA is definitely considered impressive as it shows that you have consistently performed well in your classes, and you likely took a number of Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, which increased your weighted GPA above the typical 4.0 unweighted scale.

Is 1.7 GPA bad?

On a percentage scale, this would roughly translate to scores in the range of 60% to less than 70%. It's essential to note that a 1.7 GPA is generally considered a relatively low GPA and could potentially limit a student's college and scholarship opportunities.

What GPA does Harvard require?

GPA requirements for Harvard

At Harvard, the standard GPA is 4.18. (While some schools publish an unweighted GPA, most utilize a weighted GPA out of 4.0.) Harvard needs you to be at the top of your class with a GPA of 4.18. To compete with other applications, you'll need to receive almost all A's.

Is a 2.4 GPA terrible?

Is a 2.4 GPA Good? A 2.4 GPA signals to a college or university that a student has earned average scores within the B- and C+ range. A 2.4 is a hair away from the 2.5 range, which opens up eligibility for a number of colleges, but is still below the competitive benchmark for college applications of 3.0.

Will Harvard accept a 5.0 GPA?

Harvard is highly competitive, and the average unweighted GPA of successful applicants is around 3.9, with most admitted students having an unweighted GPA of 4.0. Likewise, the average weighted GPAs tend to be in the 4.5 to 4.8 range.

What is the lowest GPA ever?

Technically speaking, the lowest GPA you can receive is 0.0, which is a complete fail. You can only score a 0.0 for an unweighted GPA. That said, a 1.0 is considered the lowest GPA you can get. A 1.0 means, overall, you have received a D average in high school or college.

What's the hardest college to get into?

The Harvard acceptance rate is 3%, tied with Caltech for the #1 spot on our list of hardest colleges to get into. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is a quintessential New England school globally recognized for its rigorous academic programs and influential alumni.

Is a 2.0 GPA good?

A 2.0 GPA is equivalent to 73-76% or a C letter grade. The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 2.0 is well below average.

Is a 3.41 GPA bad?

To sum up, while a 3.41 is a good GPA, it certainly doesn't prevent you from striving to do even better, particularly if you're targeting highly selective schools.

Is 2.5 an OK GPA?

The answer is No. The national average for a GPA is around 3.0 and a 2.5 GPA puts you below that average. A 2.5 GPA means that you've gotten only C-s and D+s in your high school classes so far. Since this GPA is significantly below a 2.0, it will make things very difficult for you in the college application process.

Can I get a job with a low GPA?

Overcoming a low GPA is possible, and typically only an issue when seeking an internship, co-op, or full-time employment directly following college. After one year of full-time employment, GPA can come off of a resume since employers are now focused on work-related performance and accomplishments.