How to Write GPA in Resume

To write your GPA on a resume, use the format GPA: value/scale to two decimal places, such as GPA: 3.85/4.0, placed in the Education section by the relevant degree. State the scale every time, avoid rounding, and remember law schools read the LSAC-recalculated GPA, not the number you write here.

By Ali Unar, JD candidate at Georgetown Law and founder of Lovare Institut. Last updated August 2026. Every figure on this page was verified in August 2026 against the sources listed below.

How should you write your GPA on a resume?

Write your GPA as the letters GPA, a colon, your number to two decimals, then the scale, for example GPA: 3.85/4.0. The two-decimal form matches transcripts and avoids implying false precision or rounding. Always attach the scale, because the same number means different things on a 4.0 and a 5.0 system.

Steps to write a GPA correctly

1. Copy your cumulative GPA to two decimals from your official transcript.
2. Write the label and value together as GPA: X.XX.
3. Add the scale immediately, as /4.0 or the scale your school uses.
4. Position the finished figure in the Education section by the matching degree.
5. Reuse the identical notation for any major or honors GPA you add.

How to write GPA with honors or a major GPA

If you graduated with Latin honors, write the honor next to the degree, such as cum laude, rather than folding it into the GPA figure. To highlight a stronger major GPA, write it as a separate labeled line, for example Major GPA: 3.95/4.0. Keep both the cumulative and major figures in the same two-decimal, scale-stated format.

Mistakes to avoid when writing your GPA

• Writing a single-decimal or rounded number that will not match your transcript.
• Dropping the scale, which makes the GPA ambiguous.
• Blending honors language into the number instead of labeling it separately.
• Assuming this written figure is what law schools use, when they read the LSAC recalculation.

Frequently asked questions

Does pass/fail affect GPA?

A pass/fail grade generally does not change your GPA, since a Pass carries no grade points to average. The course still shows on your transcript, so the GPA you write on a resume reflects your graded classes. For law school, LSAC uses its own rules and usually excludes a plain Pass.

How does LSAC calculate GPA?

LSAC recalculates your undergraduate GPA through the Credential Assembly Service, converting each grade to a standard 4.0 scale and including failed and repeated courses. Because it counts attempts your college may have dropped, the LSAC figure can differ from the GPA you write on a resume or see on your transcript.

What GPA do you need for law school?

There is no fixed minimum; each ABA-approved school reports 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile GPAs, and meeting a target school's median makes you competitive there. The number that matters for admissions is your LSAC-recalculated GPA, so aim to meet school medians on that figure alongside a strong LSAT.

How many decimal places should a resume GPA have?

Write a resume GPA to two decimal places, matching how transcripts report it, for example 3.85 rather than 3.8 or 3.850. Two decimals are precise without looking padded, and they align with the figure an employer or school would verify. Avoid rounding a 3.85 up to 3.9, since that overstates the number.