Prepare a clearly labeled GPA reporting line →
Round once, at the end
Rounding a course contribution or term GPA before combining records can change the final result. GPAcity’s course engine accumulates exact scaled integer products for supported two-decimal inputs and applies the display rule after dividing.
Truncation is not ordinary rounding
A two-decimal truncation discards the remaining decimal digits. Illinois explicitly uses this display rule. Its example of 35 quality points over 16 GPA hours becomes 2.18, even though ordinary rounding would produce 2.19.
A displayed value may hide information
If a record reports 3.24, its underlying fraction might be a little different. Multiplying the displayed GPA by GPA credits therefore creates estimated, not necessarily exact, quality points. A cap can hide an even larger difference.
Official references
Illinois: GPA display and worked example ↗
Sources checked August 31, 2026. Institution examples are limited to the stated scope; review the current official policy before acting.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
Put the numbers together
3.248 rounds to 3.25 but truncates to 3.24. If a form asks for your transcript GPA, use the reported value and follow the form’s precision instructions.
Method and limits
These examples use stated mathematical assumptions, not a claim that every institution uses the same policy. Read our methodology or check the available institution-specific profiles. Your transcript is the official record.