* Grade Point Average (GPA): This is a weighted average of your grades in all courses. Each letter grade (A, B, C, etc.) is assigned a numerical value (e.g., A=4, B=3, C=2, etc.), and the average is calculated by multiplying each grade's numerical value by the number of credit hours for that course, summing these products, and then dividing by the total number of credit hours. A higher GPA indicates better performance. The specific numerical values assigned to letter grades can vary slightly between institutions.
* Grade Index (GI): This is a similar concept to GPA but often uses a different grading scale and might not directly involve credit hours. Some institutions might use a 10-point scale or a percentage-based system for the GI calculation. The crucial distinction is that the grading scale and calculation method for GI are specific to the institution or system employing it. While it serves the same purpose of reflecting academic performance, its numerical value isn't directly comparable across different institutions using varying GI systems. You can't directly compare a GI of 8.5 from one university with a GI of 8.5 from another.
In short:
* GPA is a standardized system (though minor variations in grading scales exist across different institutions).
* GI is a more institution-specific system with its own unique scale and calculation.
Because of the lack of standardization in GI, GPA is more widely recognized and comparable across different educational institutions.