text: how do colleges recalculate your gpa? if ur a transfer from another college...lets say you failed a class...then retook it and got an a...they would combine it so that would leave you off with a c in that class....most colleges do this right? and how else do they recalculate your gpa? at least in california you can retake a class with a substandard grade (d or f) two more times. the best grade replaces the other two in your gpa. however they won't disappear from your transcripts (they will just not be counted in the gpa).  i would advice you to withdraw from the class before their withdrawal deadline if you feel you won't pass the class. a 'w' looks nicer in your transcripts than a d or an f.