The computation of the CAP is something that’s not very difficult, but yet not very easy as well. Some friends of mine took a few semesters to understand how it works. In fact, it is imperative to understand how the CAP works right from the very beginning of your study in NUS. The reason is because the CAP system is very unforgiving to those who did badly at the start of their university life.

The computation of CAP is done like this. First off, you need to know how many modular credits your module is worth. The typical module is worth 4 credits, but there are others that are worth less. The next thing to know is the grade you get for the module. Each grade is worth a certain number of points. See below:

A+/A 5.0
A- 4.5
B+ 4.0
B 3.5
B- 3.0
C+ 2.5
C 2.0

Assuming that you took 5 modules that are worth 4 credits each in this semester with the grades A+ A A- B+ B, the Average Point is computed as follows:

4 * 5.0 = 20
4 * 5.0 = 20
4 * 4.5 = 18
4 * 4.0 = 16
4 * 3.5 = 14

Total points = 20 + 20 + 18 + 16 + 14 = 88
Total credits = 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 20
Average point = 88 / 20 = 4.4

The CAP, as its name implies, is a cumulative of all the average point of all semesters taken to date. This is computed by adding up the total points for all semesters and dividing it by the total credits obtained in all semesters.

The problem with this system is that it punishes those who did badly at the start of their university life. Let’s consider another hypothetical CAP scenario that’s very different from the previous one. Assume that someone obtained the following grades in their first semester: B B- B- C+ C+

4 * 3.5 = 14
4 * 3.0 = 12
4 * 3.0 = 12
4 * 2.5 = 10
4 * 2.5 = 10

Total points = 14 + 12 + 12 +10 + 10 = 58
Total credits = 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 20
Average point = 2.9

Now we have 2 scenarios, one with an initial average point of 4.4 and the other with an initial average point of 2.9. Let’s assume now that in both cases, the next semester’s results are 5 B+ with each module worth 4 credits.

Case 1 (second semester)

First semester total points: 88
Second semester total points: 80

First semester credits: 20
Second semester credits: 20

CAP = Sum of total points for all semesters / sum of total credits = 168 / 40 = 4.2

Notice a drop of 0.2 from the first semester.

Case 2 (second semester)

First semester total points: 58
Second semester total points: 80

First semester credits: 20
Second semester credits: 20

CAP = Sum of total points for all semesters / sum of total credits = 138 / 40 = 3.45

Notice an increase of 0.55 from first semester.

Now, let us continue into the 3rd semester, once again, with results being 5 B+ and each module is worth 4 credits.

Case 1 (third semester)

First semester total points: 88
Second semester total points: 80
Third semester total points: 80

First semester credits: 20
Second semester credits: 20
Third semester credits: 20

CAP = Sum of total points for all semesters / sum of total credits = 248 / 60 = 4.13

Notice a drop of 0.07 from the second semester.

Case 2 (second semester)

First semester total points: 58
Second semester total points: 80
Third semester total points: 80

First semester credits: 20
Second semester credits: 20
Third semester credits: 20

CAP = Sum of total points for all semesters / sum of total credits = 218 / 60 = 3.63

Notice an increase of 0.18 from second semester.

To make the illustration even clearer, let us consider one more semester, with the same assumption of 5 B+ and each module is worth 4 credits.

Case 1 (fourth semester)

First semester total points: 88
Second semester total points: 80
Third semester total points: 80
Fourth semester total points: 80

First semester credits: 20
Second semester credits: 20
Third semester credits: 20
Fourth semester credits: 20

CAP = Sum of total points for all semesters / sum of total credits = 328 / 80 = 4.1

Notice a drop of 0.03 from the third semester.

Case 2 (second semester)

First semester total points: 58
Second semester total points: 80
Third semester total points: 80
Fourth semester total points: 80

First semester credits: 20
Second semester credits: 20
Third semester credits: 20
Fourth semester credits: 20

CAP = Sum of total points for all semesters / sum of total credits = 298 / 80 = 3.73

Notice an increase of 0.1 from third semester.

I think it should be very clear by now that as more semesters pass by, the impact of the results of the later semesters drops correspondingly. If you want to play catch up in the later semesters, you need to score no less than all As to compensate for the “decreasing returns” to your CAP. Alternatively, you can strive for a CAP as close to perfect as possible in your first few semesters and relax a little in the later semesters, letting the “decreasing returns” work in your favour because the impact of any drop in CAP gets lesser and lesser.

I’m not sure if this is the perfect system, but it is the system and to survive, one needs to know the system in order to beat the system.