Grading System

North Central State College uses the standard 4-point-scale letter grade system (with pluses and minuses). A student must earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average to graduate. Student achievement is measured according to the following system:

FAILING - Credit for a course in which a failing grade has been received can be obtained only by repeating the course and earning a “D-” or higher grade.

INCOMPLETE - An incomplete grade indicates that a student has not completed a small part of the course requirements due to uncontrollable circumstances. An incomplete grade may be removed from the student’s record if the student arranges with his/her instructor to have the course completed at the earliest possible time - but not later than the deadline date as specified in the College calendar. If the “I” grade is not changed within the specified period of time, the “I” grade automatically will be changed to an “F”, and the course must be repeated for credit.

In no case shall a student who has received the mark “I” be permitted to repeat the course in which the mark was received until the “I” has been removed in the method indicated.

P/NP- PASS/NO PASS - Courses graded in this manner count as credit hours only and are not considered in determining the grade-point average. A passing grade (P) represents "C-" or higher.

W- WITHDRAWAL - Students may withdraw from any course at the College up until the deadline as stated in the College calendar and receive a grade of “W”. Withdrawals from a course are not normally permitted after eight weeks. A student may withdraw through Monday of the second week of the quarter without any grade placed on his/her permanent record.

Flexibly scheduled classes may have different withdrawal dates. Visit the Student Records Office for specific details.

K - TRANSFER CREDIT - This mark is used for work credited from other colleges, institutions, and service schools. “K” credit is counted as hours only and is not considered in determining a student’s grade-point average.

X - PROFICIENCY CREDIT - This mark indicates credit awarded on the basis of a written examination, division evaluation, portfolio evaluation, or high school articulation agreement. The level of  achievement required of the student is determined by the College division involved, but is never less than a “C-”.

Proficiency credit is not awarded to a student for a course in which a letter grade or P/NPgrade has been received at the College. “X” credit is counted as hours only and is not considered in determining a student’s grade-point average.

R - AUDIT - This mark is used when a student is taking a course for interest only and not for credit. Changes from audit to credit or credit to audit are allowed only within the official Add period of each quarter.

Grade-Point Averages

Students are evaluated using letter grades and a four-point scale. All grades are averaged in order to arrive at the quarterly and accumulative grade-point averages as stated on the grade report. The following example characterizes the method used to determine grade-point averages:

Quality Points / Credit Hours = Grade Point Average
49.76 / 18 = 2.76 GPA

Quality Points / Credit Hours = Grade Point Average
46.00 / 18 = 2.56 GPA

CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE (both quarters)

Total Quality Points / Total Credit Hours = Cumulative GPA
95.67 / 36 = 2.66 Cumulative GPA

In the example above, the student’s first quarter grade-point average is 2.76, second quarter grade-point average is 2.56, and cumulative grade-point average is 2.66. The grade-point average is determined by multiplying the credit hours for each course times the point value of the letter grade assigned to that course, totaling the resulting quality points, and dividing by the total number of credit hours. Courses which are graded P/NP, I, W, X, K, R, NR are not included in the computation of a grade-point average.

Grade Replacement

A student may retake a course as many times as he/she wishes. Only the most recently earned grade (A, B, C, D, F, P, NP) will count for credit or in the student’s accumulative average. However, an indication that the student attempted the course more than once will remain on the transcript. This policy does not alter any departmental policies on academic dismissal.

This policy was adopted in 1985 and is not retroactive. Consequently, any courses completed prior  to Summer Quarter 1985 will continue to appear on the student transcript and be counted in the accumulative average. Exceptions can be requested from the Vice President for Learning.

Grade Appeal

Any student wishing to have a course grade reviewed by the College must register an appeal within six weeks of the end of the quarter in which the grade was given or, if the grade originally given was an incomplete, within six weeks of the issuing of the final grade. The appeal should be registered first with the faculty member who gave the grade. If satisfaction is not obtained from the faculty member, the student may appeal to the appropriate division dean. If the appeal (perceived mistreatment and requested remedy) has not yet been put in writing, it must be at this point. The dean’s response must also be in writing. The final level of appeal is to the Vice President for Learning, who will respond in writing. During a grade appeal, the student is responsible for producing any course work that was returned to him/her that is relevant to the case.