Grades and GPA
The GPA Calculation
Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by determining the total point value of your letter grade and dividing by the number of credits attempted. Failing grades do not earn points, but the attempted credits are included in GPA calculations.We explain the math below, but you can also check out the Cougar Success GPA calculator.
GPA = Total Points Earned ÷ Number of Credits Attempted (includes F grades with no points earned)
| Point System |
| Grade |
Points |
| A |
4.0 |
| A- |
3.7 |
| B+ |
3.3 |
| B |
3.0 |
| B- |
2.7 |
| C+ |
2.3 |
| C |
2.0 |
| C- |
1.7 |
| D+ |
1.3 |
| D |
1.0 |
| F |
0.0 |
| Auxiliary Grade Codes |
| Code |
Description |
Details |
| F |
Fail |
No credit or grade points. (Credits attempted are calculated in GPA) |
| P |
Passing |
Credit given, grade points not calculated. |
| PP |
Passing |
Credit given, grade points not calculated. |
| S |
Satisfactory |
Credit given, grade points not calculated. |
| H |
Honors Pass |
Credit given, grade points not calculated. |
| M |
Marginal |
Credit given, grade points not calculated. |
| U |
Unsatisfactory |
Provides no credit or grade points. |
| I |
Incomplete* |
Provides no credit or grade points. |
| IC |
Incomplete COVID19* |
Provides no credit or grade points. More info about IC grade. |
| NRC |
No Record, COVID-19 |
Provides no credit or grade points. More info about NRC grade. |
| W |
Withdrawn |
Provides no credit or grade points. |
| X |
Grade not available* |
Provides no credit or grade points. |
|
*Note: You cannot graduate with an Incomplete or Unavailable Grade.
|
Calculating The Earned Points For A Course
The examples below show you how to calculate your GPA.
Example 1: Anthropology 101 is a 3 credit course in which the student earned a grade of B.
\((3\ credits) \times (3\ pts) = 9\ earned\ points\)
Example 2: Anthropology 316 is a 4 credit course in which the student earned a grade of an A-.
\((4\ credits) \times (3.7\ pts) = 14.8\ earned\ points\)
Calculating The GPA
Example 1:
| Course |
Credit |
Grade |
Earned Points |
| Soc 101 |
3 |
B+ |
9.9 |
| Engl 102 |
4 |
C |
8.0 |
| Math 202 |
3 |
A |
12.0 |
\(\begin{eqnarray} GPA & = & (9.9 + 8.0 + 12.0 = 29.9\ total\ points) / (3 + 4 + 3 = 10) \\ & = & 29.9 / 10 \\ & = & 2.99\ GPA\ with\ 10\ earned\ credits \\ \end{eqnarray}\)
Example 2:
| Course |
Credit |
Grade |
Earned Points |
| Hist 101 |
3 |
D |
3.0 |
| F A 201 |
4 |
B- |
10.8 |
| Chem 240 |
4 |
A- |
14.8 |
| Math 101 |
3 |
S |
0.0 |
\(\begin{eqnarray} GPA & = & (3.0 + 10.8 + 14.8 = 28.6\ total\ points) / (3 + 4 + 4 = 11) \\ & = & 28.6 / 11 \\ & = & 2.60\ GPA\ with\ 14\ earned\ credits \\ \end{eqnarray}\)
COVID-19 Incomplete (IC): Spring 2020 only
A recent revision to federal financial aid regulations allows for COVID-19 related Incompletes to hold students harmless for SAP and ease the burden for Financial Aid. In order to implement this, a new grade was created to allow for tracking, the IC, defined as Incomplete COVID-19. Students may be given the IC grade when they indicate the reason for the incomplete is COVID-19 related. Reasons may include child-care responsibilities, caring for self or family member illness, lack of access to technology or internet, death of a family member, housing disruptions related to a COVID-19 move, and other significant life events. Instructors will need to complete the Incomplete Grade Agreement. Department Coordinators were emailed complete instructions on May 4, 2020.
No Record, COVID-19 Grade (NRC): Fall 2020/Spring 2021 only
Section 3509 of the CARES Act allows institutions to exclude from the quantitative component (pace measurement) of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) attempted credits a student was unable to complete as a result of the COVID-19 national emergency. It is not necessary for a student to have file a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal for an institution to exercise this flexibility. However, to exclude attempted credits from SAP, an institution must have reasonably determined that the student's failure to complete those credits was the result of a COVID-19 related circumstance. Allowable circumstances include, but are not limited to, illness of the student or family member, need to become a caregiver or first responder, economic hardship, added work hours, loss of childcare, inability to continue with classes via distance education, inability to access wi-fi due to closed facilities. If an institution temporarily ceases operations during a period of enrollment, attempted credits for all affected students (specific to that enrollment period) may be excluded.