Grades and Grade Points
Performance in each course is indicated by one of seven grades. Five of these grades signify passing work. Each grade and its value in grade points follows:
| Grade | Significance | Grade Points per Unit |
|---|---|---|
| A | Excellent | 4 |
| B | Good | 3 |
| C | Satisfactory | 2 |
| D | Passing; less than satisfactory | 1 |
| F | Failing | 0 |
| P | Pass; at least satisfactory | Hours awarded; not counted in GPA |
| NP | Non Pass; not satisfactory or failing | No hours awarded; not counted in GPA |
The grade point average is calculated by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number of GPA hours for the grades of A, B, C, D, F. The grades of P and NP, and the symbols of IP, Incomplete (I) and W are not used in the grade point average calculation.
In cases of academic dishonesty, faculty may assign a "0" or “F” for the respective assignment(s). The student's final grade may be reduced according to the grading scale specified in the course syllabus and subsequently recorded on the student's permanent record.
The following non-evaluative symbols may be used as defined. These symbols are not used when calculating the grade point average.
| Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|
| P | Pass |
| NP | No Pass |
| W | Withdrawal |
| EW | Excused Withdrawal |
| MW | Military Withdrawal |
| I | Incomplete |
| IP | In Progress |
| RD | Report Delayed |
Grade Changes & Excused Withdrawals
Students requesting a change from a substandard grade to a withdrawal due to a serious, documented, extenuating circumstance, must submit the appropriate petition no later than one year from the term in which the grade was received. Petitions are subject to review.
Note: Students that believe their grade was submitted in error also must adhere to the one-year deadline (from the term in which the grade was received) to contest their grade. No exceptions will be made to the deadline. Note that grade grievance cases have a shorter time limit. See the Grade Grievance section of the catalog for further information about the process and timeline for grade grievances.
Abbreviation/Definition
W (Withdraw)
- A “W” grade will be assigned for students who officially withdraw prior to the end of week 12 of the term for full-semester classes, week 6 of the term for eight-week classes, and 75 percent of the class for all other courses.
- No notation (“W” or otherwise) is made on the permanent record of a student who withdraws prior to the third Monday of the term for full-semester classes, or 20 percent of a class for all other classes.
Specific drop deadline dates can be found on the Web at MyCoast (Student Class Program/Web Schedule Bill). Students are responsible for withdrawing from a class within the appropriate time to avoid an unsatisfactory grade. Students may drop a class using the MyCoast portal, or by letter to the Enrollment Center, U.S. postmarked prior to the drop deadline.
If a student’s behavior is disruptive of the class and interferes with the ability of other students in the class to learn, or in any way endangers themselves or others, their continued presence in the class is prohibited and they can be administratively withdrawn by the College Disciplinary Officer or designee according to the District Student Code of Conduct. Such withdrawal will result in a “W” symbol on the student’s permanent record.
MW (Military Withdrawal)
Under Title 5, Section 55024, members of the service called to active duty during a semester in which they are enrolled, may petition to withdraw under special circumstances. The withdrawal will be posted as “MW”- Military Withdrawal on the student’s transcript and will be non-punitive, which means that it will not count in the student's grade point average nor will it count towards academic or progress probation/disqualification. Students with orders to report during a semester in which they are enrolled should contact the Veterans Services Office in Watson Hall.
I (Incomplete)
If agreed upon between the instructor and the student, a student may receive an “I” grade when work in the class cannot be completed by the last day of the semester due to extenuating circumstances.
- Most of the academic work must be completed and there must be a justifiable reason for receiving the incomplete such as an accident or illness.
- The condition for removal of the “I” shall be stated by the instructor in a written record, including the grade the incomplete will revert to if the student doesn’t meet the condition for removal within the stated period of time. If the Instructor does not write the grade that the Incomplete should revert to then the grade will automatically post as a “F”.
- All academic work must be completed and submitted to the instructor per written agreement with the student, which will be valid no longer than one year following the end of the semester in which it was assigned.
- An incomplete not made up within the specified timeline will revert to the alternate grade assigned by the instructor when the “I” was assigned. If the Instructor did not write the grade that the Incomplete should revert to then the grade will automatically post as a “F”.
- A student may not re-enroll in a class in which an incomplete was awarded.
IP (In Progress)
The “IP” abbreviation is used only in those courses which extend beyond the usual academic term. The “IP” symbol remains on the student’s academic record to document enrollment but is not used in calculating grade point averages. If a student enrolled in an “open-entry, open-exit” course is assigned an “IP” at the end of a term and does not re-enroll in that course during the next term, the appropriate grade will be assigned.
Grade or Pass/No Pass Option
Students who enroll in courses designated “graded or pass/no pass” may select the pass/no pass option via their MyCoast account until the class starts. Once the class has started, students may request pass/no pass by submitting a pass/no pass request form to the Enrollment Center on the first floor of Watson Hall.
- Students enrolled in courses with the Pass/No pass option are able to make that selection no later than the last day of the respective class. NOTE: Once the grade option deadline has passed, the grading option cannot be reversed. There are no exceptions to this deadline.
- Before selecting the pass/no pass option, students should consult with a counselor. Generally, it is recommended that students select a letter grade in courses satisfying requirements for majors, general education or a high school course deficiency.
- Grades of “NP” are considered unsatisfactory for progress probation or dismissal.
- In courses where one performance standard determines unit credit, only a “P” or “NP” is given. A maximum of 15 units of Pass/No Pass graded courses may be used towards an associate degree. Students also should consult with a counselor to determine pass/no pass eligibility for specific courses prior to submitting the pass/no pass forms.
Students may repeat a course in which they received a “NP”, “D”, “F” or “W” two additional times for credit within the Coast Community College District (Orange Coast College, Golden West College, or Coastline Community College). After three unsuccessful attempts, a student’s registration in the course is automatically blocked (BP4225). Only the second grade and units in the repeated course will be counted when determining grade point average. A student can request to have the first substandard grade for a repeated course removed from the grade point average calculation by filling out a form in Enrollment Services (Petition to Exclude a Sub-Standard Grade from GPA Calculation).