Students are assigned grades based on evaluations of their work. Grades are given at the end of each semester and are based on criteria listed on a course syllabus. Assessment methods include, but are not limited to, quizzes, tests, projects, written assignments, labs, and participation. Standards for grades are listed below. Clinical grades are recorded on a pass/fail basis.
|
Letter |
Numerical Grade |
Quality |
|---|---|---|
|
A |
93.33-100.00 |
4.0 |
|
A- |
90.00-93.32 |
3.7 |
|
B+ |
86.67-89.99 |
3.3 |
|
B |
83.33-86.66 |
3.0 |
|
B- |
80.00-83.32 |
2.7 |
|
C+ |
76.67-79.99 |
2.3 |
|
C |
73.33-76.66 |
2.0 |
|
C- |
70.00-73.32 |
1.7 |
|
D+ |
66.67-69.99 |
1.3 |
|
D |
63.33-66.66 |
1.0 |
|
D- |
60.00-63.32 |
0.7 |
|
F |
Below 60.00 |
0.0 |
|
P |
Passing |
0.0 |
|
AF |
Administrative Failure |
0.0 |
|
AU |
Audit |
0.0 |
|
I |
Incomplete |
0.0 |
|
W |
Withdrew |
0.0 |
|
WP |
Withdraw Passing |
0.0 |
|
WF |
Withdraw Failing |
0.0 |
Explanation of Grades: P, AF, AU, I W, WP, WF
P: A grade of P for passing is not calculated into GPA
AF: An instructor or administrator initiates a withdrawal at any time for reasons other than poor grade performance (e.g., failure to meet attendance requirements, as published in the course syllabus; violation of the Student Code of Conduct; disruptive behavior; and the like). The grade may also be issued for a student registered in a clinical, practicum, internship, or laboratory who is deemed unsafe or is performing in an unsatisfactory manner, as determined by the faculty member or agency supervisor in accordance with department criteria and procedure. For GPA purposes, an AF is calculated as an “F.” An AF can be administered up until two weeks before the final day of the semester.
AU: A course taken as an audit does not earn credit and cannot be used to meet graduation requirements. Not all courses can be taken for audit. Students must register for the course at the time of registration as auditing it.
I: An incomplete grade indicates that a student has not completed a major course assignment because of extraordinary circumstances. It is not used to give an extension of time to a student for delinquency in meeting course requirements. The I grade is not calculated into the GPA. The student must complete all work associated with the I by the end of the third week of the subsequent semester, or the grade defaults to an F. See Incomplete Grade Policy below.
W: Students who initiate withdrawal from a course before 60% of the course’s duration receive a W. The W does not affect GPA. An instructor can also initiate a withdrawal if the student notifies the instructor of extenuating circumstances that prevent the student from initiating the process (e.g., catastrophic illness or injury, job transfer to another state).
WP: Students receive WP who initiate withdrawal from a course after 60% of the course’s duration and up to two weeks prior to the end of semester. For a WP, the student must have a passing grade at time of drop, as determined by the instructor. A WP does not affect GPA. It can also be initiated by the instructor if the student notifies the instructor of extenuating circumstances that prevent the student from initiating the process (e.g., catastrophic illness or injury, job transfer to another state).
WF: Students receive WF who initiate withdrawal from a course after 60% of the course’s duration and up to two weeks prior to the end of semester. For a WF, the student must have a failing grade at time of drop, as determined by the instructor. A WF calculates as an F for GPA. It can also be initiated by the instructor if the student notifies the instructor of extenuating circumstances that prevent the student from initiating the process (e.g., catastrophic illness or injury, job transfer to another state).
Determination of Grades
For students who have met all financial and other college responsibilities, WMCC posts grades on the student web system at the end of each semester for each course. Grade reports include the semester GPA, cumulative credits, and cumulative GPA.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The GPA determines academic standing, computed as follows:
- Multiply the grade points earned in each course by the number of credit hours associated with that course. For each course, this value is known as quality points.
- Add the quality points from all the courses taken during the semester. Add the number of credits hours for all courses combined.
- Divide the total quality points by the total number of credit hours. The result of the division is the semester GPA.
| Example | Letter Grade | Semester Hours | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 211W Professional Writing | A (4) | 3 | 4 x 3 = 12 |
| MATH 214W Statistics | B+ (3.3) | 4 | 3.3 x 4 = 13.2 |
| ECON 111W Principles of Macroeconomics | C (2) | 3 | 2 x 3 = 6 |
| PSYC 111W Psychology | D (1) | 3 | 1 x 3 = 3 |
| TOTAL | 13 | 34.2 |
A total of 34.2 quality points divided by 13 credits = 2.63 semester GPA.
Repeat Courses Are Graded as Follows:
When a student repeats a course (either voluntarily or to overturn a failure), only the most recent grade is computed in the GPA and cumulative GPA. Both grades appear on the academic transcript.
Cumulative Grade Point Average
The cumulative GPA reflects a student’s academic standing up through the most recent semester. To compute the cumulative GPA, one divides the total quality points earned for all semesters by the total number of credits attempted for all semesters.
Incomplete Grade Policy
An Incomplete Grade (I) is issued when a student has not completed a major course assignment (usually a final exam or culminating final assessment) because of extraordinary circumstances, such as serious illness, death in the family, and the like. The grade is applied only in those instances when the student has a reasonable chance of passing. It is not given as an extension for students delinquent in meeting course requirements.
The student must complete the unfinished work through formal arrangement with the instructor no later than:
- the end of the third week in the spring semester for a grade issued in the fall semester.
- the end of the third week in the fall semester for a grade issued in the summer term.
- three weeks from the earliest start date of the summer term for a grade issued in the spring semester.
Should the student fail to complete the work within the designated timeframe, the grade automatically becomes an F. The Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) may make exceptions to the above deadlines.
Incomplete grades are not calculated into GPA. An incomplete grade may affect a student’s financial aid. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office for further information.
Course Failure
If a student fails a course with an F grade, the student must either retake the course at WMCC or take a comparable course at another institution. The College counts only course credits for courses transferred from other institutions; the F continues to count as part of the student's cumulative GPA. Students should consult their advisor and Department Chairperson to determine if a course transfers. Course failures cannot be made up by taking a credit by examination. See policy on Credit by Examination.
Grade for a Repeated Course
All grades are entered on the grade report and appear on the student’s academic record. These grades are used to determine semester and cumulative GPAs.
Students may retake a course at WMCC to replace an F or to improve a previous grade. The latest of the two grades is used to determine the cumulative GPA. When a student retakes a course at WMCC, the course and credit hours appear on the semester’s grade report and academic record, along with the letter grade. The course grade and credit hours are included in the computation of the semester and cumulative GPAs. The original grade and credit hours do not figure into the cumulative GPA but do appear on the student’s academic record.
Appeal of a Grade
Students must initiate any appeal of a grade with the instructor before the end of the ensuing semester. Students must realize that, in most instances, only the instructor can change a grade. Only in cases of obvious computational error or blatant abuse of the grading prerogative can the VPAA (the only other college employee empowered to change a grade) alter a student’s grade.
Students who believe they have valid grounds for a grade appeal must use the following process to resolve the issue:
The student:
- Contact the instructor: The student contacts the faculty member in question to discuss the grade appeal. After contact is made, the faculty member should respond within the next five workdays to discuss the situation. Together, the faculty member and the student attempt to resolve the matter. If the matter is not resolved in Step 1, the process proceeds to Step 2.
- Contact the Program Coordinator or Department Chair: The student has three workdays from the date of the faculty member’s decision in Step 1 to file a written appeal with the faculty member’s Program Coordinator or Department Chair. If the faculty member is the Department Chair, the written appeal goes to the VPAA. Within three workdays, the Program Coordinator or Department Chair mediates the dispute either by contacting the faculty member or by contacting the student and the faculty member. If no resolution is reached, the process proceeds to Step 3.
- Written Appeal to the VPAA:
If the issue is not resolved in Step 2, the student has three workdays to file a written appeal with the VPAA. The letter of appeal must include the student’s name and contact information, the course name and number, the semester in which the course was taken, the student’s grade, the name of the instructor issuing the grade, and evidence of obvious computational error and/or blatant abuse of the grading prerogative. The VPAA will review the appeal and respond with a written explanation of their decision to the student. The VPAA’s decision is final, and the matter will be considered resolved at that point.
Note: During the summer, when faculty are not on campus, students may begin the grade-appeal process with the Office of Academic Affairs, who makes every attempt to contact the faculty member so that they can respond to the student within a specified time. On occasion, these times may need to be adjusted.