Grading System
Central employs the following grading system:
A 4.0 grade points per semester hour
A- 3.7 grade points per semester hour
B+ 3.3 grade points per semester hour
B 3.0 grade points per semester hour
B- 2.7 grade points per semester hour
C+ 2.3 grade points per semester hour
C 2.0 grade points per semester hour
C- 1.7 grade points per semester hour
D+ 1.3 grade points per semester hour
D 1.0 grade points per semester hour
D- 0.7 grade points per semester hour
F (Failure) 0 grade points per semester hour
P (Pass) not applicable,minimum grade “C” is required to receive a “P” grade
I (Incomplete) not applicable
W (Withdrawal) not applicable
NC (No Credit) not applicable
AUD (satisfactory audit) not applicable
CR (Language and Mathematics proficiency) not applicable
Grades of P, I, W, NC, AUD and CR are not included when calculating grade point average. Only courses completed at Central College on the Pella campus, abroad, Chicago or Washington D.C. Semester or Acadeum courses are used to calculate the grade point average.
Incomplete (“I”) grade
The incomplete grade “I” is a temporary grade indicating that work for the course is not complete. Instructors may assign an incomplete grade in a course that the student cannot complete on time due to extenuating circumstances, such as major illness or a death in the family, by filing an Incomplete Grade Request form with the registrar’s office prior to the end of the current grading period. The date by which a student must complete a course is determined by the course instructor, but all work must be completed no later than the first day of the spring term for a fall class and the first day of the summer term for a spring class. Typically, incompletes are not offered in the summer. At the time of the incomplete request, instructors will provide to the registrar the grade the student is currently earning in the course as the grade the student can expect to receive if the course is not completed by the agreed-upon deadline. Requests for an extension beyond the deadline should be made, in writing, to the registrar prior to the previously approved deadline. Both the instructor and student must agree to the extension.
Withdrawn (“W”) grade
A grade of “W” indicates a student has either withdrawn from college or withdrawn from a particular course after the regular course drop and add period (typically the Friday of the second week of classes). The “W” grade is recorded on the transcript, but no credit is given. A student may not withdraw from a course, except for medical reasons, after the end of the 12th week of class.
Pass (“P”)/No Credit (“NC”) grades
With the approval of the advisor and course instructor, junior- and senior-level students may elect to attempt a maximum of 20 credits outside core, major, or minor requirements, and those courses required for certification, on a pass/no credit basis. Courses offered on a pass/no credit only basis may be used at the discretion of the department to meet major or minor requirements. Credit and a “P” (pass) grade are granted provided the student has earned the equivalent of a “C” grade or better. A “P” grade will have no effect on the student’s grade point average. Students who earn a grade below a “C” will not receive credit for the course and an “NC” (no credit) grade will appear on the transcript. “NC” grades will have no effect on the student’s grade point average. A student must submit an approved pass/no credit option form to the registrar’s office before the end of the regular add/drop period.