PASSINGNOT PASSING GRADE OPTION FOR SPRING SEMESTER 2020

“PASSING/NOT PASSING” GRADE OPTION FOR SPRING SEMESTER 2020 • Albright College put in place a special grading policy for the Spring Semester 2020 only, in order to protect your transcript from lasting damage from the disruptions of the pandemic. • Instructors will assign traditional letter grades for each student. • Students can choose to keep any of the traditional letter grades that they like. • All grades will automatically convert to “P” or “NP” unless students specifically choose to keep the letter grades by June 17, 2020 on the “Pass/No Pass Grade Options for Spring 2020” form.

What is a “Passing” or “P” and “Not Passing” or “NP” Grade? • A “Passing” or “P” grade indicates that the student has completed the course with a grade of “D-” or better and has earned a course credit. • Passing grades will signify course completion • It does not affect the student’s grade point average (GPA). • This option is only available for Spring 2020. • A “Not Passing” or “NP” grade indicates that the student has not completed the course. • No course credit will be earned. • Unlike a grade of “F”, it does not affect the student’s GPA. • This option is only available for Spring 2020.

IMPORTANT: Requesting a Letter Grade versus P/NP • Students must request to retain a letter grade and if no preference is expressed, then P/NP grades will be entered on the transcript. • The student must inform the Registrar of their preferences via the, “Pass/No Pass Grade Options for Spring 2020” form located in Student e. Docs. • Students may change their initial decision about a particular class within the period of May 28 – June 17, 2020.

The 4. 000 Scale in Higher Education Traditional letter grades correspond to a Quality Point Scale from 0 - 4: • A=4 • B=3 • C=2 • D=1 • F=0 Plus and Minus grades add or subtract 0. 333. • C+ = 2. 333 • C- = 1. 667

Letter Grade to P/NP • “D-” grades and above will receive a “P” Course Letter Grade P or NP? • It does not affect the student’s grade point average (GPA). Class 1 A- P • A failing grade will receive an “NP” Class 2 B P Class 3 D- P Class 4 F NP • Unlike a grade of “F”, a “NP” does not affect the student’s GPA.

What is my GPA (Grade Point Average)? • Each grade is worth a certain number of QUALITY POINTS out of a maximum of 4. • Add the QUALITY POINTS for each course. • Divide that sum by the number of GPA COURSE UNITS. • The result is your GRADE POINT AVERAGE or GPA. Course ID Title Grade Units ENG 101 Composition B- 1 2. 67 FYS 100 FY Seminar A- 1 3. 67 MUS 120 Intro to Music F 1 0 PSY 100 Gen Psych 1 0 F Earned Units Q Points GPA Units 2 Total Q Points 4 6. 34 GPA 1. 585

What about my GPA from last semester? • Your transcript tracks your TERM GPA from the current semester, and also your CUMULATIVE GPA, for your entire Albright career. • The CUMULATIVE line adds up all the Quality Points from your Albright classes and divides them by the total number of GPA Course Units. Student Previously Earned Units GPA Units Q Points 3 3 GPA 5. 01 1. 67 This semester, the student has taken: Course ID ENG 102 Title Grade Writing about Texts D- POL 101 Units Q Points 1 0. 67 Amer Govt C+ 1 2. 33 PSY 100 Gen Psych C+ 1 2. 33 SPA 101 Elementary W Earned Units 1 0 GPA Units Q Points GPA Term 3 3 5. 33 1. 777 Cum 6 6 10. 34 1. 723

“Passing” and “Not Passing” do not count in GPA • In this example, the two failed classes are assigned grades of “NP” or Not Passing instead of “F” • They are NOT COUNTED in the GPA. • The sum of Quality Points is now divided by 2 classes instead of 4 • The GPA is higher. Course ID Title Grade Units ENG 101 Composition B- 1 2. 67 FYS 100 FY Seminar A- 1 3. 67 MUS 120 Intro to Music F NP 1 0 PSY 100 Gen Psych F NP 1 0 Earned Units Q Points Total Q GPA Units Points 2 4 2 GPA 6. 34 1. 585 3. 17

Using a 4 -Point Scale • Using the 4 -Point Scale, convert your current GPA to a letter grade. (For example, a GPA of 2. 29 is approximately a C+. ) • Any letter grades that are above this will improve your GPA. You should keep these letter grades! • Any letter grades that are below this will depress your GPA. You should opt for P or NP instead.

When and how will students decide whether they want letter grades or P/NP on their transcripts? • After final exams are completed, students will be able to review the letter grades that instructors have submitted for final grades. • There will be a period in which students can inform the registrar of their preferences, from May 28 – June 17, 2020. • If no preference is expressed, then P/NP grades will be entered on the transcript. • Students may change their initial decision about a particular class once only.

Changing a low D to a grade of “P” • In this example, the D- in ENG 102 is replaced by a “P” for Passing. • It is NOT COUNTED in the GPA. • The Quality Points for the D- are no longer included in the total. • The sum of Quality Points is now divided by 5 classes instead of 6 • Both the Term GPA and the Cumulative GPA are higher. Student Previously Earned Units GPA Units 3 Q Points 3 GPA 5. 01 1. 67 This semester, the student has taken: Course ID Title Grade Writing ENG 102 about Texts D- P Units Q Points 1 0. 67 POL 101 Amer Govt C+ 1 2. 33 PSY 100 Gen Psych C+ 1 2. 33 SPA 101 Elementary W Earned Units 1 0 GPA Units Q Points GPA Term 3 3 2 5. 33 4. 66 1. 777 2. 33 Cum 6 6 5 10. 34 9. 67 1. 723 1. 934

Should I change a C+ to a grade of “P”? • It depends what your current GPA is – you’ll have to test the average • Using the same example as the previous slide, the student replaced two grades, a D- and a C+, with “P” grades, but the gain was less significant. • This student’s prior GPA (1. 67) was lowered by the D- (0. 67) but raised by the C+ (2. 33). • Therefore, this student would be better off to keep the C+ grade counted in the GPA. Student Previously Earned Units GPA Units Q Points GPA 3 3 5. 01 This semester, the student has taken: Course ID Title Grade Units Q Points ENG 102 POL 101 PSY 100 SPA 101 Writing about Texts D- P Amer Govt C+ P Gen Psych C+ Elementary W Earned Units 1 1 1 0. 67 2. 33 1 0 GPA Units Q Points 1. 67 GPA Term 3 3 1 5. 33 2. 336 1. 777 2. 33 Cum 6 6 4 10. 34 7. 34 1. 723 1. 835

Each Situation Might be Unique • Each decision to take a letter grade or P/NP might be unique and could require additional review. • Please consult faculty, academic advisors or the Registrars’ office for specific sets of circumstances or additional concerns.

Change of Grade Form • Students must request to retain a letter grade and if no preference is expressed, then P/NP grades will be entered on the transcript. • The student must inform the Registrar of their preferences via the, “Pass/No Pass Grade Options for Spring 2020” form located in Student e. Docs.

Grade Replacement (retaking a course) • Even though a “P” grade will not affect your GPA, the removal of the previous poor grade will change your GPA slightly. • Replacing a previous non-quality (NQ) grade will remove that grade and replace it with a “P”. This will take away the past NQ grade and will slightly change your GPA. • Refer to example on next slide.

Retaking a course (example)

Check out the Passing/Not Passing Grade Option FAQ for more Information Please refer to the Passing/Not Passing Grade Option FAQ for more information about: • • • Satisfactory Academic Progress or financial aid Academic probation Student athletes International students Honors students Education majors

For more information, please consult: Your situation might be unique. Please use the contacts below for assistance with your specific circumstances: • Your academic advisor(s) • Your Student Success Specialists (for first-year students) • Schedule an appointment • The Registrar’s Office • transcripts@albright. edu • https: //www. albright. edu/about-albright/offices-departments/registrar/ • The Financial Aid Office • finaid@albright. edu • Associate Dean for Student Academic Success • jmatthews@albright. edu