Spring 2021 Grading Guide

1. Do nothing and receive a letter grade (A-F).

• This appears on your transcript and impacts your GPA like any other semester.

• If you are close but unable to complete the course, you may make arrangements with your instructor for an Incomplete (I) grade. The instructor will file a record of Incomplete, which notes the condition(s) for removal of the Incomplete and the grade to be assigned if the work is not completed. You will then have one year (Spring 2021) to complete the coursework.

• ***Please note: If you take an Incomplete in a prerequisite course you will not be able to enroll in the next course in the sequence.

2. Get an “Excused Withdrawal” (EW).

• The EW symbol is like a no-harm withdrawal.

• It will not impact your GPA and does not negatively impact financial aid.

• If you select Select Drop Extenuating Conditions through your myRAM account by May 7th, CCSF will change it to an EW.

• If you do not withdraw by April 30th, you can still submit a petition.

• You will not need to provide any additional paperwork or justification.

3. Declare “Pass/No Pass” (P/NP) for any course.

• This includes credit courses in Spring 2021 that are normally only available for letter grading (A-F).

• This option is not reflected in your GPA. Many other institutions have also gone to P/NP (or Credit / No Credit) grading temporarily for Spring 2021.

• ****Please note: in some cases, a P/NP could affect your transfer plan, aid eligibility, or certificate and degree completion.

• Go to myRAM to select this option by May 7th.

The P/NP symbols impact transcripts differently than letter grading. Here are the definitions according to the CCSF College Catalog:

• P = Pass (At least satisfactory, C or better. Units awarded not counted in grade point average.)

• NP = No Pass (Less than satisfactory or failing. Units not counted in grade point average.)

***Note: If you select a course for P/NP notation, it will not be calculated in your GPA and therefore may lower your overall GPA. Consult with a counselor for more information before choosing a P/NP notation to discuss your grading options, especially if you intend to transfer.

You might prefer a P/NP option because you are concerned about the grade you will receive in the class and how it will affect your GPA. In this time of stress, a P/NP option may allow you to focus more on the coursework without the worry of a letter grade. But make sure you read through this list of questions so that you are making the best possible choice for yourself and your future.

***Note: If you select a course for P/NP notation, it will not be calculated in your GPA and therefore may lower your overall GPA. Consult with a counselor for more information before choosing a P/NP notation to discuss your grading options, especially if you intend to transfer.

Login to your myRAM and make your choice there by May 7th.

You might prefer the traditional letter grade system (A, B, C, D or F) if:

• You wish to increase your GPA for any reason, including scholarship applications or transfer applications.

• You are concerned about being admitted to a competitive program at another institution. Some institutions are discussing eliminating this semester from their GPA calculations for applicants, but at this time that has not been finalized.

• You are concerned about being admitted to a four-year university based on your current GPA (note that Pass grades are expected to transfer as equivalent to A, B, C grades).

• You wish to transfer to a private school or one outside of California and are not sure if they will accept the Pass grade.

• You wish to attend graduate school and are not sure if they will accept the Pass grade.

• Your financial aid package or veteran’s benefits require the completion of a specified number of graded credit hours per semester.

• You are retaking a course to improve your GPA.

• You feel it is right for you and your academic goals.

If you are currently enrolled in a course that already has the P/NP option, no. You can do this on your own by selecting P/NP through your myRAM account before May 7th. You can, however, contact your professor or counselor if you want to make sure you’re making the best choice.

***Note: If you select a course for P/NP notation, it will not be calculated in your GPA and therefore may lower your overall GPA. Consult with a counselor for more information before choosing a P/NP notation to discuss your grading options, especially if you intend to transfer.

You can use the counseling request form to make an appointment with an academic counselor: Request for a Counseling Appointment. In addition, Retention Centers and other programs have counselors available to meet with you during shelter-in-place. If you have a counselor you've been working with, identify them on the appointment request form and our staff will assist you with scheduling an appointment. Find your counselor's email by searching their name through the CCSF Employee Directory.

Yes, but only if you drop below 12 units. If you drop below 12 units – even with an EW – you will lose your F-1 visa status. Remember, as an F-1 international student, you are legally required to maintain full-time status, i.e. 12 units minimum. If you are considering dropping a class and are unsure about the impact on your F-1 status, please contact the CCSF Office of International Programs (OIP).

You may repeat any course from Spring 2021 that you are not able to complete due to extenuating circumstances by submitting a Course Repetition Form. You will not be required to submit any supporting paperwork or justifications. The new grade will be used when computing your GPA.

For students hoping to transfer, please keep in mind that transfer institutions may still only accept the grade you earned on your first attempt. Check with individual transfer institutions to confirm local policies on repeatability.

If you're uncertain or have questions, check in with a CCSF counselor by visiting Academic Counseling to inquire about grade impacts on UC transfer. Counselors can work with you by phone, email, and Zoom video conference.

Pass grades will be counted towards course completion and most graduation requirements and may transfer to a four-year university. Students in certificate and CTE programs should consult with a counselor to ensure the units will count towards specific program requirements. For AD-Ts, all Pass grades will count towards IGETC/CSU GE, major, and degree requirements.

CSU campuses will accept "Credit" or "Pass" for all transferable college courses completed in winter, spring or summer 2020 including courses taken to satisfy:

• • Golden Four (English language [A2], oral communication [A1], critical thinking [A3], and mathematics/quantitative reasoning [B4]);

  • All other General Education courses; and

  • Major prerequisite courses.

If you're uncertain or have questions, check with a counselor by visiting Academic Counseling to inquire about grade impacts on CSU transfer. Counselors can work with you by phone, email, and Zoom video conference.

You can also check with individual CSU campuses for guidance and Community College Guidance - Incoming Transfers on whether Pass or No Pass grades will impact transfer.

Each UC campus sets its own policy about accepting major preparatory coursework; check with each campus for local decisions.

• UCB, UCD, UCI, UCLA, UCM, UCR, UCSC: letter grades REQUIRED

• UCSC: the math and sociology departments are likely to be flexible

• UCSB: letter grades STRONGLY RECOMMENDED in all major prep for all majors

• All Engineering majors: will allow for one (1) P or CR grade only

• All Economics majors: will allow P grades from non-UC schools as long as there is at least one letter grade to form a major prep GPA

• All Biological Science majors: letter grades are required for all major prep courses and students must meet the 2.7 GPA in those courses as well as the selection GPA for the campus

• All Mathematics majors: letter grades required in at least two courses at the Calculus level or higher and at least a 2.75 GPA.

• UCSD: no info yet

• Courses taken for P/NP or CR/NC in fall 2020 or beyond will be subject to the cap.

***Check with individual campuses about whether they allowed P/NP in major prep in summer 2020.

If you're uncertain or have questions, you can also check in with a counselor by visiting Academic Counseling to inquire about grade impacts on UC transfer. Counselors can work with you by phone, email, and Zoom video conference.

For UC, the P/NP unit cap was suspended for winter/spring/summer 2020, but not beyond that. So, any P/NP units completed prior to winter 2020 and after summer 2020 are subject to the cap. It’s going to be up to each campus to decide whether they want to consider P/NP in major prep beyond what they had agreed to for Spring 2020.

If you're uncertain or have questions, check in with a CCSF counselor by visiting Academic Counseling to inquire about grade impacts on UC transfer. Counselors can work with you by phone, email, and Zoom video conference.

Each UC campus sets its own policy about accepting major preparatory coursework; check with each campus for local decisions.

Regarding IGETC, A Pass grade from CCSF can be used toward fulfilling IGETC requirements since a P is equivalent to a C. Students are advised that there are limits on the number of units taken on a "pass/no pass" basis.

If some or all attendance of high school/secondary school was outside the United States, some campuses (UCLA, UCSC, UCSD) require a B grade or higher in UC-E courses to demonstrate English proficiency and may not accept Pass.

If you're uncertain or have questions, check in with a CCSF counselor by visiting Academic Counseling to inquire about grade impacts on UC transfer. Counselors can work with you by phone, email, and Zoom video conference.