Grading Policies

Your Grade Point Average (GPA)

Calculating your Grade Point Average (GPA) is an important way you can measure your progress toward graduation. GPAs are calculated by dividing the sum of the grade points by the total number of GPA credits.

Gateway uses a standard 4.0 grading scale for calculating your GPA and maintains three grading periods during the academic year. Faculty members submit both midterm and final grades for each grading period/semester which are recorded on your official transcript and used to calculate your GPA (Grade Point Average).
To determine your GPA:

  1. Multiply the number of GPA credits for each course by the grade point value of the letter grades assigned. This converts the letter grades into grade points.
  2. Add the total number of GPA credits.
  3. Add the total number of grade points earned.
  4. Divide the total number of grade points by the total number of GPA credits. The resulting figure is your GPA.

The example below illustrates GPA calculation for one semester:

GPA
Course Grade Point Value GPA Credits Grade Points
English Comp I F 0.00 3 0
Contemporary Am. Society C 2.00 3 6
Speech D 1.00 3 3
Management Principles B 3.00 2 6
Accounting I A 4.00 4 16
Investments AU - - -
    TOTAL 15 31
Credits Completed - 15    
Grade Points Earned - 31    
Grade Point Average - 31/15 = 2.060    

Dean’s List honors are granted each semester for students who are accepted into an associate degree or technical diploma program, have enrolled for a minimum of six credits (not including developmental/remedial credits) and achieved a semester GPA of 3.75 or better. Dean’s List calculations are based on classes that have been graded by the end of the traditional semester. After final grade verification, certifications will be mailed to each eligible student. Replacement certificates will only be given for the semester immediately prior to the replacement request.

Your Grades and Credit

Each class carries academic credit based on total contact hours and the method of instruction, and these credits are used to determine your GPA. You may only earn credit once for a course. When you repeat a course, only the highest grade earned is used for academic GPA calculations. The lower grade will remain on your transcript but is annotated as being a repeated course.

General college, precollege and pretechnical courses are considered developmental and/or remedial and do not count toward graduation, nor are they used in GPA calculations for graduation. All developmental and/or remedial courses are noted in the course description on My Gateway | Registration and Schedule | Search for Courses.

If you are enrolled in associate degree, technical diploma, academic prep or adult high school credit classes, you will be graded by the following letter grade and point system

Grades
Grades Description Grade Points
A Excellent 4.00
A- Excellent 3.67
B+ Good 3.33
B Good 3.00
B- Good 2.67
C+ Satisfactory 2.33
C Satisfactory 2.00
C- Satisfactory 1.67
D+ Poor 1.33
D Poor 1.00
D- Poor 0.67
F Failure 0.00

Note: Some instructors may not use plus (+) or minus (-) grades.

You may view your grades via My Gateway | Academics | Unofficial Transcript. Grades are available online the day after the instructor enters them. If you have an outstanding debt on your student account, you will not be able to view your grades or transcripts.

The following grades may appear on your transcript, but will not be included in your GPA:

The following grades may appear on your transcript, but will not be included in your GPA:

    • WP -Withdrawal Passing (prior to 2007)
    • WF -Withdrawal Failing (prior to 2007)
    • W -Withdrawal
    • R -Repeated
    • I - Incomplete
    • AU -Audited (no credit earned)
    • TR -Transfer Credit
    • PR -Proficiency Credit (Advanced Standing)
    • M -Manual Repeat Adjustment
    • D+X -Academically Forgiven D+ grade
    • DX -Academically Forgiven D grade
    • D-X -Academically Forgiven D- grade
    • FX -Academically Forgiven F grade

The I (incomplete) grade may be assigned, at the discretion of your instructor, if you encountered extenuating circumstances which prevented completion of the course. You must have been close to completing the course but, due to extenuating circumstances, were unable to complete the final exam or some limited amount of coursework. The instructor sets a deadline by which the coursework must be completed. The deadline will be no later than the end of the following semester, not including Summer semester. The I grade will be displayed on your transcript, which may be viewed via My Gateway | Academics | Unofficial Transcript. An I grade which is not changed by the deadline set by the instructor will automatically be changed to an F grade.

Grade changes must be made within one year of the end of the semester in which you registered for the class. Grade changes will be honored only to correct a mistake or error in calculating or assigning the class grade. Please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities page for instructions on the process of submitting an academic concern.

Midterm grades will be available via My Gateway | Academics | Midterm Grades on the dates specified in the academic calendar. Midterm grades are a snapshot of your grade on the date the midterm grade was entered and do not appear on your transcript and are not calculated into your GPA. Refer to your syllabus for the class grading policy and assignments. Instructor comments may also be provided. Midterm grades are only required for courses that are at least 13 weeks in length. Midterm grades are to help you understand their progression in courses. It is essential to review midterm grades and to seek support if needed.

Graduation from a program seals your program record. No changes are made to grades used to meet program requirements. If a course used to fulfill a graduation requirement is repeated after you graduate, the repeat does not affect the record; it will not be used for credit or GPA purposes.