Grading System

Grades and Grade Point Average

Grades are based upon the quality of work completed. The grade point average (GPA) is computed by dividing all GPA hours/units into quality points received. The meaning of each symbol and its value in quality points is as follows:

GRADES

  • A — Superior or Excellent (4 grade points): Honor grade indicating excellence earned as a result of consistently superior examination scores, consistently accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal resourcefully with abstract ideas, superior mastery of pertinent skills, and promise of success in field relating to the subject. 
  • B — Better than Average — Good (3 grade points): Honor grade indicating competence earned as a result of high examination scores, accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal well with abstract ideas, commendable mastery of pertinent skills, and promise of continued success in sequential courses. 
  • C — Average — Satisfactory (2 grade points): Standard college grade indicating successful performance earned as a result of satisfactory examination scores, generally accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal with abstract ideas, average mastery of pertinent skills, and sufficient evidence of ability to warrant entering sequential courses. 
  • D — Passing, Less than Satisfactory — (1 grade point): Substandard grade indicating the meeting of minimum requirements only earned as a result of low examination scores, generally inaccurate, incomplete or late assignments, inadequate grasp of abstract ideas, barely acceptable mastery of pertinent skills, or insufficient evidence of ability to make enrollment in sequential courses advisable.

    F — Failing — (no grade points): Non-passing grade indicating failure to meet minimum requirements earned as a result of non-passing examination scores, inaccurate, incomplete, or late assignments, failure to cope with abstract ideas, inadequate mastery of pertinent skills, or repeated absence from class.
     
  • I — Incomplete — (no grade points, no units attempted, non-­evaluative): Incomplete academic work for unforeseeable, emergency, and justifiable reasons at the end of the term may result in an “I” symbol being entered in the student’s record. The condition for removal of the “I” shall be stated by the instructor in a written record. This record shall contain the conditions for removal of the “I” and the grade that will be assigned if the conditions for removing the Incomplete are not met:
    • INB – Incomplete Grade with a B default grade   
    • INC – Incomplete Grade with a C default grade   
    • IND – Incomplete Grade with a D default grade   
    • INF – Incomplete Grade with an F default grade   
    • INNP – Incomplete Grade with an NP default grade  

This record must be given to the student with a copy on file with the Registrar until the “I” is made up or the time limit has passed. A final grade shall be assigned when the work stipulated has been completed and evaluated, or when the time limit for completing the work has passed. The “I” may be made up no later than one year following the end of the term in which it was assigned. Under unusual circumstances, a student may petition for a time extension. An incomplete grade must be changed to a letter grade before it can be repeated.

PASS/IN PROGRESS/NO PASS

  • P — Pass — (no grade points, no units attempted, but counts for units completed): Pass means that credit has been earned for the course although there are no grade points and the grade is not used in computing the grade point average and will reflect performance equivalent to a C or better under the letter grade system. 
  • IP — In progress — (no grade points, no units attempted, non-­evaluative): If a student making satisfactory progress in an open entry course has not finished a course at the end of a semester, the student shall be given an “IP,” which indicates the student is in progress of completing the course. The student must re-enroll in the course if the student wishes to continue working in that course. Failure to do so will result in an assignment of a grade by the instructor in place of the “IP.” “IP” shall not be used in calculating grade point averages. 
  • NP — No Pass — (no grade points, no units, no units completed): No Pass means that neither units nor grade points have been earned. Units for which NP is given are not to be used in calculating grade point averages.

  • REPORT DELAYED

  • RD — Report Delayed — (no grade points, no units completed): The “RD” symbol may be assigned by the Registrar only. It is to be used when there is a delay in reporting the grade of a student due to circumstances beyond the control of the student. It is a temporary notation to be replaced by a permanent symbol as soon as possible and shall not be used in calculating a grade point average.

WITHDRAWALS

  • MW — Military Withdrawal — (no grade points, no units attempted, no units completed): An “MW” means the student is a member of an active or reserve United States military service and was forced to withdraw because of military orders. Students shall be permitted to withdraw upon verification of such orders. Students must submit a copy of their orders to the Admissions and Records Office. Military withdrawal shall not be counted in progress probation or dismissal calculations. 
  • W — Withdrawal — (no grade points, no units attempted, no units completed): A “W” grade indicates that the student has withdrawn from college or dropped from a class section prior to the specified drop date. The grade indicates the course has been canceled from the student’s program of study without credit and is not included in the grade point average calculation. (See Withdrawal Policy) 
  • EW — Excused Withdrawal —  (no grade points, no units attempted, no units completed): An "EW" indicates a student has been granted an excused withdrawal from the course(s) associated with this notation. Effective Spring 2019, students may petition for an "EW" in the event of extenuating circumstances that happen after the last date to withdraw from a course as published in the Academic Calendar. For more information, see Withdrawal Policy.

The Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option is designed to encourage students to explore courses in areas where they feel they have an interest but no special competence. Some of these courses may be taken for a letter grade. P/NP is not the same as auditing and students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution should not choose the Pass/No Pass grading option. Many transfer institutions will not accept Pass/No Pass graded courses to be applied toward major, minor, and general education requirements. Check the catalog of the transfer institution and/or see a counselor for further information. 
Students may select the Pass/No Pass option via myGateway instead of a letter grade through the last day of a term (see below for instructions). Students who are planning to transfer to the University  of California and the California or the California State University systems should be aware that they require courses taken to satisfy a major to be completed with a letter grade and many transfer institutions restrict the number of transfer units that may be taken as Pass/No Pass.

The following policies govern Pass/No Pass grading at Cypress College:

P — Pass will reflect performance equivalent to a “C” or better under the letter grade system. Pass (P) grades will award units completed but will not be computed into the grade point average.

NP — No Pass will reflect performance not equivalent to a “C” or better under the letter grade system. No Pass (NP) grades will not be counted into the grade point average but will be entered into calculations for progress probation and progress dismissal.

  1. Students who choose the of Pass/No Pass grade option may enroll in up to six units each semester, however, a maximum of twelve units of Pass/No Pass courses (excluding COUN 140 C and work experience) will be allowed at Cypress College.
     
  2. All units earned as Pass/No Pass shall be disregarded in determining a student’s grade point average at Cypress College.
     
  3. The units earned on a Pass/No Pass basis shall be counted toward the AA or AS 60-unit requirement.
     
  4. If a course is transferable with a letter grade, it may be also transferable with a credit grade subject to the limitations imposed by the transfer institution. See the catalog of the transfer institution and/or a counselor for further information.
     
  5. The option for Pass/No Pass is irreversible once the selection is made via myGateway. 

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor before deciding to take a course with the P/NP grading option. Not all courses that are graded P/NP are transferrable.

Students may choose the P/NP grading option for courses that are already approved for this grading method. To choose P/NP, please take the following steps:

  1. Log in to myGateway using your student ID and password.
  2. In the Registration Tools box, click "Update Pass/No Pass and change variable units."

The above procedure is available directly to students through the last day of the semester for 16-week classes, and until the date of the last class meeting for late start classes. After these deadline but before a grade has been received, students may submit a Petition for Exception to request that a course be taken with the Pass/No Pass Grading option.