Grading Information
Grading Information
Individual Schedules
Each student has an academic adviser to assist in determining the most appropriate schedule and program. The student, however, is responsible for knowing the requirements for graduation and is responsible for meeting these requirements; selection of courses each semester is at the option of the student. The usual course load is four courses per term with three as the minimum for full-time status. See Degree Requirements for details.
Class Standing
The minimum number of courses which must be satisfactorily completed for class standing are as follows:
- Sophomore — 7 courses,
- Junior — 15 courses,
- Senior — 24 courses.
Class standing is determined by the Registrar at the beginning of the fall semester of each academic year. Entering students (other than transfer students) who by reason of approved Advanced Placement work or other credits have completed seven or more credits will be given sophomore class standing. The same rules apply to transfer students, and the minimum number of courses needed for sophomore standing at the start of the spring semester is 11 courses.
The Grading Systems
A. There are four grading systems:
- A letter system using the marks and grade points:
A = 4.000—a grade in the A range indicates outstanding performance in which there has been distinguished achievement in all phases of the course
A- = 3.667
B + = 3.333
B = 3.000—a grade in the B range indicates good performance in which there has been a high level of achievement in some phases of the course
B- = 2.667
C + = 2.333
C = 2.000—a grade in the C range indicates an adequate performance in which a basic understanding of the subject has been demonstrated.
C- = 1.667
D = 1.000— a grade of D indicates a minimal performance in which despite recognizable deficiencies there is enough merit to warrant credit.
F = 0.000—a grade of F or NC indicates unsatisfactory performance.
L = indicates satisfactory performance in an audit course. An unsatisfactory audit performance earns a grade of NC and does not appear on the transcript.
- A two-level system using the marks:
S—satisfactory performance
NC (no credit)—unsatisfactory performance
- A two-level system for IS 451 using the marks:
SP = satisfactory progress
NC = no credit
- A four-level system for the Independent Study Thesis—452 (see IS Handbook for details) using the marks:
H = Honors
G = Good
S= Satisfactory
NC = No Credit
B. The grade point average includes all A-F grades and the transcript will carry the notation that these grades are averaged in the cumulative GPA. The cumulative grade point average is calculated by totaling the number of points acquired for all courses that are letter graded (A-F) and dividing that total by the number of courses. The marks H, G, S, and NC are not calculated in the cumulative average. The F grade is calculated into the cumulative GPA. Only grades received in courses taught by Wooster faculty are included in the GPA. Grades received during off-campus study at another institution are recorded as received from the other institution but are not counted in the Wooster cumulative average. For transfer students, only academic work completed at Wooster is included in the cumulative average.
C. In addition to Senior Thesis, which is graded H, G, S, or NC, students are permitted to elect the equivalent of 4 courses graded S/NC out of 32 courses required for graduation. The minimum equivalent grade to earn S in courses graded S/NC is C-. First-Year Seminar in Critical Inquiry and the College Writing course will not be graded S/NC. Transfer students are permitted to have one-eighth of the courses remaining to be taken at Wooster graded S/NC. Courses taken S/NC are not permitted in either the major or minor unless specific exceptions to this regulation are stated by individual departments.
D. Courses for which credit is not received are designated F or NC, except in those cases for which the designation “W” (Withdrawn) is approved on written petition to the Dean for Curriculum and Academic Engagement. Such withdrawals are approved only in exceptional circumstances, such as medical ones.
E. Requests for such medical withdrawal from a course must be submitted in writing to the Dean for Curriculum and Academic Engagement no later than the last day of classes of the semester in which the course was taken. In unusual circumstances, such requests may be submitted by the last day of classes of the semester following that for which the medical withdrawal is requested. Withdrawal for medical reasons is granted by the Dean for Curriculum and Academic Engagement after consultation with counseling and medical staff.
F. Each faculty member has the obligation to inform students at the beginning of each course of the means of evaluation for the course and the factors to be considered in the evaluation process (e.g., mastery of course material, use of evidence, ability to generalize, writing ability, verbal ability, mathematical ability, logical ability, ability to meet deadlines, class presence). Faculty are asked to inform students throughout the term as to how they are performing with regard to the criteria of evaluation. Each student must receive a grade in one major course assignment in each course prior to the end of the sixth week of class (i.e., before the last day to “drop” a course). Grades are due at times to be announced by the Office of the Registrar.
G. Final examinations or other integrating assignments are mandatory in all courses, except in Independent Study and fractional courses. No more than one-half of the final grade may come from a single assignment, including the final examination. Final examinations are to be given only at those times scheduled for each particular class. No examinations are to be given on reading days. Exceptions to the above must be approved by the Dean for Curriculum and Academic Engagement.
H. The Handbook for Independent Study contains the details on the criteria for evaluating Independent Study.
I. The student must attain a grade of S or C- or higher in the minimum number of required courses in the major. Courses that are repeated cannot be counted twice when computing the 32 courses required for graduation. For transfer students, at least seven of the courses in the major, including the Independent Study Thesis, must be taken at Wooster.
J. An “Incomplete” mark (I) is only appropriate if a student has attended and participated in the classroom activities throughout the semester and a small portion of the work of a course is unavoidably unfinished. This work must be completed before the end of the first week of the following semester, including work for Semester II that must be completed before the end of the first week of the Summer Session. Other arrangements are authorized in writing by the Dean for Curriculum and Academic Engagement. If the work is not completed by the time specified, the I automatically becomes an F or NC. Credit for a course completed at the College will not normally be awarded after the deadline for changing incomplete grades, as indicated above.
K. A change of grade in a course taken at the College will not normally be permitted more than one semester after the date of completion of the course.
L. Grade reports are released online at the end of each term to students and to academic advisers. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides for student control over release of confidential academic information, including grades. Requests for grade information from sources other than the student must comply with FERPA guidelines for disclosure and release of academic record information. It is the student’s responsibility to share grade information. In the event that a parent requests academic information, it must first be established that the student is a dependent as defined by IRS standards.
Student waiver of FERPA rights and parental verification of dependency is documented by completing the FERPA Release form posted on the web page of the Dean of Students. Prior to processing requests for grades by outside sources, including parents, the Registrar will verify authorized consent to receive confidential information and student consent to waive FERPA rights of protection.
M. Each faculty member is obligated to use some form of written student evaluation of his/her course(s) at least twice each academic year. In courses in which faculty members choose not to seek such student comments, students who wish to complete an evaluation may acquire an appropriate form from the Provost and return the completed evaluation to the faculty member being evaluated. Completed student evaluations are not to be read by the faculty member until course grades have been submitted. Each faculty member then sends the evaluations, along with a summary statement, to the departmental chairperson who is requested to add his/her comments and forward the information to the Provost to share with the Committee on Teaching Staff and Tenure.