Credit and Grade System
The scholastic year is normally divided into 2 semesters—fall and spring— of 15 instructional weeks plus a week of final exams with 150 minutes scheduled for each course. A class hour is 50 minutes of lecture, seminar, or recitation, or 110 minutes of laboratory work. The number of meetings per week and the corresponding credit in semester hours are indicated in the class schedule. Experiential learning opportunities that take place during winter break are included as part of the spring term for academic, financial aid, and tuition purposes. Carroll also offers an optional summer term, divided into different sessions; there is a special summer tuition rate that is charged in addition to academic year tuition.
The unit of academic credit is the semester hour. Ordinarily, a semester hour represents the work of 50 minutes of class meeting once weekly and requiring approximately 2 hours of preparation. Thus, a class which meets 100 minutes weekly carries 2 hours of credit; 150 minutes weekly, 3 credits; etc. One laboratory period (two to three hours) is equivalent to one class meeting. The minimum passing grade required before a student can receive credit is “D.”
Interpretation of Letter Grades
The grading system in use is an alphabetical system using the letters A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, I, P, W, NR and AU. The option for +/- grading went into effect beginning with academic year 2015-2016. Grades are interpreted as follows:
A/A- indicates excellence of performance in every aspect of the course
B+/B/B- indicates a better than satisfactory but less than excellent performance in every aspect of the course
C+/C/C- indicates a satisfactory performance in every aspect of the course
D indicates a less than satisfactory performance in some or all aspects of the course
F indicates serious deficiencies in some or all aspects of the course
I incomplete is given only under unusual circumstances which cause a delay in a student’s completion of a course. The student must be doing passing work after 60% of the course has been completed before an “I“ (incomplete) may be given. The student must make specific arrangements including completion date (no later than the end of the following semester) with the faculty member for the completion of the course. A formal written Request for Grade of Incomplete must be filed in the Office of the Registrar before the assignment of the grade as incomplete
P pass—indicates the requirements for receiving credit for a course have been met.
W withdrawal
NR not reported
AU audit student—no credit or grade.
Grade Points and Academic Average
A student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) is calculated by using only those grades earned at Carroll. A student’s GPA is determined by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number of graded attempted credits. In computing this average, the following points are assigned each grade:
| A |
4.0 grade points per credit |
| A- |
3.667 grade points per credit |
| B+ |
3.333 grade points per credit |
| B |
3.0 grade points per credit |
| B- |
2.667 grade points per credit |
| C+ |
2.333 grade points per credit |
| C |
2.0 grade points per credit |
| C- |
1.667 grade points per credit |
| D |
1.0 grade points per credit |
| F |
0.0 grade points per credit |
Neither the notation “W” nor the grade “P” is computed when calculating the grade point average of a student.
Academic Standing
The grade point average required to maintain good academic standing at Carroll College is 2.00. In order to remain in good standing, a student must have a 2.00 grade point average for both the semester and cumulative work.
When semester grade reports indicate that a student has failed to meet the minimum scholastic standards (2.00 grade point average), the student is not in good academic standing.
After a semester of unsatisfactory work, a student enrolled for 12 or more semester hours will be placed on academic probation; however, acute or significant failure to meet minimum academic standards after one semester may warrant academic suspension. Likewise, academic suspension may result upon completion of a second consecutive semester of unsatisfactory work or upon completion of a total of three non-consecutive semesters of unsatisfactory work. In general, the following rules will apply:
- A student with a term GPA below 1.0 will be suspended (with the ability to appeal)
- A student with a term GPA below a 2.0 but previously in good academic standing will be put on academic probation
- A student with a term GPA below a 2.0 who was previously on academic probation will be suspended (with the ability to appeal)
- A student with a term GPA above 2.0 but with a cumulative GPA below a 2.0 will remain on academic probation
The records of part-time students will be reviewed after the student has attempted 12 or more semester credits. If a total of 12 or more semester credits have been attempted and cumulative grade point average is unsatisfactory (below 2.00), the student will be placed on probation.
For transfer students, the grades earned at Carroll College alone will determine the grade point average of the student at Carroll.
The academic standing of a student who withdraws from the College and then seeks re-admission will be based on that of the student’s last term of attendance at Carroll.
Students must meet the grade point average described above to be considered as making satisfactory progress. Students who fail to make satisfactory progress may be declared ineligible for financial aid, either institutional or under the Title IV Federal Aid program. Grade point averages falling below this 2.00 standard are considered unsatisfactory.
Participation in College-Sponsored Activities
Students on academic probation for a second term or more (consecutive or non-consecutive) as a result of work at Carroll College may not hold offices in student activities and organizations, nor may they participate in any varsity sports contests, intercollegiate forensic competitions, main stage theater productions, choir tour commitments, the Gold Team Ambassadors, Community Advisors, Peer Ministers, or Carroll sponsored education or service abroad. Upon restoration of good standing, students may resume participation as long as all other eligibility requirements are also met.
Suspension
Suspension may result after one semester of unsatisfactory work should very poor performance warrant such action. Likewise, academic suspension may result upon completion of a second consecutive semester of unsatisfactory work or upon completion of a total of three non-consecutive semesters of unsatisfactory work.
A student who has been academically suspended is not eligible to apply for readmission for at least one academic year.
For most students, academic suspension provides time needed to address issues that are interfering with academic progress. In rare cases, students may be able to demonstrate that those issues have been resolved. If a student’s circumstances meet the following criteria, they are eligible to appeal:
A stud ent may apply for immediate readmission (or “appeal”) if they can:
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Describe the circumstances that interfered with their studies,
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Document that they have already taken steps to change their situation, and
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Show that these circumstances have been resolved.
Some situations that might lead to a successful appeal:
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Sustained illness that has now been cured and/or treated;
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Sustained financial problems that have now been resolved;
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Personal trauma for which a student is now being treated and will continue treatment.
The appeal is not a good option for students who need time to figure out what challenges have affected their studies, who still need time to resolve those challenges, or have been granted an appeal at the end of the previous term.
Guidelines for Appealing Academic Suspension
A student who is notified that they are suspended or dismissed from Carroll College for poor academic performance has the right to appeal.
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A suspension appeal must be submitted on or before the suspension appeal deadline; late appeals will not be considered. The appeal deadline and instructions for appeal can be found in the Academic Suspension Notice sent to the student by the Registrar.
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Suspensions that are appealed will not take effect until the associate vice president for academic affairs, in consultation with appropriate faculty and staff, has evaluated the appeal and made an official determination. If necessary, the associate vice president for academic affairs may ask the student to schedule a time to discuss the situation.
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After a student’s appeal materials have been reviewed, they will be informed of the College's decision and any required conditions regarding their future enrollment via an email from the associate vice president for academic affairs.
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If an appeal is approved, the student’s academic standing will be changed from Academic Suspension to Conditional Academic Probation, and specific terms will be outlined regarding the student’s ability to immediately return to the College.
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If the appeal is denied, the student will not be eligible to return until after remaining out of school for a year. Upon return, the student’s academic status will be changed to Academic Probation.
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All academic appeal decisions are final.
Appeals must contain the following:
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Letter of Appeal (required; up to 750 words): An appeal is a request for a review. Make your appeal clearly but succinctly. Focus your attention on your actions and the facts of the situation. This is your main opportunity to help the appeal reviewers understand what specific and concrete changes you have made to resolve the issues or circumstances that have affected your studies. Focus on specific examples and describe changes and plans that are already in place. Explain why you believe you have a realistic chance at academic success in the upcoming term, if immediately readmitted.
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Plan for Success(required): This document helps the appeal reviewers understand your future plans regardless of whether you will be immediately readmitted or your suspension is upheld. Clearly identify your plans to achieve good academic performance if permitted to return. Be specific.
Questions to consider addressing in your appeal include:
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What will be different from previous semester?
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Do you need to change majors? If so, why?
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Do you need to take different courses? If so, why?
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What strategies do you have to ensure your academic success?
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What campus and other services will you use to improve your academic performance?
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Do you need to find consistent medical resources?
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Do you want to get a job to gain some work experience?
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Do you need to stabilize your financial situation?
3. Supporting documents (optional): Depending on your circumstances, you may include other materials with your appeal statement. If your appeal involves a documented on-going health- related issue, you may include medical documentation. This must be received on official letterhead with original signatures. Official verification from a qualified health professional (physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist) should list the date(s) of diagnosis or assessment and provide a detailed description of treatment plan, patient response, and prognosis. The qualified health professional must not be a relative.
A note on AI: Like other information content and sources, generative AI can be used to organize or support original ideas but not used to write essays and not presented as your own original work. If you choose to use AI to assist you in generating these documents, you are expected to adhere to Carroll College conduct standards of honesty and integrity. Falsification is a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. As such, you must properly credit any sources used in your written submission.
Restoration of Good Standing
Full-time students (6 Carroll credits or more in summer, 12 credits or more in fall or spring) on academic probation are restored to good standing when their semester grade point average is 2.00 or above and their cumulative grade point average is 2.00 or above when enrolled as a full-time student. A part-time student on probation must complete at least 9 credits with grades of the quality required to be restored to good standing. A student with satisfactory performance in a semester, but a continued unsatisfactory cumulative grade point average, will remain on probation until the cumulative average is above the minimum.
The Pass/Fail Grade
Selected courses are regularly graded on a pass/fail basis. However, students may undertake other courses on a pass/fail basis under the following conditions:
- Courses taken on a pass/fail basis are not accepted into the major or minor;
- Beginning Fall 2017*, courses taken on a pass/fail basis are not accepted as fulfilling Core Curriculum requirements;
- Writing intensive courses may not be taken pass/fail;
- To elect pass/fail grading, a student must have completed 60 or more semester hours of college work (junior standing) with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00;
- A student may only enroll in one course per semester on an elected pass/fail basis, with a maximum of two such courses allowable toward graduation.
Students who register for such courses must indicate this choice at the time of formal registration—that is, during the period specified by the academic calendar for each semester. After this period, students may not change their registration from regular grade status to pass/fail or from pass/fail to regular grade status.
Credits transferred from other institutions to a student’s Carroll College program will not be accepted into the major, minor, or (as of Fall 2017*) Core Curriculum requirements if taken on a pass/fail basis. No more than two such courses will be allowed toward graduation whether they are taken at Carroll or at another institution.
Students taking courses on a pass/fail basis should pay special attention to faculty grading policies.
*This policy was implemented campus-wide for all students and courses beginning Fall 2017. Carroll courses and transfer courses taken before Fall 2017 that met the previous pass/fail policy conditions were grandfathered in; courses taken Fall 2017 and later fall under the revised policy, regardless of when the student began his or her studies at Carroll.
Grade Reports
Students may view their grades via Carroll Self-Service at mid-semester and the end of fall, spring, and summer semesters. The College does not hold itself responsible for grade report errors unless the Registrar is notified of errors within 6 months after the issue of the report.
Grade Change Policy
Once an instructor has submitted an official grade report to the Registrar’s Office, a grade can only be changed within one year of its issuance and only in the case of fraud, error, or a successful student academic appeal. In extraordinary circumstances, a change of grade may be requested after the one year limit has expired. However, any grade change after a one year period must have the approval of the Registrar.
Transcript of Credit and Record
- Carroll College will issue official academic transcripts only upon the signed request of the student whose transcript is being requested.
- A transcript is not considered official unless it bears the seal of the College, the signature of the Registrar, and is transmitted directly from the Registrar to an authorized recipient.
- The College reserves the right to deny the issuance of transcripts if a student’s financial account is not paid or payment plan arrangements have not been followed.
- The College does not hold itself responsible for any error on a transcript which is not brought to the attention of the Registrar within 6 months of issue.
- Work completed at other institutions will not be posted to Carroll College transcripts after a student has received a degree from Carroll (unless the student has declared the intention of completing a subsequent major, minor, Associate of Arts degree, etc. through Carroll).