Under specific university policies that allow for grade exclusion upon retaking a course, an F grade will not directly lower your 3.7 GPA calculation. This means the initial failing grade is not factored into your cumulative GPA.
How an F Grade Affects Your GPA (Under Specific Policies)
When a university employs a grade exclusion policy for retaken courses, an F grade is treated differently than in standard GPA calculations:
- No Direct Calculation Impact: The initial failing grade (F) will not be factored into your cumulative GPA calculation. This means it will not directly lower your existing 3.7 GPA.
- Transcript Notation:
- The F grade will still appear on your academic transcript as part of your academic history.
- To the right of the failing grade, an "E" (for "Excluded") will be displayed, indicating that this particular attempt is not included in your GPA calculation.
- Impact of Retaking the Course: If you retake the course, the grade from your second attempt will be the one that counts towards your GPA. On your transcript, an "I" (for "Included") will appear next to the grade received from the second attempt, signifying that this is the grade used in your GPA calculation.
This policy aims to give students an opportunity to improve their academic standing without the initial failing grade permanently dragging down their overall GPA.
Grade Exclusion Policy Summary
For a clearer understanding of how such policies work:
| Event | Transcript Record | GPA Calculation Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving an F grade (first attempt) | F (E) | Not calculated in GPA |
| Retaking the course | New Grade (I) | New grade (from second attempt) is included in GPA |
Practical Scenario
Consider you currently have a 3.7 GPA and then receive an F in a 3-credit course.
- Without a Grade Exclusion Policy: The F (which typically contributes 0.0 grade points) would be factored into your total grade points, significantly lowering your overall GPA.
- With a Grade Exclusion Policy (as described):
- Your initial F in the course is marked with an "E" on your transcript. This particular F grade contributes 0 grade points and 0 credits towards your cumulative GPA calculation, thus leaving your 3.7 GPA unaffected by that specific F.
- If you retake the course and earn a better grade, for instance, a B (3.0 grade points), this B will be marked with an "I" on your transcript. Its 3 credits and the corresponding grade points (3.0 * 3 = 9 grade points) will then be factored into your cumulative GPA. This new grade will subsequently influence your GPA positively or negatively, depending on your overall academic performance, but the original F does not pull it down.
This approach ensures that while your academic record shows the original attempt, only the successful or most recent attempt (if retaken under such a policy) contributes to your cumulative GPA.
