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Understanding Grades

Understanding Your Academic Report

Incomplete (IN)
Dropped Passing (DP)
Dropped Failing (DF)
Withdrew (W)
No Grade Assigned (NX)

  • Incomplete (IN):   Normally, an incomplete is assigned only after a student and professor have discussed it.  The incomplete grade form indicates the date by which your work must be completed and the grade to be assigned if you fail to complete the course work by the deadline.
  • DP or DF:   DP or DF is assigned to a course a student has dropped.  DP is assigned when the student was passing at the time the course was dropped, and DF is assigned when the student was failing at the time the course was dropped.  Both are listed on the transcript. not calculated in GPA.
  • W:  W is assigned to each course for a student who has withdrawn from the university. 
  • NX:  NX on a grade report indicates that the instructor did not assign a grade for the course.

Course Repeat Policy

Students may choose to repeat any course for grade improvement. Courses that can be repeated for credit are not included in the policy.  Only the highest grade received for the course, taken at Indiana State University, will be included in the computation of the cumulative GPA.  The initial grade(s) and the repeat grade(s) will appear on the student’s record.  Only courses taken at Indiana State University are eligible for course repeat.  An exception can be granted by the Dean of the relevant college on a case-by-case basis.

Change of Grade

If you believe an error was made in a grade assignment, you are encouraged to speak with your professor immediately.  You may want to review the Procedures for Appeals of Academic Matters.  If a professor determines an error was made in a grade assignment, s/he submits a change of grade form to the Dean's Office.

Interim Grades

Click here for detailed information concerning interim grades.

Academic Standing

At the end of each graded term, students achieve one of three academic standings:

  • Good Standing:  A student must maintain a C (2.0) cumulative grade point average to be considered in good academic standing by the University.
  • Academic Probation:   If a student’s cumulative grade point average is less than 2.0, the student will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation will not be permitted to take more than 13 credit hours. Students on academic probation will be assigned mid-term grades so they are aware of possible academic difficulties early in the semester. Students who are on academic probation are strongly encouraged to repeat courses in which “F” or “WF” grades were received during the next semester (or the next time the course is offered).
  • Academic Dismissal:   Students who meet the following criteria will be academically dismissed. Deans of the various colleges, however, have discretion, on a case-by-case basis to allow for exceptions:

a.  First-term students who earn a term grade point average of less than 0.85;

b.  Freshmen (0-29 earned hours) who are on probation and earn a term grade point average of 1.7 or less;

c.  Sophomores (30-59 earned hours) who are on probation and earn a term grade point average less than 2.0;

d.  Juniors and seniors (60 or more earned hours) who are on probation and earn a term grade point average less than 2.2.

Students who have been academically dismissed should expect to stay out of classes for one academic semester (following a first dismissal) and one academic year (following a second dismissal), after which such students should petition their academic dean to return to classes. No student may return to classes after a third academic dismissal.

If a Petition to Return is approved by the Dean, the student's academic standing will be changed temporarily to "Probation-Dean's Option" to allow registration for classes.  Students returning from academic dismissal are on probation and subject to the same restrictions as all other students on academic probation.  The academic dismissal is not removed from a student's record.

Please note that the University Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy governing aid eligibility places students who are academically dismissed on SAP Suspension.  Aid Suspension must be remedied separately from the academic process of return from dismissal.  Students must submit an appeal of SAP Suspension directly to Financial Aid.

Dean's List

A list of students recognized for academic achievement is prepared each semester in the Office of Registration and Records after grade processing, which occurs after the close of the term. This Dean’s List includes full-time students whose semester grade point average is 3.5 to 4.0. Full-time status for Dean’s List calculation is determined by a minimum of 12 credit hours of punitive grades, “A” through “F”.