Academics

Special Academic Programs 
Grading Policies
Standards of Academic Progress 
Prior Learning Assessment 
Glossary of Terms 
Twenty-five Secrets to College Success 

Grading Policies

Class Attendance
Course Audits
Grading System
Grade Forgiveness and Course Repeats
Withdrawal Grades
Incomplete Grades
Student Warnings
Grade Points
President’s and Dean’s List
Grade Changes

Class Attendance

The policy on attendance for college classes will be the responsibility of the professor, and the professor will fully inform students of such policy at the beginning of the term.

The faculty and staff at Florida State College want you to succeed. Since studies indicate a positive relationship between good attendance and better grades, you are strongly encouraged to attend all classes and arrive on time.

• Individual instructors establish their own class attendance policies. Each instructor’s policy is included in the course materials distributed at the beginning of each term.
• It is your responsibility to understand and follow these policies and, if possible, to notify instructors in advance when it is necessary to miss a class.
• Any anticipated prolonged absences should be reported to instructors as soon as possible.
• If you stop attending class(es) for any reason, you should consult with your instructor(s) about possible withdrawal from the class(es).

Course Audits

Students may elect to audit a college credit course or workforce credit course by completing the audit form. Students may not change from credit to audit or from audit to credit after the drop deadline. A grade of “X” will be assigned for all courses taken in audit status.

No credit will be awarded, and tuition and fees for college credit courses taken on an audit basis are the same as those taken on a college credit or workforce credit basis.

Courses taken for audit do not count as hours enrolled for the following areas: veteran certification, financial aid awards, Social Security certification, international student enrollment requirements or early admission program enrollment requirements.

Grading System

Florida State College’s grading system is designed to evaluate the performance of students as fairly and equitably as possible.

Letter grades will be assigned for courses as follows:

A = Excellent
B = Good
C = Average
D = Poor
F = Failure
FN = Failure for Non-Attendance*
W = Withdrawal
I = Incomplete
X = Audit
NR = Not Reported by Instructor

*The FN grade indicates that a student has failed a course due to non-attendance. It is calculated as an “F” in the student’s grade point average. For students receiving financial aid, failure for non-attendance may require the student to refund to the College all or part of his or her aid. The FN grade will be assigned by the faculty member at anytime following the final withdrawal date for the course. Students who are in a failing status because of non-attendance but return to the course prior to the withdrawal date may elect to withdraw from the course.

Grade Forgiveness and Course Repeats

All courses attempted will appear on the transcript.

Per State Board Rule 6A–14.0301, students may repeat a course to improve a previous grade earned of “D,” “F” or “FN”. A withdrawal grade may also be repeated.

A student may have only three total attempts in any course. Upon the third attempt of a course, the student will receive an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F,” or “FN.” Students may not withdraw from the third attempt of a course. A fourth attempt may be allowed only through a general appeals process based on major extenuating circumstances.

The official grade used in calculating the grade point average is the last grade earned in the course.

The transcript designation of a course taken and repeated is a T. The attempt used in the grade point average is designated as a R.

The forgiveness policy does not apply to courses repeated after the term in which a degree was awarded.

If a student has a passing grade in a course but needs to repeat the course to comply with a regulatory requirement or to stay current in a field (such as teacher certification), the student may be admitted to the course with the approval of the appropriate dean or program manager.

Courses may be repeated if they are designated as repeatable for earning multiple credits through the curriculum process (such as certain music courses). The designation of the repeated course is an M.

Transfer institutions may treat repeated courses differently, and repeated attempts may affect a student’s financial aid.

Withdrawal Grades

A student may withdraw without academic penalty at Florida State College from any course up to the published withdrawal date. The assigned grade of “W” is not included in the calculation of any grade point average. Course(s) receiving a grade of “W” are included in attempted courses when determining a standard of academic progress. The student will be permitted to withdraw only in the first and second attempt. The student is not permitted to withdraw from the course upon the third attempt. Upon the third attempt a student must receive an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F” or “FN” grade for the course.

Students may request a withdrawal for extenuating circumstances after the session withdrawal date by requesting a grade change. The appropriate campus dean will make the decision after consulting with the faculty member(s). Requests for “W” grades after the end of a course constitutes a grade change and must follow the procedure for grade changes.

Withdrawal from a college preparatory class after the drop deadline constitutes one of two attempts to successfully exit that course. After the second attempt students will be advised into the appropriate adult education course or alternative remediation.

To withdraw officially from one or more courses after the “drop with refund” deadline (withdrawal from all courses constitutes withdrawal from the College), students must follow one of these procedures.

1. Obtain withdrawal form(s) from any campus enrollment services office.
2. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their professor(s) before withdrawing.
3. Submit the completed form to the office of enrollment services. Forms will also be accepted by fax.
4. Students can complete withdrawal process through the Web registration system, Connections, on or before the withdrawal deadline.

Note: Students who receive Title IV Federal Aid and withdraw during the first 60 percent of the academic term will be subject to repayment terms as outlined by the federal agency from which the aid was awarded.

Incomplete Grades

An incomplete (“I”) grade may be assigned at the instructor’s discretion upon request by the student to permit the student time to complete required coursework which he/she was prevented from completing in a timely way due to non–academic reasons. The instructor may require the student to document the request to assist in the decision. The instructor may choose not to grant the request. The “I” grade should be considered only when the student has the potential to earn a passing grade if the missing work is made up.

The instructor shall prescribe in a written agreement with the student the remaining coursework required for completion and removal of the “I” grade. A copy of this agreement will be kept on file in the office of the appropriate dean. All work must be completed within the first eight weeks of the subsequent term, unless the instructor agrees to a longer time frame (not to exceed one year). When the work is completed, the instructor will submit a grade change form with the grade earned. If the work is not completed within the prescribed time frame, the “I” will automatically change to an “F” grade. The student will be informed of the final grade assigned.

To be eligible for an “I” grade, the student must be passing the course at the time of the request, and must have completed at least 75% of the course work.

Student Warnings

When students repeat a course at Florida State College, only the last grade earned is calculated in their cumulative grade point average (GPA). However, students with an excessive number of “W,” “I” or “FN” grades and students who repeat courses to improve their GPA may jeopardize their admission to programs in the Florida State University System (SUS) or other institutions.

Grade Points

To evaluate the scholastic standing of students, the following points are assigned to grades.

A = four grade points per semester hour
B = three grade points per semester hour
C = two grade points per semester hour
D = one grade point per semester hour
F = zero grade points per semester hour
FN = zero grade points per semester hour

Students’ scholastic standing or grade point average is obtained by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted for which the foregoing grades have been assigned. Grades of “I,” “W,” “NR,” and “X” are not used in the computation of grade point average. Grades earned in college preparatory classes do not count in the computation of the grade point average.

GPA Calculation Example
 

Formula: 18 GPA points divided by 9 GPA hours equals 2.00 GPA.

President’s and Dean’s List

Degree seeking students who achieve academic excellence during a term are recognized by being placed on the College President’s or Dean’s list. The Registrar’s office posts the designation on the transcript three weeks after the completion of each term. The criteria of eligibility for each list are described below.

College President’s List

To qualify, students must have:

1. a minimum term enrollment of at least six credit hours (excluding college preparatory classes),
2. a minimum of 12 credit hours earned at Florida State College (excluding transfer work),
3. a minimum Florida State College cumulative GPA of 3.0, and
4. term GPA of 3.75–4.0 with no grade of “I” (incomplete), “F” (failure), “FN” (failure for nonattendance), “NR” (grade not reported by the instructor), “X” (audit) or “W” (withdrawal).

Dean’s List

To qualify, students must have:

1. a minimum term enrollment of at least six credit hours (excluding college preparatory classes),
2. a minimum of 12 credit hours earned at Florida State College (excluding transfer work),
3. a minimum Florida State College cumulative GPA of 3.0, and
4. term GPA of 3.5–3.749 with no grade of “I” (incomplete), “F” (failure), “FN” (failure for nonattendance), “NR” (grade not reported by the instructor), “X” (audit) or “W” (withdrawal).

Grade Changes

Once a grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F,” “FN” or “NR” in a course has been reported to the Office of the Registrar, it may be changed only:

1. upon recommendation of the professor who assigned the grade with approval of the associate dean or program manager, or
2. upon recommendation by the program manager or associate dean and approved by the campus instructional dean when the professor who assigned the grade is no longer a member of the faculty.

The “I” grade may be changed by the professor to “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F” or “FN” within the time limits specified in the “I” grade agreement.