Understanding the US grading system is a crucial part of being a student in the United States. Schools in the US use a combination of letters, points, and percentages to grade student performance. This article unpacks the intricacies of the US grading system.
Navigating the educational landscape of a foreign country can be complex, particularly when it comes to understanding a different grading system. If you’re planning to get a master’s degree in United States, having a firm grasp of the US grading system is crucial. With its combination of letters, points, and percentages, this system might seem fairly complex at first glance. However, this article will clearly explain how the system works.
Students receive grades for assignments, exams, and completed courses. The course grade is usually calculated based on the accumulated assignment and exam grades.
Student work is judged based on how close it comes to receiving 100% of the possible points. Different ranges of percentages have an associated letter grade. Each range of percentages correlates with a specific letter grade spanning from A to F, excluding E. Each letter comes with a description of the quality.
The grading system in the US may be different from what you’re used to, especially if you come from a country where passing grades are much higher. But don’t worry. With time, you’ll get accustomed to the American grading system.
When letter grades were first introduced by Mount Holyoke in 1897, they used the letters A through E. By the 1930’s letter-based grading was used throughout the American education system. Unfortunately, many students and parents assumed E stood for “Excellent”.
To avoid confusion, E was dropped in favor of the dreaded F, a clear indication of failure.
A passing grade for a course or assignment in the US can vary depending on the educational institution and academic level. That being said, D is generally considered a passing grade.
In many US colleges and universities, students must earn a C or better to pass a course. In some cases, a D may be enough to pass, but it may not allow a student to advance to higher-level courses.
Therefore, aiming for a grade of C or better is always best to ensure progress in your academic program.
In high schools across the US, D is considered a passing grade. Although, as most high school students plan on attending college, it is again best to get at least a C. In advanced placement (AP) or honors classes, the required passing grade can be even higher.
A failing grade in the US is usually any grade below a D, usually an F. Failing a course may require you to retake it to meet your program’s academic requirements.
If a student receives a failing grade, many schools offer remediation programs or tutoring services to help students improve. Individual professors may allow students to redo failed assignments and exams or take on extra credit work.
It’s essential to reach out to academic advisors or faculty members if you’re at risk of failing a course.
GPA stands for Grade Point Average, and it is a standard way of measuring academic achievement in the US. It is calculated on a scale of 0 to 4.0 and used by high schools and universities to gauge a student’s performance over a specific period.
In order to calculate the GPA, each letter grade is assigned a numerical quality or credit point (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). The numerical grades are then averaged to reach a GPA, be that for a semester of the entire degree program. For example, if a student earns an A in Course 1 and a B in Course 2, their GPA would be 3.5 (the average of 4 and 3).
Calculating a GPA can get a bit more complicated in a couple of situations where the quality points are weighted differently.
The first is that in high school AP courses, the quality point for each letter is raised by 1 (A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, F=1). Because of this, while graduating high school with a 4.0 GPA is considered a perfect score, it’s possible to get an even higher GPA. A high GPA would certainly help if you’re looking to start a master’s degree without doing a bachelor’s degree first.
The second situation is when the quality points courses are weighted by their credit hours. In this situation, you multiply the quality point by the credit hour per course to determine the points earned. Next, total the credit hours and points for the period. Finally, your GPA is calculated by dividing the total points by the total credit hours.
Using the example from above, if Course 1 was three credit hours and Course 2 was two credit hours, the student’s GPA would be 3.6 (total points = 18 divided by total credit hour = 5).
Most higher education institutions in the US use a fractional grading system, which further divides letter grades (except for F) with a plus (+) or minus (-). The percentage ranges and quality are also adjusted under this system. The chart below provides an example, but the exact breakdown can vary by institution.
Finally, in some colleges and universities, it is possible to take a course for credit on a Pass/Fail basis. In that case, you don’t have to worry about grades, as the course can’t contribute to your GPA.
For more information on studying in the US, check out how it differs from studying in Europe.
