GPA FAQs

Academic Standing is based on the last semester a student is graded. Academic Standing is defined as follows:

Good Standing

Student has met or exceeded a minimum grade point average of 2.00.

Insufficient Academic Progress

An undergraduate is automatically placed on Insufficient Academic Progress if the student does not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory academic progress is generally defined by the following:

• Completing 67% of all attempted hours (excluding transfer hours) towards the completion of a degree program.
• Having earned a D- or better.

This is determined by dividing the number of credit hours successfully completed by the total number of credit hours actually attempted

Insufficient Academic Progress

The student is responsible for scheduling regular meeting with their academic advisor, department chair or director when placed on Insufficient Academic Progress.

Academic Probation

An undergraduate is automatically placed on academic probation when the cumulative GPA drops below 2.0.

• Once placed on academic probation, Students will have 3 academic terms to regain good academic standing once placed on academic probation.
• Students still below 2.0 at the end of that time will be academically dismissed.
• Students are expected to earn a term GPA of at least 2.33 each semester during the probationary period. Failure to do so will result in immediate academic dismissal.
• Students who fall within the academic probation category at the end of any semester will be limited to enrolling in no more than 14 hours in the following semester.
• It's the responsibility of the student to arrange regular meetings with his or her academic advisor to consider specific academic intervention strategies.

Academic Dismissal

Term Dismissal

• Any undergraduate student that does not earn at least a 1.00 term GPA in any fall or spring term (excluding those who withdraw passing from all classes) are subject to academic term dismissal.
• Students who have been academically term dismissed must appeal to the appropriate dean or director to determine academic status.
• The appeal process, terms of the appeal and outcomes are directed by the appropriate dean or director.
• Students must understand that the submission of an appeal does not guarantee the student will be allowed to enroll.
• Students who do not appeal are academically ineligible to continue and may not enroll for 3 consecutive terms.

Dismissal from Probation

• Students who do not meet the minimum grade point requirement for retention after 3 consecutive academic probation terms will be academically ineligible.
• Students who do not meet the 2.33 term GPA requirement after each term under academic probation will be immediately academically ineligible.
• Under no circumstances will a student dismissed for failure to reach the prescribed term GPA or cumulative GPA be approved to enroll at UNCW for the following 3 terms, including summer terms.

Readmission after Dismissal

Students who have been dismissed from the university will not be able to enroll for 3 consecutive terms after dismissal. Readmission after dismissal is contingent upon the results of the Re-enrollment Review Committee.

Contact your academic advisor or your college Dean’s Office as soon as possible.

No. You cannot improve your GPA by taking courses elsewhere because the hours transfer from other institution, not the grades.

Total hours used to calculate a UNC Wilmington GPA (includes UNC Wilmington passed hours, F's and WF's).

Total number of hours of transferable credit UNC Wilmington accepted from courses taken at other schools.

Total Quality (GPA) Hours + Transfer Hours

All students must maintain a 2.000 cumulative GPA (Good Academic Standing) in order to remain eligible to continue at UNCW.

The GPA is determined by dividing the accumulated number of quality points earned by the accumulated number of quality hours earned. The transcript shows the official grade point average. The grade point average is calculated out to the ten-thousandths decimal place and then truncated.

Point value assigned to each grade value.

A = 4.00
A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33
B = 3.00
B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33
C = 2.00
C- = 1.67
D+ = 1.33
D = 1.00
D- = 0.67 (Passing)
F = 0.00 (Failure)
WF = 0.00 (Failure/Late Withdrawal)

I, IP, W, NR, Z, and P grades do not have grade point values and do not affect the GPA calculation.

Transfer courses are not calculated in your UNC Wilmington GPA. All transfer work attempted is used to calculate graduating students' degrees with distinction (Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude). Complete details appear in the Undergraduate Catalogue.

Students who receive a grade lower than a 'C' in a course taken at UNC Wilmington may repeat the course at UNC Wilmington.

Catalogs: 2007-2008 through 2011-2012

Students are allowed up to 5 repeats for grade forgiveness. For the first 5 different courses repeated, the previous grade and hours of credit for the repeated course will not be used in calculating the student's grade point average and hours toward graduation. All grades shall remain on the student's transcript.

Catalogs: 2012-2013 or Later

Students are allowed up to& 3 repeats for grade forgiveness. For the first 3 different courses repeated, the previous grade and hours of credit for the repeated course will not be used in calculating the student's grade point average and hours toward graduation. All grades shall remain on the student's transcript.

All subsequent courses will be factored into the GPA calculation once the maximum number of course repeats.

See "How Does Repeating a Course Affect my GPA?" for details on maximum course repeats.

Repeats are processed in the order of the term in which they are registered. For courses registered within the same term, the oldest repeated course (the original attempt) takes precedence over repeats of more recent courses. For example, if a student has one repeat left, and repeats two courses in the term:

Fall 2015
CSC 105

Fall 2015
ENG 201

Spring 2015
CSC 105

Fall 2014
ENG 201*

*This course received repeat forgiveness since it is older than the Spring 2015 CSC 105

In the example above, if the two prior courses were taken within the same term, the system would process them alphabetically, so CSC 105 would receive the grade forgiveness.

No. Grades do not transfer, and the "F" would remain in your GPA.

However, if a student retakes a course at another college and earns a "C" or better, they will receive credit for that course. This is not generally advisable, however, since once a student earns a "C" or better in a course at any institution, they may not retake the course at UNC Wilmington for credit.

Passing the course elsewhere with a "C" creates a situation in which it is impossible for the student to replace their original grade of "F" at UNC Wilmington, since a student cannot receive credit for the same course twice.

Your first resource is always your academic advisor.