Navigating the Grade Rounding Landscape in Colleges: Policies, Perceptions, and Implications
The question of whether colleges round up grades is a complex one, fraught with varying policies, instructor philosophies, and student expectations. As college admission remains fiercely competitive, even seemingly minor decimal points in grades can appear significant. This article delves into the multifaceted issue of grade rounding in colleges, exploring institutional policies, faculty perspectives, the potential impact on students, and the nuances of grade grievance procedures.
Understanding Grade Rounding Policies
Colleges adopt diverse approaches to grade rounding, and it's important to recognize that there isn't a universal standard. Some institutions, like Emmanuel College, do not have a policy requiring rounding individual final course grades. In such cases, a faculty member may choose whether or not to round a final grade based on their own personal philosophy. The Office of the Registrar at Emmanuel College maintains the letter grade for which a faculty member submits, not the numeric total. Furthermore, the college does not round up or down a student’s term or cumulative GPA; the GPA is designated out to the thousandth degree (e.g., 3.796). A GPA of 3.499 is not rounded up to 3.5.
Other institutions may have specific grade rounding policies outlined in their course syllabus. For instance, a grade rounding policy specifies that only final course grades determined by percentages involving decimals should be rounded up to the next whole number when equal to .5 or greater. For example, an 89.51 would be rounded to an A, while an 89.48 would remain a B.
It is essential for students to consult their school's specific grading policies to understand how grades are calculated and whether rounding is applied.
Faculty Perspectives on Grade Rounding
Not all teachers support the practice of rounding grades. Some instructors may reward students who come up just short of the next grade range, while others do not. Some argue that if a grade is supposed to be an assessment of a student’s performance over the whole semester, then rewarding students who improve while stiffing those that remain consistent is unfair.
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There is a concern that rounding grades makes the achievement of earning a grade less meaningful. By giving in to student requests, teachers may be setting them up for future failure and disappointment.
Faculty may review pertinent information on grading, including how to enter grades, through resources provided by the college.
Grade Submission and Deadlines
Instructors submit final grades to the Registrar at the end of each course. Grading due dates are dependent on the student population and term. Refer to the Academic Calendar for deadlines.
At Emmanuel College, all grades are submitted via EClearn during a specified grading period for both mid-semester and final grades. Any grades not submitted via ECLearn must be submitted with the final letter grade. Recommended browsers for grading submission include Internet Explorer and Firefox.
The Significance of Grading Schemes
Emmanuel College does not have an official numeric to letter grade scheme. While ECLearn may calculate a numeric grade and provide a recommended letter grade, there is not an official letter grade associated with a numeric total/percentage. While faculty may choose to use any grade scheme they deem appropriate, the College’s “suggested/recommended” grade scheme is:
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- A: 93 - 100
- A-: 90 - 92
- B+: 87 - 89
- B: 83 - 86
- B-: 80 - 82
- C+: 77 - 79
- C: 73 - 76
- C-: 70 - 72
- D+: 65 - 69
- D: 60 - 64
- F: Below 60
Understanding Grade Point Average (GPA)
The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is determined by dividing the total number of quality points, calculated by multiplying the numeric equivalents of course grades (e.g., A=4.0) by the number of credit hours assigned to each course (e.g., 4 credit hours x 4.0), by the total number of credit hours attempted.
At the School of Pharmacy, the following grading scale is employed:
- 90 and above: 4.00
- 89: 3.90
- 88: 3.80
- 87: 3.70
- 86: 3.60
- 85: 3.50
- 84: 3.40
- 83: 3.30
- 82: 3.20
- 81: 3.10
- 80: 3.00
- 79: 2.90
- 78: 2.80
- 77: 2.70
- 76: 2.60
- 75: 2.50
- 74: 2.40
- 73: 2.30
- 72: 2.20
- 71: 2.10
- 70: 2.00
- 69: 1.80
- 68: 1.60
- 67: 1.40
- 66: 1.20
- 65: 1.00
- 64 & below: 0.00
Late Work Policies
Colleges generally have policies regarding late work, emphasizing the importance of due dates. For campus-based courses, assignments should be submitted on or before the due date to avoid point deductions. A student should contact their faculty member before the assignment due date to discuss options when circumstances beyond the student's control prevent assignment completion by the deadline.
For online courses, similar policies apply. Students should contact their faculty member before the assignment due date to discuss options when circumstances beyond the student's control prevent assignment completion by the deadline.
Grade Reporting and Challenges
Grade reports are typically available to students at the end of each class. Students who wish to challenge a final course grade must first discuss the grade with the faculty member of the course in question within a specified timeframe.
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Grade Grievance Policies
Most colleges have a formal procedure for students who wish to challenge a grade, whether on an individual assignment or the final transcripted grade. At Emmanuel College, the formal procedure should be followed in the order listed below:
- Student: The student determines an error has been made by consulting with the faculty member involved and/or in consultation with the Registrar (or other officer involved).
- Faculty: The student should consult with the faculty on record for the course to challenge the grade. If the faculty member was an adjunct and no longer employed by the College, the student should consult the Department Chair.
- Department Chair: The Department Chair may, after discussing with the student, consult with the faculty member regarding the grade. If the student believes the situation cannot be resolved, the student may petition the Associate Dean of the applicable School.
- Associate Dean: After discussing the matter with the Associate Dean, if the student believes the situation has not been resolved, the student may petition the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA).
- Vice President of Academic Affairs: The VPAA will review the situation and inform the student of a decision regarding the grievance.
Students may appeal a grade no later than one year after the course was completed. Unless a calculation error occurs, records of students who have graduated are final and cannot be amended.
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