FAQs
Grades and Grading Policies: (updated 08/01/21)
1. How do I change my grading option to A/Pass/Fail?
Students can change the grading option for a class section in KSIS as long as the following conditions exists:
- You must be enrolled or on the waitlist for the class section in question.
- The last date to drop classes for the term in question must not have passed.
- The class must allow for a grade of A/Pass/Fail grading option {refer to the A/Pass/Fail policy for guidance}
Refer to the KSIS: Change the Grading Option for a Class help page for assistance
2. I want to stop attending my class, what should I do?
There is an official process for dropping or withdrawing from a classes(s). If you cannot continue to attend a class for any reason and it is before a deadline to drop or withdraw, you must drop the couse in KSIS before the printed deadline in the academic calendar. If you encounter technical difficulties you should contact your College Dean's Office for assistance. If you cannot continue in ALL of your classes please connect with your College Dean's Office for assistance.
For additional information please refer to the Drops/Withdrawals page.
3. How do I request an Incomplete grade and what is the process?
You can request an Incomplete grade ('I') from your instructor if you have been engaged and participating in the class prior to the circumstances that prevented completion of the course requirements. It is highly recommended that you confirm in writing via an Incomplete Agreement Form confirming the remaining requirements to be completed in order to replace the grade of incomplete.
Do not just fill out the form and send it to your instructor. You should first engage with your instructor to discuss options for completion of the course and determine in consultation with your instructor if a grade of incomplete is a viable option. If agreement is made that the 'I' grade is the option to pursue then the Agreement Form should be pursued. {refer to the Incomplete Grading policy for additional guidance}
4. Can my instructor lower my grade for being late or absent?
Your instructor has the right and responsibility to set the standards and criteria by which you will be graded. These criteria can include attendance, punctuality, and class participation. It is your responsibility to find out which criteria your instructors will be using to determine your grades.
5. How do I check my grades?
Students may view their grades in KSIS by a few options:
6. I am enrolled in a non-standard section that ends prior to the end of the full semester. When can I see my grades in KSIS?
For courses offered in a shorter time period within the full 16-week (fall/spring) semester, it is possible that your instructor of record to post the grade prior to the official grade submission deadline at the end of the term. Non-Standard courses allow for an instructor to grade once the course has ended and if the instructor saves/submits the grade to the final course roster the grade will show in the next overnight posting. {i.e.; FA21 - ACCTG 832 goes from 8/23/21 through 10/15/21 - instructor submits grades on 10/20/21 - grade will be availble in KSIS on 10/21/21}
All grades for a semester are formally processed at the end of the term. The grade submisison deadline is typically the Tuesday after the end of finals week resulting in grades being availble to view in KSIS the next day (Wednesday). Refer to the Academic Calendar for exact dates.
7. I recieved an 'NR' grade. What does it mean?
A grade of 'NR' stands for No Grade Reported meaning that the instructor of record has not submitted/posted grades for the course in question.
8. I did not finish my grade of 'I' (Incomplete) and it turned into a 'F'?
Because you did not compelte the coursework within your required agreement and deadline, the Incomplete grade you received in the prior semester has automatically rolled to a grade of 'F' per the Incomplete Grading policy. This has been formally calculated as an 'F' in your GPA.
9. I stopped attending my class, and I received a grade(s) of 'F'?
If you stopped attending class(es) at any point inthe semester without notifying your instructor(s), academic advisor or dean's office of the reason for your absence AND you did not drop/withdraw from the course(s) in KSIS before the deadline printed in the academic calendar, your should expect to receive a grade of 'F'.
If you feel that due to extenuating circumstances, beyond your control, that you would like to request consideration of a late drop/withdrawal please refer to the Appeal for Late Drop/Withdrawal After Deadline process.
10. How is my GPA Calculated?
Grade Point Averages (GPA) are calculated by dividing the total number of Grade Points by the number of Credit Hours enrolled. Refer to the University Catalog: Academic Policies and Procedures - Grade Point Average (GPA) Types for additional information.
11. What grades are not included in my GPA?
Grades of CR (Credit Awarded ), I (Incomplete), IH (Incomplete Hold), P (Pass), NC (No Credit Awarded), NH (Non-Reported Hold), NR (No Grade Reported), or W (Withdrawn) do not impact your GPA. Do not include the credit hours for these courses in your credit hour total for calculating GPA.
12. Are my grades from my former college(s) included in my GPA?
No. Grades received at other institutions are NOT averaged with grades received at K-State for the purpose of meeting the university/institutional cumulative GPA requirements. Other agencies and honorary societies will compute averages in accordance with their own standards and policies.
13. What is a grade appeal?
Grade appeals (not including Academic Integrity/Dishonesty cases) may fall under the Grievances involving a change of grade protocol {University Handbook, Appendix V, Section A, 1.3}. Students must first make any and all effort to engage with the instructor of record for the course around any disputes around the grade. All effort to settle this dispute must be made first before formally beginning a grade appeal process. Grade appeals must be initiated within six (6) months following the issue date of the grade in question. Appeals must go to the Academic Department Head over the course in question, who will act as the mediator in the dispute. Please refer to the link above for additional information on the timeline and steps involved in this process.
14. I want to hand in the work I owe for my Incomplete grade, but my instructor has left the university?
Whenever possible, try to contact the instructor directly to make arrangements to hand in your work. Sometimes instructors give out their personal contact information on their syllabi while others can be reached by asking the department to forward a message.
If your instructor is unresponsive or unavailable, contact the Department Head for help in resolving the unfinished grade.
PLEASE NOTE: If you waited more than the agreed upon deadline in the Incomplete Agreement Form or the semeser after the Incomplete grade was issued, neither the instructor nor the Department Head is obligated to accept the completed work unless another deadline was negotiated and is one file before the instructor left the university.
15. Can I retake a course? Should I retake a course?
It is impossible to detremine wether you can or should retake a couse without knowing what the grade is and how the cousre can be used to fulfill your graduation requirements. Students should work with their faculty/academic advisor to discuss options. Undergraduate students should refer to the Undergraduate Retake Policy {University Handbook, F65.1}
Grading Policy
The university uses the following grades:
Grade | Description | Grade Point |
A | Excellent work | 4.00 |
B | Good work | 3.00 |
C | Fair work | 2.00 |
D | Poor Work | 1.00 |
F | Failure | 0.00 |
XF | Honor Code Violation | 0.00 |
CR | Credit in courses for which no letter grade is given (non-graded courses) | N/A |
EP | Exam Pass of standardized national exams | N/A |
I | Incomplete | N/A |
IH | Incomplete Hold | N/A |
NC | No credit in courses for which no letter grade is given (non-graded courses) | N/A |
NH | Non-reported Hold | N/A |
NR | No Grade Reported | N/A |
P | Grades of B, C, or D in courses taken A/Pass/F courses | N/A |
W | Withdrawn | N/A |
Incomplete grades earned prior to F18:
The grade of Incomplete (I) is given in regular courses (other than independent studies, research, and problems) upon request of the student for personal emergencies that are verifiable. The faculty member has the responsibility to provide written notification to the student of work required to remove the incomplete. The student has the responsibility to take the initiative in completing the work, and is expected to make up the incomplete during the first term in residence after receiving the grade of I. If the student does not make up the incomplete during the first term in residence at the university after receiving it, a grade may be given by the faculty member without further consultation with the student. The instructor of record may fill out special access for students who need continued access to complete coursework.
If after the end of the first term the I remains on the record it will be designated as F for record-keeping purposes and will be computed in the student's GPA, weighted at 0 points per credit. A grade of NR will be treated in a like manner using the designation F.
Incomplete grades earned F18 or later:
The grade of incomplete is a temporary grade given at the discretion of the faculty upon request of the student. An incomplete grade is appropriate when verifiable circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent completion of course requirements by the grade submission deadline, and the student was engaged and participating in the class prior to the circumstances that prevented completion of course requirements. The grade of incomplete is not to be used to avoid assigning a poor grade that results from unsatisfactory academic work.
In most instances, the requirements for completion of a course are detailed in the original course syllabus. It is in the student’s best interest to confirm in writing with the faculty member the remaining requirements to be completed in order to replace the grade of incomplete. If the faculty member requires anything other than the syllabus requirements or chooses to have a time frame for completion other than the end of the next regular term, the faculty member must provide written notification to the student. A sample notification form is available on the Registrar’s website. Typically, requiring student participation in the entire course in a subsequent semester without enrolling is not an appropriate means to satisfy requirements for the incomplete.
Incompletes are expected to be finished by the conclusion of the next regular academic term (fall or spring), or the student’s graduation term – whichever is earlier. Any incomplete remaining after the next regular term is reassigned to an F (regardless of student’s enrollment status) and will be computed in the student's GPA, weighted at 0 points per credit. The instructor of record may fill out special access for students who need continued access to complete coursework.
In extreme cases, a student may be granted an extension of an incomplete beyond the next regular term. To request such an extension, the student must complete with appropriate signatures the Incomplete Extension Request Form, and submit the form to the academic dean of the student’s college. The incomplete extension form can be found on the Registrar’s website.
Undergraduate research courses, internship courses, theses, dissertations, directed research courses, and other courses with the “IH” grading option are exempt from the one regular term limit for completion.
A student with incompletes will only be cleared for graduation if receiving Fs in every incomplete class earned Fall 2018 or later will satisfy the requirements for graduation. Upon approval for graduation, all grades of incomplete earned Fall 2018 or later remaining on the record will be changed to grades of F.
Courses in which a Cr or P grade is received will be used in fulfilling graduation requirements. Only the grades A, B, C, D and F (and the designations IX and NX under conditions described above) are used in calculating resident grade averages.
For each term unit of graded work, students earn points, as follows:
- A = 4.0
- B = 3.0
- C = 2.0
- D = 1.0
- F = 0
- IX = 0
- NX = 0
Beginning in Spring 2012, all Grades of "F" (Fail) and/or "NC" (No Credit) will require a Yes/No statement as to the student's participation in Academic-related activity. This statement is required due to federal mandate regarding the issuance of federal financial aid. For a definition, refer to the Academic-related activity page.
Effective May 2012, Grade Changes will be submitted directly in KSIS from the Request Grade Change link found on the grade roster. Grade Change Rosters will remain open for five years from the original posting date to submit changes. On-line changes to certain grades such as "W" and "XF" will not be allowed, nor to grades related to a completed program of a graduated student. Any changes not accommodated by the on line method must be handled by submitting a Grade Change Memorandum form to the Dean of the College.