Grades indicate how well a student is doing academically. They deserve careful attention as evidence of good progress and as an indication of the need for counseling and/or for increased effort.
Standard Grades
Students receive an official grade for each course at the end of each session and module. This becomes part of the permanent record. The standard grades are:
OFFICIAL GRADING SYSTEM The college interprets alphanumeric grading equivalencies, with certain exceptions noted below, according to the following general guidelines:
Grade Numeric Equivalencies Definition A+ 97 - 100 Excellent A 93 - 96 A- 90 - 92 B+ 87 - 89 Good B 83 - 86 B- 80 - 82 C+ 77 - 79 Satisfactory C 73 - 76 C- 70 - 72 Passing D+ 67 - 69 D 60 - 66 F 0 - 59 Failure It should be noted that the above alphanumeric equivalencies apply to the final course grades ; instructors may choose to assign a D- grade to particular assignments, exams, or other elements of coursework, but the college does not permit the use of a D- grade for the final course grade.
Departments or programs with external accreditation criteria reserve the option of publishing department- or -program specific guidelines, and individual instructors reserve the option of publishing course-specific guidelines. However, any departures from the above equivalencies must be published in the course syllabus and distributed to students at the start of the semester.
Grade Quality Points Grade Quality Points A+ 4.0 C+ 2.3 A 4.0 C 2.0 A- 3.7 C- 1.7 B+ 3.3 D+ 1.3 B 3.0 D 1.0 B- 2.7 F 0.0 Doing passing work, but missing an assignment or an examination; changes to a "FIN" if INC work is not made up by the 10th week of the next 12-week session FIN Failure as a result of an Incomplete NC Minimum level of proficiency not met for certain specific compensatory courses.
P Passed, but course not counted in computing cumulative average R Minimum level of proficiency not met for developmental courses PEN Grade Pending S High-level of proficiency in MAT M200 course in effect prior to Fall 2018 W Withdrew Officially WA Withdrawn Administratively due to immunization noncompliance Withdrew Drop, a grade assigned when a student who has attended at least one class session WD drops a class after the Financial Aid Certification Date during the program adjustment period Withdrawn/Never attended; student never participated in an academically related activity; a WN non-punitive grade *WN Withdrawn/Never attended; counts as failure (in effect prior to Fall 2010) Withdrew Unofficially; student participated at least once in an academically related WU activity; counts as failure.
Effective Fall 2021, the WU grade will no longer count as a failure.
Y Yearly course; grade assigned at the end of year AUD Audit Z Instructor did not submit a final grade in effect prior to Fall 2018 This course has been successfully completed in a subsequent semester and is not calculated # in the cumulative average (Examples: #F, #WU) As part of The City University of New York's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the Spring 2020 term , all students shall have the option to convert any or all of the (A-F) letter grades they earn in their classes to Credit/no Credit (CR/NC) grading. Please refer to the "Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Spring 2020 Term" The City University of New York has extended the Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy - also known as the Credit/No Credit Policy - to the Fall 2020 term .
At Kingsborough, for the Fall 2020 A and B (winter 2021) terms, students have the option CR/NC to convert earned grades of B+ through D into a Credit (CR) grade and an earned grade of F into a No Credit (NC) grade.
Certain classes, are excluded from this option due to licensure, accreditation and/or pre-requisite requirements.
Incomplete ("INC") Grade
The grade of "INC" (Incomplete) is assigned only when the course requirement has not been completed for good and sufficient reasons, the students is doing passing work, and there is a reasonable expectation that the student can complete the requirements for the course. The "INC" grade will change to a "FIN" th grade if work is not completed by the 10 week of the following semester (see the College's Academic Calendar for the specific date).
Withdrawal ("W") Grade
The grade of "W" (Withdrawal Without Penalty) is assigned when the student officially drops the class using self-service in CUNYfirst by the due date listed on the College's Academic Calendar.
Repeat ("R") Grade
The grade of "R" does not count in computing the scholastic index. It is given to a student in a developmental course who does not meet the minimum requirements at the completion of the session or module. A student who receives the "R" grade in the same developmental component three (3) times will NOT be permitted to repeat that course again.
"PEN" Grade
The "PEN" grade is a temporary grade awarded when the disposition of the final grade requires further evaluation and when the absent or incomplete grades are inappropriate. "PEN" is also use to facilitate the implementation of the Procedures for Imposition of Sanctions whereby colleges must hold a student's grade in abeyance pending the outcome of the academic review process. The PEN grade will not lapse to FPN; final determination of a grade will depend on final evaluation by the instructor or the outcome of the college's academic review process.
"S" Grade
The "S" grade does not count in computing the scholastic index. It was assigned when a student had a minimum grade of 88 on the CUNY Elementary Algebra Final Exam (CEAFE). The student must also have had an overall class average of 85 (Grade no longer assigned).
Effective Summer 2021, the "S" grade when assigned to an UIP ENGRW course indicates English placement into ENG 12A0.
"Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Spring 2020 Term"
As part of The City University of New York's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the Spring 2020 term, all students shall have the option to convert any or all of the (A-F) letter grades they earn in their classes, to Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) grading. The full policy can be found here, "Special COVID- 19 Flexible Grading Policy for Spring 2020 Term"
"Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Fall 2020 Term"
The City University of New York has extended the Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy - also known as the Credit/No Credit Policy - to the Fall 2020 term .
At Kingsborough, for the Fall 2020 A and B (winter 2021) terms, students have the option to convert earned grades of B+ through D into a Credit (CR) grade and an earned grade of F into a No Credit (NC) grade.
Certain classes, are excluded from this option due to licensure, accreditation and/or pre- requisite requirements.
Information concerning the City University of New York's Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for the Fall 2020 term can be found here, Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Fall 2020 Term.
Grade Change Appeals
Students may appeal a final grade to the Committee for Academic Review NO LATER than the end of the term following the term in which the grade was given*. The term is defined as fall/winter or spring/summer. For example, students wishing to appeal grades assigned during the fall/winter term must file an appeal no later than the end of the following spring/summer term. Likewise, students wishing to appeal grades assigned during the spring/summer term must file an appeal no later than the end of the following fall/winter term.
Earned grades (A-F) received in a class cannot be changed by the Committee. Requests to evaluate earned grades should be made first to the instructor and then, if necessary, to the Department Chairperson. If resolution is not reached through the Academic Department, requests for further exploration can be made with the Dean of Student Success Programs in A-228 or via email at Student.Success@kbcc.cuny.edu.
Appeals by students who have not been in continuous attendance will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Decisions concerning the Grade and Tuition Adjustment Appeal are made by committee. All decisions are final .
*Special consideration given to term effected by COVID.
Students should complete the Appeal for Grade and Tuition Adjustment form and include accompanying documentation. The form as well as additional information concerning the process can be found at the following link, https://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/registrar/directionsappeaform.html.
Calculating the Grade Point Average
The grade point average (GPA) is obtained by multiplying the grade point value by the number of credits for the course, then totaling the grade points and dividing by total credits. See the Official Grading System above for grade point values.
Course Grade Point Value Credits Grade Points English A- 3.7 X = 14.8 French D 1.0 X = 3.0 Music C+ 2.3 X = 6.9 Physics B+ 3.3 X = 13.2 History F 0.0 X = 0.0 TOTAL 10.3 TOTAL 17 GRADE POINT TOTAL 37.9 Grade Point Average (37.9 quality points divided by 17 credits) equals 2.23, or almost a "C+" average.
Repeating Courses
Students may register to repeat a course if they received an "F," "W," "R," "NC," "WN," or "WU" grade.
Effective September 1, 1990, if a student repeats a course in which an "F" or an administrative failing grade ("WU") was originally earned and subsequently earns a passing grade of "C" or better in the same course, the original failing grade will remain on the student's transcript but will no longer be computed into the grade point average. The total number of failing credits earned during enrollment in CUNY which may be excluded is 16. Students who wish to replace an "F" grade earned before September 1, 1984 must first receive approval from the Committee on Academic Review.
A course in which a grade of "C-" or below was received may be repeated only if a more advanced course in that discipline has not been completed. Students who receive a "C" grade or better in any course offered at the college MAY NOT REPEAT that course. The grade of "C-" is placed alongside grades in the "D" range to alert students to the fact that while "C-" is a passing grade, courses in which students earn the grade of "C-" typically do not transfer, and students typically need to retake these courses upon transfer to another institution.
The regulations above do NOT apply to students in the EMS-Paramedic, Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, Polysomnographic Technology, or Surgical Technology programs. These programs have their own grade regulations.