Grade  Recovery  Pilot Program 

We recognize that a challenging semester can happen at any time in a college career and for a number of reasons. The policy is designed to address a specific problem: acclimation in the first semester of college.  The first semester is a particularly vulnerable time.  It is a time of great change and uncertainty unlike any other. For that reason, this pilot program focuses on students experiencing that very first transition. 

We recognize that a challenging semester can happen at any time in a college career and for a number of reasons, including at the time of transfer to a new university. However, this program is designed to address a specific problem: acclimation to the very first semester of college.  This pilot program focuses on students experiencing that very first transition.  

Some financial aid may be affected if you change Fs to NCs, especially if you receive military benefits.  If you are a veteran or active military, a spouse of a veteran or active military, or a child of a veteran or active military, you should speak with MAVRC before deciding to opt in. Even if you do not fall into a category related to military service, you are encouraged to make an appointment with a Financial Aid Advisor to discuss any implications. The impact on federal aid may be the same whether the grade is an F or an NC.  

If all of your grades fall between F0-F9, your financial aid will be recalculated based on the last date of academic activity. This applies whether you convert your F grades to No Credit (NC) or whether you leave them as Fs. Please see the Return to Title IV Policy for additional information. If you have additional questions, please contact a Financial Aid Advisor to discuss your specific situation.

If you have documented participation after the 60% point of the semester (any F10–F16 grades), your aid will not be recalculated.

Students do not receive credit for courses graded either as F or as NC. In both cases, students will still be required to pay for the course.  In both cases, if the course is required, the student will need to retake it.  In both cases, the course has been attempted and counts as an enrollment. The difference is that an F counts toward the GPA, while an NC does not.  

The biggest reason not to opt in is that it may affect your financial aid, military benefits or scholarships. If you are a veteran or active military, a spouse of a veteran or active military, or a child of a veteran or active military, you should speak with your advisor in MAVRC before deciding to opt in. There may be other financial aid implications for others, including scholarship recipients. Consult with the financial aid office for guidance. Often the implication is the same whether the grade is F or NC.  

The student’s transcript will show NC rather than F and the NCs will not be counted toward the student’s GPA.

In other semesters, students must adhere to the policy on C/NC courses, which limits the number of C/NC courses that can be taken. Students are exempt from that limit during their semester of participation in the pilot program.   

Having NCs on your transcript could be seen as negative by professional or graduate schools. The alternative of Fs on your transcript is also likely to be seen as negative.   

If you are particularly concerned, you might want to consult with your pre-professional advisor or a graduate program advisor in your field of potential study.    

Having NCs on your record is unlikely to be viewed any more negatively than having Fs on your academic record. If you are concerned, reach out to an admission counselor at your college of interest.   

You will not have successfully completed all the courses you planned to take during your first semester and may be short on credits. This will be true whether the grade is F or NC because both carry no credit.   

Academic actions will be processed as usual when grades are posted. Students whose cumulative GPA is below 2.0 will be placed on Academic Warning and will be required to complete the mandatory advising process before a registration hold is lifted. Your academic advisors will help you reflect on your semester and make a plan to rebound from it. However, once a student opts in to the pilot program and F grades are converted to NC, the GPA will be updated accordingly, and Academic Warning status will be removed for students who no longer are below a 2.0 GPA.   The hold will remain, however, and students will be required to meet with their advisor.  

While you are eligible to participate in the program, any Fs received as a sanction for academic misconduct cannot be changed. Fs received as a sanction for Academic Misconduct are governed by the Academic Misconduct Policy and by state statute. Any other F grades remain eligible for grade recovery.  

Except for Fs that are sanctions for Academic Misconduct, which cannot be changed, opting in to the program will change all Fs to NCs. There is no picking or choosing, and it doesn’t matter whether your F is an F0, an F10, or an F16.   

A D grade is a different grade from an F. When you earn a D, you do earn credit for that course, and you have achieved your instructor’s learning objectives to some degree. If the course was taken to satisfy a specific requirement, the course will count toward that requirement in most cases. There are some exceptions. For example, to satisfy the current math and English general education requirements, you need to earn a C grade or higher.  

We strongly recommend you work with your instructor to finish the course with a strong grade and receive the credit for that course. Incompletes are intended to signify that you are making progress in a course and need more time. The best scenario is to complete the course.  

You can, though, speak with your instructor to ask that they change the Incomplete to an F if that is the grade you would have otherwise earned. You can then opt into the pilot program to request the F be changed to an NC.  

Do note that incompletes automatically convert to Fs on the last day of the next semester (not counting summer or winter terms). Consult with your advisor or finish your course work before then.  

If the course is required to satisfy a requirement, you will need to retake it.  If the specific course is not required, you don’t need to retake it unless you want to do so.   

Many universities have similar programs including MIT, Wellesley, Hunter College, University of North Florida, University of Oregon, Carleton College, and others.  In addition, some professional schools, most notably medical schools, have implemented similar grading policies to reduce stress and aid in acclimation during the first semester.   

Yes, you can request to change your NCs back to Fs if you decide to do so.   Your advisor can help you complete the Registration Change Form required to request the change.  

You can speak with your academic advisor to discuss your options.

We will assess the impact of the program after the first year, including student feedback. At that time, we will consider establishing a permanent program.