Making Wise Choices in Week 8

Mid-term is a good time to assess your progress in your classes. Typically you have received feedback from instructors in the form of grades that allow you to predict whether you are on course for passing your classes. You can then use this information to make choices with regard to grading options in your classes. Making wise choices can help you raise your GPA and/or your credit completion rate. These are important factors to consider, as they affect your financial aid eligibility. Students at Lane have until Friday of week 8 to change their grading options. The Making Wise Choices in Week 8 workshop will assist you by:

•	Identifying the different grades and notations used at Lane
•	Reviewing how Grade Point Average (GPA) and completion rate are calculated
•	Introducing the NEW Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards used by 
Lane’s Financial Aid Office
•	Explaining the benefits and drawbacks of changing your grading options
•	Identifying additional strategies for improving the outcome of your term 

Grades and Notations-
The following grades and notations are recorded on Lane transcripts:
Grade	Points	Definition
A	4.0	Excellent performance
B	3.0	Good performance
C	2.0	Satisfactory performance
D	1.0 	Less than satisfactory performance
F	0.0 	Unsatisfactory performance
+ or -		Plus or minus  0.30 points
P		Pass (equal to A- thru C-)
NP		No Pass (equal to D+ thru F)
I		Incomplete
U		Audit
NC		Not Completed (no credit)
*  		Withdrawal after refund deadline (no grade recorded)

Calculating GPA- 
GPA is calculated by a) multiplying the point value of each letter grade by the number of credit hours the 
class is worth, b) adding those points together for total quality points and c) dividing total quality
points by total number of graded credit hours to arrive at the GPA. GPA is calculated only on classes taken for 
letter grades (A-F).  Grades of P, NP, I, U, NC and * do not figure into GPA. See example below:

Classes for Letter Grade	Grade	Numerical Value of Grade	X	Number of 
Credit Hours	Total Grade or  Quality Points	
ART 131	A	4	X	3	12	
CS 120	C	2	X	4	8	
MTH 060	F	0	X	4	0	
PE 183	D	1	X	1	1	
Totals                                                                                                12 Credit Hours          21  Quality Points	
Divide total Quality Points by total Credit Hours for GPA                        21 ÷ 12 = 1.75 GPA	

For an electronic version of a GPA calculator go to http://www.back2college.com/gpa.htm

Calculating Completion Rate- 
Completion rate is a percentage calculated by dividing the total number of credit hours you have successfully passed by the total number of credit hours you have attempted. Any credits you are registered in as of the second week of the term count as attempted credit hours. Classes you receive A, B, C, D, and P grades in count as completed credits. Classes you receive F, NP, I, U, NC and * grades in count as uncompleted credits. See example below:

Total Institution:	Attempted Hours 
 49 credits	Passed Hours
 34 credits	
Divide Passed Hours by Attempted Hours for Completion Rate           34 ÷ 49 = 69% Completion Rate	

NEW Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards-
If you receive financial aid you must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) to remain eligible to receive financial aid. Regulations require you to complete your program within the maximum attempted credits allowed with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. SAP standards help make sure you are on course to achieving this goal. Each term after grades post, financial aid will check your CUMULATIVE COMPLETION RATE* and your 
CUMULATIVE GPA* at Lane. Your SAP status will be assigned as follows:

	Good standing	Cumulative completion rate is 67% or higher and you meet the GPA requirement
	Warning		Cumulative completion rate is below 67% and/or you don’t meet the GPA requirement
FA Suspension	Following a warning or probation term, your cumulative completion rate is 
below 67% and/or you don’t meet the GPA requirement
	Probation*	Your appeal to be reinstated has been approved

At end of the term, if total cumulative attempted hours are:	To meet the cumulative completion rate requirement , you must pass:	To meet the cumulative GPA requirement, your LCC GPA must be:	
1-16 credits	67% of all attempted credit hours	No minimum requirement	
17 + credits	67% of all attempted credit hours	2.00 or higher	

*Note that prior to summer term 2011 SAP was based on TERM completion rate and TERM GPA. Also note that “Probation” was defined differently at that time. For detailed information on SAP standards consult the Financial Aid SAP web link www.lanecc.edu/finaid/sap.htm.  

Calculating Cumulative GPA and Completion Rate-
To assist students in predicting how their current term grades will affect their cumulative completion rate and GPA, the Financial Aid Office has developed an online calculator for student use. The online calculators are located on the computers in the Enrollment and Student Financial Services lobby, on the SAP web link listed above, and at www.lanecc.edu/finaid/sapcalc.htm .

To estimate the current term’s outcomes and whether you are on course to achieve SAP you will need accurate information about how you are doing in your current term’s classes. The best way to get that information is to talk to each teacher or check Moodle. You will also need to know your cumulative Completion Rate and GPA before the term started. You will find that information on your Lane transcript. (If this is your first term, you will not yet have a cumulative Completion Rate and GPA). See example below:
TRANSCRIPT TOTALS (CREDIT)      
 			Attempt 	Passed 		Earned 		GPA 	Quality    	GPA 
			Hours		Hours		Hours		Hours	Points	

Total Institution		39		24		34		30	62.0	    	2.067      Total Transfer		10		10		10		0.0	0.0		0.0
       Add together  	49		34	   						
Changing Grading Options-
Students have until midnight on Friday of the 8th week of the term to make any grading changes to their schedule on MyLane. Possible changes, and their effects, are listed below:

Option:	How it works:	Benefits:	Drawbacks:	Cautions:	
Change from Letter Grade to Pass/No Pass Grade	If you receive a C- or higher, you are given a Pass grade (P) and earn the credits. 

If you receive a D or lower, you are given a NP and do not earn the credits. 

Neither grade is calculated for GPA purposes.	If you are headed for a low grade in a course, the P/NP option allows you to protect your GPA.  
	If you receive a NP grade, you do not earn the credits, lowering your completion rate.

If this will put you below the 67% mark, it may be better to consider other grading options. Consult with your counselor/advisor.	Do not choose P/NP option for courses in your major.

Most degrees limit the number of P/NP credits that can be used.

Students using the 2010-11 (or later) version of the AAOT cannot use P/NP credits toward that degree. D grades also do not apply.
	
Withdraw * from a Class
(no refund)	You can remove yourself from a class you are doing poorly in. The course will be listed on your transcript followed by a * to indicate Withdrawal.

No grade is calculated for GPA.

No credits are earned.	If you are headed for a low grade in a course, Withdrawing allows you to avoid the poor grade and protect your GPA. 

Withdrawing from a course allows you to put your energy into remaining classes.	If you Withdraw, you do not earn the credits, lowering your completion rate.

If this will put you below the 67% mark, it may be better to consider other grading options. Consult with your counselor/advisor.	Withdrawals count as attempted credits. As such, they reduce the amount of credits eligible for financial aid.

Too many Withdrawals on a transcript can send a negative message.

International students should consult with advisor before withdrawing.	
Audit (U)	Allows you to continue attending a class without being responsible for submitting assignments. The course will be listed on your transcript, followed by an U to indicate Audit.

No grade is calculated for GPA.

No credits are earned.	If you are headed for a low grade in a course, Auditing allows you to avoid the poor grade and protect your GPA. 
Auditing allows you to continue absorbing information that may be useful if you need to repeat the class.	If you change a graded class to an Audit, you do not earn the credits, lowering your completion rate.

If this will put you below the 67% mark, it may be better to consider other grading options. Consult with your counselor/advisor.	Too many Audits on a transcript can send a negative message.

International students should consult with advisor before Auditing.	

Additional Grading Options-
There are some other grading options that may assist you in achieving your goals for the term. Unlike the options above, these options are only available with instructor approval. That is to say, you cannot choose any of these grades.  They are given only at the discretion of the instructor. However, you can ask the instructor whether or not you might qualify for these grading options.

Option:	How it works:	Benefits:	Drawbacks:	Caution:	
Incomplete	The instructor may award an Incomplete (I) grade if the student has satisfied 75% or more of the work in a course, but is unable to finish the remaining work due to circumstances beyond his/her control (serious illness, death in family, etc), 	Provides you with an extended time line (negotiated with your instructor) to complete requirements.

If remaining requirements are completed according to new time line, the I grade is converted to the letter grade earned, and credits are awarded.	If remaining requirements are not completed according to the new time line, the I grade can be converted by the instructor to a failing grade. 

Failure to complete and earn the credits will lower your completion rate.	You need self-discipline to complete the work, even though the class is not in session. 

If an I grade results in a completion rate lower than 67%, you will not achieve SAP until the grade is converted and credits are awarded.

Too many Incompletes on a transcript can send a negative message.

International students should consult with advisor before seeking an Incomplete.	
No Credit	The instructor may award a No Credit (NC) grade when the student has not participated enough in the class to earn a grade. It is not meant to and should not be used to replace an F or an I.
	The NC grade is not calculated into your GPA like an F grade is, thus it protects your GPA from being lowered.	If you receive a NC grade, you do not earn the credits, lowering your completion rate.
	This grade is totally at the discretion of the instructor.

Too many NC grades on a transcript can send a negative message.

International students should consult with advisor before seeking an NC.	

Strategies for improving the outcome of your term-
•	Talk with your instructor to find out exactly what is needed to earn your desired grade
•	Inquire about extra credit opportunities 
•	Take advantage of Lane’s free tutoring services! Check out their web site at http://www.lanecc.edu/tutor/ 
•	Determine if you are eligible to petition to absolve repeated courses http://www.lanecc.edu/es/documents/RequesttoAbsolve.pdf
•	Visit with your academic counselor or advisor to review your options to 
Make Wise Choices in Week 8! Please note we are closed Nov 18th for SOAR.

Given what you know about your current academic situation, complete the Wise Choice process to determine what decisions you might need to reach your academic goals.

What is my present academic situation?

How would I like my situation to be?

What are my possible choices?

What is the likely outcome of each possible choice?

Which choice(s) will I commit to doing?