Grading

The University uses A-E letter grades, which are included in GPA. A through D are considered passing while an E is considered not passing. In addition the following non letter grades may be assigned:

EM= Examination
I= Incomplete
K= Transfer
PA/NP= Pass or Non-Pass
P= Progress
R= Audit
S or U= Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory

These grades are not included in GPA calculation. For complete descritptions of what they mean and when they are applied please click here.

OSU Grading Scale

*Note: there is no D-, E+, or A+.
First, multiply the credit hours for a course by the credit points earned for a grade (ex. a 3-hour course in which you earned an A would be worth 12 credit points). This is used to calculate your point hour ratio (aka your grade point average or GPA)

Calculate your semester GPA:

Formula:
Total Credit Points Earned
Total Hours Attempted

*You will earn semester hours (and a semester GPA) each term, and also a cumulative GPA-- this is the important one in making academic decisions!

Calculate your Cumulative GPA

Formula:
(Sem 1 pts + Sem 2 pts + . Sem x pts)
(Sem 1 hrs + Sem 2 hrs + . Sem x hrs)

GPA Calculator/Predictor

Don't want to mess with the above formulas? Download this Excel Calculator or try this handy GPA calculator

Deficiency Points

Deficiency points are equal to the number of credit points needed to have a 2.0 GPA (any student with a GPA < 2.0has some number of deficiency points).

• We use Deficiency Points as a gauge of how far away a student is from achieving a 2.0 GPA. CUMULATIVE GPA is what counts (can earn DP for the semester, but academic decisions are based only on the Cumulative GPA).
• A good rule of thumb is 2 DP earned per credit hour for grades C- or below, when below a 2.0 GPA. Consequently, a 3-credit hour E earns 6 DP, and a 3-credit hour A would remove 6.
• Deficiency Points Formula: Number of Deficiency Pts= (2.0 x Credit Hrs. Attempted) - Total Credit Points

DP example:
Credit Hours Attempted = 17
Total Credit Points Earned = 32
Credit Points Needed to Have a 2.0 GPA: 2.0 X 17 = 34
Number of Deficiency Points for Semester: 34 - 32 = 2

Calculating what semester GPA is needed to raise your cumulative GPA:

Ex) Cum GPA = 135.4 pts / 74 hrs = 1.83 (12.6 DPs). If enrolled in 15 hours next semester, what semester GPA is necessary to raise the cumulative GPA to 2.0?

1. 74 hrs + 15 hrs = 89 hrs
2. 89 hrs x 2.0 (target cum GPA) = 178.0 pts
3. 178.0 pts (target) – 135.4 pts (actual) = 42.6 pts (needed)
4. 42.6 pts / 15 hrs = 2.85 sem GPA

Grade Forgiveness Rule

The University's Grade Forgiveness Rule (effective since Autumn 2015) permits students to petition to repeat up to three courses in which they originally received a poor grade. Coursework taken outside of The Ohio State University, including EM and transfer credit, is not counted as an attempt for the purposes of the grade forgiveness rule. Once the rule is invoked, the second grade will be used to replace the first, even if the second grade earned is lower. Students who passed the course the first time and fail it the second, will lose credit for the course. Both courses remain on the academic record. More information on the Grade Forgiveness Rule, including eligibility, and the online petition form, can be found HERE.