Grade Policies

Grade Point Average (GPA): Final grades for each term are recorded and preserved. The following chart is used to calculate the GPA.

The following grades do not affect GPA:

1. Incomplete: An I may be given in courses where the student has not completed the required coursework by the end of the term. To award this grade, the student must present valid reasons to the instructor for not having completed the course requirements. The I grade will be lapsed to an F 30 days from the first day of the next semester. Coursework should be completed during this period. Transcripts will indicate "grade lapse" where I grades are lapsed to the grade of F. The student is not eligible for graduation or the Honors List until all I grades have been removed from the academic record. The I grade may also affect eligibility for financial aid.
2. Withdrawal: Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rule, Chapter 6A-14.0301, requires community colleges to adhere to the following procedures relating to the award of a W when students withdraw from a course:
   1. The student may withdraw without academic penalty from any course by the midpoint of the semester or term. A withdrawal is considered an "attempt;"
   2. The student will be permitted a maximum of two withdrawals (two attempts) per course; and
   3. Upon the third attempt, the student will not be permitted to withdraw and will receive an A , B, C, D or F grade for that course. An appeal for a fourth attempt may be submitted based upon major extenuating circumstances.
3. Audit: Students desiring to enroll in a course but who do not wish to receive a grade or credit for that course may enroll for Audit. Students will not be allowed to change from an audit status to a credit status or from credit status to audit status after the 100 percent refund date each term. Audit courses will be included on the student's academic record with a grade of X.
4. Non-Credit: The NC is assigned automatically for any zero-credit-hour course. NC is used for continuing education, economic development, lifelong learning and other classes in which no credit is awarded.
5. No Grade Assigned: The NG is assigned by the Enrollment Services Office in cases where the instructor did not submit a grade in time for normal processing of grades.
6. Satisfactory Progress and Unsatisfactory: The SP and U grades are used only for those courses that have received prior approval through the curriculum review process to award the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grades.

Grade Forgiveness Policy

The forgiveness policy permits a student to repeat a course in which the student has earned a D or F in an attempt to improve the grade earned in the course. Only the last grade earned in a repeated course will be computed into the student's GPA, provided the final grade is not an NC, X or W. A student is limited to two repeat attempts per college-credit course.

All courses attempted at Seminole Community College will appear on the student's transcript. Repeated courses will be indicated by a "Take" for initial attempt and "Retake" for the final attempt. Courses that may be repeated more than once for credit will be indicated with an "Allow."

Students should be aware that some colleges and universities may not honor Seminole Community College's forgiveness policy and compute the initial attempt in the GPA. Once the Associate in Arts degree is awarded, a student may not repeat a course to improve the GPA.

Students may not repeat courses by credit-by-examination. Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Student Financial Resources Office prior to enrolling in any course for grade forgiveness.

Grade Reports and Transcripts

Grades are accessible online via MySCC one week after the end of each term or semester. Grade reports are not mailed to students.

There are two ways students may request an official transcript*: (1) mail and (2) in person at any of our Campuses. Requests made via mail must include a signature of the student whose transcript is requested. Official transcripts are not sent to students who have financial obligations to the College. Direct (non-automated) telephone requests for grades or transcripts are not accepted.

*Official Transcript: To be official, the transcript must have the College seal, the Registrar's signature and be provided in a sealed envelope. If the seal is broken (envelope opened) the transcript is no longer official. Official transcripts are for colleges, universities and employers. Students may receive an official transcript in a sealed envelope by mail or in person. Students picking up an official transcript must show a picture I.D.

Withdrawals

Student Withdrawals: A student desiring to withdraw from a course after the add/drop period should initiate withdrawal procedures by completing the withdrawal form. Withdrawals are not official until the completed withdrawal form is given to the Enrollment Services Office. Students cannot withdraw by phone or by the online system. The final withdrawal date shall be interpreted to mean the point by which midterm assessments are completed. This will be the day that is closest to, but not to exceed, 70 percent of the total class days in the term. Withdrawal deadlines are published in the official College Catalog academic calendar section.

Students should be aware that a reduction in course load may jeopardize the student's athletic eligibility, financial aid, veteran's benefits, standards of progress or student visa status.

State Board Rule specifies that students are permitted a maximum of three attempts per course. Upon the third attempt, students must pay full cost of tuition. Students are not permitted to withdraw from the course and will receive a grade for that course.

Before the third attempt, students may withdraw without penalty from any course before the midpoint in the semester. Withdrawals after this date are granted by established institutional procedures.

Administrative Withdrawal from Courses: Faculty have the right to withdraw a student from class for "no shows" or excessive absences, as determined by the established departmental guidelines.

A student who is absent from class 10 percent of the scheduled class time is subject to be withdrawn without warning by the instructor. A student may be readmitted by the discretion of the instructor.

Withdrawal from the College: Students who are withdrawn from all courses must follow the same procedures as students who are withdrawing from a course. Failure to follow procedures may cause a student to fail courses unnecessarily and in some cases may prevent their receipt of a refund. Students who withdraw after the published drop/add period are not eligible for a refund.

Program Closing

When a college credit or vocational program is closing, provision will be made for students at least halfway through the program to complete it within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed twice the total program length for full-time students. "Halfway through the program" shall include prerequisites and specified general education courses, in addition to major courses and support courses that are part of the official program list for the catalog year in effect when the student entered the college. Students who have not completed half of the program, using the definition above, will change their major with assistance from the Program Manager or Department Chair and the Counseling staff. Courses from the closing program will be evaluated for transference into the new major or program through the regular course substitution procedure.

Program Conversion

When a vocational program converts to a college credit program, the following procedure will apply to students who are enrolled in the program during the academic year of the conversion and who have maintained continuous enrollment in the program:

A committee consisting of the Program Manager, Department Chair, and the Director of Curriculum will evaluate the course description, objectives and student competencies of the vocational courses against the descriptions, objectives, and competencies of the college credit courses. When there is a match of at least 80 percent, college credit will be awarded for vocational courses already completed. When the match does not reach 80 percent, students will be encouraged to undertake Credit-by-Examination, and the Credit-by-Examination fee shall be waived. The Director of Curriculum will produce a list of vocational courses that meet the 80 percent criterion and will be converted to college credit. For those students in the Vocational Program, who do not have scores for an approved entry-level test for college-credit programs (SAT, ACT or CPT), a special testing session for the CPT will be arranged by the Director of Assessment and Testing.

Did you know?

SCC intercollegiate athletic teams include baseball, softball, women's golf and men's and women's basketball.