Grading System   

Note: There is no official percentile equivalent for grades at American University.

• Key Information
• Grading System
• GPA
• Course Numbers
• Codes

Grades calculated in the grade point average:   
Grade    Quality Points (QP)   
4-point     3-point *   
A (Excellent)    4.0    3   
A-    3.7     
B+    3.3     
B (Good)     3.0    2   
B -    2.7     
C+    2.3     
C (Satisfactory)    2.0    1   
C-    1.7     
D (Poor)    1.0    0   
F (Failure)    0    -1   
X (administrative penalty)    0     

* The 3-point system was used prior to fall 1970

Grades not calculated in the grade point average:   
I    =    Incomplete*   
IP    =    In progress   
L    =    Audit   
N    =    No grade reported or invalid grade   
P    =    Pass**   
W    =    Withdrawal (after first two weeks of semester)   
ZF    =    Fail on pass/fail option   
ZL    =    Administrative withdrawal from audit   
ZX    =    Fail (administrative penalty) on pass/fail option   

*Incompletes: Before fall 1980, an Incomplete could stand as a permanent grade.
Effective fall 1980, an Incomplete may no longer stand as a permanent grade. The Incomplete Contract between student and instructor includes a default grade specified by the instructor; this grade is recorded as the final grade should the student fail to submit the outstanding work by the end of the following semester.
**Pass: Indicates a quality of performance no less than C for undergraduates or B for graduate students on a conventional grading scale.

Discontinued:   
R    =    Repeated course (follows the grade)   
S    =    Satisfactory   
U    =    Unsatisfactory   
WF    =    Withdrawal failing   
WP    =    Withdrawal passing   
Z    =    No grade reported (on pass/fail option)