Grade points are calculated by multiplying the number of credit hours for each course by the decimal grade appropriate for the grade earned. The term GPA is computed by adding the total number of grade points for the term and dividing by the total number of credits attempted in courses that received a letter grade.

The student's cumulative grade point average may be obtained by adding the total number of grade points for all terms and dividing by the total number of credits attempted in the courses that received a letter grade.

An Incomplete grade may be given if the instructor is satisfied that unavoidable circumstances have prevented the student from completing the course work and the student has requested this option.

The Incomplete grade remains on the student’s transcript for 90 days or until the end of the following term. If the instructor does not submit a Grade Change to Enrollment Services before that time, the Incomplete grade will lapse into a failing grade  (F or U depending on the grading basis). 

Incomplete grades can also effect Financial Aid funding, please refer to the Satisfactory Progress Policy.

 

Students may enroll in courses on an audit basis with instructor permission and upon payment of regular tuition and fees.

Students who audit a course are exempt from examinations and do not receive college credit; however, the instructor may require reasonable attendance and class participation.

To change from credit to audit, or audit to credit, students must have instructor permission, and it must be processed by the end of the 10th business day of the term (8th business day in summer).

After the 10th business day of the term (8th business day in summer), students may audit classes with permission from the course instructor and the appropriate instructional dean.

To make the change, students must submit a completed Registration Form with photo ID to Enrollment Services at  enroll@clark.edu.

 

• A class officially dropped by the 10th business day of the term (8th business day during Summer term) will not appear on your transcript. 
• After the 10th business day (8th business day during Summer term) and through the day prior to the last day of term, classes formally dropped will post to your transcript with a withdrawal grade of "W." 
• No withdrawals will be accepted after the day before the end of term.
• For classes with unusual start and end dates, no withdrawals will be accepted after 80% of the class meetings have occurred.
• One-day classes: If you believe that extenuating circumstances justify a withdrawal after the class met, you may submit a Petition for Exception to the Withdrawal Policy Form at the Enrollment Services Office. An instructor signature will be required to verify that you did not attend the class. Requests for exceptions to the Withdrawal Policy for one-day classes will be accepted up to 10 business days after the class has met. If approved, a student will receive a withdrawal grade of "W." Refunds for one-day courses are available if the student withdraws prior to the first class session.

Students may contact the Enrollment Services Office at enroll@clark.edu for more information about an Administrative Withdrawal or join the Enrollment Services Virtual Zoom for assistance. 

Students may request to enroll in certain courses on a pass/no pass basis.

No more than sixty (60) credits taken for pass/no pass will be allowed toward the Associate in Arts degree, Associate in Science degree or the Associate in Applied Science degree. Students must earn a grade of "C" or better (2.00 GPA) to be given a "Satisfactory" grade in a pass/no pass course. An "Unsatisfactory" grade will be posted for students earning less than a "C" grade. Students planning to transfer to another college or university should contact that institution to determine whether it accepts pass/no pass grades.

Please see the Class Schedule to see which specific courses can only be graded Pass/No Pass. Classes eligible for Pass/No Pass are indicated in by [PNP] under the class description.

Students can get approval to change a course to pass/no pass by having the instructor of the class sign, date, and initial a Registration Form.

Students may submit the completed Registration Form with photo ID to Enrollment Services at  enroll@clark.edu.

Students may repeat a course taken at Clark College in order to improve their skills or the course grade. All course repeats must comply with the Repeat Course Rule.

Students who repeat a class should submit to the Enrollment Services office a Notification of Repeated Class Request form.

• The course repeat policy applies to courses that are taken at Clark College.
• A course may be repeated only twice (defined as two repeats in addition to original enrollment) unless otherwise specified in the college catalog. The "W" (Withdraw) grade IS included as a repeated course attempt.
• The highest grades awarded will be used in computing the Clark College GPA.
• Each grade received will remain on the student's transcript; a repeat notation will be posted to the transcript for these courses.
• Courses must be repeated for a letter grade unless the course is offered only as pass/no pass.
• The course repeat process DOES NOT apply to grade symbols N and Y.
• Students who plan to transfer to another institution, should be aware that their GPAs might be recomputed by that institution; repeated courses will be received in accordance with the institution's own requirements and policies.
• To repeat a course, students must re-register and pay all necessary tuition and fees.

Students receiving financial aid or veterans' benefits, or those participating in athletics, should consult those offices prior to repeating a course. Benefits or eligibility may be reduced or lost due to course repetition.

Exceptions to the Repeat Course Rule include:

Extenuation Circumstances-Students with extenuating circumstances may receive permission to enroll in a course for a fourth attempt; only the highest graded attempt will be factored into the GPA.

Variable Credit Courses - A student may enroll in a variable credit course as many times as necessary to complete the entire curriculum and maximum credit value of the course.

Repeatable courses - These courses have content variation; therefore, enrollment is allowed multiple times. These courses are noted as repeatable in the Course Catalog.

Qualified students may request to set aside a previous substandard academic record if they feel it does not reflect their true ability at Clark College. Only the Clark College record can be set aside; the college cannot set aside records from other colleges.

Setting aside does not expunge the previous record, but places a "set aside" or "grade forgiveness" notation on the student's transcript, marking the term from which the college will calculate a GPA for determining probation, eligibility, or honors at graduation. Students may not count set aside credits to fulfill requirements for graduation nor remove credits that had been used to fulfill requirements for graduation. Students should understand that the record to be set aside includes all courses taken before the term selected by the student, and those courses may not be used to satisfy future course prerequisites.

Students may set aside a previous record if:

• They have earned fifteen (15) credits at Clark College beyond the term to be set aside.
• They have a 2.50 cumulative GPA at Clark College for these credits.
• The work to be set aside is at least one (1) year old.

Submit a completed Set-Aside Past Record Petition Form with photo ID to Enrollment Services office at enroll@clark.edu.

Caution: Although Clark College makes provisions for setting aside past records, students should not assume that other colleges to which they transfer will compute the GPA in the same manner. Financial aid students will still be subject to federal regulations that require all attempted credits be counted toward completion of an initial degree.

A student who believes he or she received an incorrect grade for a class should contact the instructor of the class. Grade changes are made at the discretion of the instructor. A grade change must be submitted to Enrollment Services by the instructor. Grade changes and corrections made for veterans and financial aid recipients must also be reported to the Office of Veterans Affairs and/or the Financial Aid Office.

Grade changes must be made no later than the end of the second term following the term the student attended the class.

An academic appeal refers to a claim by a student that a specific grade assigned to the student by the instructor is the result of an arbitrary or capricious application of otherwise valid standards of academic evaluation, or to a student's claim that the instructor has made an arbitrary or capricious decision or taken an arbitrary or capricious action which adversely affects the student's academic standing.

The student must file a written complaint within ninety (90) calendar days after termination of the course. The appropriate instructional dean or supervisor may suspend this rule only under exceptional circumstances such as extended illness, sabbatical leave, or absence of one or both parties involved in the complaint. Grade appeal process forms are available through instructional deans' offices or the Office of Instruction.

Students having complaints relative to academic performance evaluation should first meet with their instructor to discuss their grade before beginning this process. If the complaint is not resolved, the student may proceed to Step 1.

Step 1:  The student completes the grade appeal form. Additional pages may be attached, if necessary. The student will make an appointment with the appropriate division chair, department head, or supervisor.

The division chair/department head/supervisor will receive the original grade appeal form and any supporting documentation prior to the meeting.

The division chair/department head/supervisor must notify the student within fifteen (15) working days of the resolution after the meeting with the student.

If the student is not satisfied with the resolution, the student may proceed to Step 2.

Step 2:  The student will provide a written statement describing the nature of the appeal to the instructional dean.

A meeting will then be scheduled with the student, the instructional dean, and the instructor to discuss the appeal.

The instructor will receive a copy of the student's written material prior to the meeting.

A decision by the dean will be made within fifteen (15) working days of the meeting.

The decision by the dean will be final and cannot be appealed further.