There are many things to consider as you make your decision. Weigh your options carefully based on where you are in the course. Review your midterm grade and your grade for each assignment/project/paper. In addition, see if there have been any changes to the syllabus/course requirements that may also impact your decision.

Things to consider include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

• If you have a GPA requirement you need to meet, it may not be in your best interest to change some or all of your courses to Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading. A letter grade that improves your GPA is better than a P, since a P does not have an impact on your GPA. By the same token, a P is better than a grade that will lower your GPA. A GPA calculator can be found in DegreeWorks in the GPA Calc tab. In addition to the calculator, consulting with your academic advisor would be beneficial as well.
• If you need to raise or maintain your GPA for any reason, such as conditions for reinstatement for Academic Standing, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), athletic eligibility, scholarship requirements, club, organization or team, to meet the cumulative GPA required to graduate (2.0 for undergraduate students, 3.0 for graduate students), etc., it may not be in your best interest to take a Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) for some, or all of your courses. Since an NP grade impacts progression toward degree selecting the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option and receiving NP grade(s), can impact academic standing and SAP. You are strongly encouraged to consult your academic advisor for any academic related concerns and Drexel Central for any financial aid related concerns, prior to changing any courses to Pass/No-Pass (P/NP).
• If you are applying to graduate or professional school or if letter grades are needed for certification or licensure, it may not be in your best interest to take a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) for some or all of your courses. If you are unsure whether this may be an issue in your program, please consult your academic advisor prior to opting for Pass/No Pass (P/NP). Also, if you are considering a career in medicine or law, consider consulting with Steinbright Career Development Center’s pre-health and pre-law advisors.
• If you are an Undergraduate Co-op student, a cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required to maintain eligibility for co-op. Further, some employers have a higher minimum cumulative GPA requirement to apply for their opportunities. As such, you are strongly encouraged to consult your academic advisor for any academic related concerns, and the Steinbright Career Development Center for any employer related concerns.
• If you have any employer reimbursement requirements or tuition agreements/sponsorships that are contingent upon standard grading and minimum GPA, it may not be in your best interest to take a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) for some or all of your courses. You are strongly encouraged to consult your employer or sponsor prior to changing any courses to Pass/No Pass (P/NP).
• If you are considering changing to a different major at Drexel consider consulting with your new major’s academic advisor. Some majors require a minimum letter grade in specific courses as a way to demonstrate potential success in the new major. 
• If you are concerned about any prerequisites for future registration. Be aware that although a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grade will automatically qualify you as having met a prerequisite for a future course, there may be instances when you need an override to register for some courses in future quarters.
• If you are concerned about Undergraduate Dean’s List or Undergraduate Latin Honors for graduation. Please remember that you must have a minimum GPA of 3.6, with 12 credits of letter grades to be considered eligible for the Undergraduate Dean’s list. Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades will not count towards the 12-credit eligibility for Dean’s list honors. Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades will not impact your GPA, therefore they will not be factored into any Latin Honors calculations for graduation.

Undergraduate and graduate quarter students in participating colleges and schools* may opt into the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option for any full-term courses for the Spring Quarter only beginning on April 19, 2021 and continue to make adjustments until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. If any student was registered for any Part of Term A course(s), the deadline for opting-in was the last day of the course(s) and will not change. All students enrolled in Part of Term B courses have until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. Selections can be made in Registration via DrexelOne. Instructions for making selections can be found here, as well as other related information about the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option. 

Once the selection is made, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the changes are accepted by the system. Accordingly, no changes to grading modes will be made after the June 12, 2021 11:59 PM EDT deadline.

No. Undergraduate and graduate quarter students in participating colleges and schools* may opt into the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option for one, select, or all full-term courses beginning April 19, 2021 and continue to make changes until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. For students registered for accelerated courses, the deadline will be the last day of the course. Spring Quarter will be considered a one-time exception for Graduate Grading. 

Once the selection is made, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the changes are accepted by the system. Accordingly, no changes to grading modes will be made after the June 12, 2021 11:59 PM EDT deadline.

No, while it applies to most undergraduate and graduate students at the University, there are some notable exceptions. Due to accreditation and/or professional requirements, the Pass/No Pass option does not apply to:

• Students in the School of Education who are pursuing PA certification
• Students in the clinical portion of the MD program
• Students in Nursing programs in the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP)
• Students in the Kline School of Law
• Graduate Programs in the College of Medicine

Program directors/Dean’s Offices of CNHP and SOE will follow up directly with their students with respect to existing options and how they will be facilitated.

In addition, the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) option do not apply to Executive and Professional Education Programs due to agreements with external organizations.

Students will have to opt into Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading. If students take no action by the deadline, the original standard grading will apply. Students will not be able to request to use the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option after the deadline has passed. 

Once the selection is made, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the changes are accepted by the system. Accordingly, no changes to grading modes will be made after the June 12, 2021 11:59 PM EDT deadline.

Yes, as long as it done before the deadlines for full term and accelerated course(s).

Deadlines: Undergraduate and graduate quarter students in participating colleges and schools* may opt into the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option for any full-term courses beginning April 19, 2021 and can continue to make changes until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. For students registered for accelerated courses, the deadline will be the last day of the course. If any student was registered for any Part of Term A course(s), the deadline for opting-in was the last day of the course(s) and will not change. All students enrolled in Part of Term B courses have until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021.

After the June 12th deadline for full-term courses Part of Term B courses, and the last day of class for all accelerated courses Part of Term A course(s), students will not be able to request to adopt or change the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option.

This is an individual decision each student must make for each of their classes. Your academic advisor may be able to assist you in thinking through the decision but you must make the decision for yourself. We advise you to continue with the standard letter grade mode until you have had time to assess your comfort with remote course delivery. This may take a few weeks to determine but will need to be decided by the deadline, April 19, 2021 at 11:59 PM EDT. For students registered for accelerated courses, the deadline will be the last day of the course. If any student was registered for any Part of Term A course(s), the deadline for opting-in was the last day of the course(s) and will not change. All students enrolled in Part of Term B courses have until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. Additional guidance can be found in the “Making the Decision” section at the top of this FAQ.

Yes, you must continue to attend class and complete assignments whether you select the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option or remain with the standard letter grade option.

No, the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grade option will apply to undergraduate and graduate courses that use standard letter grading in the Spring 2020 Quarter only.

No, your instructor cannot see that you have selected the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option vs the standard grading mode.

Your registration enrollment status at the University is quantified by the amount of credits you're registered for during a term. Your overall registration enrollment status, which informs your certification of enrollment, is based on your attempted credit hours. The Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option does not impact attempted hours for registration.

No, but you should strongly consider speaking with the course instructor and/or your academic advisor if you have concerns about your academic progression in a course or in general. Additionally, please review the “Making the Decision” section at the top of this FAQ.

Yes, you can course withdrawal from a course(s) taken using the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option. Additionally, if based on your course performance and the remaining course assignments, it might be in your best interest to consider withdrawing from a course for which they are likely to receive an “F” or “NP”.

Yes, however, you will not be able to do so via registration due to the administrative hold(s) on your student record. If you wish to select the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option for your course(s), please email the Office of the University Registrar at UC-Academic-Records@drexel.edu.

Follow the steps below:

1. Login to DrexelOne
2. Select the Academics tab
3. Click the Register for Courses button in the Registration channel
4. Select Register for Courses on the Registration Dashboard
5. Select Spring Quarter 20-21 in the Drop-Down (listed as Terms Open for Registration) and Click the Continue button.
6. Select the Schedule and Options Tab
7. In the Grade Mode column, you will see the courses that are listed as Standard Letter or Pass/No Pass.

The ones that are listed as Pass/No Pass, are the ones for which you have selected the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option

After reading the FAQs, and if you still have an issue with using the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option during registration, please contact the Office of the University Registrar via UC-Academic-Records@drexel.edu.

No, you will not be permitted to select pass/no pass for a course involved in an academic integrity case for which the final sanction of academic dishonestly is to revert to the grade assigned by the instructor in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy.

Your GPA will not be impacted by the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option. However, if you opt for the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option and receive an NP grade, it could negatively affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid purposes. The Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option will impact students who need to improve their cumulative GPA because Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades will not count toward your GPA. The Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option will impact your completion percentage for SAP. Please review the satisfactory academic progress requirements on the Drexel Central website.

The impact of changing to the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option will vary, depending on the situation of the individual student. As such, students are strongly encouraged to consult their academic advisor for any academic-related concerns, and Drexel Central for any financial aid related concerns, prior to changing any courses to Pass/No Pass (P/NP). Drexel Central can help you with determining how your financial aid and SAP might be impacted.

P for Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a D or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of D or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

P for Graduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of C or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

NP for Undergraduate Courses: Any grade below a D, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

NP for Graduate Courses: Any grade below a C, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grades will not count in your GPA. You will receive course credit for Pass (P) grades; you will not receive course credit for No-Pass (NP) grades. All courses taken using the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option, will count in attempted hours. The NP grade will not be counted in earned hours.

Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades will not compute into your term or cumulative GPA. Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grades will be counted in attempted hours. However, a P will count in earned hours for the course, and an NP will not assign credit for the course.

You will earn course credit for Pass (P) grades; you will not receive course credit for No Pass (NP) grades.

Taking a course Pass/No Pass (P/NP) could have important implications for future graduate school admissions. Graduate schools may have prerequisites that require letter grading. If you have applied to a graduate program, please check with that program for information on how Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading may affect your application.

Yes, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.6, with 12 credits of letter grades, which count in GPA hours, to be considered eligible for the Undergraduate Dean’s List. Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grades do not count in GPA hours or towards the 12-credit eligibility for Dean’s list honors.

As long as a student receives a P, they can progress toward degree with all required courses, however an NP will not allow the student to progress toward graduation, since they will not receive any earned credits. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their academic advisor for any questions related to degree progression and the impacts of taking a course(s) using the P/NP option.

Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades will show up in the degree audit for both undergraduate and graduate quarter students. Pass (P) will show that a requirement is satisfied once the grade is posted. No Pass (NP) will show up under insufficient at the bottom of the DegreeWorks audit.

The Pass/No Pass grading option, once selected by you, and after your instructor submits your final grade at the end of there quarter, will appear as either a P or NP next to the course, depending on your final grade. The P and NP will be assigned based on the minimum letter grades associated with either graduate or undergraduate coursework.

Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a D or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a D, will be counted as a No Pass.

Graduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a C, will be counted as a No Pass..

The grade for your class, whether you opt for standard grades or for Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades, will be based on the instructor's assessment of your performance for the totality of the course, as usual.

If you take all of your courses using the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option, your final honors for graduation (Latin Honors) will be based on your last class term. Traditionally, preliminary Latin honors are based on previous last class term, prior to the term of graduation for purposes of the Summer commencement booklet and then finalized after the end of the term, once all grades are finalized. Taking all courses using the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option will not raise your final GPA and as such, will not change your preliminary Latin honors. Any courses that you leave with the standard letter grade mode, will be factored into your final Latin Honors GPA calculation.

Academic standing will be evaluated in accordance with the policies for Undergraduate and graduate students. While grades of P and NP are not included in the GPA, selecting the P/NP option can still impact standing in the following ways:

• Students who earn grades of NP, when selecting all courses using the P/NP option will be academically dismissed.
• In addition, if a student selects the P/NP option and achieves grades of NP, there will be an impact on progression toward degree, and as such, these NP grades will be considered factors in evaluating academic standing, which may result in academic dismissal, probation, or continued probation, and impact satisfactory academic progress (SAP). 

However, if a student has been reinstated from academic dismissal or probation and their contract requires them to raise their GPA as part of the conditions for reinstatement for Academic Standing, a grade of P or NP will not satisfy that requirement and could result in dismissal. Furthermore, since a NP grade will not result in earned hours progressing you toward degree. Prior to converting a course from a standard letter grade to the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) option you are strongly encouraged to use the GPA calculator in Degree Works and consult your academic advisor for any and all academic related concerns. 

Students who are on academic probation may be able to use the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option, but these students are strongly advised to meet with their academic advisor. For example, it may make sense to take one of their courses using the P/NP option, but not all courses. This will ensure that they can continue to make satisfactory academic progress toward degree and meet necessary GPA requirements, which are evaluated as part of SAP and academic standing. In addition, they can also understand the immediate and long-term impacts of taking a course(s) using the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option.

Before considering the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option, you should consult with the guidelines of your organization, talk with a professional advisor of the group when you have questions, and use resources like a GPA Calculator to project potential outcomes. Students participating in Athletics, Fraternity and Sorority Life, ROTC and other organizations should reach out to their administrations to assist them with specific guidelines and compliance along with assessing future outcomes of decisions.

If you are currently receiving any benefits through U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Pass grade (P) does not affect Veterans Benefits, as it is still a grade that counts towards graduation. The No Pass grade (NP) will not progress you toward graduation. If you are receiving VA benefits and have questions, you should contact Drexel Central.

During Summer Quarter, Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) graded courses, when a grade of P is earned, will count for all major, minor, certificate, and/or overall university degree requirements. A P is considered passing and as such will progress students toward degree for all courses taken for major, minor, certificate, and/or overall university degree requirements. Summer Quarter will be considered a one-time exception for Graduate Grading.

If you are currently receiving tuition remission, the Pass grade (P) does not affect your remission, since it will be considered a passing grade toward graduation. The No Pass grade (NP) will not progress you toward graduation and is considered not passing; therefore, it will impact your employee tuition remission benefits. If you are receiving tuition remission benefits and have questions, you should contact Human Resources.

If you have petitioned the GPA replacement option via the Undergraduate or Graduate policy, that means the highest grade earned is the grade that will be factored into your term and cum GPA. If you have requested the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option for the Spring Quarter, and receive a P grade, the P grade will result in replacing and excluding any grade of C- and below for Undergraduate students, and any grade B-and below for Graduate students, (in the same course from a previous Quarter) from your term and cum GPA calculations, for that respective quarter.

A grade of NP will not result in replacing and excluding any grade of C- and below, for Undergraduate students and any grade of B- and below for Graduate students, (in the same course from a previous Quarter), from your term and cum GPA calculations, for that respective quarter.

If you have requested the Pass/No-Pass (P/P*NP/NP*) grading option for the Spring Quarter for a course(s) that are non-repeatable for credit, and receive a P/P* grade, you will not be able to re-take the course in the future for a letter grade. However, if you have requested the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option for the Spring Quarter for a course(s) that are non-repeatable for credit, and receive a NP/NP* grade, you will be able to re-take the course in the future for a letter grade.

All grades will still show on your transcript, both the original grade that was taken in the previous quarter, and the Summer Quarter grade.

If students choose to opt into a Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option for their Honors Optioned course, they must receive a P in order to receive Honors credit.

Yes, a notation will be listed on the academic transcript for each student enrolled in the Spring Quarter as:

In response to COVID-19, optional P/NP and P*/NP* grading was adopted for the Spring Quarter.

No, if you have requested the Pass/No-Pass (P/P*NP/NP*) grading option for the Spring Quarter for a course(s) that are non-repeatable for credit, and receive a P/P* grade, you will not be able to re-take the course in the future for a letter grade.

However, if you have requested the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option for the Spring Quarter for a course(s) that are non-repeatable for credit, and receive a NP/NP* grade, you will be able to re-take the course in the future for a letter grade.

No. Faculty members are encouraged to keep an up-to-date grade book in Blackboard Learn so that you may be able to see where you stand in the course to help you decide between the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option and a standard letter grade. However, faculty members may not necessarily enter your final grade into this grade book prior to final grade submission. Because you may not be able to see your final grade in the course before the P/NP selection deadline, it is important that you make the best decision based on your current standing in the course before the final deadline of 11:59 PM EDT on Saturday, June 12, 2021. If you have questions about your academic progress in a specific course, you should reach out to the instructor.

Due to accreditation and/or professional requirements for the College of Nursing division and some programs within Health Professions division of CNHP; a Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option needed to be developed in order to maintain and adhere to such higher minimum passing grade thresholds.

The Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option is only offered to students enrolled in CNHP. All courses within the College of Nursing division and some courses in the Health Professions division are being offered with the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option.

P* for Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of C or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P* will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

P* for Graduate Courses: A grade of a B or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of B or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

NP* for Undergraduate Courses: Any grade below a C, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

NP* for Graduate Courses: Any grade below a B, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

CNHP will also reach out to students, with respect to which course(s) that cannot be taken under the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option.

In addition, other than the minimum grade thresholds that are used to assign either a P* or NP*, all other FAQs related to Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option, will also apply for the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option.

At the time you select which course(s) you want to choose using a Pass/No Pass grading option, you will see either Pass/No Pass (P/NP) or Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) under the grade mode drop down in registration via DrexelOne, which will denote the course(s) offered under the two different Pass/No Pass grading options.

Remember that the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option has a higher minimum grade threshold for P*/NP*, and these options are only available to students enrolled in CNHP.

All other *Colleges/Schools, that have a Pass/No Pass option, will be using the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option.

The explanation for the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grades is as follows:

P* for Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of C or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P* will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

P* for Graduate Courses: A grade of a B or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of B or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

NP* for Undergraduate Courses: Any grade below a C, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

NP* for Graduate Courses: Any grade below a B, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.

CNHP will also reach out to students, with respect to which course(s) that cannot be taken under the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option.

No, not all courses within CNHP are being offered with the option of Pass/No Pass (P/NP). In fact, all courses within the College of Nursing division and some courses in Health Professions division, are being offered with the option of Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*), which differs from the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option.

However, there are some courses in the Health Professions division, which will be offered under the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option.