Grading and the Grading System
Either a letter grade or status report is assigned each semester for every course for which a student is registered after the second week of classes. Students can view their grades on SOLAR.
The term "letter grade" refers to A through F and in certain circumstances to S grades.
All courses used to meet Diversified Education Curriculum and Stony Brook Curriculum requirements and courses used to meet major requirements, including, in engineering majors, the technical electives, must be taken for a letter grade. Students should consult the "Requirements for the Major" section of their major for any exceptions to this policy.
Final grades appearing on a student's academic record cannot be changed after one calendar year from the start of the term in which the grade was assigned. Exceptions may be made if the instructor is on leave in the term following the one in which the grade is assigned or if the student is on leave because of disabling illness in that term. Grade changes are done in conjunction with the instructor, the department, andthe Dean, and then sent to the Registrar’s Office for posting. A final grade cannot be changed on the basis of work completed after a term has ended. Final grades appearing on a student's academic record at the time of graduation cannot be changed to any other grade subsequent to receiving a degree.Requests for changes to an undergraduate academic record after the degree has been officially granted will be considered only under exceptional circumstances within six months of the conferral.
| A | (superior work) |
| A- | |
| B+ | |
| B | (good work) |
| B- | |
| C+ | |
| C | (Satisfactory work) |
| C- | |
| D+ | |
| D | (minimum passing credit) |
| F | (Failing work) |
| I | (Incomplete) |
| NC | (No Credit) |
| NR | (No Record) |
| P | (Pass) |
| Q | (Academic dishonesty) |
| R | (Pending completion of second semester of a year-long course) |
| S | (Satisfactory work) |
| U | (Unsatisfactory work) |
| W | (Withdrawal) |
Graded/Pass/No Credit Option (GPNC)
Within the specific limits noted below, a student may elect to have the final grade in any course recorded on the official academic record as the grade asassigned by the instructor, a P (Pass) or as NC (No Credit) if the reported letter grade is F. Neither P nor NC is calculated into the grade point average (G.P.A.). Students may elect this option through the ninthweek of classes.
Note: Most graduate and professional schools require that prerequisite courses be taken for a letter grade and many can interpret NC grades as being equivalent to a grade of F, and a grade of P as equivalent to a D. Students should consult the appropriate pre-professional or departmental advisors regarding the implications of electing the GPNCoption.
Note that a grade of P will NOT satisfy most prerequisites and requirements at Stony Brook.
Note: Students must remain in compliance with Federal and State Satisfactory Academic Progress Guidelines. To avoid impacting Financial Aid or TAP awards, questions should be directed to Financial Aid or Registrar's Office (for TAP).
The following provisions reflect the intent of this option, which is to encourage students to explore other and sometimes less familiar areas of study.
- The GPNC process requires students to select a threshold letter grade as the minimum acceptable grade for the course. If a student should achieve his/her minimum grade or higher, the achieved grade will be the final reported grade on the transcript and will be factored into the GPA. If a student should achieve a grade less than the threshold but higher than F, the final reported grade on the transcript will be P (Pass). If a student fails the course, the final reported grade on the transcript will be NC (No Credit).
- Course grades ofP or NC do not satisfy Diversified Education Curriculum (DEC) requirements, Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) learning objectives, or major or minor requirements.
- Courses graded P may be used to satisfy the university upper-division credit requirement.
- Election of the GPNC option must be completed before the end of the ninth week of the semester as specified in the academic calendar at http://www.stonybrook.edu/registrar. After the date specified in the academic calendar, no changes either to or from the GPNC option may be made. Students may not petition to change a course to letter-graded after the deadline for changing courses to or from the GPNC option has passed.
- The GPNC option may be elected only once for a given course. The GPNC option may be elected more than once per course (but only once per distinct course topic) in courses designated as repeatable for credit. See link for more information on repeatable courses.
- Students may elect the GPNC option for no more than one course per term.
- The Registrar does not communicate to the instructor of a course the names of students who elect the GPNC option.
- Courses for which the grade of P or NC is recorded are not considered among the minimum of 12 credits required for a student to be on the Dean's List.
- Majors and minors in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, and the School of Journalism have specific restrictions on the use of the GPNC option to satisfy their requirements. Refer to the specific major or minor requirements in the "Approved Majors, Minors, and Programs" chapter of this Bulletin for details. Students in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences may not take any courses in the major, including technical electives, under the GPNC option. Only Open Electives may be taken under the GPNC option.
- Certain courses may not be taken under the GPNC option, such as developmental courses, or courses with special grading bases such as S/U, or ABC/U. Courses not available for the GPNC option are noted in the Bulletin course descriptions and/or here.
See also "Limits on Course Credits and Grading Options" and "Courses without GPNC Option."
No Record (NR)
Students are responsible either for completing the required work in or withdrawing from every course for which they have been registered. If an instructor finds that a student appears on the final grade roster for a course but has no record of that student's ever having attended, the instructor will assign a report of NR (No Record). An NR may not be assigned for any other reason. If the student was actually in the class, the student must ask the instructor to correct the record by submitting a grade to replace the NR to the appropriate Committee on Academic Standing and Appeals. If the student was not actually in the class and receives a report of NR, the student must petition the appropriate Committee on Academic Standing and Appeals for a retroactive withdrawal from the course.
Grades of NR are converted on a student's transcriptto one of the following grades: N/F for letter-graded courses, N/U for courses graded A-C/U or S/U, or N/C for courses taken under the Pass/No Credit option. The grade of N/F will be treated as a failure for the purposes of academic standing and will be averaged as an F when the student's g.p.a. is computed.
Q Grade
A grade of Q is assigned to a student found guilty of academic dishonesty. The Q remains on the transcript and is computed in the g.p.a. as a grade of F. Students who have a single finding of dishonesty may have the Q replaced by a letter grade determined by the instructor after satisfactory completion of a non-credit seminar addressing issues of academic dishonesty unless the applicable academic judiciary committee determines otherwise. Rescinded Q grades may be reinstated if there is a new finding of academic dishonesty.
Registered (R)
Some courses, chiefly senior honors projects numbered 495-496, are designated year-long courses. The final grade and credits for the course are assigned only after completion of both semesters. Instructors submit a report of R (Registered) at the end of the first semester. A final grade and credits for the combined semesters' work are recorded at the end of the second semester. An R will also be given in certain courses where the final grade will be delayed because the coursework was done at a location remote from the campus. For the purposes of academic standing an R is treated as if it were a P.
Incomplete (I)
If circumstances beyond the student's control inhibit the student's ability to complete the work for a course on time, thestudent is responsible for informing the instructor of the circumstances immediately. At the discretion of the instructor,a temporary report of I (Incomplete) may be assigned, signifying that the student has been granted additional timeto complete the requirements for the course. After granting an I, the instructor will set a date for completion of therequirements. That date will be no later than November 1 for courses begun the preceding spring semester or summersession and no later than March 15 for courses begun the preceding fall semester.
Students may not complete coursework for which an Incomplete was assigned by auditing or registering again for asubsequent offering of the course. If the instructor determines that circumstances merit it, the instructor may request anextension of the original Incomplete by written notification to the Registrar. This extended deadline will be no later than thelast day of classes of the semester following the one in which the course was taken. Longer extensions for extraordinaryreasons must be approved by petition to the appropriate academic office. If the work is not satisfactorily completed by theapplicable or extended deadline, the final grade of I/F, U, or NC, as appropriate, will be assigned. The grade of I/F will beaveraged as F when computing the grade point average (g.p.a.) or determining other measures of the student's academicstanding.
Satisfactory/UnSatisfactory (S/U)
Some courses are designated as S/U grading and students will not receive a letter grade (A through F) for them. Students may not elect to take such courses under the GPNC option.
S/U grading is not calculated into the grade point average (g.p.a.). They also apply to the criteria for Dean's List.
Withdrawal (W)
A mark of W is recorded when the student withdraws from a course after the first ten days of classes. The W is used to indicate that the student withdrew after the end of the add/drop period. The W is not calculated into the grade point average (g.p.a.).
Grade Point Average (g.p.a.)
For the purpose of determining grade point average, grades are assigned point values as follows:
| A 4.00 | B- 2.67 | D+ 1.33 |
| A- 3.67 | C+ 2.33 | D 1.00 |
| B+ 3.33 | C 2.00 | F 0.00 |
| B 3.00 | C- 1.67 | Q 0.00 |
Calculate the Quality Points for each course by multiplying the Point value of the grade by the total number of Credits for the course:
| Grade | Point | Course | Quality | ||
| A | 4.00 | X | 3 | = | 12 |
| B | 3.00 | X | 4 | = | 12 |
| C+ | 2.33 | X | 3 | = | 6.99 |
| D | 1.00 | X | 3 | = | 3 |
| F | 0.00 | X | 3 | = | |
| ______ | _____ | ||||
| Total | 16 | 33.99 |
The following grades are not calculated into the g.p.a.: P, NC, NR, R, S, U, W
Grades for courses transferred from other institutions do not affect the grade point average. Grades earned in developmental courses are not calculated in the cumulative g.p.a., but are included in the term g.p.a., Dean’s List and academic standing calculations.
Limits on Course Credits and Grading OptionsSee Curriculum Policies
Specific Course Limitations for degrees:
For the courses listed below, there is a limit on how many credits may be applied to specific degrees. For the B.A. candidate, the limit is 30 credits; B.S. candidates 60 credits; B.E. candidates 90 credits.
The limited courses are ARS 154; BUS 210, BUS 214, BUS 348; MUS individual instrument or voice instruction courses; student teaching courses numbered 449, 450, 451, 452, and 454; THR 244, THR 295,THR 296, THR 301-307, THR 340; BME, CIV, CME, EEO, ESE, ESG, ESM, and MEC courses; HAD, HAN, HAS, HBA, HBM, HDH, HDO, HDP, HNI courses; HWC fieldwork courses
Credits by approved examinations(30 credits):Approved examination programs are Advanced Placement examinations, College Level Examination Program subject examination, Regents College examinations, Stony Brook Challenge examination
Graduate courses (6 credits)
Developmental courses:AIM 102, MAP 101, and MAP 103 are developmental courses
Repeated courses:Courses may not be repeated for credit unless specifically noted as repeatable in the Undergraduate Bulletin course description. See the entries “Retaking Courses” and “Repeatable Courses” for more information.
⇐Taking Time Off|⇑Records and Registration⇑|Courses without G/P/NC option⇒
FAQs
What GPA do you need for Stony Brook 2023? ›
An applicant must have a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale, where A=4.00, A-=3.67, B+=3.33, B=3.00, B-=2.67, C+=2.33, C=2.00, C-=1.67 and D+=1.33, D=1.00, D-=.
What is a passing grade at SBU? ›| A | (superior work) |
|---|---|
| C | (Satisfactory work) |
| C- | |
| D+ | |
| D | (minimum passing credit) |
- Grading System. The following grading system will be used for graduate students: A (4.0), A- (3.67), B+ (3.33), B (3.00), B- (2.67), C+ (2.33), C (2.00), C-(1.67), F (0.00). ...
- I (Incomplete) ...
- S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) ...
- R (Registered) ...
- NR (No Record) ...
- Change of Grade. ...
- Auditing.
The average GPA at Stony Brook is 3.84. This makes Stony Brook Extremely Competitive for GPAs. (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 3.84, Stony Brook requires you to be near the top of your class, and well above average.
What is the average GPA 2023? ›What is the Average GPA in High School in 2023? The average GPA in US High Schools is 3.0. This number varies by gender – the average female GPA is 3.1 and the average male GPA is 2.9.
Where is Stony Brook ranked 2023? ›Stony Brook University—SUNY's ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #77. Its in-state tuition and fees are $10,556; out-of-state tuition and fees are $28,476. Stony Brook University is one of 64 schools in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.
Is 60% grade a pass? ›C - this is a grade that rests right in the middle. C is anywhere between 70% and 79% D - this is still a passing grade, and it's between 59% and 69% F - this is a failing grade.
Is a 93 a B+? ›Common examples of grade conversion are: A+ (97–100), A (93–96), A- (90–92), B+ (87–89), B (83–86), B- (80–82), C+ (77–79), C (73–76), C- (70–72), D+ (67–69), D (65–66), D- (below 65).
Is D+ passing or failing? ›The meaning of each grade is as follows: A, A–, excellent; B+, B, and B–, good; C+ and C, competent; C–, continuation competency (the student has achieved the level of proficiency needed for the course to satisfy prerequisite requirements); D+, D, and D–, passing, but performance is not adequate to take any subsequent ...
What is Stony average GPA? ›Average GPA: 3.84
The average GPA at Stony Brook is 3.84. (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 3.84, Stony Brook requires you to be near the top of your class, and well above average.
What is a 70 grade scale? ›
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 98-100 | A+ |
| 70-72 | C- |
| 67-69 | D+ |
| 63-66 | D |
A 4.2 indicates that you are earning Bs and B+s in high level classes or As and A+s in mid level classes. This is a very good GPA, and it should give you a strong chance of admission at most colleges. 99.36% of schools have an average GPA below a 4.2.
Is it harder to get into Binghamton or Stony Brook? ›It is harder to admit to SUNY at Binghamton than SUNY Stony Brook. Both SUNY at Binghamton and SUNY Stony Brook have the same submitted SAT scores (1,390). SUNY at Binghamton has higher submitted ACT score (32) than SUNY Stony Brook (31).
Is Stony Brook a hard school to get into? ›Stony Brook admissions is selective with an acceptance rate of 48%. Students that get into Stony Brook have an average SAT score between 1300-1480 or an average ACT score of 29-33. The regular admissions application deadline for Stony Brook is January 15.
How rare is a 3.5 GPA in college? ›A 3.5 GPA is equal to a 90% average. Many employers and graduate programs use a 3.5 GPA as the benchmark. However, outside of the top 10 graduate schools, the average GPA for law, medical, and business graduate school are as much as 0.74 below 3.5.
Is it harder to get into college in 2023? ›Admission rates for 2022-2023 have not been announced but are expected to remain just as low. Given this competitive environment, admission experts say students shouldn't assume they'll be a 'shoe-in' at any school.
What is a good undergraduate GPA? ›Once you're in college, many institutions expect you to maintain at least a 2.0 to remain enrolled. However, programs and scholarships tend to require a higher minimum GPA, usually around 3.0. As you get ready to graduate, a particularly high GPA (3.75 or higher) may mean that you graduate with distinction.
Can I raise my GPA from 3.3 to 3.7 in one year? ›It depends on how long you've been in school. If this GPA is based on one year, then yes, you can raise your GPA to a 3.7 by getting a 4.0 ((3.4 + 4.0)/2) = 3.7), if the credit values are the same. If this GPA is based on two years, then yes, you can raise your GPA to a 3.6 by getting a 4.0.
What are the top 5 majors at Stony Brook University? ›The most popular majors at Stony Brook University--SUNY include: Health Professions and Related Programs; Psychology, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Business Administration and Management, General; Applied Mathematics, General; Computer Science; Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Economics, General; ...
Is Stony Brook a top tier? ›Stony Brook University--SUNY Rankings
Stony Brook University--SUNY is ranked #77 out of 443 National Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.
What is Stony Brook best known for? ›
With more than 200 majors, minors and combined-degree programs, Stony Brook is listed among the world's top 1% of universities by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Kiplinger names Stony Brook as one of the 35 best values in public colleges and universities.
Is a 60 or 70 passing in college? ›The normal grading range is from 55 to 100. The number grades correspond to letter grades as reflected in the chart below. The minimum passing grade is 70 (C). Any grades between 55 and 69 (D and F) are considered failing grades for which unit credit is not earned.
Is 70 passing in college? ›Depending on the grading scale of a college or university, anything below 70% is considered failed. However, there are colleges and universities that have different standards and designate grades below 60% as failing.
Is an 88.9 A B+? ›Are you ready for the next step in your education or do you have some serious work to do? Let's take a look. A 3. 3 GPA is equivalent to a 87-89% or a B+ letter grade.
Is 80% a B+ or A? ›In high schools throughout Australia, a grade of "B" (Good) is awarded for attaining a minimum score of 80%. To receive an "A" grade (Excellent), students must score 85% or higher in any given subject, course, or assignment.
Is an 85 a B+ or B? ›| A+ | = / > | 100% |
|---|---|---|
| A- | = / > | 90% |
| B+ | = / > | 85% |
| B | = / > | 80% |
| B- | = / > | 75% |
| Letter Grade | Grade Points Per Credit |
|---|---|
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
A grade of D (including plus/minus) in a transferable course will count toward the number of transferable units you have completed. However, you must earn a grade of C or better when completing the seven-course pattern. And, in most cases, grades of D do not satisfy major or general education requirements.
How much does a D+ bring down your GPA? ›| Grade | Quality Points PER CREDIT |
|---|---|
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| F or WF | 0.0 |
What GPA do most students get? ›
The average high school GPA in the US is 3.0, which also accounts for roughly 35% of students who don't end up applying for college. However, for college applicants, the average GPA is more likely between 3.5 and 4.0.
What GPA is a straight A student? ›This is the scale most widely used by American high schools and colleges. And, until recently, it was the only scale. If your school uses this one, the perfect GPA is a 4.0, which means that you have straightAs. If you have a 3.0, you have straight Bs, and so on and so forth.
What GPA is all 70? ›A 1.5 GPA is equivalent to 70% or C- letter grade.
Is a D passing in college? ›At most schools, a D is the lowest passing grade. That means students who earn a D or higher receive credit for the course. However, some schools set special policies around D grades.
Is a 78 AB or C? ›| Percent | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 83 - 86 | B |
| 80 - 82 | B- |
| 77 - 79 | C+ |
| 73 - 76 | C |
A+, A, A- indicates excellent performance. B+, B, B- indicates good performance. C+, C, C- indicates satisfactory performance. D+, D, D- indicates less than satisfactory performance.
What is a 9.1 GPA on a 4.0 scale? ›| 10 Point CGPA | Equivalent 4 Point GPA | USA Grade Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 9.2 | 3.74 | A |
| 9.1 | 3.71 | A |
| 9.0 | 3.68 | A |
| 8.9 | 3.65 | A |
| Original Scale | Multiplier | EX. GPA on 4.0 Scale |
|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 0.6667 | 3.000 |
| 7.0 | 0.5714 | 3.257 |
| 8.0 | 0.5000 | 3.250 |
| 9.0 | 0.4444 | 3.644 |
Last year, the reported average GPA of an admitted high school student at Harvard was a 4.04 out of 4.0, what we call a “weighted” GPA. However, unweighted GPAs are not very useful, because high schools weight GPAs differently. In truth, you need close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA to get into Harvard.
Which SUNY is hardest to get into? ›The hardest SUNY school to get into is Cornell University. Situated at Ithaca, Tompkins County, it has only a 14% acceptance rate but a high graduation rate of 93%.
What is the number 1 SUNY school? ›
- University at Buffalo. Location: Buffalo. ...
- Stony Brook. Location: Stony Brook. ...
- Binghamton University. Location: Vestal. ...
- SUNY Oneonta. Location: Oneonta. ...
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Location: Syracuse. ...
- University at Albany. Location: Albany. ...
- SUNY New Paltz. Location: New Paltz. ...
- SUNY Cortland.
Stony Brook's overall college ratings are much higher than Baruch's and it is more well known outside of the Metropolitan area. Several of my classmates from both schools have completed their degrees and recieved attractive offers from organizations of their choice.
Is Stony Brook a prestigious school? ›SUNY Stony Brook landed the #206 spot in College Factual's 2023 ranking of best overall colleges in the United States.
What is the acceptance rate for Stony Brook University 2023? ›Stony Brook University Admissions 2023: Deadlines, Requirements, Courses, Acceptance Rate. Stony Brook University admissions are moderately selective with an acceptance rate of 48.9%.
What is Stony Brook University ranked in the world? ›The QS World University Rankings — a leading organization for international rankings — rated the world's top universities by subject area, and placed Stony Brook University's Physics and Astronomy program in the top 100, coming in at #90.
Are you smart if you have a 3.5 GPA? ›Whether an average GPA is good or not depends on your personal and academic objectives and on the university and study programme you choose. Usually, a GPA of 3.0 - 3.5 is considered good enough at many high schools, colleges, and universities. Top academic institutions usually require GPAs higher than 3.5.
What GPA is Cumme laude? ›cum laude: at least a 3.0 total GPA (grade point average) and a class rank in the 75th percentile or above in the student's school or college. magna cum laude: at least a 3.4 total GPA (grade point average) and a class rank in the 85th percentile or above in the student's school or college.
Is a 2.79 GPA good in college? ›The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 2.7 is below average, and so you may have to work harder to catch up.
What is the acceptance rate for Stony Brook 2023? ›Stony Brook University Admissions 2023: Deadlines, Requirements, Courses, Acceptance Rate. Stony Brook University admissions are moderately selective with an acceptance rate of 48.9%. The university has a total enrollment of 26,782 students including 18,010 undergraduates and 8,772 graduates.
What GPA do I need to get into Stony Brook? ›With a GPA of 3.84, Stony Brook requires you to be near the top of your class, and well above average. Your transcript should show mostly A's. Ideally, you will also have taken several AP or IB classes to show that you can handle academics at a college level.
Is Stony Brook test optional 2023? ›
Successful applicants will, in addition to our general admission criteria, typically display evidence of achievement in mathematics and writing and will have performed particularly well on both the Math and Critical Reading sections of the SAT and/or ACT. Stony Brook is test optional for applicants.
Can you get into Stony Brook with a 3.0 GPA? ›Stony Brook is selective, with an acceptance rate of 41%.
SAT: 1250-1400. ACT: 26-31. GPA (4.0 scale): 3.6-4.0. GPA (100-point scale): 91-97.
Harvard, Stanford and Princeton, unsurprisingly, are America's toughest colleges to get into in 2023, according to Niche's most recent rankings.
Will college acceptance rates go down in 2023? ›Admission rates for 2022-2023 have not been announced but are expected to remain just as low. Given this competitive environment, admission experts say students shouldn't assume they'll be a 'shoe-in' at any school.
What college has the lowest acceptance rate 2023? ›| School Name | Rank | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | 1 | 4.0 % (40.2%) |
| Harvard University | 1 | 4.0 % (20.2%) |
| Stanford University | 1 | 4.0 % (22.9%) |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4 | 4.0 % (44.4%) |
3.8 GPA is equivalent to 93% or A letter grade.