About Grades

Find out how letter grades affect your GPA and degree requirements. Also read about P/NP, S/U, I, IP, W, and blank grades.

What grades mean to you:

• A, B, C, D, or F grades reflect your performance in a class and result in grade points that count toward your GPA. You must be enrolled in a class through the ninth week of instruction to earn one of the following grades:
  • A+, A, A- = Excellent
  • B+, B, B- = Good
  • C+, C, C- = Fair
  • D = Poor
  • F = Fail
• P/NP and S/U (Pass/ Not Pass and Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory) show that you've either passed or not passed a class. Classes with P and S grades count toward your unit requirements for a degree but do not apply to your GPA.
  • More on P/NP
  • More on S/U
• I (Incomplete) indicates that you have requested extra time to complete a class because of circumstances beyond your control (e.g., illness or a family emergency). If you don't complete the class, an Incomplete will become a permanent F, NP, or U.
  • More on Incomplete
• IP (In Progress) signifies classes that extend over more than one quarter. If you see an IP on your academic history, check with your department advisor.
• W (Withdraw) doesn't affect your GPA. It is assigned in these situations:
  • You drop a class or withdraw from UC San Diego after the deadline to withdraw without a W. See the Quarterly Timeline with Deadlines.
  • You drop certain labs after the second scheduled meeting.
  • A student may receive a maximum of one "W" per course, per Academic Senate Regulations.
• A blank entry after a class means that the instructor didn't assign a grade. If you don't contact your instructor to resolve the blank grade before the end of the next quarter, the grade will become a permanent F, NP, or U.