Good Academic Standing: A student has earned 29 credit hours or less, passed at least 67 percent of attempted hours and maintained 1.75 GPA. If a student has earned 30 or more credit hours, they must pass at least 67 percent of attempted hours and maintain 2.0 GPA.
Academic Probation: Academic standing classification for a first-time freshman who has a GPA below 1.75. This student will be allowed to maintain enrollment in the following semester contingent upon enrollment in the academic success coaching program courses. See academic success coaching link.
Academic Suspension: Academic standing classification for a student on probation who does not make at least a 2.0 GPA for the semester following probation. The first suspension will be for two semesters. The second suspension will be for three semesters.
Academic Dismissal: Academic standing classification assessed to a student who has been through the other three stages (academic probation, academic suspension for two semesters, academic suspension for three semesters) and is not allowed to return to Northwest.
Grade Point Average (GPA): Calculation obtained by assigning quality points to the grades earned in courses, totaling the points, and dividing them by the number of hours of credit attempted.
Cumulative GPA: GPA calculated on both Northwest coursework and all coursework transferred in from other institutions including credit taken in high school for college credit.
Northwest GPA: GPA calculated on Northwest coursework only.
Term (semester) GPA: GPA calculated on semester work only.
Quality Points: Number assigned to a letter grade to calculate a grade point average. For example, an “A” earns 4 quality points, a “B” earns 3 quality points, a “C” earns 2 quality points, a “D” earns 1 quality point and an “F” earns 0 quality points.
Supersede: Retaking a course to attempt to earn a higher grade in the class. The first grade for the course remains on the transcript, but is marked “E”, which indicates it is excluded from the GPA calculations. The highest grade is calculated in the Northwest and cumulative GPAs. Students may not supersede a grade earned at Northwest by completing an equivalent course at another institution. If the course is taken at another institution, grades from both courses would be averaged into the cumulative GPA. View additional information regarding superseding »
Late Drop: A student drops from a semester course after the University's last date to drop. The student will need to petition the Committee on Academic Petitions to request the late drop. View additional information about petitioning »
Late Withdraw: A student drops all Northwest courses after the University's last date to withdraw. The student will need to petition the Committee on Academic Petitions to request the late withdraw. View additional information about petitioning »