what should you do if you repeat a course and get a better grade

by Amparo Tillman II 4 min read

Yes, you can retake a course to improve your grade. When you repeat a class, you must officially enroll and pay for the class again. Students may repeat a course no more than twice, for a total of three attempts at the same course.

Obviously, your student will need to retake a course in which they have received an F if that course is a required course or a required prerequisite for another course which they need. A student who is retaking a course to improve their GPA needs to retake the course at their own institution.Mar 4, 2010

Full Answer

How do I repeat a course for a Grade?

Students who want to repeat a course for a grade should complete the online Repeat Course Form. Students receiving any kind of institutional or federal aid must be enrolled full-time, carrying at least 12 new credit hours since repeat courses are not counted for credit.

Should you take repeat courses in college?

Even if you remain in good academic standing, remember that you need to earn 180 units to graduate, and that repeating courses often means you are treading water rather than moving closer towards that goal. Don’t assume that just because a class is a repeat, it’s going to be easier.

What happens if you repeat a class on the same grade?

If you choose to repeat a non-repeatable-for-credit class, the second grade will replace the first grade in your GPA calculation. The course will still show up on your transcript twice, but the first grade will be overwritten by the notation "RP," meaning "repeated."

Can I repeat a course with an unsatisfactory grade?

Approval will not be granted if the course was taken for the first time and passed with a satisfactory grade (i.e., “C” or better). However, students who earn an unsatisfactory grade (i.e., C-, D+, D, D-, or E) in a course can repeat that course for a grade as long as they have the dean’s approval through CCAS.

When you repeat a course does it replace the grade?

Students may repeat an additional 12 units for grade replacement, meaning the repeat grade will not nullify the original grade, and both grades will be factored into the student GPAs.

What happens if you retake a class and get a worse grade?

The second grade always replaces the first grade. However, you can retake a class and get a worse grade. For example, if you have a D (a passing grade) and retake a course and receive an F (a failing grade), you now have a failing grade in the course and will have to take the class for a third time.

Is retaking a class worth it?

Even if you do fail, you can retake the class and ask for help. Although it will negatively impact your GPA and could affect your financial obligations, you can bounce back. Start by asking for more help and studying differently or harder if you retake the course. Most importantly, don't give up.

Does repeating a grade affect GPA?

Repeating Coursework A course may be repeated only once. Although only the second grade earned (for better or worse) will be computed into your GPA, both grades will remain on your transcript.

Is it worse to drop a class or fail?

Failing & Then Re-Taking a Class Croskey notes that dropping a class is better than withdrawing, but withdrawing is better than failing. “A failing grade will lower the student's GPA, which may prevent a student from participating in a particular major that has a GPA requirement,” Croskey says.

Does grade forgiveness affect GPA?

When Grade Forgiveness is applied to a student's record, the grade earned during the first attempt of the course is no longer factored in to the student's GPA but it will still appear on the student's transcript. In other words, the new grade replaces the old grade in the calculation of a student's GPA.

Is a C passing in college?

While most colleges consider a D a passing grade for pass/fail courses, some require a C. And pass/fail classes may not count toward major or general education requirements.

Can I retake classes after I graduate to raise my GPA?

If you do choose to retake a course at a different college, keep in mind that a better grade will not actually change your GPA, but your desired graduate program may be willing to overlook your previous attempt and count the improved grade instead.

What is a 2.1 GPA?

A 2.1 GPA, or Grade Point Average, is equivalent to a C letter grade on a 4.0 GPA scale. This is equivalent to a 73-76%.

Is a 72 AC minus?

Numeric-to-letter-grade conversions generally vary from system to system and between disciplines and status....Grade conversion.Letter GradePercentageGPAC73–76%2.0C−70–72%1.7D+67–69%1.3D63–66%1.09 more rows

What is a 95 percent letter grade?

For conversion from letter grades to numerical grades, I use the middle of the numerical range above. Thus, an A is a 95, halfway between 90 and 100.

Can you repeat a class 3 times?

College students can retake a class a maximum of 3 times, most of the time.

How many times can you repeat a class?

There is usually a limit to how many times this may happen for a class, generally one repeat. The third attempt averages last two attempts and all three remain on transcript. If there are significant reasons to poor performance early into the course consider dropping the class and still attend the lectures.

What is an A grade?

An “A” grade was rare, and was reserved for occasional, truly outstanding attainment. U.S. high schools identified one graduate to be a class “validictorian,” and that student’s transcript frequently featured several “B” grades, but was the best performer among peers.

Why is it called an education?

After all, one could never attend a lecture or do an assignment and still get an F , instead of struggling throughout the semester. This is why it is called an education and the price one pays is to learn a lesson. What one does to apply the knowledge makes all the difference in one’s life and the world.

Can I retake a class for a better grade?

Yes, you can retake the class for a better grade. The second grade counts even if it is an F. To improve your F, you would have to take the class a 3rd time. In the colleges I have attended you can only retake classes under the following circumstances.

Can you cancel a transcript if you have already graduated?

As a graduate student, the policy will more likely be “repeat and average.”. If you’ve already graduated, your transcript will likely be sealed so no changes to grades on courses taken towards your degree can be accomplish ed.

Can you take a class with the same professor?

However, you can take the class with the same professor, or a different professor, or you may not have a choice. Research has shown that it makes no statistical difference. There's a confirmation bias, though; students who retake the class tend to either drop it or pass.

Can you change grades on Financial Aid?

Again, the answer is no. So we can change things each time, like different assignments, grading weights, etc. Financial aid may or might not pay for the retake, so you might need to pay for it yourself. Some colleges and universities will simply swap the new grade for the old one.

What grade do you need to get into science sequence?

The Science Sequence Regulations require students to achieve a minimum grade of "C-" in order to continue on to the next course in the sequence. In other cases, students may wish to consult with a professor to determine whether auditing a class might be appropriate. Many students believe that a grade of "C" or higher is required for each course in ...

Can you register for a repeat course if you have signed an incomplete contract?

Students who have submitted signed incomplete contracts requiring them to do the work again should make arrangements to audit the course, and not register again for credit as a “repeated” course.

Can you repeat a CHM 203/204?

When departments offer courses that are similar in content but at different levels (e.g., MTH 141 and 161, MTH 143 and 162), students cannot use the lower-level course as a “repeat” of the upper-level course. However, CHM 203/204 can be used as a repeat of CHM 171/172.

Can you repeat BIO 112?

BIO 112, another course that is for first-year students only, cannot be repeated. A student who earns a grade below "C" in BIO 112 and wants to continue in biology may repeat the course by taking BIO 110.

Can you repeat a first year course?

First-Year Only Courses. Some courses, because of the way they are offered, cannot be repeated. PHY 143 is one example of a course that is for first-year students only. A student who fails PHY 143 should take PHY 123 in the second year. BIO 112, another course that is for first-year students only, cannot be repeated.

Can you repeat a course with a low grade?

Students who complete a course with a low or failing grade may wish to repeat the course in a subsequent semester. In addition to understanding the policies concerning course repeats (see below), and speaking with an academic advisor, it is also helpful for a student to consider the following:

Can you increase your GPA by repeating a course?

Finally, if a student is repeating a course to increase their GPA for their graduate or professional school applications, it is useful to know that these schools may calculate a student's GPA differently. A student may wish or need to strengthen their knowledge of a particular topic in order to prepare for future classes.

Why not retake a course?

Before your student decides to retake a course, they should consider their reasons carefully. Obviously, this is not the case if the course is a requirement. Your student might do some math to determine how significant the GPA improvement might be.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of retaking with the same professor?

The advantage of retaking with the same professor is that the student will know the instructor’s expectations and teaching style. The disadvantage is that if the difficulty arose from teaching style, the same problems will be present again. Your student should consider whether or not they would like to begin with a clean slate with a new instructor.

Why is it important to explain to future employers why one particular course gave them difficulty?

Most employers understand that not everyone is good at everything, and that students may have extenuating circumstances that may affect one course or semester. Your student should put the poor grade into perspective.

What happens if you fail a course?

If your college student has failed a course, or has done poorly in a course, they may have a question about whether or not they should retake the course. This is an individual decision and will depend on your student’s circumstances as well as their institution’s policies. Some schools may not allow a student to retake a course, ...

Is it good to retake a course?

Your student should consider whether or not they would like to begin with a clean slate with a new instructor. Retaking a course is a good solution for some students in some situations. It will improve the student’s GPA and, although it will not remove the lower grade from the transcript, it will demonstrate that your student is interested in ...

Can you take a course once?

Your student should remember that they can only receive credit for a course once . If they passed the course, but are considering retaking it to improve the grade, they will not receive credit for both classes. Your student may want to take another course to move ahead with their credits rather than use credits to retake this course.

Can you remove a poor grade from your transcript?

Although it may not be common, if the poor grade happened during the first year of college, some colleges may allow a student to have it removed from their transcript. In any case, most employers looking at a transcript will understand the difficulties of that transitional year.

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Financial Aid Implications

Repeat Course Policy Exceptions

  • Note that the individual academic departments are responsible for managing the following exceptions and special circumstances for repeat courses. When questions arise, it is always best to consult first with an advisor in the specific academic department for guidance.
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Courses at A Different Level

  • CHEM 203/204 can be used as a repeat of CHEM 171/172. The following lower-level Physics courses can be used as a “repeat” of their respective upper-level course. Please note that in these cases, only the grade for the lower-level physics class will be factored into the GPA. All grade and credit for the upper-level physics class will be forfeited. 1. PHYS 121 can be used as a “repeat” o…
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Writing Courses

  • Students who pass WRTG 105/105E with a grade below “C” can choose to take the course a second time for four additional credit hours, and with both grades in the GPA, or can choose to follow the standard repeat policy. This decision can be made through the Repeat Course Request Form. Any of the following three courses can be used to repeat the other...
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First-Year only Courses

  • Some courses, because of the way they are offered, cannot be repeated. PHYS 143 is one example of a course that is for first-year students only. A student who fails PHYS 143 should take PHYS 123 in the second year. BIOL 112, another course that is for first-year students only, cannot be repeated. A student who earns a grade below "C" in BIOL 112 and wants to continue in biolog…
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Courses That Can Be Repeated For Credit

  • Some courses can be taken more than once with a credit and a grade earned each time. This is because the class number stays the same, but the topic and the content within the course changes. The most common such course is Applied Music: Lessons at Eastman with 130 or 160 as the course number. Students can also take two-credit foreign language conversation course…
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Additional Special Circumstances

  • Of the following bullet points, each bullet point contains two courses in which students cannot earn credit for both courses: 1. PHYS 121 and PHYS 113 2. PHYS 122 and PHYS 114 3. CHEM 171 and CHEM 203 4. MATH 161 and MATH 171 5. MATH 162 and MATH 172 6. BIOL 190 and BIOL 198 7. MUSC 101 and MUSC 110 8. FIN 204 and FIN 205 (beginning in spring 2019) Studen…
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