How grading works at Howard College
Howard College grades on a flat 4.0 scale with no plus or minus modifiers: A (4), B (3), C (2), D (1), and F (0) grade points per semester credit hour.
Howard College also awards an FX grade (Failure, Excessive Absences), worth 0 grade points — treated exactly the same as F for grade point average, probation, suspension, and satisfactory academic progress purposes. FX is assigned when a student registered and paid for a course but failed it due to excessive absences.
Source: Howard College Catalog 2026-2027, System of Grading (grade table; FX Grade Policy and Procedure) — verified Aug 2026
How your GPA is calculated at Howard College
Your grade point average is your total grade points divided by your total hours attempted. A course counts as "attempted" if you register for it and receive any grade other than W (Withdrawal of Student).
Some grades carry no grade points and are not used in this calculation: P (Pass, for credit-by-examination), I (Incomplete, until it is resolved), AU (Audit), NC (Non-Credit), and X (Course in Progress).
An Incomplete (I) not resolved by the end of the next long semester automatically becomes an F.
If you repeat a course you've already received credit for, your higher grade becomes the grade of record used to determine your eligibility to graduate — but the lower grade and its hours remain on your transcript indefinitely.
Source: Howard College Catalog 2026-2027, System of Grading (grading table footnotes; Incomplete Grade Policy and Procedure) — verified Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
What grading scheme does Howard College use?
Where does this Howard College grade scale come from?
Does Howard College use plus/minus grading (A+, A-, B+, etc.)?
No. Howard College's grading table lists only whole-letter grades — A (4), B (3), C (2), D (1), and F (0) — with no plus or minus modifiers.
Source: Howard College Catalog 2026-2027, System of Grading — verified Aug 2026
Does an FX grade affect my GPA at Howard College?
Yes. FX (Failure, Excessive Absences) carries a grade point value of 0, the same as F, and Howard College's FX Grade Policy states it is "treated exactly the same as a grade of 'F' in terms of grade point average, probation, suspension, and satisfactory academic progress."
Source: Howard College Catalog 2026-2027, System of Grading (FX Grade Policy and Procedure) — verified Aug 2026
Do P, I, AU, NC, X, or W grades affect my GPA at Howard College?
No. Grades of Pass (P, for credit-by-examination), Incomplete (I, until resolved), Audit (AU), Non-Credit (NC), Course in Progress (X), and Withdrawal (W) carry no grade points that factor into your grade point average calculation.
Source: Howard College Catalog 2026-2027, System of Grading — verified Aug 2026
