How grading works at Northwestern University
Northwestern uses a letter-grade system on a 0.00–4.00 scale, reported quarterly through CAESAR. The grading system is: A (4.0), A- (3.7), B+ (3.3), B (3.0), B- (2.7), C+ (2.3), C (2.0), C- (1.7), D (1.0), and F (0).
Northwestern does not award A+, and there is no D+ or D- — the scale steps directly from C- to D to F.
Source: Grades, Undergraduate Academic Catalog 2025-2026 — 'Grading Systems' table — verified Aug 2026
How incomplete grades (X and Y) affect your GPA at Northwestern
Northwestern uses two incomplete grades, X and Y, both of which carry 0.00 grade points and count toward your GPA the same way an F does.
X means you missed the final exam or did not submit the final assessment, but all other coursework was complete. Y is for students who have substantially completed a course (at least 50% of requirements, and passing based on work submitted) but need more time for a specific, faculty-approved reason.
You must complete the work and have the grade changed by the end of the following like term, or it automatically becomes a final grade of F. Because X and Y grades bear 0.00 grade points, schools factor them into enrollment, probation, and dismissal decisions.
Source: Grades, Undergraduate Academic Catalog 2025-2026 — Incomplete Coursework, Impact of Incomplete Grades, Resolving Incomplete Coursework — verified Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
What grading scheme does Northwestern University use?
Where does this Northwestern University grade scale come from?
Does Northwestern award an A+ grade?
No. Northwestern's grading system tops out at A (4.0) — there is no A+ at any value. This is confirmed across the university's Academic Catalog and by Weinberg College's and the School of Professional Studies' own restatements of the same table.
Source: Grades, Undergraduate Academic Catalog 2025-2026 — verified Aug 2026
Does Northwestern give D+ or D- grades?
No. The scale steps directly from C- (1.7) to D (1.0) to F (0) — there is no D+ or D- grade at Northwestern.
Source: Grades, Undergraduate Academic Catalog 2025-2026 — verified Aug 2026
What is the difference between an X and a Y grade at Northwestern?
X means you missed the final exam or final assessment but completed everything else in the course. Y is an incomplete you request when you've substantially completed the course (at least 50% of requirements) but need extra time for a qualifying reason. Both carry 0.00 grade points until resolved.
Source: Grades, Undergraduate Academic Catalog 2025-2026 — Incomplete Coursework — verified Aug 2026
What is the Pass/No Credit (P/N) option at Northwestern?
Many undergraduate courses let you elect the P (pass) or N (no credit) option instead of a letter grade, so you can explore courses outside your area of specialization without affecting your GPA — P and N carry no grade points and are excluded from the GPA calculation. You can use P/N in classes designated "Student Option" grading in CAESAR; check your specific school's chapter of the catalog for its own P/N policy.
Source: Grades, Undergraduate Academic Catalog 2025-2026 — Pass/No Credit (P/N) — verified Aug 2026
