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Credits and Grading

Developmental English courses that have a first digit of zero, e.g. English 098, do not count for credit toward graduation. Because these courses are not for credit, grades for these courses are as follows: P for Pass, F for Fail, and MP for Making Progress. A grade of P allows the student to pass into the next level. A grade of F means that a student did not complete assignments or show significant progress to warrant an MP. An MP grade shows that the student worked responsibly, completed all assignments, but did not demonstrate that he or she is ready to pass into the

 

Credits and Grading

Developmental English courses that have a first digit of zero, e.g. English 098, do not count for credit toward graduation. Because these courses are not for credit, grades for these courses are as follows: P for Pass, F for Fail, and MP for Making Progress. A grade of P allows the student to pass into the next level. A grade of F means that a student did not complete assignments or show significant progress to warrant an MP. An MP grade shows that the student worked responsibly, completed all assignments, but did not demonstrate that he or she is ready to pass into the next level.

 

An MP grade allows the student to continue at the same level in the following semester to continue to improve his or her skills without having to blemish his or her transcript with an F. Letter grades are given for 100 level courses such as English 100, 101 and 108, but an MP can be used when a diligent but weak English 101 student needs to continue at the 101 level.

 

Which students are eligible for the MP?

MP is a grade available for students in all developmental courses, all English 101 courses, and all ESL courses on the main campus, at the Regional Centers, and in the Community Services Division.

 

What does MP mean?

MP stands for Making Progress.

 

Students who receive this grade must have completed the course requirements regarding assignments, attendance, punctuality, and class participation as explained in the course syllabus.

 

Students should be truly making progress by showing improvement and demonstrating the ability to pass the course if given more time to do so. The MP grade signifies that the student is correctly placed and should benefit from what is taught in the course.

 

Why does this grade exist?

Some students need more time than others to practice reading and writing skills. We want students to be able to take up to three semesters at one level without being dropped for poor scholarship.

 

Why is this grade better than an F or a W?

Whether a student continues at the college depends on grade point average; to graduate, a student needs a 2.0 average. An F lowers the grade point average significantly. An MP grade is not calculated into the student’s grade point average at all. An MP grade allows the student to remain in the class without risking an F. The MP allows the student to register for the course for up to two additional terms before a letter grade must be given.

 

If students are in English 101, why can't they just get a D instead of an MP?

A grade of D means the student is ready for English 102 and should be able to write a passing essay consistently even if minimally. A D counts for graduation, but it is not transferable.

A fact sheet on the MP Grade