Pass/Fail FAQ

Here are the most asked question about Pass/Fail (P/F) grades.

When can I submit my form?

Traditional DMACC Students, On-Campus Course Option (OCCO), Online Career Academy (OLCA), and Career Academy students can submit the Pass/Fail form following the day grades are submitted, beginning May 14th and ending May 20th.
Concurrent enrollment students taking courses in the high schools can make this decision between June 12th and June 19th.

Where can I see my final grade before deciding about Pass/Fail?

You can view your final grades that have been submitted to the Registrar’s Office beginning May 13th through the Web Info System in your myDMACC account.
If you do not see your grade on WIS on May 13th, contact your course instructor.
Concurrent enrollment students taking courses in the high schools can view grades that have been submitted to the Registrar’s Office beginning June 11th through the Web Info System in your myDMACC account.

What grade equals a Pass versus a Fail?

Faculty will initially grade students as usual and submit a letter grade (A-F, or I) to the Registrar’s Office, according to the grading scale outlined in their course syllabus.
A Passing grade under this Pass/Fail model consists of a letter grade of C- or higher.
A Fail grade under this Pass/Fail model consists of a letter grade of D+ or lower.

How will electing a P/F affect my GPA?

• Using Pass/Fail during the spring term will have no GPA implications. However, your course will still be used in your completion rate to calculate your academic standing with DMACC as well as in the use of financial aid.

How will electing a P/F affect my financial aid eligibility?

GPA impact: A grade of P (pass) or F (fail) is not included in the calculation of GPA. DMACC’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy requires a 2.00 cumulative GPA to remain eligible for financial aid.
Pace of completion impact: Grades of P/F will count towards the calculation of SAP pace of completion (number of credit hours completed divided by the number of credit hours attempted). P grades would count as a completed credits. F grades would not count as completed credits. DMACC’s SAP policy requires a 67% pace of completion to remain eligible for financial aid.
Maximum time frame: Grades of P/F will count towards the SAP duration of eligibility limits for your program (total hours you are allowed to take before losing financial aid eligibility).
Please email finaid@dmacc.edu for clarification on how taking a P/F course may affect your SAP standing. As stated above a P/F course will not affect your GPA, but will be counted in calculating your pace of completion.

What if I need this class to get into another class or a specific program, can I take it as P/F?

Courses taken with P/F grading may count towards curricular, academic program, academic progress and graduation requirements.
Students in certain Career and Technical programs may want to confer with an academic advisor, navigator, or their program chair to ensure a P/F course will meet a required prerequisite or graduation requirement.
Students should not elect P/F grades in cases when a course is needed to meet a prerequisite requiring a grade of C or better.

Will my P/F grade hurt my chances of getting into my 4-year college of choice?

Communication shared with DMACC on March 20th, 2020 indicates that transfer students to Iowa, Iowa State and UNI will not have restrictions on the number of courses they took for "pass" or "credit" in spring 2020. These credits will transfer and be applied to their program of study.
Although many institutions have taken steps to support the transition of students to their school, you will want to verify with the admissions office of your choice to verify their current transfer policies.

Will my P/F grade hurt my chances of getting DMACC Foundation Scholarships?

No, as this option does not impact cumulative GPA.
DMACC will recognize awards as received at the high school level (e.g., Honors and Valedictorian)

Does DMACC accept P/F grades?

Students attending and graduating from high schools that have implemented a spring 2020 Pass/Fail (non-qualitative) grading option will remain eligible for admission.
Students transferring spring 2020 Pass/Fail credit to DMACC will be treated just as if they had taken the credit with DMACC. See “What if I need this credit to get into another class or a specific program?”

Is a student taking a spring 2020 course and receiving an “incomplete grade” still eligible to choose the pass/fail option when they finish the course?

• If a student self-elects to take an individual “incomplete” they are not eligible for pass/fail. However, if the student is enrolled in a course in which DMACC elects to extend the grading period for the entire section due to COVID-19 precautions, the student remains eligible to choose the same pass/fail opportunity.

How will the “Fail” be reflected on my DMACC transcript?

• When a student selected P/F and has earned a D+ or lower for the course, their transcript will show a “Q,” meaning no credit was earned for the class.