What Is Grade Forgiveness?
Grade forgiveness, also called grade replacement or repeat policies, allows students to retake a course in which they received a low grade and have the new grade replace the earlier one in the calculation of GPA. The original grade usually stays on the transcript, but it is marked as excluded from the average.
How it works
Policies vary widely. A typical version might say:
- Eligible grades: only courses in which you received a D or F, or sometimes a C.
- Limits: up to a certain number of courses or credit hours over your degree, such as 12 or 18 credits.
- Same course: you must retake the same course at the same institution, not a substitute.
- Application: you may need to request it, and sometimes the deadline is the end of the term in which you retake.
- Replacement: the new grade is used even if it is lower, or only if it is higher, depending on the policy.
Other colleges average all attempts, or count only the most recent. Some count all attempts for honors and class rank.
Why it matters
A low grade early on can pull down your GPA, which may affect scholarships, academic standing, major admission and graduate applications. Grade forgiveness can help students who struggled in the first term or adjusted to college work. It is also useful when a course is required with a minimum grade.
What to consider
- Cost and time: retaking a course costs tuition and uses a place in your schedule.
- Financial aid: aid rules may limit funding for repeated courses, so check.
- Graduate and professional schools: they often recalculate GPA using all attempts, so the policy may not help as much there.
- Transfer: a receiving college may not honor your original college's replacement policy.
- Honors and class rank: some calculations include every attempt.
Next steps
Talk to your advisor about your options, including whether another strategy such as tutoring, a different study method or a lighter course load would help. Read the policy in the catalog, and follow the application steps.
Related terms
See grade point, quality points, academic standing, withdrawal and transcript.
Frequently asked questions
How many courses can I use grade forgiveness for?
Many colleges cap it, such as a limited number of courses or credits over your degree. Check the catalog.
Does the old grade disappear from my transcript?
Usually not. It remains visible, often marked as excluded from GPA, while the new grade counts in the average.
Does grade forgiveness help with graduate school?
Maybe. Graduate programs often calculate GPA themselves and may include all attempts, so a replaced grade may still be visible and count.