Office of the Registrar

Q: Do I have to change all my courses to Pass/Fail or can I change just one?

A: You may pick and choose which courses you would like to elect Pass/Fail grading for.

 

Q: When do I have to decide if I will take a course pass/fail?

A: The Request must be submitted by Friday, April 17th.

 

Q: Will a P be ok if a class needs a C or better for major purposes as well as meeting a prerequisite for another course?

A: For undergraduate students a P grade will count towards a pre-requisite or requirement needing a C or better. For graduate students a P grade will count towards a pre-requisite or requirement needing a B or better.

 

Q: If I submit the Pass/Fail form, can I change my mind?

A: No, once submitted the election is final.

 

Q: How can a Pass/Fail affect my GPA/ Transcripts?

A: P grades are not counted in your GPA so it is excluded from the calculation. P grades would be displayed on your transcript instead of letter grades for any courses that you pass with a Pass/Fail grading election.

 

Q: Will a Pass/Fail still meet my degree requirements for general education and/or major?

A: Yes, for Spring 2020 courses that you earn a P grade in the course will count toward general education and/or major requirements

 

Q: How does Pass/Fail affect my financial aid?

A: As long as you continue to remain in good academic standing with the university, there will be no impact on your federal and institutional aid by electing the Pass/Fail option.

 

Q: I am trying to obtain Illinois state teaching licensure. Do I need to take courses for a letter grade?

A: Yes, ISBE policy, as it applies to our SOE, means that ALL Education courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher; if this is not done, you cannot receive your teaching license.

 

Q: How could this hurt me if I choose to elect Pass/Fail?

A: If you are trying to increase your GPA for any reason P grades will not help your GPA.

 

Q: When should I not elect to do a Pass/Fail option?

• A: There are exclusions that students cannot elect for Pass/Fail grading that include:

o students repeating a course

o courses that have already assigned grades before the student submits the Pass/Fail request or courses that have completed all coursework for Spring 2020 term before Monday, March 23

o visiting students who are taking classes under the Aurora University/Benedictine University/North Central College consortium agreement

o students pursuing teaching license

• Student athletes must consult with their athletics compliance officer on their campus before submitting the request. Student athletes may need a letter grade in order to increase (or maintain) their GPA for athletic eligibility purposes. o Lisle campus athletics compliance officer – Jennifer Wildes jwildes@ben.edu o Mesa campus athletics compliance officer – Frank Woodford fwoodford@ben.edu
   
• There are unique circumstances and courses that students should be cautious in electing for Pass/Fail grading that include but are not limited to:

o students on Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation

o students on academic probation

o students trying to boost GPA for graduation purposes

o students trying to boost GPA for honors or dean’s list purposes

o undergraduate students taking courses that a student intends to apply towards a graduate program

o students planning to transfer their BenU coursework to another institution to fulfill specific requirements

o students maintaining GPA for Student Senate participation

o student planning to attend medical or other health professional schools (please discuss with Dr. Regina Schurman) – Note: Both Midwestern and LECOM require students to take their prerequisite coursework for a letter grade instead of P/F since we are giving our students the option. The trend with professional schools seems to be that they will accept coursework on a P/F basis if that is the only option that their institution offers