Understanding Dallas College GPA Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide
For prospective students, particularly those considering dual credit programs or seeking financial aid, understanding the GPA requirements at Dallas College is crucial. This article provides a detailed overview of how GPA is calculated, its implications for academic standing, financial aid eligibility, and dual credit programs at Dallas College.
GPA Calculation at Dallas College
Grading at Dallas College reflects the quality of a student's work, assessed against criteria set by faculty for each course. Grade points are earned by multiplying the points assigned to a grade by the number of credit hours the course carries.
Two types of Grade Point Averages (GPAs) are computed:
- GPA(1): This GPA is calculated by adding the total grade point values for all courses where a performance grade (A-F) was received and dividing by the corresponding number of credit hours attempted during the same period. GPA(1) is based upon all courses completed through Dallas College.
- For repeated courses, Dallas College includes only the latest grade earned in cumulative grade point averages, even if the latest grade is lower than a preceding grade. However, transcripts do indicate all work attempted and completed at Dallas College.
Academic Standing and GPA
A GPA plays a significant role in determining a student's academic standing at Dallas College.
- Passing Grades: Grades of C or better are considered passing grades.
- Academic Probation (PROB): A student is placed on academic probation when their GPA1 falls below 2.0. To remove the PROB status, the student must raise their GPA to 2.0 or higher by the end of the following semester. Failure to do so results in Academic Suspension, requiring the student to sit out of college classes for a semester.
- Academic Probation (AP) Restriction: An academic probation restriction occurs when a student’s academic standing drops below a 2.0 Cumulative GPA.
Impact of GPA on Financial Aid
Maintaining a satisfactory GPA is essential for continued financial aid eligibility.
Read also: Funding Your Education at Dallas College
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): To keep getting financial aid every semester, you must move forward in your program of study. SAP status is calculated at the end of each semester.
- Warning: You are still eligible for financial aid. If you meet the requirements by the end of the semester: The Warning status is removed.
- Financial Aid Suspension: If you appeal is denied, you will stay on Suspension until you meet SAP requirements. You are not eligible for financial aid.
- SVAL Suspension: You are not eligible for Financial Aid. If your SVAL appeal application is approved, you will be placed on Warning status. If your appeal is denied, you will stay on SVAL Suspension and will no longer be eligible for financial aid.
- Once you have exceeded the 150% maximum time frame, your SAP status moves to SVAL.
GPA Requirements for Dual Credit Students
Dual Credit students are held to the same academic standing requirements as regular college students and must maintain a 2.0 GPA (out of a 4.0 scale).
- Dual Credit students are held to the same academic standing requirements as regular college students and must maintain a 2.0 GPA (out of a 4.0 scale).
- If a school district allows a D as a passing grade for high school credit, the college grade earned is what goes on your Dallas College transcript.
- Even though you may earn high school credit, you can be placed on Dual Credit probation/suspension and jeopardize your admissions/financial aid eligibility.
- Students will not be allowed to take the second course in a sequence or courses listing the first course as a prerequisite if they make a D in the first course.
Open Admissions Policy
Dallas College is an open-admissions institution, generally accepting students with a high school diploma or GED. While there may not be strict GPA requirements for admission, maintaining a good GPA is beneficial for scholarships, financial aid, and demonstrating academic ability.
Additional Grading Information
- Incomplete Grades ("I"): An incomplete grade of "I" may be given when any of the reasons identified as "Exceptions for Good Cause" in ECC (LOCAL) prevent a student from completing the work in a course or, in the case of public disaster or public emergency, as declared by local, state, or federal government officials, at the direction of the Chancellor ("Exigent Circumstances").
- Where an Exception for Good Cause applies, an "I" grade must be converted to a performance grade within 90 calendar days after the first day of class in the subsequent regular semester. In the case of Exigent Circumstances, an "I" grade must be converted to a performance grade by the end of the subsequent regular semester or as determined by the Chancellor, in consultation with College administration. In all cases, a contract is used to convert an "I" grade to a performance grade.
- An "I" grade may also be given if a student allegedly violates the scholastic dishonesty prohibition in the Code of Student Conduct and a faculty member is seeking suspension of the student under the Code of Student Conduct.
- "WX" Grade: If a student does not complete course requirements, they may receive a "WX" grade when the instructor determines that reasonable progress has been made and when the student can re-enroll for course completion prior to the certification date in the next regular semester.
- "E" Grade: An "E" grade may be given when an instructor wishes to indicate that a student has made progress in a developmental studies course. It is non-punitive and not computed in the GPA. The "E" grade provides more flexibility for re-enrollment, particularly for students who do not achieve a C-level grade in a course. An "E" grade indicates that a student participated in a course according to TSI guidelines but was unable to do C-level or passing work that would qualify them to enroll in transfer-level courses.
- Accessing Grades: Students may access their final grades online through eConnect.
Other Important Information
- Dual Credit and Early College High School Programs: Designed for high school juniors and seniors with the ability, motivation, and maturity to begin college educations early. Students register for courses at their high schools between April and early August for the fall semester and between November and early January for the spring semester.
- Transferring Dual Credit: To transfer Dallas College's dual credit and early college high school credit, students should request that a transcript be sent from the registrar's office to the recipient university.
Key Terms at Dallas College
- Admission: The process of being admitted to Dallas College.
- Audit: The opportunity to enroll in a credit course without receiving academic credit.
- Baccalaureate Degree: Awarded for completion of an undergraduate program of study comprising a minimum of 120 semester credit hours.
- Career Pathway (formerly Tech-Prep): A planned sequence of courses developed cooperatively by Dallas College and public high school districts to prepare students for technologically advanced careers.
- Career and Technical Courses: Courses designed to aid students in developing skills for the job market, leading to a certificate or Associate of Applied Science Degree.
- Catalog: The official listing of courses and programs, including general information and policies.
- Common Course Numbers: Used for the same course by multiple colleges throughout Texas to help students identify transferability.
- Course Time Limitation: Some courses, particularly in computer science, have age or time limitations.
- Credit Hours/Semester Hours: The number of credits awarded for successfully completing a course.
- Dallas College: A single-accredited college with seven campuses, established in Summer 2020.
- DCCCD: The former name of Dallas College (Dallas County Community College District).
- Developmental Studies Courses: Courses that develop prerequisite skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.
- Dropping a Course: Officially withdrawing from a course without penalty before a specified date.
- Early College High Schools (ECHS): Innovative high schools enabling at-risk or first-generation students to earn a high school diploma and up to 60 college credits or an Associate degree.
- eCampus: Courses offered online.
- eConnect: A web application for planning schedules, registering, paying for classes, and accessing personal information.
- Electives: Courses that do not count toward a major but are required for most college degrees.
- Embedded Course: A course shorter in length than the regular semester.
- Flexible-Entry Course: A course with beginning and ending dates different from the regular semester.
- GPA: Grade Point Average.
- IncludED: A collaborative initiative between Dallas College and its bookstore partner, Follett.
- Major: The subject or field of study in which the student plans to specialize.
- Non-Degree Credit Course: A course that may not be counted toward a degree or certificate.
- Non-Standard Term Course: A course with a different starting date than the regular semester and the ending date of the course is after the ending date of that semester.
- Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH): Innovative high schools integrating high school, college, and the professional world.
- Performance Grade: A grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F.”
- Prerequisite (Recommended): Course(s) that provide students with further instructions or additional information essential to student success.
- Prerequisite (Required): A requirement that must be met before registering for a specified course.
- Probation: A warning to a student whose academic work or individual behavior is unsatisfactory.
- Registration: The official process of meeting all enrollment requirements.
- Syllabus (Syllabi): A guide identifying the specific requirements for a particular course.
- Technical/Occupational Courses: Courses designed to aid the student in developing skills to be used in workforce.
- Transfer Courses: Courses designed to transfer to other colleges and universities.
- Transcript: An official copy of a student’s academic record.
- Upper-Level Coursework: Courses designated as 3000- and 4000-level that are primarily (but not exclusively) designated for students that have junior- or senior-level standing.
- Withdrawal: The act of ending enrollment in classes.
Read also: Navigating Dallas College Resources
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