W — Withdrawal
A W on a transcript indicates the student officially withdrew from the course after the add/drop period ended but before the withdrawal deadline. Key effects:
- GPA impact: None. The W generates no quality points and does not enter the GPA calculation at most institutions.
- Credit hours: Does not count as completed credit hours. The course does not count toward the credit hours needed for graduation.
- Transcript permanence: The W remains on the transcript permanently — it documents that the student was enrolled and later withdrew, but does not reflect performance.
- Financial aid: Withdrawals can affect Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) by reducing the completion rate of attempted credit hours. Multiple withdrawals can jeopardize financial aid eligibility.
Some institutions use WF (Withdrawal Failing) for late withdrawals, which does count as an F in the GPA calculation. A WP (Withdrawal Passing) typically does not affect GPA. Check your institution's policy for the specific codes used.
I — Incomplete
An Incomplete (I) is assigned when a student has not finished all required coursework by the end of the semester due to extenuating circumstances (medical emergency, family crisis, etc.) but has completed enough work that a failing grade is not warranted. The student and instructor agree on conditions to complete the remaining work.
- GPA impact while pending: Typically excluded from GPA calculation until resolved.
- Resolution deadline: Most institutions set a deadline (often one semester or one year). If not resolved, the I typically converts to a failing grade (F) automatically.
- GPA impact when resolved: Once a final grade is assigned, it enters the GPA calculation. An I that converts to F enters GPA as an F with all the associated quality point damage.
AU — Audit
An audit designation means the student attended the course without enrolling for credit. Audited courses appear on the transcript but:
- Generate no quality points
- Do not count toward the GPA denominator (credit hours)
- Do not count toward graduation credit hour requirements
- Do not satisfy prerequisite requirements at most institutions
P / CR — Pass or Credit
Pass (P) or Credit (CR) indicates the student passed a course taken on a Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit basis. Effects:
- GPA impact: Typically none. P/CR grades do not enter the GPA calculation at most institutions — no quality points are generated.
- Credit hours: Credit hours are awarded and count toward graduation requirements.
- Professional school applications: AMCAS, LSAC, and other centralized application services may handle P/F courses differently — check the specific service's documentation. AMCAS converts some P/F grades to numeric equivalents depending on the context.
NC / F — No Credit or Fail
No Credit (NC) or Fail (F in a Pass/Fail context) indicates the student did not pass a course taken on a Credit/No Credit basis. At most institutions:
- Does not generate quality points or credit hours
- Does not enter GPA calculation (if the institution treats NC analogously to NP, not as an F)
- May still appear on the transcript and be visible to graduate school admissions committees
The distinction between an NC (no credit in a P/F course) and a standard F (in a letter-graded course) matters significantly for GPA. A standard F enters the GPA calculation as 0.0 quality points per credit hour. An NC in a P/F course typically does not. If you failed a course, check your transcript carefully to determine which designation was used.
IP — In Progress
In Progress (IP) is used for courses that span more than one academic term — typically thesis research, dissertation work, or extended studio or lab courses. The IP is a placeholder indicating the course is ongoing and a final grade has not been assigned. IP designations typically do not enter GPA calculation until the final grade is assigned at the course's conclusion.
NR — No Record or Not Reported
NR typically indicates that a grade has not yet been submitted by the instructor. This is often a temporary administrative status. An NR should resolve to a final grade once the instructor submits grades. If an NR persists on a transcript beyond the grade submission deadline, the student should contact the registrar to investigate.
R — Repeated Course Notation
An R notation (or E for "excluded") on a transcript indicates that this course's grade has been excluded from GPA calculation because the course was repeated and grade replacement was applied. The original grade remains visible on the transcript but does not enter the GPA calculation. Both the original and repeat appear on the transcript, typically with the notation indicating which one is excluded.
TR — Transfer Credit
TR indicates coursework transferred from another institution. At most schools, the transfer block on a transcript documents course equivalencies and credit hours accepted — but these credits do not enter the institutional GPA calculation. They count toward credit hours for graduation but not toward the GPA denominator.
Summary: grade codes and GPA effects
| Code | Name | GPA impact | Credit hours awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| W | Withdrawal | None (typically) | No |
| WF | Withdrawal Failing | Counts as F at some schools | No |
| I | Incomplete | None until resolved; F if converted | No (until resolved) |
| AU | Audit | None | No |
| P / CR | Pass / Credit | None (typically) | Yes |
| NC / NP | No Credit / No Pass | None (in P/F system) | No |
| IP | In Progress | None until final grade | No (until final) |
| TR | Transfer Credit | None (excluded from institutional GPA) | Yes (toward graduation) |
Codes and their exact GPA effects vary by institution. This table reflects common practice — your school's academic catalog or registrar is the authoritative source for how each code operates at your specific institution.