Understanding Your Options: Withdraw, Audit, Credit/No Credit, and Pass/Fail Status
First-time university students often need help with the various grading options available in colleges and universities. Just as the military has its jargon and acronyms, navigating higher education well involves learning new academic and institutional vocabulary. Read on to discover the differences between withdrawal, auditing, credit/no credit, and pass/fail status to make informed decisions about your academic journey.
Withdraw (W):
What is it?
Withdrawing from a course means officially dropping it from your schedule, usually before a specific deadline. When you withdraw, the course will either not appear on your transcript, or the course will be listed but no grade given, but a W in its place.
When to Use It?
Illness or personal emergencies that prevent you from completing the course
Realizing early on that the course isn't the right fit for your academic or career goals
Overloading your schedule and needing to reduce your course load
Benefits:
Avoiding a potentially negative impact on your GPA
Opportunity to drop a course when personal circumstances interfere
Considerations:
May result in financial implications if you drop a course after the refund period
Some colleges limit the number of withdrawals allowed
Your school may need to pay back the VA for benefits paid on your behalf
Audit (AU):
What is it?
Auditing a course means enrolling in it for no credit. You attend classes and complete assignments, but it won't impact your GPA, and you won't receive a letter grade. (Consider auditing courses sparingly as they primarily accelerate your passion but do not move the needle toward completing program requirements.)
When to Use It?
You have a strong interest in a subject but don't want the grading pressure
You want to gain knowledge without the stress of performance
You're fulfilling prerequisites or exploring a new field without affecting your GPA
Benefits:
Opportunity to explore a subject without academic pressure
No impact on GPA
Considerations:
You won't earn credit, so it won't fulfill degree requirements
Limited availability for auditing courses in some institutions
Could be at the discretion of the instructor instead of the advisor or student
Audited courses cannot be certified by the VA
Credit/No Credit (CR/NC):
What is it?
The credit/no credit option allows you to earn credit for a course without receiving a letter grade. If you meet the minimum requirements for a passing grade, you receive credit (CR), but if you don't, you get no credit (NC). The course won't impact your GPA.
When to Use It?
Taking a course outside your major or comfort zone.
Exploring challenging subjects without the fear of a low grade.
Reducing stress when dealing with a particularly tough semester
Benefits:
Reducing academic stress
Allows exploration of new subjects without GPA consequences
Considerations:
Some institutions have restrictions on using CR/NC for major requirements
Graduate schools may view CR/NC differently in admissions
As long as these courses count toward your degree requirements, there should not be disruption of GI Bill®️ benefits.
Pass/Fail (P/F):
What is it?
Pass/fail is similar to credit/no credit, but instead of receiving a letter grade, you either pass (P) or fail (F) the course. If you pass, you earn credit, but it doesn't affect your GPA; if you fail, it also won't impact your GPA. Pass/Fail is often the status of some courses listed as internships, practicums, or experiential learning.
When to Use It?
When the course is outside the normal parameters of a traditional course but instead offers credit for experience or exposure to a particular subject.
Benefits:
Allows institutional faculty and experiential learning supervisors to collaborate on student performance outside of the grading norms
Reduces the pressure of course outcome affecting GPA, but rather focuses on completion
Considerations:
Credit is typically awarded for a passing grade, but a good performance is not reflected positively on GPA
Some graduate programs may not accept pass/fail courses for specific requirements
Failing or “punitive” grades typically do not impact educational benefits as they are still considered progress toward degree completion, although no credit is earned
Please clarify your institution's specific requirements and academic standards before making any potentially permanent course changes that could impact your standing, status, or eligibility for programming.