Grades
Release of School of Law Grades
The School of Law Registrar processes final grades as they are submitted by faculty. The posting and release of all grades will be deferred until an assigned date after the exam period has ended.
Grades will be made available to students via the Internet during the grading period. When all grades are final, a grade report is generated for each student. Transcripts are available as grades are posted.
A notation of "Highest Grade" will be posted to the transcripts of students who achieve the highest grade in any law course. These students will also receive the CALI Award during the awards ceremony held at the School of Law every spring. CALI's presented at the spring ceremony are for outstanding academic performance during the spring and summer terms of the previous academic year and fall term of the current academic year.
Academic Standing Policy
Students whose cumulative grade-point average is 2.2 or higher are in good standing.
Upper-level students must have at least 2.5 cumulative grade point average in order to participate in an Independent Study, Directed Reading, and a 2.5 to take courses away at another law school.
First year students with a cumulative grade point average below a 2.5 at the end of their first semester in law school shall be required during their second semester at the law school to enroll in the course entitled, "Elements of Legal Analysis" and shall be required to defer enrollment in the Legal Profession II course until the next regularly scheduled offering of the course.
In addition, students on academic probation at the end of their first semester in law school must meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for academic counseling.
Students with a cumulative grade point average below a 2.6 at the end of their second semester in law school shall be required during their third semester at the law school to enroll in the skills course entitled "Remedies."
Students with a cumulative grade point average below 2.8 at the end of their forth semester in law school shall be required during their fifth semester at the law school to enroll in the course entitled "Advanced Legal Analysis."
Academic Probation
Definition
Any student whose cumulative GPA at the end of any regular semester is below 2.2, but who is eligible to continue studies in the School of Law (whether under terms of these academic standards or by virtue of readmission), is on academic probation.
First Year Students
If you are a first year student and on academic probation (less than a 2.2 grade point average) after the first semester, you will be dropped from Legal Profession II and placed in Elements of Legal Analysis.
In addition, students on academic probation at the end of their first semester in law school must meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for academic counseling.
Academic Dismissal Standards
A student will be dismissed if:
- His or her cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 at the end of the first year of law school study.
- His or her cumulative GPA is less than 2.2 at the end of any subsequent academic year.
Mandatory Grading Norms
In Credit Type A courses, the grades in with enrollment of 25 and over must meet the applicable mandatory mean:
- First-Year Courses 2.70 +/-.15 (2.85 - 2.55)
- Upper-Level Courses 2.90 +/-.15 (3.05 - 2.75)
Beginning with the Fall 2016-17 Semester, first year courses are no longer subject to following the mandatory 2.70 grading mean described above. Instead, they shall be subject to the mandatory grade distribution located in Section C(5)(b) of the School of Law's Policy Manual.
For a complete discussion of the mandatory mean, please refer to the Policy Manual section C.,11,b (Mandatory Grading Norms).
Course Credit Types and Grading System
Course Credit Type A: Substantive, grading course (A, B, C, etc)
Course Credit Type B: Exceptional, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory (no credit awarded)
Course Credit Type C: Credit, No Credit
| Grade | Quality Point | Explanation |
| Course Credit Type A |
||
| A+ | 4.3 | Exceptional |
| A | 4.0 | Superior |
| A- | 3.7 | Excellent |
| B+ | 3.3 | Good |
| B | 3.0 | Good |
| B- | 2.7 | Average |
| C+ | 2.3 | Pass |
| C | 2.0 | Pass |
| C- | 1.7 | Below Average; Pass |
| D+ | 1.3 | Below Average; Pass |
| D | 1.0 | Poor; Pass |
| F | 0.0 | Failure |
| Course Credit Type B | ||
| EX | 0.0 | Exceptional; Pass |
| S | 0.0 | Satisfactory; Pass |
| U | 0.0 | Unsatisfactory; No Credit |
| Course Credit Type C | ||
| CR | 0.0 | Credit |
| NC | 0.0 | No Credit |
| Miscellaneous Grading Notations | ||
| I | 0.0 | Incomplete |
| W | 0.0 | Withdrawn |
| P | 0.0 | Course in Progress |
| X | 0.0 | Audit (no credit) |
| N | 0.0 | No Grade Reported |
| K | 0.0 | Transfer Credit Awarded |
Class Rankings
Class Standing at the conclusion of Semesters:
Fall 2021 Semester - 1L Fall Starters Residential Students
Spring 2022 Semester - 1L Fall Starters Residential Students
Fall 2022 Semester - 1L Fall Starters Residential Students
Spring 2023 Semester - 1L Fall Starters Residential Students