Grading Policy Frequently Asked Questions for Students

Current Grade Cutoff Points (after Spring 2009)

FAQs on grading policy change

Why and how was the grading system changed?

In the fall of 2006, the Faculty Career Services Committee forwarded a proposal to the Academic Affairs Committee to align UNC's grading system more closely with those of peer law schools. The issue had been raised by students and by some employers who noted that UNC's grading system differed substantially from most national top law schools, both public and private, in that UNC assigned an individual rank to each student in the class. The system of assigning number grades rather than letter grades and the "curve" (median grade) for each class were also out of line with our peers.

After substantial review of other schools' systems, and extensive discussion, the faculty approved changes to the current system, to be "rolled out" over the next two years.

When will the changes in the grading system take effect?

Letter grades and the mean grade increase (the "curve") will be effective with grades awarded for Fall 2007 courses.

Has the curve increased?

Yes. The new mean grade for first year and upper level courses must range from 3.2 to 3.3. Upper level writing courses (RWEs and WEs) retain their former mean range of 3.4 to 3.6.

The former mean grade for first year courses (other than RRWA which is graded based on performance criteria) was a range of 2.95 to 3.05. The former mean for upper level courses (other than RWE and WE) was a range of 2.9 to 3.1.

What number values will be assigned to each letter grade?

Grades are distributed on a 4.0 scale:

A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0

An A+ (4.3) may be awarded in exceptional situations.

Is there a grade of D- for law students?

Effective Fall 2007, there is no grade of D- for law students.

Are temporary grades of IN (Incomplete) and AB (Absent from the final exam) treated as an F for law students until removed?

No. Temporary grades of IN and AB are not included in semester or cumulative GPA calculations for law students. If these temporary grades remain after a period of one year, however, they are changed to an F which will be included in the GPA calculations.

For courses using Pass/Fail grading, do the PS/F grades affect GPA?

A grade of PS does not affect GPA. A grade of F has a negative impact on GPA. All law courses are assigned a letter grade (or a numerical grade until August 2007) unless the course is recognized as using Pass/Fail grading. Students may not declare any law courses as Pass/Fail.

How do grades for courses taken outside the law school affect my GPA?

Grades assigned for graduate courses (H, P, L grades) do not affect GPA. The graduate grade is posted to the transcript but no quality points are assigned. Grades assigned for law courses completed at Duke or NCCU, and for which the student receives a grade of "C" or higher, are posted to the transcript but no quality points are assigned.

What is the minimum GPA required in order to continue in law school?

Fall 2007 entering class and thereafter: A cumulative GPA of 2.20 at the end of the first year is required to continue in law school, and a cumulative GPA of 2.25 is required to continue after the second year and to graduate.

Fall 2006 entering class (and graduating in May, August, or December 2009): The cumulative GPA for retention at the end of the first year is 1.95 (the standard prior to the grade changes), and a cumulative GPA of 2.1 is required to continue after the second year and to graduate.

Fall 2005 entering class (and graduating in May, August, or December 2008): The cumulative GPA required for graduation is 2.0.

How does the new grading policy affect me if I will graduate in August or December of 2007?

For the Class of 2007 (graduating in May, August, or December) the GPA for retention and graduation will remain at 2.0, even though December 2007 graduates may benefit somewhat from higher mean grades awarded in fall 2007 courses.

How does the new grading policy affect me if I interrupt my legal studies after one or two years under the current grading system for a leave or dual degree work and then return to complete my law degree under the new system?

For a student whose course of study at the law school is interrupted by dual degree work, leave, or other reason, the retention and graduation rate will be that of the class whose number of semesters under the prior grading system most closely parallels the number of semesters of the affected student under the prior grading system, as determined by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

For purposes of journal selection, each journal will amend its bylaws to reflect the change in grading policy and how the change will impact the selection process. The 2007 joint journal competition will use the class rankings by PID and LID numbers (a double blind system) as provided by the Law School Registrar (i.e., The North Carolina Law Review will be provided with the class ranks for those students whose cumulative rank in each class at the end of this academic year is 1 through 13).

How will these changes affect the awarding of honors?

There is no change in awarding honors. The top one-third of the class is recognized after graduation by a degree with honors, the top ten percent by a degree with high honors, and any student with a 3.9 or above by a degree with highest honors. Order of the Coif designation is for those students who graduate in the top ten percent of the class.

How will these changes affect the naming of students to the Dean's List?

All students who receive a semester GPA of 3.25 and above for Fall 2007 and thereafter will be named to the Dean's List. The Dean's List notation will continue to be included on a student's transcript for each semester the student receives a GPA of 3.25 and above.

How are changes in rankings phased in?

Information about the grade point cutoffs for the top ten percent, top one-third, and top one-half will be supplied to each class and to employers after spring semester grades are posted (see above for current cutoffs). The change to eliminate rankings will be phased in as follows:

Class of 2009: No individual rankings will be released except for the top 10 students in each class who will be notified of their individual rank. For all other members of the class, no individual rankings for the current Spring 2007 grades will be released. The Registrar may provide information identifying students who fall within the grade-on parameters of the law journals to those journals for staff selection purposes.

Class of 2008: Will receive individual class ranks based on grades at the end of Spring 2007 and based on grades at the end of Spring 2008.

Class of 2007: Will receive individual class ranks.

If I am not one of the top ten students in the class, can I still find out my class rank?

No. Each student will receive information about the cutoffs for the top ten percent, top one-third, and top one-half for his or her class and may compare those cutoffs to his or her own GPA. Faculty members, students, and employers will have no additional access to individual class ranks, and Career Services cannot give any student a more exact estimation of your class ranking.The Registrar may provide information identifying students who fall within the grade-on parameters of the law journals to those journals for staff selection purposes, and may provide information to appropriate academic and student services administrators about students whose grades put them at risk. See below for the current cutoff points.

What information will be provided to employers?

Employers will receive the information about cutoffs for the top ten percent, top one-third, and top one-half of each class.

How should I explain this change to employers or on my resume?

For students applying for jobs during Fall 2007, there will be no "change" to explain. The elimination of individual ranking will not be a "change" for the class of 2009, because they never received any rankings. Because of the phase-in, the class of 2008 will continue to be ranked as they have in the past. Further, transcripts from academic year 2006-2007, which you will be submitting during the fall, will look the same as before with your numerical grades.

For students applying for jobs during Spring 2008, when some of the changes will show up on student transcripts (for example, the change from numerical grades to letters for grades from the Fall 2007 semester), CSO will have available for student use a template into which you will insert your unofficial transcript, which will have an explanation of the grading policy included.

To the extent that employers have questions, the "FAQ's for Employers" on the law school website (http://www.law.unc.edu/academics/policies/evaluation/faqemployers.aspx) has a detailed explanation of the new policy. CSO will also communicate directly with employers who interview on campus or use our job posting system to explain the changed policy to them, and will continue to talk with any employers who have questions.

As always, please remember that the Career Services counselors are willing to talk with you individually to answer your specific questions and concerns.