SUNY Brockport uses the grading system found in many colleges and universities, awarding a letter grade of “A” through “E” to indicate the level of accomplishment in each course for which a student is registered. Each of these letters carries quality points, which are the basis for computing the semester index and cumulative index, often referred to as grade point average (GPA). The letter grades and their associated quality points are as follows:
| Grade | Level of Accomplishment | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | Highest Level of Work | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.67 | |
| B+ | 3.33 | |
| B | Better than Average Work | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.67 | |
| C+ | 2.33 | |
| C | Average Work | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.67 | |
| D+ | 1.33 | |
| D | 1.00 | |
| D- | Minimum Level of Passing Work | .67 |
| E | Failing Work | 0.00 |
Quality points are awarded for each credit of work taken. A three-credit course in which a letter grade of an “A” is received earns twelve quality points (3 credits x 4 quality points).
When calculating GPA, keep two things in mind. First, when courses are taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis they do not affect the index at all, because they carry no quality points. Second, both semester and cumulative index at SUNY Brockport are based solely on work at this institution. Credits earned at other accredited institutions are frequently transferable to Brockport and may count toward the degree, but they do not have any effect on the GPA.
To Calculate GPA
Any course taken at Brockport on the “letter grade” option contributes to the semester/cumulative index.
The only exception to this is the course that is repeated, in which case the last grade earned is the one that contributes to the index. (All courses taken remain on the transcript, however, whether repeated or not.) For easy and efficient calculation of the GPA, access the GPA Calculator.
With these grades for a semester, a student would earn a semester index of 2.12, which is the result of dividing the total number of quality points earned (34) by the number of credits completed (16), to attain the average quality points per credit. To figure a cumulative index, follow the same process for all courses taken at Brockport.To be absolutely certain, consult with the Office of Registration and Records, which enters the index on official student transcripts each semester.
Predicting the Future
An advisor may want to help a student figure out what s/he may need to achieve a certain index. Let’s say the student wants to reach a cumulative index of 3.0 by the end of the next semester and has a 2.8 based on 40 credits right now. If the student plans to take 15 credits next semester, s/he is going to have to end up with an average of three quality points for every one of those 55 credits, or a total of 165. Right? And right now s/he has 112 (40 credits x 2.8). That means the student needs to accumulate 53 more with those 15 credits. That means s/he has to manage a 3.53 (53 divided by 15). Maybe s/he’ll decide to get there in two semesters, or maybe s/he’ll decide s/he can really pull off that 3.53. But that’s the way to figure it out.
Midterm Grades
Instructors in each class will provide mid-semester grades. These grades should reflect progress toward the completion of the course requirements, and serve as an evaluation of the quality of work to date. Mid-term grades are simply a progress report—they do not become a part of the student’s permanent record.
Quality Point Chart
| Credit Hours | A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | C- | D+ | D | D- | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 16 | 14.68 | 13.32 | 12 | 10.68 | 9.32 | 8 | 6.68 | 5.32 | 4 | 2.68 | 0 |
| 3 | 12 | 11.01 | 9.99 | 9 | 8.01 | 6.99 | 6 | 5.01 | 3.99 | 3 | 2.01 | 0 |
| 2 | 8 | 7.34 | 6.66 | 6 | 5.34 | 4.66 | 4 | 3.34 | 2.66 | 2 | 1.34 | 0 |
| 1 | 4 | 3.67 | 3.33 | 3 | 2.67 | 2.33 | 2 | 1.67 | 1.33 | 1 | .67 | 0 |
| 1.5 | 6 | 5.50 | 4.99 | 4.50 | 4 | 3.49 | 3 | 2.50 | 1.99 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 |