Registration and Grading Policies

You are considered a full-time student for enrollment verification when you are registered for at least:

• 12 credit hours during a fall or spring term
• 9 credit hours during a summer term (Full-time in a summer term for financial aid purposes is 12 credit hours.)

To register for 22 to 28 credit hours during a fall or spring term (or for 16 to 20 hours during a summer term), you need to request overload approval from your program's associate dean or dean.

You are not allowed to register for more than 28 hours during fall or spring terms, or 20 hours during summer term, unless you get approval from the respective associate vice president of Academic Affairs.

For purposes of state tuition charges, a maximum tuition charge is applied at 16 credit hours per semester, regardless of the number of hours you take over 16 hours.

College course load policy

As part of Central Piedmont's commitment to your success, we have regulations in place that mean you cannot register for a class after the schedule adjustment (drop-add) period for a term or session (unless your reason for registering late is caused by an action of the college or is due to extenuating circumstances). Authorized college personnel may grant exceptions and may give permission for late registration as specified by these regulations.

Withdrawals and schedule adjustments may affect your financial aid — review the financial aid satisfactory progress policy.

Schedule Adjustment During Registration

During registration periods, you may drop classes and you may add classes that are not filled. You can add classes at any point in the registration cycle from when registration opens through the first two weekdays of the term or session.

Schedule Adjustment After Classes Begin

Schedule adjustment add period is the first and second weekday of the term or session. Schedule adjustment drop period is through the 35% date of the class. If you drop a class prior to or on the 10% census date of the class, the class will not appear on your official transcript. If you drop a class after the 10% census date and prior to or on the 35% date of the class, the class will appear on your transcript with a W grade (withdrawal).

Schedule Adjustment After the Schedule Adjustment Period

You must get permission from the associate dean of the relevant division to enroll in any class after the schedule adjustment period up through the 10% date of the class, except in cases of college error.

Schedule Adjustment After the 10% Class Census Date

You must get permission from the dean to enroll in any class after the 10% class census date. You must present documented extenuating circumstances for your exception to be considered.

Schedule Adjustment for Military Students Called to Active Duty

If you are a military student and you are called to active duty, you may drop classes without financial or academic penalty. Set up an appointment with the Center for Military Families and Veterans for guidance before adjusting your schedule or withdrawing.

College Policy 5.08: Schedule Adjustment (Drop/Add)

If you determine for any reason that you will be unable to complete courses in which you are enrolled, it is your responsibility to start the process to formally withdraw in order to avoid receiving a failing grade. To receive a W grade, you must withdraw prior to the 35% date of the class. Check the class's syllabus or talk with your instructor to find the official 35% withdrawal deadline date for your class.

You can start the withdrawal processes online in MyCollege by opening your schedule in the "Plan and Schedule" section and selecting "drop." You will then need to confirm the drop. If you prefer, you can come in-person during business hours to any Central Piedmont registration office.

Any drops made between the 10% and the 35% point of the class will be processed as a withdrawal. After the 35% point, you will need to discuss the withdrawal with your instructor and possibly complete the medical/compassionate withdrawal form.

Your instructor may also assign a W at the end of the term when circumstances warrant such action. A W will remain on your transcript and will not count as credit hours attempted. To receive credit for a course after receiving a W for that course, you must re-register and pay for the course in a subsequent term.

Withdrawals and schedule adjustments may affect your financial aid — review the financial aid satisfactory progress policy.

College Policy 3:07: Withdrawal from Classes

To audit a course, complete an audit agreement form (PDF), have it signed by the course instructor, and submit the form to the Registrar’s office at any Central Piedmont campus before the class's census date (found in the course syllabus). After the class's census date, you cannot change from receiving credit for a course to auditing the course.

You register and pay for a class you are auditing the same as you would for a class you get credit for. Certain courses may not be able to be audited. Non-degree courses may not be audited without permission from the appropriate dean. When you audit a course, you must adhere to the instructor’s classroom policies.

The hours of an audited course will be counted as part of your course load and will be subject to overload restrictions. A record of the audit will be entered on your transcript as "AU." The "AU" carries no college credit and will not be converted to a letter grade. Audited courses are not covered by financial aid or Veterans Affairs Education Benefits.

College Policy 5.12: Audits, Substitutions, and Waivers

Senior citizens (age 65 years or older on the first day of the course) may audit courses with the following guidelines as outlined in 1E SBCCC 1000.2:C:

• Tuition and continuing education registration fees will be waived. You might still be charged local fees associated with the course section (such as student activity fee; campus access, parking, and security (CAPS) fee; technology fee; lab fees; student accident insurance).
• Auditing a course depends on the space available in the course. To audit the course, you cannot displace students enrolling or registering in the course to receive a grade, academic credit, continuing education unit, or certificate of completion.
• You must complete your audit registration within the schedule adjustment period during a term or session. Schedule adjustment is generally the first two days of a term or session.
• Self-supporting courses are not eligible.

1D SBCCC 700.1 (a) definition: “Audit” means to enroll in a course section without receiving a grade, academic credit, continuing education unit, or certificate of completion.

How to Audit a Course as a Senior Citizen

• Print and complete the audit agreement form (PDF).
• Meet with the instructor before the course starts to obtain a signature permission on the audit form.
• Submit the completed form, along with a driver’s license or state identification card, to the registration office at any Central Piedmont campus on the first day of the course.
• Registration staff will process the audit form then return the form to you.
• Take the processed form to the Cashiering office to process your tuition waiver.

You may also contact the Registrar’s office at any Central Piedmont campus.

You may receive the following grades:

• A grade (4 grade points): Excellent
• B grade (3 grade points): Very Good
• C grade (2 grade points): Satisfactory
• D grade (1 grade point): Poor
• F grade (0 grade points): Failing
• I: Incomplete
• P: Passing
• R: Repeat
• W: Withdrew (refer to the "Withdrawal" section on this page)
• S: Satisfactory
• U: Unsatisfactory
• AUD: Audit
• WN: Never Attended
• X: Credit by Examination

College Policy 5.10: Grading System

You may receive an I (incomplete) if you persist through the course and complete at least 90% of the requirements for passing the course, or if the instructor determines that you have extenuating circumstances.

You must resolve an I (incomplete) grade within the time frame specified by the instructor or the division, but by no later than six months from the end of the term or session for which you received the I grade. When you resolve an I grade, your final grade will be recorded on your transcript along with the I (for example, as I/B) and your GPA will be recalculated. If you do not resolve an I grade by the specified expiration date, the grade will be changed to appear as an I/F on your transcript.

You will not be allowed to register for a course for which you have received three I's, F's, and/or W's unless you get permission from the division that offers the course.

Only the following grades are used to calculate your grade point average (GPA):

• A grade: 4 grade points
• B grade: 3 grade points
• C grade: 2 grade points
• D grade: 1 grade point
• F grade: 0 grade points

Three GPAs will appear on your academic record:

• Cumulative GPA
• Term GPA
• Cumulative Program GPA

When you have repeated a course, the higher grade will be used to recalculate your cumulative GPA and cumulative program GPA. However, the grade for each time you took the course will be recorded on your academic transcript.