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This discussion is limited to higher (post-secondary) education. If you have questions about primary and secondary education in the U.S., you can address them with any U.S. student or teacher.

A. The Semester System
The academic year is comprised of two semesters of approximately 16 weeks each. Many U.S. universities like Northwestern use this semester system or a similar variation. UNW also breaks each semester in half, resulting in two “quads” consisting of approximately 8 weeks each. Classes may be either quad length or full semester length. Limited summer courses are also available.

B. Academic Advisor
Your academic advisor is a faculty member who helps you plan your program in a way that will best enable you to fulfill your graduation requirements and at the same time tailor your studies to your interests. You may also wish to seek advice from the Academic Support Specialist, other faculty members and students.

C. Credits
The quantity of academic work a student does at the university is measured in credits. The number of credits a course is worth usually depends on the number of hours per week that it meets. The semester hour is the unit for calculating credits at Northwestern and is defined as one hour of class work per week, or its equivalent, pursued for one semester. For example, a four credit class meets four hours per week. On average, 2–3 hours of homework are necessary for every hour of classroom time. Credit for laboratory work will count as indicated in the course descriptions contained in the catalog. At UNW, the number of credit hours required depends upon the major you select.

D. The Grading System

A grade may be defined as an indication of the professor's judgment of the quality of the work accomplished by the student in a course. Each grade carries a designated number of points per credit.

Academic Load
You do your best academic work when you have sufficient time to attend all classes, complete extra reading assignments and prepare homework. In addition, it is necessary for you to have sufficient time for rest, relaxation, and participation in student life and ministry related activities. Academic load is defined as the number of semester hours of course work for which you are enrolled during a given semester. The typical recommended academic load is 14–16 hours. Overload is considered more than 18 credits. Permission to take an overload is contingent on cumulative GPA, and the form used for request of the overload must be signed by your academic advisor. Consult the Registration Guide and Class Schedule for further information.

Academic Year
The academic year is divided into two semesters—fall and spring. Although a student may enter Northwestern at the beginning of any semester, we strongly urge that first time international students begin only at the fall semester. Any student may complete the undergraduate education at the end of any semester during which he/she has met all of the requirements for graduation. Graduation exercises are held each year at the close of both fall and spring semesters. Some short summer courses are offered as well.

There are two devices outlined in the Registration and Class Schedule that give flexibility to students who want to maintain reasonably high grade point averages:

1. The Course Repeat Procedure available in undergraduate programs

Under this option, students may retake a course in which they have received a low grade, and the grade earned for the most recent enrollment will be used in calculating the cumulative GPA.

2.  Adding and Dropping Courses

International students must remember that the U.S. Immigration regulations require them to be registered full-time (12 semester hours). You must go to the Registrar’s Office to add or drop any course.

Each faculty member at the university has his or her own philosophy and methods of grading. Some use fixed grading scales whereby each assignment or examination that is graded can receive a fixed maximum of points. Others grade "on the curve," a system where a formula is used to assure that there will be a certain number of A’s, a certain number of B’s, and so on. Under this system the new students in the class are competing with each other for high grades. It is most helpful to learn the philosophy and method of grading that each of your professors use.

If you receive a low grade and do not understand why, or you think the professor may have made a mistake, it is acceptable to ask the professor for the reason for the grade. However, it is not acceptable to "bargain" for a grade you do not deserve.

E. Grade Points

Grade points are the numerical value assigned to each letter grade for comparative purposes.
Grade point values for authorized grades are shown below:

A = 4.00
B = 3.00
C = 2.00
D = 1.00

Grade point average (GPA) is the average grade point per semester hour for a student. Grade point averages are computed for each semester and used as a basis for completing requirements for graduation or for permission to remain in school each succeeding semester.

To compute the GPA:

1. Assign the numerical value to each grade
2. Multiply the numerical value by the number of credit hours assigned to each course
3. Divide the total number of hours carried (taken) during the semester

Example:

Chemistry               A (4 hours)            4x4 = 16
Calculus                 A (3 hours)            4x3 = 12
English                   C (3 hours)            2x3 = 6
U.S. History            B (3 hours)            3x3 = 9
Biology                   D (4 hours)            1x4 = 4

Grade Points        47 credit hours / 17 = 2.77GPA

F. Grade Report

You will receive a grade report from the Registrar’s Office each semester indicating your grades, grade points and earned credit hours, your grade point average for the semester and cumulative grade point average. If there are errors or you have questions, contact the Registrar’s Office.