The letter D in an academic setting can stand for different things depending on the institution and country, most commonly either Pass (a low passing grade) or Distinction (a high grade).
In undergraduate programs, “D” is typically the lowest passing grade, but passing may not be enough to fulfill graduation requirements. In college, the grading system is typically divided into five letter grades: A, B, C, D, and F. Each letter grade corresponds with a grade point average (GPA) and a numerical range.
The typical letter grades awarded for participation in a course are (from highest to lowest) A, B, C, D and F. Variations on the traditional five-grade system allow for awarding A+, A, A−, B+, B, B−, C+, C, C−, D+, D, D−, and F. In primary and secondary schools, a D is usually the lowest passing grade.
Letter Grades & Definitions
A 70% is often a B or a C, depending heavily on the grading system, but in many US systems it's a low C or C-, while in Australia, 70-74% is typically a Distinction (D), and 60-69% is a Credit (C). It's crucial to check your specific school or country's scale, as 70% can range from a solid pass to a high B or low Distinction.
The grades of A, B, C, D and P are passing grades. Grades of F and U are failing grades.
The minimum passing grade is 70 (C). Any grades between 55 and 69 (D and F) are considered failing grades for which unit credit is not earned. While unit credit is not earned for a failing grade, point value is assigned for a D and an F for purposes of computing grade point averages.
A grade of C or better is required to earn a Passed; a C- or below will earn a Not Passed grade. A grade of C- may satisfy many requirements (e.g., General Education, elective) but a Not Passed grade will not earn any credit or satisfy requirements.
Dropping a class is much better for your GPA than failing a class or getting a C or D in it is because a dropped class does not affect your grade point average. Dropping a class may also raise your GPA because it can allow you to spend more time on other classes and raise your grades in them.
Over time, education institutions tweaked letter grades and by the 1930s the grade of E was absent from most colleges and universities. There was some fear in academia that students would mistake the E for excellent so F was move into that spot because it could be read as failure.
Technically, yes—a D is often considered a passing grade. It means you've met the minimum requirements to earn credit for the course. But before you breathe a sigh of relief, there's more to the story.
You use "an" - it's not whether the word after it starts with an actual vowel or consonant, it's whether it starts with a vowel or consonant sound .
In most colleges, a “D” (65%) is considered the minimum passing grade, but it is just barely passing. However, this could differ depending on the college you're in. Sometimes, colleges want you to get at least a “C” to pass a class. This can also change depending on the teacher.
The 9 to 1 Scale: What It Actually Means
And 'U' is basically a fail, where the work doesn't even meet the minimum requirements. Well-known as the first rung on the ladder, grade 1 shows you've got a basic understanding, but didn't quite reach the pass mark.
Junior year (11th grade) is often considered the most crucial year in high school. It's when students take standardized tests, maintain grades for college applications, and start researching and visiting colleges. Strong academic performance during this year significantly impacts college admissions decisions.
"Sometimes students can withdraw from classes after the mandatory dropout period and it doesn't penalize them in any way," Kwenda says. "It's not factored into their GPA. It's just something that shows up on their transcript as indicating that they withdrew from a class."
Withdrawal Unauthorized (WU)
It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to enable evaluation of academic performance. For purposes of grade point average and progress point computation this symbol is equivalent to an “F.”
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grades
Performance equivalent to a grade of C or better is recorded as Satisfactory. Performance equivalent to a grade of D or F is recorded as Unsatisfactory.
A 70% is often a B or a C, depending heavily on the grading system, but in many US systems it's a low C or C-, while in Australia, 70-74% is typically a Distinction (D), and 60-69% is a Credit (C). It's crucial to check your specific school or country's scale, as 70% can range from a solid pass to a high B or low Distinction.
To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1580 SAT or a 36 ACT. You should also have a 4.2 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score.
At most schools, a D is the lowest passing grade. That means students who earn a D or higher receive credit for the course. However, some schools set special policies around D grades. For example, at Lehigh, a D counts as a passing grade but does not meet prerequisite requirements.
A+, A, A- indicates excellent performance. B+, B, B- indicates good performance. C+, C, C- indicates satisfactory performance. D+, D, D- indicates less than satisfactory performance.