First Year Grade Exclusion Policy

Grade Exclusion Policy

A fully admitted, currently enrolled Texas A&M University at Galveston undergraduate student as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as "first time in college"* may elect to exclude from his/her undergraduate degree and cumulative GPR calculation grades of D, F, or U. This exclusion shall be permitted for up to a maximum of three courses taken for credit at Texas A&M University at Galveston during the twelve month period beginning with the student's initial enrollment at Texas A&M University at Galveston.

The first year grade exclusion option may be used by current "first time in college" freshmen for courses taken in the twelve months beginning with their initial enrollment at Texas A&M University at Galveston. Sophomores, juniors and seniors also may use the exclusions for courses taken in their first twelve months as "first time in college" freshmen, dating from initial enrollment.

All courses chosen for first year grade exclusion shall remain on the official transcript and be designated on the transcript as excluded.
First year grade exclusion cannot be invoked after a baccalaureate degree has been conferred upon the student. If a student chooses to exercise the first year grade exclusion, that option must be exercised before the official deadline for application for the baccalaureate degree in the student's final semester.
First year grade exclusion will affect student classification if excluding a course lowers total completed hours below 30, 60, or 95 hours.
Grades for courses in which the student was found to have committed academic dishonesty will not be excluded from the GPR calculation, regardless whether or not the student completed remediation.
A course for which the grade has been excluded will not be used to satisfy degree requirements unless it is repeated by the student for an acceptable grade.
Once a grade in a course has been excluded from the GPR calculation, a student will not later be permitted to have the exclusion removed or otherwise changed.
Courses for which grades have been excluded will be counted as attempted hours when determining eligibility for tuition rebates, calculating excess credit hours, and determining third-time repeats.
Courses for which grades have been excluded will not be taken into account when determining eligibility for a change of major, scholarships, or achievement based awards.
Courses excluded under this policy are NOT excluded when determining whether a student is meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements (hours completed) for federal and state financial aid programs.
While excluded courses will not be factored into Texas A&M University at Galveston GPR, students should be aware that employers, professional schools, and graduate schools may recalculate the GPR to include such grades.
University rules regarding Q drops remain unaffected, but students should consult with their undergraduate associate dean or his/her designee.
First year grade exclusion will become available as an option for undergraduate students who are enrolled in the Spring 2005 semester and thereafter.
Students are directed to contact their academic advisor, the Office of Admissions and Records, or you can go to www.tamug.edu, click on Current Students, Registration & Records, and click on Forms to obtain the necessary form.

*First time in college: an undergraduate, degree seeking, student who applied and enrolled in college for the first time regardless of whether the student has acquired college level credit through testing, advanced placement or summer enrollment.

Grade Exclusion Policy FAQs

I want to exclude two courses from my GPR. One of the courses is a required course to graduate, will I have to take that course again?

A course for which the grade has been excluded will not be used to satisfy degree requirements unless it is repeated by the student for an acceptable grade.

I am considering changing curriculum to College Station. How will the grade exclusion policy affect my eligibility?

Courses for which grades have been excluded will not be taken into account when determining GPA or hour requirements for change of curriculum. Although your GPA will improve with the grade exclusion, your hours will go down. You will still have to complete a minimum number of hours as described below before you are eligible to change curriculum:

For students who started at TAMUG prior to the Fall 2006, they will be required to have 24 hours to change curriculum.
For students who started at TAMUG during Fall 2006, Spring of 2007 or Summer of 2007, they will be required to have 27 hours to change curriculum.
For students who started at TAMUG anytime on or after Fall 2007, they will be required to have 30 hours to change curriculum.

I attended another college and transferred to TAMUG my sophomore year. Can I use first year grade exclusion for my first year at TAMUG?

You are not eligible to use first year grade exclusion because you did not attend TAMUG as “first time in college.” A “first time in college” student is a first semester undergraduate, degree seeking student who applied and enrolled at TAMUG for his/her first time in college. Your first time in college was at the college you attended your freshman year.

I want to know what my GPR would be if I excluded a course. How do I do that?

(Tentatively scheduled to be available February 14, 2005.)

The TAMU Office of the Registrar has developed a Grade Exclusion GPR Calculator for you to use to determine the impact of first year grade exclusion on your cumulative GPR. This calculator, available at https://myrecord.tamu.edu, will also indicate which of your courses are eligible for exclusion. You may use the calculator to “try out” grade exclusion; once you determine grades to be excluded, you must complete the First Year Grade Exclusion Policy Form and obtain the approval of the Assistant Vice President for Academic Services or Designate.

I am a graduating senior and am considering excluding a D I received my first semester in order to raise my cumulative GPR. What should I consider before doing this?

You should review this with your academic advisor as you may not want to exclude a course that meets a core curriculum or degree requirement or counts toward total hours needed for graduation.

If I exclude a course, will the hours excluded be counted as total hours attempted when determining eligibility for the $1000 tuition rebate?

Yes, the hours will be counted.

If I started in the fall of the year, did not attend spring semester and returned the following fall, what semesters count toward my twelve months of eligibility for first year grade exclusion?

Your calendar began with your initial enrollment in the fall semester and continued through spring and summer.

During my first year I failed both Biology 113 and the corresponding lab course, Biology 123. Do I use one or two grade exclusions?

To exclude grades from Biology 113 and the lab, Biology 123, you will use two of your allotted three grade exclusions.

I was admitted as a freshman provisional student and took my first courses at TAMUG in the summer. Am I eligible to exclude any of my courses?

You may exercise first year grade exclusion on courses taken during your first twelve months at TAMUG. Your first twelve months began with your enrollment in the summer and if you meet the other qualifications you may exclude up to 3 courses. See your academic advisor.

While I was a high school senior, I took two courses at my local community college which counted as college credit and fulfilled high school requirements. Am I eligible for grade exclusion?

Dual credit courses taken before high school graduation will not disqualify you.

I want to exclude a class I took my first year. I was admitted to TAMU as a Blinn TEAM student, am I eligible to use first year grade exclusion?

Blinn TEAM students are eligible to use first year grade exclusion for courses taken at TAMU during the twelve month period beginning with their first semester in TEAM. See your academic advisor.

I attended TAMU for my freshman year, am I eligible for first year grade exclusion?

Yes, since TAMU is our main campus, you are eligible to use first year grade exclusion.

GPR Grade Exclusion Calculator

(Tentatively scheduled to be available February 14, 2005.)

The GPR Grade Exclusion Calculator is available at https://myrecord.tamu.edu (On the current Student Resources page, after logging into MyRecord, click on the First Year Grade Exclusion GPR Calculator link.) and interfaces with the Student Information Management System (SIMS). It will first check if you qualify under the first time in college rule. If TAMU or TAMUG was your first college/university enrollment, it will then show you any courses which are eligible to be excluded (taken within 12 months of first enrollment and received a grade of D, F or U). You may check which course(s), a maximum of three, and the GPR Grade Exclusion Calculator will show you what your GPR is without the excluded course(s). You may try different scenarios. Using the GPR Grade Exclusion Calculator does not change your GPR in SIMS. You must print the Grade Exclusion Form and follow the instructions to actually exclude courses from the official GPR.

Grade Exclusion Form

If you are eligible to exclude grades, print the Grade Exclusion Form (PDF or Word), enter the required information, obtain the required signatures and turn it in to the Records Coordinator, Office of Admissions and Records, Sea Aggie Center, Suite 900, Room 901 by the published official deadlines.

Back to Office of Registration & Records

Texas A&M University Galveston · PO Box 1675 · Galveston, Texas 77553-1675 · Toll Free 1-87-Sea-Aggie