A pass/fail course can earn credit without affecting GPA, or a failing outcome can enter GPA at zero. The deciding detail is the institution's treatment of the actual mark on your transcript—not the informal name “pass/fail.”
Keep two totals separate: credits earned toward your studies and credits included in the GPA denominator.
Excluded is different from zero
The GPA formula divides quality points by included GPA credits. If a course is excluded, remove both its points and credits. If a failure counts at zero, its credits remain in the denominator even though it contributes no quality points.
For a named example, ASU says P earns hours without entering GPA. Its failing E mark carries zero points. Those outcomes therefore need different treatment in a calculation.
Worked example: same semester, with and without a Pass/Fail course
| Course | Credits | Grade | Included in GPA? | Grade Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4 | A- | Yes | 3.7 |
| Statistics | 3 | B+ | Yes | 3.3 |
| Pottery (Pass/Fail) | 3 | Pass | No | — |
| Spanish II | 3 | A | Yes | 4.0 |
GPA calculation only uses the three lettered courses:
Total GPA-counted credits: 4 + 3 + 3 = 10
Total quality points: (3.7×4) + (3.3×3) + (4.0×3) = 14.8 + 9.9 + 12.0 = 36.7
GPA = 36.7 ÷ 10 = 3.67
Under this example's assumptions, the student earns 13 credits but has only 10 GPA credits. Whether Pottery fulfills a particular degree requirement is a separate policy question.
Read the exact symbol, not just the course option
Stanford's GPA guide lists NP as a zero-point grade included in the calculation. It lists NC among symbols excluded from GPA. Treating both as a generic “no credit” entry would lose that distinction.
In the worked example, suppose the three-credit Pottery outcome instead becomes a failure that the relevant policy includes at zero. Quality points stay at 36.7, but GPA credits rise to 13: 36.7 ÷ 13 = 2.82, rounded to two decimals. That is very different from the excluded-pass result of 3.67.
Do not apply either example until you have matched the transcript symbol to its published GPA treatment. A label that sounds similar can have a different effect at another institution.
Before choosing or changing a grading option
Ask the registrar or programme adviser these specific questions:
- Is this course eligible, and has the election deadline passed?
- What performance is required for a passing mark?
- Does the credit satisfy this degree requirement under the chosen option?
- How are both passing and failing outcomes recorded and included in GPA?
- If the course is a repeat, what happens to the earlier attempt?
An application or prerequisite policy can also require a letter grade. Check that requirement directly instead of assuming a credit-bearing pass will be accepted everywhere.
Model the two outcomes separately
Use the GPA calculator with the included letter-graded courses first. Duplicate the scenario in Workspaces, then add the course at zero points only if the failure is included under your policy. This separates a policy assumption from the arithmetic it produces.
For repeat attempts, read the repeat-course calculation guide. For multiple terms, use CGPA with the same inclusion rules throughout. Export a backup before clearing browser storage; local workspaces do not automatically move to another device.
