Privacy of Student Records

PUBLIC INFORMATION POLICY AND FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An "eligible student" under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution.) These rights include:

  1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Wade College receives a request for access. A student should submit to the Office of the Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The Office of the Registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
  2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to ask the school to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested, the school will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student's right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
  3. The right to provide written consent before the college discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Consent must be in writing and specify the records to be released, the reasons for such release, and to whom the information is to be released. Personal information shall be transferred to a third party outside of the college only on the condition that such a party will not permit any other party to have access to such information without the written consent of the student. The third party is expected to adhere to the FERPA guidelines upon receipt of this information. The college shall include with any information released, a written statement which informs the receiver of the information and conditions of disclosure.
  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Wade College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

    Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC 20202

Directory information regarding the student will be provided to the public upon request unless the student files a request in the Office of the Registrar asking to be excluded from the directory or from any other request for open directory information from outside entities. The request should be submitted prior to the 12th class day of each new trimester.

A request to withhold information may be submitted after the stated deadline, but information may be released between the deadline and receipt of the request. The file of a student who has asked to be excluded from the directory information will remain flagged until the student requests that the flag be removed.

Directory information consists of a student's full name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, classification, participation in officially recognized activities, dates of attendance, degrees, and awards received, the last educational agency or institution attended previous to Wade College, and photograph.

Wade College will disclose information from a student's educational records only with the written consent of the student, except:

  • To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records. A school official is a person employed by Wade College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including third-party law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of Wade College who performs an institutional service of function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the Wade College.
  • To officials of another school where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student's enrollment or transfer.
  • To authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local educational authorities, such as a State postsecondary authority that is responsible for supervising the institution's state-supported education programs. Disclosures under this provision may be made in connection with an audit or evaluation of federal- or state-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf.
  • In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
  • To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction.
  • To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
  • To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.
  • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
  • To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency.
  • Information the school has designated as "directory information."
  • To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense. The disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding with respect to that alleged crime or offense, regardless of the finding.
  • To the general public, the final results of a disciplinary proceeding, if the school determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of the school's rules or policies with respect to the allegation made against him or her.
  • To parents of a student regarding the student's violation of any Federal, State, or local law, or of any rule or policy of the school, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the school determines the student committed a disciplinary violation and the student is under the age of 21.

Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures.

For any other information regarding the college's policy on access to records and to request accessibility to college records, contact the Office of the Registrar.

Student Diversity

Wade College has a history of seeking to preserve an atmosphere of openness and tolerance. This college is committed to maintaining an unpretentious and accepting atmosphere welcoming anyone who will strive to achieve his or her personal best. Wade College possesses and values diversity among the individuals who make up its community. This is one of Wade College's greatest strengths.

In accordance with regulations published by the U.S. Department of Education, Wade College has provided the following information that demonstrates the diversity of its student body as of October 15, 2022.

Undergraduate Student Characteristics Number of Students Percentage of Student Body
Total Enrollment 157 100%

By Gender:
Female 137 87%
Male 20 13%

By Race/Ethnicity:
American Indian/Alaska Native 2 1%
Asian 6 4%
Black or African American 56 36%
Hispanic/Latino 46 29%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0 0%
White 42 27%
Two or More Races 0 0%
Race and Ethnicity Unknown 5 3%
Nonresident Alien 0 0%


Federal Pell Grant Recipients

In fall 2021, there were 216 undergraduate students enrolled in Wade College; of those students, 11 were full-time, first-time degree-seeking students. Of the 11 full-time, first-time degree-seeking students, 6 (55%) were Federal Pell Grant recipients during the 2021 - 2022 financial aid award year.

Adding / Dropping Courses

In any trimester, the last official day to make schedule changes, including adding or dropping a class, is the eighth (8th) day after the trimester's official start date (see Academic Calendar). Schedule changes must be completed by 5 p.m. on the deadline dates specified in the Academic Calendar.

Students who wish to add or drop a course after registration, but prior to the add/drop period deadline, must complete an official Add/Drop Form in the Office of the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. There is no fee or grade associated with this procedure if done during the add/drop period. No course(s) may be added after the deadline date specified in the Academic Calendar.

Courses that are dropped after the add/drop period will result in a grade of W. The last date to drop with a W is specified on the Academic Calendar. Courses dropped after the last date to drop with a W, as specified on the Academic Calendar, will result in the grade of WF.

While every effort is made by the Office of the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs to assist a student in planning his or her schedule, it is the student's responsibility to know course sequence, course requirements, and prerequisites as listed in the Wade College Catalog.

A student who is enrolled in a college preparation course may not drop such course without approval from the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.

International students and students receiving financial aid or veteran's assistance should notify the Financial Services Department before dropping any class to learn how it will affect current or future financial aid eligibility.

Withdrawal Policy

Any student who desires to officially withdraw from the college must report to the Office of the President and submit an official notification. Following an exit interview with the President, the student will be issued a withdrawal form in order to provide written notice of intent to withdraw. The Office of the President will process the withdrawal paperwork and follow the appropriate regulations for terminating the student's federal financial aid, if any. Within 45 days of the date that official notification was provided, the student will be mailed a statement of account. In the case of withdrawal or expulsion, the student must remove all personal effects from the college within 24 hours of termination.

Tuition Adjustments

During the add/drop period, students may drop a course they have attended without being charged for the course, provided withdrawing from that course does not constitute withdrawing from the college in which case the withdrawal policy will apply; however, students will be assessed the institutional costs for any textbooks (electronic or print) and supplies that the student received for the dropped course(s).

A tuition adjustment results when a student officially changes enrollment status (full-time to part-time, part-time to full-time, or part-time to less than part-time) during the add/drop period. Adjustments will not be made for students dropping individual courses after the add/drop period.

The student is responsible at all times for knowing his or her scholastic standing and for fulfilling all requirements of the college by referring to published academic policies, regulations, and standards and by consulting with the appropriate Academic Advisors. It is the student's responsibility to ascertain and meet course requirements, prerequisite requirements, graduation requirements, appropriate course sequencing, and any other applicable academic requirements.

The degree audit is an official document prepared in the Office of the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. It lists all courses completed, courses not completed, transfer credit awarded, and all other requirements for degree completion.

Students may access their degree audit via the student management system: Campus Café.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Every student enrolled in undergraduate degree programs must ensure that he or she makes satisfactory progress towards successful completion of his or her academic program. The evaluation measures contained in the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy are meant to provide minimum standards that a student must achieve at the end of a given enrollment period in order to remain in good academic standing and to identify problems for which actions of early intervention can be taken. Although an academic year consists of two trimesters (30 weeks of instructional time) of attempted courses for all programs, Wade College evaluates each student's academic achievement at the end of each trimester. Per federal financial assistance regulations, payment periods at Wade College are determined by terms and full-time students are expected to earn at least 24 trimester credit hours for a program in an academic year. Failure to complete courses successfully for any reason may negatively impact academic progress and may result in the loss of federal financial assistance.

The associate degree programs and the post-associate baccalaureate degree programs are considered separate and distinct programs for purposes of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy; therefore, when a student has graduated from an associate degree program and begins coursework in a post-associate baccalaureate degree program, grades and credit hours earned in the associate degree program shall not be considered in the measurement of academic achievement in the post-associate baccalaureate degree program. This distinction is not applicable to the direct-entry baccalaureate degree programs. Academic achievement is measured in two ways: (1) qualitatively; and (2) quantitatively.

(A) Qualitative measure: The qualitative evaluation is determined by the student's cumulative grade point average (CGPA). A student's cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is evaluated at the end of each trimester as follows:

  1. At the end of his or her first trimester in either an associate degree program or a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program, a student whose CGPA is below a 1.5 is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not attained a 1.75 CGPA or above at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive further federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.
  2. At the end of his or her second trimester in either an associate degree program or a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program, a student whose CGPA is below a 1.75 is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not attained a 2.0 CGPA or above at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.
  3. At the end of his or her third trimester and each trimester thereafter in an associate degree program or a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program, a student whose CGPA is below a 2.0 is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not attained a 2.0 CGPA or above at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and on Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.
  4. At the end of each of his or her trimesters in a post-associate baccalaureate degree program, a student whose CGPA is below a 2.0 is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not attained a 2.0 CGPA or above at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and on Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.

(B) Quantitative measure: The published (normal) length of the associate degree programs is 60 credit hours. The published (normal) length of the post-associate baccalaureate degree programs is an additional 60 credit hours. The published (normal) length of the direct-entry baccalaureate degree programs is 120 credit hours. Students must progress at a rate which will allow them to graduate in a period that is no longer than 150 percent of the published length of the educational program, as measured in credit hours; therefore, the maximum credit hours a student enrolled in an associate degree program, post-associate baccalaureate degree program, and direct-entry baccalaureate degree program can attempt are 90, 90, and 180, respectively. This aspect of progress, determined by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours the student has successfully completed by the cumulative numbers of credit hours the student has attempted, is evaluated at the end of each trimester as follows:

  1. At the end of his or her first trimester in either an associate degree program or a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program, a student must have completed at least 50 percent of the credits attempted. Any student who has not is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not completed at least 60 percent of the credits attempted at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and on Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.
  2. At the end of his or her second trimester in either an associate degree program or a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program, a student must have completed at least 60 percent of the credits attempted. Any student who has not is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not completed at least 66.66 percent of the credits attempted at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and on Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.
  3. At the end of his or her third trimester and each trimester thereafter in either an associate degree program or a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program, a student must have completed at least 66.66 percent of the credits attempted. Any student who has not is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not completed at least 66.66 percent of the credits attempted at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and on Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.
  4. A student in an associate degree program may not attempt more than 150 percent of the credits required in the program; therefore, anything in excess of 90 credit hours attempted will result in academic dismissal with no grounds for appeal.
  5. A student in a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program may not attempt more than 150 percent of the credits required in the program; therefore, anything in excess of 180 credit hours attempted will result in academic dismissal with no grounds for appeal.
  6. At the end of each of his or her trimesters in a post-associate baccalaureate degree program, a student must have completed at least 66.66 percent of the credits attempted. Any student who has not is placed on Academic Probation and, if applicable, on Financial Aid Warning for the subsequent trimester. A student placed on Academic Probation and on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible to receive student financial assistance during the Financial Aid Warning trimester. If the student has not completed at least 66.66 percent of the credits attempted at the end of the Financial Aid Warning trimester, the student is placed on Academic Suspension and on Financial Aid Suspension and is academically dismissed and not eligible to receive federal financial assistance unless the student successfully appeals the determination. If an appeal is granted, the student is placed on Academic Appeal and Financial Aid Probation for the subsequent trimester.
  7. A student in a post-associate baccalaureate degree program may not attempt more than 150 percent of the credits required in the program; therefore, anything in excess of 90 credit hours attempted will result in academic dismissal with no grounds for appeal.

(C) Effect of course incompletes, withdrawals, and repetitions: A course in which a student receives an incomplete must be completed within 7 days of the next trimester's start; otherwise the incomplete becomes an "F". In the interim, the "I" grade has no effect on the GPA and CGPA and is not counted as credit hours successfully completed or attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. A grade of "W" (withdrawal) is given for withdrawal during the first 10 weeks of the trimester or for an official Leave of Absence and has no effect on the GPA or CGPA. A grade of "WF" (withdrawal/failing) is given for an official withdrawal after the first 10 weeks of the trimester and does compute in the GPA and CGPA as an "F". Both withdrawal and withdrawal/failing count as credit hours attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. A grade of "Q" is given when a student drops a course after the first two weeks of the trimester; presidential permission and documentation of extenuating circumstances are required. Withdrawals with grades of "Q" are not computed in the GPA and CGPA and are not counted as credit attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. A student who receives a grade of Q for all coursework remains an enrolled student unless he or she officially withdraws.

When a student repeats a course previously completed, the original grade and the subsequent grade(s) will remain on the student transcript for reference purposes; however, when a course is successfully repeated, only the passing grade (not the original grade) will be computed in the GPA and CGPA.

To improve academic achievement, it is strongly recommended that any student with a grade of "WF" or "F" register for the same course in the subsequent trimester in which the course is offered. Students may also retake a course in which they received a passing grade in order to improve their CGPA.

(D) Effect of transfer credits from other institutions: Credits from transfer courses are calculated in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy as credit hours completed and credit hours attempted; however, grades for credits transferred do not compute in the GPA and CGPA. Transfer credits reduce the total number of credits that must be attempted within the program; therefore, the maximum number of attempted credits for a student with transfer credit is 150 percent of the number of credits required to complete for graduation.

(E) College preparation courses are based on the results of the academic placement test. Students must successfully complete such courses in order to progress in the program. College preparation course credits do not count toward the total number of credits for graduation nor do they count in the GPA and CGPA; additionally, they are not counted as credit hours attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

(F) A student may appeal a determination that he or she is not making satisfactory progress, in writing, to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. To be successful, the appeal must address the mitigating circumstances the student believes contributed to the poor academic showing, and must demonstrate that those circumstances will not present a problem in the future. If the appeal is granted, the student will be given one additional probationary trimester, during which the student's eligibility for federal financial assistance is reinstated. At the conclusion of that trimester, the student must attain the appropriate qualitative and quantitative measures listed above, or else he or she will be academically dismissed. (Regardless of the reasons for the student's academic problems, an appeal will not be granted if it would be mathematically impossible for the student to attain a satisfactory academic progress standing by the next evaluation point.)

The following is a list of events that indicate possible mitigating circumstances which may have negatively impacted academic progress:

  1. Death of an immediate family member
  2. Student illness requiring hospitalization (including mental health issues)
  3. Illness of an immediate family member where the student is a primary caretaker
  4. Illness of an immediate family member where the family member is the primary financial support
  5. Abusive relationships
  6. Divorce proceedings
  7. Previously undocumented disability
  8. Work-related transfer during the trimester
  9. Change in work schedule during the trimester
  10. Natural disaster
  11. Family emergency
  12. Financial hardship such as foreclosure, eviction, or loss of job
  13. Loss of transportation where there are no alternative means of transportation
  14. Documentation from a professional counselor or physician

(G) If a student appeals a determination that he or she is not making satisfactory progress and is denied, he or she may not re-enroll for the following trimester and must remain out of school until one year after the trimester in which the appeal was denied. The student can then request an additional appeal for reinstatement through the Office of the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs; to be successful, the appeal would have to demonstrate accomplishments or changes that show a degree of college readiness that reliably predict academic success. If the appeal is granted, the student will be given an additional probationary trimester, during which the student's eligibility for federal financial assistance is reinstated. At the conclusion of that trimester, the student must attain the appropriate qualitative and quantitative measures listed above, or else he or she will be academically dismissed. Should the student have his or her appeal denied a second time, the student will be permanently dismissed from Wade College.

(H) The Wade College Academic Clemency Policy provides an opportunity for students to apply for a fresh academic start by disregarding their prior academic record. This policy permits students to begin their college studies again with up to two excused trimesters of coursework (consecutive or nonconsecutive). Academic clemency may be awarded to a student only once and is applicable only to students enrolled and credits earned at Wade College. Academic clemency may be referred to as academic bankruptcy, academic amnesty, academic renewal, or academic pardon at other institutions. Academic clemency does not affect accumulated financial aid history. If granted, expunged grades will be noted on transcript with X grade.

Criteria includes:

  1. Student must have applied for readmission with the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.
  2. Student must complete Academic Clemency Request Form.
  3. At least three years must have elapsed since the end of the trimester in which the applicant was last in attendance at Wade College.
  4. If a student is granted academic clemency, excused academic credits will not be used as part of a degree program or count against GPA and completion rate; however, the prior record, including probation and appeal, remains a visible part of the student's transcript.
  5. A decision of clemency includes all coursework taken at Wade College during excused trimesters; it is not selectively applied.

Grading System

Wade College's grading system uses the letters A, B, C, D, F, WF, P, I, W, Q, CR, T, and IP. Grades are awarded at the end of each trimester as follows:

A Excellent, four grade points per credit hour.
B Good, three grade points per credit hour.
C Fair, two grade points per credit hour.
D Passing, one grade point per credit hour.
F Failing, no grade points.
WF Withdraw/Failing, given for an official withdrawal after the first ten (10) weeks of the trimester. WF is computed as an F in the GPA and CGPA and is counted as credit hours attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
P Pass, indicates passing work. Awarded in pass/fail courses only. P is not computed in the GPA and CGPA and is not counted as credit hours successfully completed nor attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
I Incomplete, all coursework is expected to be completed by the end of the trimester. In an emergency, the professor may assign a grade of I when the student has already completed 75% of course work and has experienced a documented hardship. If a student does not complete the stipulated work within the time specified, the Office of the Registrar changes the grade of I to the grade submitted by the respective professor; such grade is based upon actual class work completed. I is not computed in the GPA and CGPA and is not counted as credit hours successfully completed or attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
W Withdrawal, given for withdrawal during the first ten (10) weeks of the trimester or upon return from an approved Leave of Absence if work has not been completed. W is not computed in the GPA and CGPA but is counted as credit hours attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
Q Withdrawal, given when a student drops a course after the first two (2) weeks of the trimester. Presidential permission and documentation of extenuating circumstances are required. Q is not computed in the GPA and CGPA and is not counted as credit hours attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. A student who receives a grade of Q for all coursework remains an enrolled student unless he or she officially withdraws.
CR Transfer credit, credit transferred from other accredited post-secondary [college-level] institutions. CR is not computed in the GPA and CGPA but is applied to the total credits required for graduation and is counted as credit hours successfully completed and attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
T Transfer credit, credit transferred from other accredited post-secondary [college-level] institutions. T is not computed in the GPA and CGPA but is applied to the total credits required for graduation and is counted as credit hours successfully completed and attempted in the quantitative measure of the Wade College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
R Course repeated, when a student repeats a course in residence at Wade College, the grade recorded last is the official grade and is computed in the GPA and CGPA. Grades achieved in repeated courses will replace the F or WF.
IP In progress, course in which the student is currently enrolled.
X Expunged, given when student qualifies for academic clemency. Presidential permission is required. X is not computed in the GPA and CGPA.

Grade Point Averages

The overall grade point average (GPA) is used to determine student class loads, classification status, and eligibility for graduation. All GPA calculations are subject to post audit and correction by the Office of the Registrar.

The GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of trimester credit hours attempted. The number of trimester credit hours attempted includes all courses with grades of A, B, C, D, F, and WF. Courses with grades of I, P, CR, T, IP, Q, or W are not counted as credit hours attempted in this qualitative measure. Credit hours are a different measure of academic achievement than contact hours of class attendance.

Cumulative Grade Point Averages

The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) upon which academic standards are based is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points earned in residence at Wade College by the total number of credit hours attempted in residence at Wade College. Excluded in this calculation are all courses in which the student received grades of I, P, CR, T, IP, Q, or W. In calculating grade points, grades count as follows: A, four points per credit hour; B, three points per credit hour; C, two points per credit hour; D, one point per credit hour; and F and WF, zero points.

Graduation

Upon successful completion of the stated requirements below, students are awarded an associate degree and/or a baccalaureate degree. A student must complete all academic requirements and resolve all financial obligations with the college before either degree is awarded. Graduation requirements follow:

Graduation Requirements - Associate Degree Programs

The Associate of Arts in Fashion Design and Product Development and Interior Design, or the Associate of Science in Marketing and Management and Information Technology is granted to students who have completed the following requirements:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours with a passing grade or credit.
  2. Completion of all required general education, core curriculum, and major coursework for the applicable program.
  3. A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 or above based on a 4.0 scale.
  4. Satisfaction of all financial obligations through the Business Office to participate in the graduation ceremony and to receive a degree and/or an official transcript from Wade College.

Graduation Requirements - Direct-Entry and Post-Associate Baccalaureate Degree Programs

The Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and Product Development and Interior Design, or the Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management and Information Technology is granted to students who have completed the following requirements:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours with a passing grade or credit.
  2. Completion of all required general education, core curriculum, and major coursework for the applicable program.
  3. A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 or above based on a 4.0 scale.
  4. Satisfaction of all financial obligations through the Business Office to participate in the graduation ceremony and to receive a degree and/or an official transcript from Wade College.

Students assessed a graduation fee offsets the cost associated with ballroom fees, security, maintenance, audio-visual, awards, commencement speaker, reception, pre-PPC and PPC. Commencement exercises are held annually in May and are followed by a reception open to graduates and their families. Candidates for graduation from the May and the prior January and September graduation cohorts are eligible to attend. Candidacy for graduation includes having earned the requisite program credit hours and being in good academic standing in accordance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy prior to the commencement ceremony and maintaining good financial standing with the institution. Attending the commencement ceremony requires completion of a graduation clearance form with authorizations from all appropriate department heads.