Students are advised to wait till closer to the April 30th deadline to select a CR/NC grade for a course. LAS forms should be out in early April. Students should discuss any questions or concerns you have with your SCS advisor.

 The basic elements of the Spring 2020 policy alterations include:

  1. Students may elect the CR/NC option for individual Spring 2020 courses through April 30, 2020.
  2. Spring 2020 courses earning a CR grade under the CR/NC option WILL count toward any graduation requirements the course itself meets, such as requirements for your major, minors, and general education.
  3. Students may elect the CR/NC option for any or all of their Spring 2020 courses.
  4. Students with an academic integrity infraction resulting in a sanction of a failing course grade may NOT switch to a CR/NC option for that course, nor can they drop the course, in accordance with the student code https://studentcode.illinois.edu/article1/part4/1-403/
  5. Graduating seniors should check with their SCS advisor before choosing CR/NC.

What happens if you choose CR/NC for Spring 2020?

Your professor will not know if you have chosen the CR/NC option. You will be treated and graded in the same way as the other students in the course. The CR/NC option is intended to decrease your stress, not your effort.
 At the end of the semester, your professor will assign you a grade in the course. The Registrar will ‘translate’ this grade to Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC) on your transcript as follows:
  •  If you earn a C- or better, you will receive a grade of Credit (CR) and earn credit for the course.
  • If you earn a D+, D, D- or F, you will receive a grade of NO Credit (NC) and earn no credit for the course. 
The Registrar will not have a record of the original standard letter grade.
Perhaps the main disadvantage of CR/NC is that a D+, D, or D- does NOT earn course credit. If your goal is simply to pass a course and earn credit towards graduation requirements, keeping the standard grade option may be better for you.
 A CR or NC grade will not be factored into your GPA.
 If you earn credit (CR), the course will still fulfill graduation requirements. This applies only to courses taken in Spring 2020 under the CR/NC option.
We anticipate that employers and graduate and professional schools will review transcripts with an understanding of the unique circumstances of Spring 2020. However, others’ interpretations are beyond our control, and we cannot guarantee how CR/NC will be viewed in your own particular circumstances.
The Announcement by Provost Cangellaris and this document describe the CR/NC option for courses taken in the Spring 2020 semester only. Courses taken for CR/NC during other semesters follow https://studentcode.illinois.edu/article3/part1/3-105/ in the Student Code.
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How will employers view CR/NC grades?

As far as employment goes, the SCS Career Services office says that’s a hard question to answer. To be honest, most employers don't even request transcripts. However, those that do probably would have some concerns, especially for primary courses. That being said, this is an unprecedented time, so it may be more forgivable than other semesters.

 

Should a pre-health student elect to take a course as CR/NC?

If you are a Pre-health student, there is no clear indication of whether schools will accept CR grades, especially for required courses. In general, C/NC not a great idea for pre-health students.  Students may get a pass from some schools for Spring 2020 only while others already allow limited CR grades. There is an indication from some schools that if they allow it, you would want to have less than 10 credits of CR. It is a good idea to check with the pre-health advisors in the Career Center or the schools you are intending to apply to for their policies.

Can students on probation take a course as CR/NC?

LAS has yet to indicate whether students on probation can take a course as CR/NC. Students on or close to academic probation, it's worth pointing out that grades of NC will not save you from being dropped or continuing probation status even though the GPA is unaffected by that grade.   Grades of credit will not improve the GPA. Since students have to get a C- in order to receive a grade of CR, electing to take a course as CR/NC will not rescue a student who is getting a D or F.

Can a pre-law student take a course as CR/NC?

The LSAC Credential Assembly Service states that "No Credit" grades etc will be treated as failing grades and grades of "Credit" or passing are not used in GPA calculation.