Skip to content

Mid-Semester Grades

UC Merced’s Mid-Semester Grade Policy requires that professors submit grades in lower division classes (001-099) around the eight week of the semester. Mid-semester grades are not permanent – they are not recorded on your transcript and do not affect your GPA. They are a “progress report” from instructors to help you know how you are doing at the mid-point of the semester. For Spring 2025, grades should  be visible on CatCourses late in the day on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

If you are passing all your courses -  Congratulations! Use your mid-semester grades to think about how to maintain strong grades (or raise them) during the last half of the semester. You can see if you qualify for the Dean's Honor List or Chancellor's Honors List based on your GPA (click here). You might also consider how undergraduate research (click here), study abroad (click here) and internships (click here) fit into your UC Merced experience.

If you have one or more mid-semester grades of D+, F or NP (no-pass), now is the time for action! All students with non-passing grades in a lower division class will receive an email from their academic advisor with information on resources to support your success. If you are not passing 3 or more courses, you may also be required to meet with your academic advisor or program coordinator (for student athletes and students in Fiat Lux, Guardian Scholars or Bobcat Underground Scholars) to talk about ways to improve your grades in the second half of the semester. Appointments must be completed no later than Tuesday, April 4, 2025. 

Your success is important to us! To learn more about academic success resources, click here

 

Important deadlines for Spring 2025:

  • March 18: Mid-semester grades are posted for lower division courses (numbering 001-099).
  • March 21: Emails are sent to students who have one or more D, F or NP (No Pass) grade(s) with further instructions about the steps for the mid-semester intervention.
  • March 31: If student is part of a program staff (Fiat Lux,Guardian Scholars, Athletics, Underground Scholars) should complete the meeting before March 31 so it doesn’t impact priority registration.
  • March 31 - April 4: Priority registration begins this week 
  • April 4: All general students who have 3 D, F, or NP grades are required to complete a 1:1 meeting with academic advisor
  • April 7 - April 18:  Regular registration for all other students begins.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Academic Standing?

Academic standing is based on final grades for the semester as well as on the average from all of the student’s semesters. Each semester students receive a grade point average (GPA) and then once they have completed more than one semester, the GPA will also be averaged out depending on how many semesters students have completed. The GPA and academic standing are based on both semester and GPA average of all semesters.

Based on the student’s GPA they are placed in the following:

Good Academic Standing

  • Both cumulative and semester GPA are above 2.0.

Academic Notice (AN)

  • Semester grade point average (GPA) is less than 2.0, or
  • Cumulative (average) University of California GPA is less than 2.0.

Subject to Academic Dismissal (SD)

  • Semester GPA is less than 1.5 and cumulative GPA is less than 2.0. or
  • Academic probation for two or more semesters and cumulative GPA is less than 2.0.

 

For more information about academic standing, visit the 2024-2025 Catalog.

 

2. How do I get my hold removed?

As part of the intervention, students with 3 DFNPS will receive a hold on their record that will prevent registration if the required steps are not completed. The hold can be removed by completing the required steps depending on how many Non-Passing (NP), D or F grades received on their mid-semester grades. Please refer to the email by your academic advisor that will be sent on March 20, 2025 with further instructions.

 

3. How can I prepare for Midterms?

In addition, the Academic Resources CatCourses Site provides information and We also advise students to utilize and attend instructor and TA’s virtual office hours.

resources to support your success, including tips, strategies and information about campus resources.

 

4. How can I calculate my GPA?

GPA Calculator

To calculate their GPA for the current semester, students can use the UC Merced GPA calculator

If you have questions about calculating your GPA, connect with your academic advisor.

If students would like to learn how to manually calculate their GPA, they may use the GPA tutorial. The GPA tutorial is for students to be informed of the minimum academic expectations of UC Merced and the implications of not meeting them which can include delayed academic progress, financial and time-related consequences of delayed progress, possibility of academic dismissal. The GPA tutorial reviews academic standing policies and GPA calculation. It provides students examples on how to use equations to calculate their GPA.

 

5. What is a Reflection Form?

As part of the workshop or 1:1 meeting, students will be expected to complete a reflection form to identify any challenges they may be experiencing that has impacted their coursework this semester. They will also be provided with an opportunity to set goals for the remainder of the semester and explore resources available to them to aid in their success.