Grading
All grades are available to view on SU Online. Once grades have been received, the Registrar enters them into the database and confirms that they meet any curve requirements. The Registrar then verifies the grades. Once the grades have been verified, they can be viewed via SU Online. The information on SU Online comes directly from Seattle University’s administrative database, is constantly updated, and is available 24 hours a day. We will supply official or unofficial transcripts reflecting your grades only upon request.
See the Student Handbook for more information.
Grades
Grades of A+ through D-, and the grade of P, are passing grades. Grades of F, F+ or WF are failing grades.
| Definition of Grades and grade points: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ = 4.33 | B+ = 3.33 | C+ = 2.33 | D+ = 1.33 | F+ = .33 |
| A = 4.00 | B = 3.00 | C = 2.00 | D = 1.00 | F = .00 |
| A- = 3.67 | B- = 2.67 | C- = 1.67 | D- = .67 | WF = .00 |
| Other Grades | |
|---|---|
| AU - Audit | P - Pass (equivalent to a D- or better) |
| I - Incomplete | W - Withdrawal |
| IP - In Progress | |
Grade Curves
In all first year courses, with the exception of Legal Writing, the following grade curve is mandatory. In all upper level, multiple section courses taught by more than one professor in the same year, the following grade curve is presumptive.
Range
| Cumulative % | A- and above | 15 to 25% | 20%, plus or minus 5% |
| Cumulative % | B+ and above | 40 to 50% | 45%, plus or minus 5% |
| Cumulative % | B and above | 70 to 80% | 75%, plus or minus 5% |
| Cumulative % | C+ and above | 85 to 95% | 90%, plus or minus 5% |
| Cumulative % | C and below | 5 to 15% | 10%, plus or minus 5% |
| Cumulative % | C- and below | 0 to 10% | 5%, plus or minus 5% |
CALI Awards
The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction sponsors The CALI Excellence for the Future Award. The CALI Award recognizes academic excellence achievement by law students in their studies. The award is given to students who receive the highest grade in a course as determined by the instructor.
All law-related classes, courses and seminars delivered by the law school are eligible. There are no restrictions on the number of students registered in the course. There is no limit to the number of awards any one student can win. More information about The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, or the CALI Excellence for the Future Award, can be found at www2.cali.org.
Grade Changes
If a grade is incorrect due to a mathematical error on the part of the grader, the grade may be corrected at any time by a written statement from the faculty member to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Grade changes based on substantive re-evaluation may only be made by a faculty member to correct a serious and egregious error or as a result of an official determination of the student’s violation of the Student Conduct Code by the Conduct Review Board. In order to make such a change the faculty member must submit a written petition to be voted on during a faculty meeting by the career faculty. The petition must state that the proposed change is necessary to correct a serious and egregious error. An example of a serious error might be if a professor did not read a part of an exam. Petitions must be approved by a majority of the career faculty voting at the meeting.
Class Rank
First year class rank is published after the spring semester once all grades have been processed. It is re-calculated and published again after summer Torts grades are processed. First year class rank includes only first year classes. Upper level classes taken during the summer term are not included in the first year rank.
Class rank for upper-level students is published after the fall and spring semesters once all grades have been processed. Upper level class rank is based on the student's cumulative GPA.
Graduate class rank is published once a year, after all spring grades have been processed. Graduate rank includes all students who graduated in August, December or May of the academic year.
Class rank GPA cut-offs for students who were 1L (first-year) during the 2011 - 2012 school year are as follows:
- Top 10%: A first year GPA* of 3.589 - 3.889
- Top 25%: A first year GPA* of 3.388 - 3.889
- Top 50%: A first year GPA* of 3.123 - 3.889
- Top 75%: A first year GPA* of 2.898 - 3.889
Class rank GPA cut-offs for students who were 2L (second-year) during 2011 - 2012 are as follows:
- Top 10%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.617 - 4.084
- Top 25%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.355 - 4.084
- Top 50%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.100 - 4.084
- Top 75%: A cumulative GPA** of 2.861 - 4.084
Class rank GPA cut-offs for students who were 3L or 4L (third or fourth-year) during 2011 - 2012 are as follows:
- Top 10%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.552 - 4.058
- Top 25%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.338 - 4.058
- Top 50%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.119 - 4.058
- Top 75%: A cumulative GPA** of 2.823 - 4.058
Class rank GPA cut-offs for 2011 - 2012 graduates are as follows:
- Top 10%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.578 - 4.058
- Top 25%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.367 - 4.058
- Top 50%: A cumulative GPA** of 3.130 - 4.058
- Top 75%: A cumulative GPA** of 2.837 - 4.058
* First Year GPA as of August 16, 2012. First year GPA includes a maximum of 30 credits of first year coursework. Courses, with the exception of Summer 2012 Torts, must have been completed by June 2012.
**Cumulative GPA as of June 14, 2012.
Dean's List
The Dean's List is comprised of the top ten percent (10%) of the current year students by year according to yearly grade point average.
Graduation Honors
Beginning with the May 2011 graduating class, graduation honors will be as follows:
| Top 2% of the Graduating Class |
summa cum laude |
| Next 8% of the Graduating Class |
magna cum laude |
| Next 23.3% of the Graduating Class |
cum laude |
The grade point average cut-offs that correspond to the percentages for each honors level will be published on a yearly basis on the Law School's website and in the Student Handbook. In calculating the grade point average cut-offs, we will use the average GPA data from the prior three academic years. Once published following the spring semester, the grade point average cut-offs will be applicable for the following August, December and May graduating classes.
For August 2012, December 2012 and May 2013 Graduates, the grade point cut-offs will be as follows:
| 3.74 | summa cum laude |
| 3.52 | magna cum laude |
| 3.24 | cum laude |
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