The Basics

This sounds like a t-shirt catalogue

UBC can be a confusing place. These answers to a few FAQs should help your blood pressure.

What is Credit/D/Fail?

Want to explore interesting but potentially challenging electives? Fear not — try Credit/D/Fail. UBC will give you a Cr on your transcript if your grade is 55 per cent and above, a D for a grade between 50-54.9 per cent and an F if you fail. More importantly, a Cr or a D will still give you the credits but won’t be factored into your GPA. You have until the add/drop deadline to register for this option.

How and when can I Withdrawing from a class?

You can withdraw from any course with no strings attached if you do so before the add/drop deadline. After this deadline, you will receive a W notation on your transcript. Having one or two notations usually doesn’t mean much for grad school admission, but having a pattern of W’s or too many W’s in your transcript probably does.

Past the second add/drop deadline, only students with extenuating circumstances, such as a loss in the family or medical problems can be withdrawn at the discretion of advising, so keep that in mind.

“If you’re a wanderer, or stressed, frustrated, or bored, take a break from late night studying and wander about campus. Deviate from your normal route; search out unknown buildings; feed your curiosity and question what’s behind that wall or down that staircase or beyond that landmark out the corner of your eye.”

— Maria Sottile

What are Academic Probation and Failed Standing?

If your sessional average is between 55-50 per cent, you will be put on academic probation. You can only take up to 12 credits in either winter term and 11 credits in the summer.

If your sessional average is below 50 per cent, you will gain a failed standing. Depending on your faculty, this will have different consequences. You must withdraw from UBC if you continue to have a failed standing for two sessions in a row.

It becomes awfully more complicated if you have been on academic probation or failed standing before. In this case, you should check UBC’s website and talk to academic advisors to maintain a clear path forward.

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