GlossaryA list of definitions to help you understand our terminology. Associate Degree: A two-year degree from a community college. GCC offers the following associate degrees:
- Associate of Arts (AA)
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
- Associate of General Studies (AGS)
Students who plan to transfer to a university to earn a bachelor's degree should get the AA degree. Audit: If you "audit" a course it means you register for the class just to listen and learn. You will receive no credit, no grade, no homework, and no examinations. GCC charges a higher tuition for auditing a class. Course number
: A number that follows the course abbreviation in the subject code. For example, ENG101 is the subject code for English 101. Higher numbers usually indicate a more advanced course. Credit hour: A academic unit that measures the weight or load of a class. Usually, for one hour spent in the class per week, you will receive one credit if you successfully pass the class. You need a certain number of credits to graduate with a degree from a college or university. Elective: A class that you choose to take that is not part of your major or minor. Electives usually count toward your graduation requirements. Fee: A charge for institutional services that is not part of tuition. For example, GCC charges each student a $5 registration fee every semester. Freshman: A first-year student who has completed less than 30 credit hours General Education: Classes that all students must take, usually
in the first and second year. For example, all students must take English and mathematics. Grade Point Average: (GPA) The average grade value factored by the credit hours. How to Calculate Your GPA
For example, suppose you earned the following grades in your first semester:
Subject | Credit | Grade | Points | = | Total | Math | 3 | B | x 3 | = | 9 | English | 3 | A | x 4 | = | 12 | Economics |
3 | C | x 2 | = | 6 | History | 3 | B | x 3 | = | 9 | Chemistry | 4 | A | x 4 | = | 16 | Total | 16 | | | | 52 | Calculation | 52 / 16 = 3.25 | GPA is 3.25 |
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Grading System: The Maricopa Community Colleges, including GCC, use the
following grading system: Grade | Description | Points per credit hour | A | Excellent | 4 | B | Above Average | 3 | C | Average | 2 | D | Passing | 1 | F |
Failure | 0 | I | Incomplete | Not computed in GPA | IP | In progress | Not computed in GPA | N | Audit | Not computed in GPA |
P* | Credit | Not computed in GPA | W | Withdrawn, passing | Not computed in GPA | Y | Withdrawn, failing |
0 | Z |
No credit | |
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Honor List: The President's Honor List includes all GCC students who completed at least 12 credit hours of courses numbered 100 or higher in a given semester with a GPA of 3.75 or higher. Incomplete: A grade on the student's grade report that means the student's work in the course was not complete. Usually there is a time limit on finishing the work before
the grade changes to a failure (F). See "Grading System" above. Major: The field or career you want to study. For example, business, psychology, engineering, and computer science are majors. Minor: The second subject or field you choose to study. For example, you could have a major in business and a minor in computer science. Prerequisite: A course or proficiency that is required before you can register for a
higher level course. For example, a grade of "C" or better in Math 120 is the prerequisite for Math 150. Probation: Students whose GPA falls below a certain level will be placed on probation. Students on
continued probation may be limited to enrollment in no more than six credit hours per semester. Students who remain on probation cannot graduate. Remedial Class: At GCC, this is a class with a course number less than 100.
Remedial classes are designed to help students prepare for a higher level course. Requirement: A class that you must take for general education or as a part of your major. Sophomore: A student who has completed 30 credit hours or more, but who has not completed an associate degree. Suspension: A student on probation who fails to raise the GPA will be placed on academic suspension for one semester. Transcript
: A complete record of a student's academic work. An official transcript is one that the student uses to transfer credits to another college or university. There is usually a charge for an official transcript. A student can request an unofficial transcript free of charge, but it cannot be used to transfer credits to another institution. Tuition: The amount of money charged for a credit hour. To calculate your tuition,
multiply your credit hours by the tuition charged per credit. For example:
12 C/H x $258 = $3096
Tuition does not include fees, which are extra. | 
