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Frequently Asked Questions

What is "scrunch"?

"Scrunch" refers to Carleton's Satisfactory/ Credit/No Credit (S/Cr/NC) grading option. For this option, S=A to C-, Cr=D+ to D-, NC=F. A student may choose to take up to 30 credits on a S/Cr/NC basis during the four years at Carleton, but only up to 6 credits in any one term. Opting to take a course on a S/Cr/NC basis will be a two-step process: by the second week of the term (that is, before the end of the drop/add period), a student may designate one course as a potential S/Cr/NC option--this is called pre-S/Cr/NCing; before the last day of classes the student may elect to exercise that option or not. A student can only "scrunch" a course that has already been "pre-scrunched". By the end of the term, you must go to the Registrar's Office to actually "scrunch" the class. If this is not done, you will be graded using regular grading options (letter grades).

The limit of 30 credits does not include mandatory S/Cr/NC courses, nor does it include courses in applied music or music courses number 185 to 199 (Carleton Choir, Carleton Pro Musica, African Drum Ensemble, etc.). Graduate schools sometime re-compute GPAs and assign S grades the same value as a C-, so using this option is something you'll want to discuss with your adviser after you arrive on campus.

  • Dean of the College Office, "Advising Handbook", 18 March 2005
  • Keywords: scrunch, s/cr/nc, pass fail, pre-scrunched

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