Full Time and Part Time Student Considerations

Q1.  How many hours are needed to be a full time student?

  • 12 hours are required in summer, fall and spring to be considered a full time student.

Q2.  Do I need to be a full time student?

  • Co-op - Co-op students are required to be full time. Exceptions can be made in the summer if necessary. Please direct questions to the Center for Career Development & Discovery.
  • Financial Aid/Loans/Scholarships - If you have loans, scholarships or financial aid, you may need to be full time during the fall, spring, and summer. Students needs to verify this with their financial aid advisor in the Financial Aid Department. Click here for more information about eligibility requirements for financial aid.
  • Health Insurance - If students are using their parent's health insurance, the insurance company may require the student to be full time (except during the summer semester.) With the new health care law effective 1/2011, students may not need to show full time enrollment to be eligible for healthcare. Students need to check with each individual insurance company.
  • HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship - HOPE and the Zell Mill Scholarships do not require that students be full time. The scholarships will be prorated based on your registration. Click here for more information.
  • International Students - International students are required to be full time students. Sometimes in the summer, but not always.  Questions about this should be directed to the Office of International Education (OIE).  International students in their last semester can request a reduced course load through I-Start.  This must be approved to be less than full time in your last semester. 
  • GI Bill Recipients - Students on the GI bill should check with the registrar's office to understand the benefits for not being full time.
  • Other - Other things to think about are car insurance (if you are getting a discounted rate for being a full time student), etc.
  • Parents/Guardians - Students should always consult their parents or guardians if they intend to be part time students.
  • Housing - Students living in housing on the campus may be required to be a full time student. Students must verify with the GT housing department.

Q3.  I plan to drop a class and as a result I will drop below 12 hours. Am I still a considered a full time student?

Pass/Fail Classes

Q1.  Can I take a class Pass/Fail instead of a letter grade?

  • All classes that you are going to use for your BSME or BSNRE degree (including free electives), must be taken for a letter grade. If you take a class required for the BSME or BSNRE degree pass/fail, you will not get credit for the class and you will be required to take it over for a letter grade. Only classes taken in addition to your BSME or BSNRE may be taken pass/fail.

Q2. How do I know if a class is being offered pass/fail?

  • Click here for instructions to see if a class is offered pass/fail.

Q3.  How do I change a class from pass/fail to letter grade?

  • Instructions to change the grade mode during active registration times are:
    • Log into Buzzport
    • Select the Registration (OSCAR) link
    • On the Registration tab at the top, select Register For Classes
    • Select the correct term and press Submit
    • Go to the Schedule Details section on the bottom to change the grade mode for a class
  • After Phase 2 registration closes and before the last day to drop an individual class for the semester, students can change the grade mode from letter grade to pass/fail (and vice-versa) by filling out a form.
    • Fill out the Request for Grade Mode Change form.  You must use the Docusign version of the form and send to Kristi Mehaffey at kl127@gatech.edu for the ME signature. 
    • As long as you use the template correctly, it will automatically route to each department for approval and to the Registrar's Office for the final change to the transcript.   
  • After phase 2 registration closes, there is no way to change the grade mode to or from audit mode.

Transcripts

Q1.  How do I get an official copy of my transcript?

Q2. How can I get an unofficial copy of my transcript?

  • Unofficial copies of transcripts can be viewed in Buzzport.
    • Log into Buzzport
    • On the Student tab at the top, select Registration (OSCAR)
    • On the All Users screen, select Student Profile
    • Select Academic Transcript
    • Select All Levels under Transcript Level and External Transcript-WEB in the Transcript Type drop down box
    • You can print this document to use as an unofficial transcript

Q3.  Can my advisor give me a copy of my transcript?

  • Advisors are not authorized to give students copies of transcripts. You will need to order an official copy or use Buzzport to obtain an unofficial copy of your transcript.

Grade Requirements

Q1.  Is a D a passing grade?

  • For all ME and NRE students a D is a passing grade except for the classes which specifically require a C or better on your curriculum. Additional requirements are:
    • NRE: Your Major GPA must be 2.0 or better.  The Major GPA includes all required NRE classes, ME 3322, ME 3340 and all concentration classes. You must have a C or better in MATH 1551, MATH 1552, MATH 1553, MATH 2551 and MATH 2552. In addition, all of the NRE GPA classes must be passed with a C or better, with the exception of nine hours which can be a D.
    • ME: Your Major GPA must be 2.0 or better. The Major GPA includes all ME and COE classes required by name and number, plus ISYE 3025, ECE 3710, ECE 3741, MSE 2001, Design Elective and ME Elective. Research and special problems classes are not included in the Major GPA. You must have a C or better in MATH 1551, MATH 1552, MATH 1553, MATH 2551, MATH 2552, PHYS 2211 and COE 2001. In addition, all of the major GPA classes must be passed with a C or better, with the exception of nine hours which can be a D.

Q2.  If I earn a D in a class, can I take the next class in the pre-req chain?

  • All ME and NRE classes with a pre-req class requiring C or better grade are enforced. This is not the case for other classes such as Math, Physics, etc.  All classes that require a C or better are listed in the curriculum guides.  Some examples are below:
    • ME 3322:  The pre-reqs for ME 3322 are PHYS 2211 and MATH 2552.  You can only register for ME 3322 if you have a C or better in MATH 2552 and a C or better in PHYS 2211.  If you have D in MATH 2552 or a D in PHYS 2211, you will not be able to register for ME 3322 until you have a C or better in both of the pre-req classes. 
    • ME 3340:  The pre-reqs for ME 3340 are ME 2202, ME 3322, MATH 2551 and MATH 2552.  Students can only register for ME 3340 if they have a C or better in both MATH 2551 and MATH 2552.  Students can register for ME 3340 with a D in ME 2202 and a D in ME 3322 because a C or better is not required in those classes.
    • MATH 1552: The pre-req for MATH 1552 is MATH 1551.  Because this is not an major class, students with a D in MATH 1551 can move on to MATH 1552.  Students must repeat MATH 1551 to get a C or better per the ME rules, but the student can still take MATH 1552 with a D in MATH 1551.  On a side note, the ME department feels very strongly that a student who has a D in MATH 1551 should repeat MATH 1551 before moving to MATH 1552.  Students who do not perform well in MATH 1551 really struggle in MATH 1552.

Q3.  Is a F a passing grade?

  • Earning an F in a class is not passing.  Students who earn an F must repeat the class and will not be able to use this as a pre-requisite to the next class.  

Q4.  Can I take a class Pass/Fail instead of a letter grade?

  • Any classes that you are going to use for your BSME or BSNRE including free electives, must be taken for a letter grade.
  • Click here for instructions to change the grade mode during active registration times.
  • After Phase 2 registration closes and before the last day to drop an individual class for the semester, students can change the grade mode from letter grade to pass/fail (and vice-versa) using the Request for Grade Mode Change form. This can only be done for classes that are offered in both grade modes.
  • After phase 2 registration closes, there is no way to change the grade mode to or from audit mode.

Repeating Classes

Q1.  Can I take a class at another school which I have already taken at Georgia Tech?

  • No!!! Georgia Tech will NOT award credit for courses successfully completed at another institution which were previously taken at Georgia Tech. This is regardless of the grade you received at Georgia Tech (A, B, C, D, F or Incomplete). If you have a 'W' on your transcript, then you may transfer the class into Georgia Tech.

Q2.  I transferred a class into Georgia Tech, but decided to take it over at Georgia Tech. Can I still use my original transfer credit?

  • No!!! If you decide to repeat a class at Georgia Tech and complete the class, your transfer credit will be removed from your transcript. If you receive a 'W' on your transcript, then you may still use your original transfer credit.

Q3.  If I repeat a class, will my first grade be removed from my GPA?

Grade Substitution Policy

Q1. Does Georgia Tech have a grade substitution policy?

  • Yes, starting summer 2019 and later, a grade substitution policy exists for all undergraduate students,

Q2. What courses can I use to substitute my grade?

  • Undergraduate students may repeat for grade substitution up to two GT courses with posted letter grades of D or F. These courses will be excluded from calculation of their cumulative grade point average.  A course is not eligible for grade substitution if the student was found responsible for any academic misconduct in that course regardless of how many times it is repeated. Grades excluded under previous Institute rules (such as the Grade Substitution policy that was in effect up until 2019) count toward the maximum two courses allowed for substitution.

Q3. Is there anything I need to do to have my grade substituted?

  • Yes. A course can be taken for grade substitution only once and must be repeated within one calendar year. 
  • After you have repeated the course at Georgia Tech and earned a grade for the repeated course, fill out the application for grade substitution by the deadline for your next semester in residence after repeating the class.

Q4. When is my grade substitution form due?

  • The application for grade substitution must be filed with the Registrar's Office (after being signed by your academic advisor and the dean's office) no later than the deadline for withdrawing from a course during the student's next term in residence after the course is repeated.  In residence is considered as taking any classes at Georgia Tech including on-line, study abroad or on-campus. 

Q5. Will the original grade be removed from my transcript?

  • No. The original course and grade will continue to appear on the student's transcript, with a notation that the course was repeated and that the original grade is not included in computation of the academic average.

Q6. Will the original grade be counted in my HOPE GPA?

  • Yes. There is no grade substitution policy for HOPE or Zell, or any type of financial aid.  See the financial aid web site for more information.

Q7. How does the Grade Substitution Policy affect my financial aid?

GPA Information

Q1.  How do I calculate my overall GPA?

  • Click here for GPA calculation instructions.

Q2.  How is my Major GPA (ME or NRE) calculated?

  • ME: The Major GPA averages all grades from all ME and COE classes required by name and number plus ECE 3710, ECE 3741, MSE 2001, ISYE 3025, the Design Elective and the ME Elective. ME classes use for free electives are not included in the Major GPA. Click here to download a Major GPA Calculator (Excel spreadsheet).
  • NRE: The NRE GPA averages all the grades from the required NRE classes, plus ME 3322, ME 3340 and the concentration classes. This GPA is calculated only using the grades from your most recent classes. For example, if you took a class twice, only the latest grade is used to calculate your NRE GPA. Click here to download an NRE GPA Calculator (Excel spreadsheet).

Q3.   Is there any place that I can find my ME or NRE GPA without calculating it on my own?

Q4.  If I take classes at another school, are those grades included in my Georgia Tech GPA?

  • No. Your Georgia Tech GPA is calculated using classes taken at Georgia Tech only.

Q5.  If I repeat a class, will my first grade be removed from my GPA?

  • If you repeat a class both grades will be included in your overall GPA.  For example, if you take COE 2001 and receive a D, and then repeat it with a B, both the 2 hour D and the 2 hour B will be counted in your overall GPA.  There is a limited grade substitution policy that may apply to you.

Scholarships: Including Hope & Zell 

Q1.  How do I find my HOPE GPA and my HOPE hours?

Q2.  Where can I find more information about the HOPE and Zell Scholarships?

Q3.  Do you have any resources for additional scholarships?

Q4.  Should I pay a fee to apply to outside scholarships?

  • Outside scholarships are from organizations that are not part of Georgia Tech. As a reminder, scholarship applications should be free. Scholarship services that charge a fee to search for scholarships or file an application could be scams. 

Midterm Grades

Q1.  What are Midterm Grades?

  • Midterm Grades (also called Progress Reports) are given in all 1000 and 2000 level classes. These grades are either a U (unsatisfactory) or an S (satisfactory). They give you an idea of how you are doing in class around the midterm time period.

Q2.  Do my Midterm Grades count in my GPA?

  • No. They do not show up on a transcript and they are not counted toward your GPA.

Q3.  How do I see my Midterm Grades?

  • Go to Buzzport and log in.
  • Select Registration (OSCAR)
  • Select the Students tab at the top
  • Select Grades

Q4.  Do I need to have my Midterm Grades changed if they are incorrect?

  • No. Midterm Grades are not counted toward your GPA and do not show up on your transcript, so there is no way to change them if they are incorrect.

Readmission after Academic Dismissal Information

Q1.  I've been dropped from school, what do I do now?

  • If you have been dropped from school, you will be required to sit out of school two or three semesters before you can apply for readmission. You will receive an email from Kristi Mehaffey explaining what is involved in that process.  

Q2. I've been dropped from school a second time, what do I do now?

Q3.  Do I really need to sit out for two or three semesters?

  • Yes, there are no exceptions to this rule! The number of semesters that you must sit out depends on your current academic standing. Contact Kristi Mehaffey for details.  

Q4.  When is my readmission paperwork due to the registrar's office?

  • Click here to view the registrar's calendar for readmission after academic dismissal.

Dropping a Class

Q1.  Should I drop a class?

  • Dropping a class is a very serious matter. You should see how it will affect your classes for the next few semesters because it may be a pre-req to something you need next semester. Also, multiple W's on a transcript are not looked upon favorably by employers. Other things to consider are listed in the questions below.  Be sure you review all of the information in this section before making your final decision.
  • Sometimes dropping a class is the best option.  If you are certain there is no way to pass a class, then dropping a class may be the better option so you don't hurt your GPA.  Keep in mind that dropping a class may delay your graduation and sometimes it is better to keep a class.  
  • Having one or two withdraws on a transcript is not bad, but it is not something that should do on a regular basis because it will not be viewed favorably by employers or prospective graduate schools.
  • We always recommend meeting with your professor before dropping a class, to see where you stand in the class and obtain advice to get back on track in the class.

Q2.  How do I drop a class?

  • All holds must be removed before a student can drop a course. Click here for instructions to view holds.
  • There is no refund for a dropped course, unless you drop every course you are registered for  prior to drop day.
  • Full time students who withdraw from a course which takes them below 12 hours, will no longer be considered full time.
  • If there is an academic integrity violation pending, the student may not drop the class.
  • Click here for instructions to drop a class.

Q3. Is there a limit to the number of classes that I can drop?

  • No. There is no limit to the number of classes you can drop, including ME classes. However, multiple W's on a transcript are not looked upon favorably by employers. Dropping a class is a serious matter and should be carefully considered before making a final decision.

Q4.  When is the deadline to drop a class?

Q5.  How do I verify that I dropped my class?

  • A video of these instructions can be found here
  • Go to www.buzzport.gatech.edu and log in
  • Select Registration (OSCAR)
  • Select the Registration tab at the top
  • Select Register for Classes
  • Select the Current Term and press Submit
  • Go to the bottom right panel and select the Action box for the class you want to drop (see screenshot)
  • In the drop down selection choose Course Drop by Student
  • The Schedule Details tab in the bottom left panel will now show as Withdrawn for that particular course (see screenshot)  
  • Any classes that are dropped before the deadline to drop a class will show up on your transcript as a 'W' (withdraw).  'W' grades are not included in your GPA.  Georgia Tech does not have 'WF' (withdraw failing) grades.

Q7.  I plan to drop a class.  What are the things I need to consider?

  • Students who have financial aid, loans, grants, scholarships or the HOPE/ZELL scholarships are required to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).  One of the requirements for SAP is to complete 75% of your attempted hours.
  • If you drop a class and drop below 12 credit hours you are no longer considered a full time student.  The issues listed below may be problematic if you are not full time.
    • Co-op - Co-op students should consult with their co-op advisor before dropping below full time status.
    • Financial Aid/Loans/Scholarships - Some scholarships/loans/financial aid require that you maintain full time status. Students should always verify with their financial aid advisor to verify the requirements of your particular situation. In addition, students are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to maintain future financial aid, loans and scholarships.
    • Health Insurance - Health insurance companies verify a student's status generally once (sometimes twice) a year. With the new health care law effective 1/2011, students may not need to show full time enrollment to be eligible for healthcare. You should always check with the insurance company to see if they have already verified your status for the semester and if it is okay to be a part time student for the semester.
    • HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships - Hope and the Zell Miller scholarships do not require that students be full time. However, any classes in which you receive a 'W' will count against your attempted HOPE hours. In addition, students are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress which will be evaluated at future checkpoints.
    • International Students - International students are required to maintain full time status. There are a very limited number of exceptions to this. Questions about this should be directed to the Office of International Education (OIE).
    • GI Bill Recipients - Students on the GI bill should check with the registrar's office to see how dropping a class will affect your benefits.
    • Parents/Guardians - Students should always consult their parents or guardians if they intend to be part time students.
    • Housing - Students living in housing on the campus may be required to be a full time student. Students must verify with the GT housing department.
    • Pre-requisites - Class pre-requisites are enforced in ME and pre-requisite overrides are not given. Dropping a class may result in an extra semester through the pre-requisite chain. Consult your academic advisor if you are not sure.

Prerequisites and Corequisites

Q1.  How do I find a list of prerequisites or corequisites for classes?

Q2.  On the Program of Study, how do I know if the class is a prerequisite or corequisite?

  • All corequisites have an asterisk (*) after each class. Pre-requisites do not have an asterisk listed.

Q3. Do I really need to take the prerequisites or corequisites for the classes?

  • Yes. The prerequisites and corequisites are there to make sure that you have all of the background information for the class you are going to take. You should make sure that you have the prerequisites for classes that you are going to take. Pre-requisites are strictly enforced for all ME and NRE classes.

Q4.  OSCAR let me sign up for a class without the correct prerequisites or corequisites. Can I still take the class?

  • The prerequisites and corequisites are there to make sure that you have all of the background information for the class you are going to take. You should make sure that you have the prerequisites for classes that you are going to take. Not all classes in OSCAR have the pre-reqs set up correctly.

Free Electives

Q1.  How many free electives do I need?

  • ME students need 15 hours of free electives.  The break down is:
    • 6 hours of 1000 level or above.
    • 9 hours of 2000 level or above.  Students are permitted to use 4 hours of BIOL 1510, BIOL 1520 or CHEM 1212K towards 2000 level free electives.
  • NRE students need 12 hours of free electives.  The break down is:
    • 3 hours of 1000 level or above.
    • 9 hours of 2000 level or above.  Students are permitted to use 4 hours of BIOL 1510, BIOL 1520 or CHEM 1212K towards 2000 level free electives.

Q2.  What options do I have for my free electives?

  • Students are encouraged to pursue further interests or expand on something you are interested in. The free electives are your options to take classes that will enhance or personalize your education, while following the requirements for the free electives. A few suggestions are:
    • Use the classes for minors or certificates
    • Take additional ME or NRE electives
    • Take pre-law or pre-health classes
    • Take management classes
    • Perform undergraduate research (click here for the rules about how research can be used for free electives)
    • Take foreign language classes
    • Take Serve-Learn-Sustain classes
    • Do research or VIP (note the limit on the hours of research and VIP that can be used)
    • Take classes that seem interesting to you
    • Take classes that you need to have for graduate school
    • Take additional social science or humanities electives
    • Take graduate level courses (3.5 GPA is required for ME and NRE graduate courses)

Q3.  What classes are eligible to be used as free electives?

  • Students can use either a max of 6 credits of VIP courses or a max of 6 credits of research / special problems courses (2699, 4699 & 4903) as free electives.  If doing both types of courses, a total of 9 credits is allowed.
  • At least 9 hours of free electives must be at the 2000 level or above with the exception of 4 hours that may be satisfied with one of the following:  BIOL 1510, BIOL 1520, or CHEM 1212K.
  • Free Electives may not repeat the material in any other class used for the BSME degree. For example, MGT 2250 (Management Statistics) does not satisfy a free elective for ME students because there is a required statistics class (MATH 3670) in the curriculum.
  • Free electives must be taken as letter grade.
  • Examples of classes that do not count as free electives:
    • PHYS 2802 and PHYS 2803 (Physics Help Class)
    • PHYS 2XXX
    • MGT 2250 (Management Statistics)
    • Any math classes before Calculus 1 (such as pre-calculus, etc.)
    • ME 3720 (a thermal/fluids science class for non-ME/NRE students)
    • AE 2220 and CEE 2040 duplicate ME 2202 (for ME students)
    • AE 2010 (duplication of ME 3322 and ME 3340)
    • Economics - Among ECON 2100, 2101, 2105 and 2106 students can only receive credit for one class as their economics requirements and not as free electives due to class duplication.  The only exception to that is students can receive credit for ECON 2105 and 2106. 
    • Work or internship experiences
    • Any repeated class
    • Any class that duplicates any other class required for the BSME degree
    • If in doubt, ASK YOUR ADVISOR!

Q4.  Do free electives need to be 3 hours each?

  • No. Free elective hours can be combined. For example: If an ME student is required to have 6 total hours of free electives, the classes do not have to be 3 hours each. The classes can be combined to equal 6 hours. This can be 6 one-hour classes, a two-hour class and a four-hour class, etc.

Q5.  Can the free electives be taken pass/fail?

  • No. Free electives must be taken letter grade. ME students cannot take any classes pass/fail if they want to use them for their BSME curriculum.

Q6.  How do I look for a free elective that is 1 or 2 hours?

Catalog Years

Q1. What is a catalog year?

  • Every student is assigned a Catalog Year when they change their major or when they start at Georgia Tech. The Catalog Year is the same as the curriculum that you are assigned.  Each Catalog Year runs from summer through spring. Ex: A students who changes their major or starts at GT during summer 2021, fall 2021 or spring 2022 is assigned a Catalog Year of 2021-2022 which means that he/she is on the 2021-2022 Curriculum. 

Q2.  How do I know what catalog year I am on?

Q3.  Can I change my catalog year?

  • Students are eligible to move to a later catalog year that is in effect while they are enrolled.  Students must complete all of the requirements for a catalog year; catalog years cannot be combined.

Q4.  How do I change my catalog year?

Second Undergraduate Degrees

Q1.  Can I double major at Georgia Tech?

  • Second Undergraduate Degree - Georgia Tech does not offer double majors but does offer a second undergraduate degree. You must meet all of the requirements for both degrees and earn credit for a total of at least 36 additional hours in excess of the first degree.

Q2.  How do I declare a second major?

  • Second Undergraduate Degree - A Change of Major Form must be filled out declaring the second major. The change of major form must be signed by your current advisor and an advisor in the new major.

DegreeWorks Degree Audit

Q1.  What is DegreeWorks?

  • DegreeWorks is a degree audit system which monitors a student's progress towards graduation. This report is what the registrar uses to verify that all requirements have been met for graduation.

Q2.  Why do I need to look at my Degree Works Audit?

  • It will tell you how far along you are in the curriculum and will identify the required classes that you are missing.  This is also the system that the registrar's office uses to confirm that you are okay to graduate. 

Q3.  How do I look at or print my DegreeWorks audit?

  • Log into DegreeWorks.
  • Keep in mind that DegreeWorks is not perfect, and there may be things that your advisor will have to fix.  If you have any questions about your DegreeWorks audit, then contact your academic advisor.
  • All free electives must be approved by your academic advisor even if they fill in on DegreeWorks. Free electives cannot duplicate any of your other classes required for the BSME degree.

Q4. Can I choose a different major for my DegreeWorks audit?

  • YES! Use the instructions below to run your DegreWorks audit.  You can run a what-if analysis to select a different major. Students should always verify this with an academic advisor in the other department to be sure.
    • Log into DegreeWorks.
    • On the left side of the page, select What-If.
    • Choose the new major in the Degree drop down box. 
    • Select the correct major in the Major drop down box.
    • If you are changing to another major with required concentrations, you must also select the concentration in the Concentration drop down box to see an accurate list of the classes needed.  This would include majors such as CS, ECE and IE.
    • Press the Process What-If button at the top to see your classes on the new curriculum. 

Q5. I am considering moving to the new ME curriculum or changing my catalog year.  Can I choose a catalog year for my DegreeWorks audit?

  • YES! Use the instructions above to run your DegreWorks audit.  You can run a what-if analysis to select a different catalog year.