A C is the eighth highest grade on the U.S. high school and college grading scale ranging from A+ to F. A letter C means satisfactory or average performance in a class.
The percent value for a C is 73-76. This means that the student answered 73-76 percent of the questions correctly on tests or earned 73-76 percent of points on assignments. The C letter grade range (C+/C/C-) extends from 79% to 70%, so a C is in the middle of the C scale.
A C is not a good grade. By traditional definition it means "satisfactory" however you're just satisfying the minimum requirements for the class. You've scored around 75% on tests and assignments, however you missed 25% so there is still a gap in your performance. A C average (2.0 GPA) is well below the B average for most high school students (3.0 GPA).
The GPA scale value for a C is a 2.0 grade average. 2.0 grade points are assigned to classes when calculating GPA's using the unweighted 4.0 scale. Any GPA higher than 2.0 and lower than 2.3 is considered a C average.
You can earn a C average by getting C's in every class, or offsetting a lower grade with more than one C+'s or B's. For example, if you got an C, C, C-, B- and B, the B- and B will cancel out the C- and you will have a 2.28 GPA (C). In summary, you need to earn more B's or C+'s than C-'s. The math can be tricky, so it's easier to try a example using a GPA calculator.
To get a C average, you will need to go to all classes, pay attention, study, and turn in assignments on time. Become and active participant in classroom discussions and don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask your teacher or a tutor for extra help if you're having trouble understanding something. Do all of your homework - every night before other activities. You should concentrate on scoring 73 or better on all of your assignments and tests.
The C grade range is from 73 to 76 and C+'s are awarded from 77 to 79. Hence a 75 is only a C, not a C+.
Yes, a C is a passing grade and is indicative of average or satisfactory performance. In most high schools, all grades above an F are passing. Getting a few C's isn't the end of the world. However, if plan on going on to college, you should really try to limit the number of C's as they will drag down your GPA below a 3.0.
If you earned all C's in a semester, you would have a 2.0 GPA as a C is worth 2.0 grade points.
A C average is often considered the lowest GPA where you have a chance to get into standard four year colleges colleges so your choices are limited. Consider these 6 selective four year colleges where the average high school grades for incoming freshman is in the C range (average GPA 2.0 +/- .2). These are a good match and you have a very competitive chance getting into all of these. Popular colleges include Metropolitan College of New York, Voorhees College, Selma University, Virginia University of Lynchburg.
There are 8 reach colleges where you may get in with a C average. Acceptance may be tougher because your grades are a bit lower or competition for acceptance is high.
Additionally, you may want to consider these 443 safety schools where the average GPA is lower than a C or the colleges have open admission policies (100% acceptance). You are likely to get into these colleges.
Also consider starting out at a two year community college and getting your grades up. If you put in some hard work and earn a higher GPA in community college, you can then transfer to a more selective four year college for your remaining years.
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Reference table of the letter grade scale with grade points and percent equivalents. This grading is used my most U.S. high schools and colleges using an unweighted 4.0 scale. Use this table to convert a letter grade to a GPA or percentage.
Grade | Points | Percent |
---|---|---|
A+ | 4.0 | 97-100 |
A | 4.0 | 93-96 |
A- | 3.7 | 90-92 |
B+ | 3.3 | 87-89 |
B | 3.0 | 83-86 |
B- | 2.7 | 80-82 |
C+ | 2.3 | 77-79 |
C | 2.0 | 73-76 |
C- | 1.7 | 70-72 |
D+ | 1.3 | 67-69 |
D | 1.0 | 63-66 |
D- | 0.7 | 60-62 |
F | 0.0 | 59 or lower |