By Amanda Lagoe, Assistant Registrar 

While you may be familiar with standard letter or pass/no pass outcomes on your transcript, two outcomes may be less familiar: incomplete (IN) and administrative withdrawal (ZW). To help you understand these outcomes, the Office of the Registrar has answered our most frequently asked questions about incompletes and administrative withdrawals. 

Incomplete (IN) Outcome 
 
What is an incomplete? 
An IN outcome is essentially a placeholder on your transcript that indicates you are still completing work for the course after the course has ended. Per college policy, students who receive an IN outcome have a maximum of 15 weeks from the last day of the course to complete the work. However, an instructor can specify an earlier completion date. 

How do I get an incomplete? 
Students may request an IN outcome from an instructor, but it is essential to remember that an instructor is not obligated to grant an incomplete. An instructor may only submit an IN outcome if the student has successfully completed at least 50% of the work before the last day of the course. Remember, the last day of Express Term One is Friday, March 11. This is not the last day of the 15-week term. If you are unsure of when your course ends, consult your learning contract. 

How does an IN outcome become a letter grade? 
Instructors have 30 days beyond the incomplete deadline to submit a grade change. If the instructor does not submit the grade change by the grading deadline, the IN will become an F. Students who selected the pass or no pass grade option will receive a P or NP outcome. 
 

Administrative Withdrawal (ZW) Outcome 
 
What is an administrative withdrawal? 
An instructor enters a ZW outcome if a student registers for a course but does not engage in the work at all or participates and completes the work initially but then stops participating in the course and does not withdraw. This outcome is different from a withdrawal because the student does not initiate it. A student should withdraw from a course if they do not wish to continue. 

Will a ZW outcome show on my transcript or affect my GPA or academic standing? 
The ZW will show on your transcript like any other outcome you receive for a course. A ZW has no impact on your GPA or academic standing as only letter grades impact your GPA, and your GPA determines your academic standing. 

Can I repeat the course in a future term to remove the ZW outcome from my transcript? 
You can enroll in the course again, but it will not count as a repeat study as you did not complete the course. All outcomes will display on your transcript. 

Will a ZW outcome impact my financial aid or military benefits? 
A ZW outcome may impact your financial aid status. Please visit our website to learn more about the implications of this outcome: Impact on Current and Future Financial Aid. 

A ZW outcome will impact your military benefits, and you may need to repay the benefits received for the course. Please contact the Veteran Certifying Official for more information at VCO@esc.edu. 

If you have further questions about incompletes or administrative withdrawals, the Office of the Registrar is available to answer your questions: RegistrarsOffice@esc.edu.