How students can verify correct grading information for spring

We are two weeks into a new semester at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and it is important that students have all the online resources they need to help them throughout their school year.

Using these online resources can be tricky and may lead to some confusion amongst students, as can technology in general. Understanding how to use the university’s online academic systems can help students find and request their information.

University Registrar Amy DesOrmeaux informed students on how they can view their grade point average.

“The transcript (official or unofficial) is the most reliable source for the student’s overall GPA,” DesOrmeaux said.

A student can head to the academics tab on UL Lafayette’s ULink domain and locate the “Transcripts & Enrollment Verification” section in between “Academic Support” and “Academic Calendar.” There, they have the option to view their unofficial transcript and request an official transcript from the registrar’s office.

When viewing an unofficial transcript, a student is presented with the option to view their undergraduate transcript, graduate transcript or their transcript for all levels.

It’s important to note that when viewing an unofficial transcript, all courses that are currently in progress may be included. A student’s GPA may appear slightly different in the unofficial transcript due to this.

Courses that have been retaken, or duplicate courses, are also included in a student’s transcript.

“When a student repeats a class, all attempts are calculated into the overall GPA,” DesOrmeaux said.

Students should note that if they retake a course or are considering retaking a course, all attempts that aren’t dropped with a ‘W’ will be reflected on their official transcript. The university’s academic calendar will show when the final day a student can drop a class with a ‘W’ will be. Students should also check their university email often as these dates are sometimes subject to change under certain circumstances.

DesOrmeaux urges students to be aware that viewing their GPA on other campus services can possibly cause some confusion. One service that can cause some confusion is DegreeWorks, which allows students and advisors to track progress towards a degree.

Associate Director of Academic Programs and Policies Cammy Green ensures students that their overall GPA on the service is accurate.

“The overall GPA reflected on the DegreeWorks student audit matches the overall GPA listed on the transcript and unofficial transcript,” Green said.

DegreeWorks does, however, show students their GPA in different contexts. For example, the service will show a student their GPA for their minor and their GPA for their major. The service also shows separate GPAs for transfer credits and different departments such as general education and modern language. These are just a student’s overall GPA broken down into smaller sections.

It is important to note the only value in DegreeWorks that reflects what appears on the official and unofficial transcript is overall GPA.

In order to request an official transcript, a student must follow the prompt to the university’s website and hit “Request a Transcript”. This will redirect the student to a form that they must fill out via Parchment. Once completed, the request will take two to three business days to process.

Another way for students to view their overall GPA is through “View Grade Report” on the ULink academics page. After selecting a term and course level, students will be able to view four different GPA values near the top of the dashboard. From left to right, they are listed as follows: selected term, institutional, transfer, and overall.

If a student selects “Fall 2022” under term, the first value represents the GPA for that given semester. “Institutional” reflects a student’s GPA while at UL Lafayette, while “Transfer” reflects a student’s GPA for credits transferred from outside the university. Overall GPA should reflect what appears on the official transcript.

The most important notice for students is to always double-check the context in which they are viewing their grade point average to avoid any confusion. If a student is unsure, they can contact the Office of the University Registrar at our@louisiana.edu.