Undergraduate Course D, F, Drop Rates
| This Page Last Updated |
|---|
| 10/01/2026 |
| Description |
| This workbook shows course D/F/drop rates over time and for several demographic categories. It also shows the components of the D/F/drop rate (% of D/F/drops that are Ds, Fs, or drops) and courses where rates of D/F/drops are inequitable by demographic category. |
| Report URL |
| https://tableau.wisconsin.edu/#/views/UndergraduateCourseDFDropRates_0/HomePage?:iid=2 |
| Data Cookbook URL (requires authorization) |
| https://uwmadison.datacookbook.com/institution/reports/31005/versions/86021 |
| Data Domain(s) |
| Academic Planning, Financial Aid, Student Record |
| Data Source Information |
| InfoAccess |
| Data View Information |
| RETENTION_COURSE_HISTORY, RETENTION_STUDENT, RETENTION_DROP_HISTORY, UNDERGRADUATE_RECRUITMENT_CATEGORY, STDNT_ETHNIC_REPORTING, FA_AWARD, STDNT_TERM_CODES, ACADEMIC_SUBJECT |
| Responsible Office |
| Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research |
| Important Notes |
|
Visualization-specific notes on F Grade: For the purposes of this visualization, grades of U ('Unsatisfactory' in a course taken on a pass/fail basis), N ('No credit' in a course taken on a credit/no credit basis), and NW ('No Work') count as Fs in the calculation of the D/F/drop rate. See https://registrar.wisc.edu/grades-and-gpa/ for information about grades and grading policy. UD (University Disruption-No Credit) grades related to COVID are counted as a D/F/drop and included in the D/F/drop rate, but are reported in their own D/F/drop component category due to their uniqueness. See https://kb.wisc.edu/registrar/101311 for information about disruption grading. Visualization-specific notes on cross-listed courses: For the purposes of this visualization, complete D/F/drop information for a cross-listed course in a given term is reported with each of its cross-listed subjects (and their schools/colleges) that had grades or drops in that term. Visualization-specific notes on historical changes to a course subject description, course catalog number, or the school/college that owns a course subject: All historical D/F/drop information for a course is reported with its most recent catalog number and subject description. Course D/F/drop information in a given term is reported with the school/college that owned the course subject in that term. |
Definitions
| Name | Functional Definition | Data Domains |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog Number | A code associated with a course in the course catalog. |
University of Wisconsin - Madison |
| Course D/F/Drop Rate | The number of students whose final course grade/outcome was a D, F, or drop divided by the total course enrollment on the term census date. | Student Record |
| Course Drop | When a student un-enrolls in a course in which they had previously enrolled. | Student Record |
| D Grade | A grade of D is considered "poor" and counts as 1 grade point per credit on a 4.0 grading scale. |
Student Record |
| D/F/Drop Rate | When D/F/Drop rates are aggregate at any other level than a course (for example, by demographic group, curricular subject, school/college) the D/F/Drop rate is the number of D grades, F grades, or course drops divided by the total enrollment. |
Student Record |
| F Grade | A grade of F is considered "failure" and counts as 0 grade points per credit on a 4.0 grading scale. |
Student Record |
| First Generation Status | An undergraduate is considered a first generation student if they reported on their application for admission that neither of their parents had earned a four-year college degree. All others, including those who did not respond to the question are considered non-first generation. |
Student Record |
| Grade | The grade the student received in the course. | Academic Planning, Student Record |
| Male/Female | A binary "Male" or "Female" gender, based on what the individual has reported to the University. |
University of Wisconsin - Madison |
| Pell Recipient | Pell Recipient is an undergraduate student who has received a Federal Pell Grant disbursement during a specified term. |
Financial Aid |
| School/College of Course | Indicates the School/College that has ownership of the Subject under which the course is offered. |
Academic Planning |
| Subject | A grouping of courses, approved by faculty governance, within related academic areas. |
University of Wisconsin - Madison |
| Term | A period of instruction: Fall, Spring, or Summer. |
University of Wisconsin - Madison, UW Madison Enterprise |
| Undergraduate Student | An enrolled student who is pursuing a degree program that leads to a bachelor's degree. | Student Record |
| Underrepresented Student of Color | A domestic (non-international) student who identifies, alone or in combination with other racial/ethnic categories, as African American/Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino(a), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or one or more of the following Asian subcategories (Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, or Vietnamese). |
Student Record |