What grade is considered a passing grade?

A grade of D- (0.7) is considered passing but not satisfactory. That is, you will receive course credit for a class in which you receive a "D-", but you must have a minimum of a C (2.0) average to be considered as making satisfactory academic progress. An overall average of less than 2.0 will keep you from graduating and may also jeopardize your financial aid. Note that at Connecticut College (which is not the case at all institutions) grades can include plusses and minuses.

May I repeat a course if I don't like the grade I received?

You may not repeat any course for which you have received credit, that is, a course in which you have a passing grade.

What happens if I fail a course?

You do not receive college credit for a course you have failed. You will be allowed to repeat a course you have failed, but the original grade will show up on your transcript and will be factored into your overall GPA.

What is the difference between the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory option and the Pass/Not Passed option?

A few courses are designated Pass/Not Passed by the offering department because there is no letter grade option, and you may take courses with this designation whenever they are offered. In general, only regular four-credit academic courses fall under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory option.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory: In each semester of the junior and senior years (to a maximum of four semesters), a student with a cumulative and current grade-point average of 2.0 may elect one otherwise letter-graded course for which the instructor is required to enter the final mark as either Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U). This option cannot be exercised for any course that may be counted toward the major, even if the minimum requirements for the major have already been completed.  Courses taken with this option may not be counted toward a minor or College-wide requirement.