If At First You Don’t Succeed, Try Again

Golfers take a mulligan.  Children shake the Etch-a-Sketch.  For college students, it’s called using a repeat option.

At the University of Kentucky, students are afforded a total of three (3) ‘do-overs,’ formally termed repeat options, over the course of their academic career.

With a repeat option, a student is allowed to repeat a course and then replace the grade from the first attempt with the second grade earned in his or her cumulative (overall) GPA.  Thus, repeat options are a good way to work on raising your grade point average (GPA) relatively quickly.

Students seeking to use a repeat option must fill out a Repeat Option Form with their college.  This form is submitted to the Registrar, who removes the quality hours and any quality points earned from the first attempt from the student’s transcript.

Undergraduate Studies students must come to Miller Hall and meet with an academic advisor, who will assist in completing the form, then sign and send it to the Registrar.

It is important to note that a repeat option can only be used to make the second grade count for a particular course.  Additional attempts are not eligible for repeat options.  Also, students must be enrolled at UK at the time the repeat option is filed and can exercise the repeat option any time prior to graduation.

Students can use repeat options to replace any grade, although it seems most common for students to repeat courses in which they earned a D or E.  Sometimes, students choose to repeat a course they did not do particularly poorly in (e.g., earned a C in their first attempt) in hopes of earning a higher grade in a pre-major course or to raise their GPA for a scholarship they receive, for example.

Note:  Even after a repeat option is filed, the academic status for the semester of the first attempt will remain the same on the transcript.

The first attempt also remains on the transcript as a record of completion of the course in that term, though the quality hours and quality points are removed. 

As this next semester approaches, think about how repeat options might help you to repair and maximize your GPA.  Be sure to speak with your academic advisor for assistance with registration, filing Repeat Option Forms and any additional questions you may encounter.

Undergraduate Studies offers walk-in advising services to all UK students, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.  We are always happy to help!