Steps for Starting a Grade Dispute
Instructions for STUDENT
You may do all of this electronically.
1. You must discuss your grade with your professor within 45 calendar days of the deadline for
grade submission, which is posted on “Important Student Dates and Deadlines” on the
Montgomery College website.
2. If you still want to dispute your grade, you must fill out this Final Grade Dispute Form. Be sure
to sign and date this form.
3. Submit a copy of this form with your completed portion to your professor and the department
chair with a request that the professor fill out the appropriate sections, sign it, and provide a copy
to you and the chair.
4. Make an appointment with the department chair within 10 business days and bring all relevant
materials that you have.
Instructions for FACULTY
1. Please fill out your portion of this form immediately after receiving it.
2. After you complete your section, sign and date the form, then send a copy to the student and to
your department chair.
Final Grade Dispute Form This form must be used when a student wants to dispute a
final grade received in a course. The reason(s) for a grade dispute must be at least one of the
following:
o 1. The basis for the final course grade was the result of something other than the student’s
academic performance;
o 2. The faculty member did not have a process in place for determining the final grade;
o 3. The faculty member did not communicate the process or expectations for determining
the final grade;
o 4. The communicated process for determining the final grade was not followed;
o 5. The standards of performance were not uniformly applied to all students in the class.
By signing below, the student understands that an appeal cannot move forward without this form.
This form may be distributed electronically.
Student name:
MC ID#:
Course:
Final grade received:
Have you met with the instructor to discuss your final grade?
Yes
No
If no, you will need to meet with your instructor before proceeding with the grade dispute.
If yes, when? Date
Time
Give as much detail as you can to describe why yo
u are disputing this course grade, with details supporting each
numbered box checked above.
Student signature:
Date:
Instructor signature:
Date:
complete Academic Regulations, then scroll down to 9.44.
This form can be completed electronically, and may also be submitted electronically by saving it to your
computer, then attaching the completed file to an email to the appropriate person(s).
By signing above, the student acknowledges that they are initiating a final grade dispute in accordance
with Montgomery College Academic Regulation 6.6, and agrees to abide by all stipulations of that
regulation.
REASONS FOR DISMISSAL OF GRADE DISPUTE
The appeal will be dismissed and the current grade will remain if
o The reasons given for a grade dispute do not fall under the situations covered above.
o The dispute concerns the professional academic judgment of the instructor, such as grading or other
policies clearly articulated in the syllabus.
o The same or substantially the same complaint has been resolved by any other formal dispute
procedure, including petitioning the Academic Appeals Committee.
o Required timelines were not followed by the student.
The Academic Regulations can be found at http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/pnp/#Chapter_5. Click on Number
53001 to open a pdf file with the complete Academic Regulations, then scroll down to 6.6.
To the instructor: Please give a detailed account of how you arrived at the student's current course grade, and
return this form to the student promptly. This form may be returned electronically to the student.
For additional questions, please seek the assistance of a counselor.