Is a D+ Pass or Fail?

Quick answer: A D+ (67–69%, worth 1.3 grade points) is technically a passing grade at most U.S. colleges and high schools — you earn the credit. But it fails the tests that matter most: majors, prerequisites, transfer agreements and graduate programs almost always require a C− or better, so treat a D+ as "credit earned, box not checked."

Pass or fail, by purpose

For…	Does a D+ count?
Graduation credit hours	✅ Usually yes
General-education requirements	✅ Often yes (check catalog)
Prerequisite for next course	❌ Usually needs C− or C
Courses in your major	❌ Usually needs C
Transfer to another university	❌ Nearly always needs C
Pass/fail conversion	✅ Converts to P at most schools
Academic-standing GPA (2.0)	⚠️ 1.3 points — drags you toward probation

The GPA arithmetic of a D+

A D+ carries 1.3 grade points. In a 15-credit semester of otherwise straight Bs, one 3-credit D+ turns a 3.0 term into a 2.66. Two D+ semesters in a row is how students on 2.0-standing requirements slide into probation while "passing everything." If the course matters to your degree path, most advisors will tell you a retake with grade replacement beats carrying the D+.

Retake or keep it?

Keep the D+ when the course is a terminal elective you'll never build on — the credit works and your time is better spent ahead. Retake it when it's a prerequisite (you'll be required to anyway), in your major, or when your school's grade-replacement policy lets the new grade overwrite the 1.3 in your GPA. One retaken course is often the single fastest GPA repair available.

Try it yourself: GPA Calculator

See exactly what a D+ does to your GPA — and what retaking it would recover.

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Frequently asked questions

Is a D+ passing in high school?

At most U.S. high schools yes (the floor is 60%), and it earns credit toward graduation. But NCAA eligibility, some scholarship programs and many colleges' admissions math treat Ds harshly — a retake in summer school is a common fix.

Does a D+ satisfy pass/fail?

Usually yes — most schools convert D− or better into a P. Ironically, that means electing pass/fail can 'launder' a D+ out of your GPA. You can't usually elect it retroactively, though.

What GPA do straight D+ grades produce?

1.3 — well below the 2.0 minimum for good standing at virtually every college. A D+ is survivable as an exception, not a pattern.