It is not uncommon for students to have to take developmental courses to bring them up to a level where they can successfully complete college level courses. Developmental courses are not college level courses; they usually have course designators below 1000.

For students in a developmental course, the goal is to work up to a college level class as soon as possible. Often this can be done in one semester, although in math it can take as long as two or three semesters, depending on where a student places.

A heavy load of developmental courses can add a semester on to the length of time it takes to earn a degree from Northwest. It is not unusual for some students to take 12 or 15 credits of developmental courses. Developmental courses do not count towards graduation, nor will they transfer.

However, developmental courses do count towards full-time status and to a student's grade point average. It is crucial that students take these classes if they wish to succeed in college. Many universities do not offer developmental courses, and students who wish to earn a university degree must obtain the necessary background at Northwest before they transfer.