In the United States, academic grading commonly takes on the form of five, six, or seven letter grades, with the typical letter grades awarded for participation in a course being A, B, C, D, and F. A C grade is a passing grade, but it is generally considered to be an average or mediocre grade. The percentage range for a C grade can vary depending on the grading scale used by the school or institution, but it is typically between 70-79% .