FAQs

For answers to other questions, do just strike up a discussion with classmates!

What is the gradebook for this course?

cs50.me/cs50w. If you’ve never visited that link before, you’ll need to click the link to “enroll,” which really just enables your gradebook access!

I submitted an assignment but nothing is showing up in my Gradebook yet showing that I’ve submitted, why is that?

When you submit the Google Form for each assignment, you should receive an email confirmation; if you get that confirmation, we have your form and it will be graded within three weeks. Only after your work is graded will it typically update in your Gradebook.

My score changed on the Gradebook but I didn’t receive an email about it. Why?

Our staff grades periodically, but grades are never finalized until you receive an email from CS50 Bot, so even if the status changes you should not consider anything final until you get that email.

I submitted a problem, how do I know if I passed?

If your score release email says you got a “1/1” on the project, that is a satisfactory grade and you have passed; otherwise (“0/1”), you did not.

I got a 0/1 on a project from the current version of the course! Can I resubmit?

Yes, of course! You may resubmit, just submit the form again, taking into account the feedback the staff left for you; we will only ever count your highest-scoring submission, so it’s okay to submit as many times as needed, but please try to submit only once until your score is released again, unless you make an error while submitting.

I started in the prior version of CS50W, can I complete those projects instead?

No, you may not.

I got a 0/1 on a project, but I don’t know why. How do I view my feedback?

Unfortunately the Google Forms release interface will occasionally render invisible a link that you can use to see what feedback may have been left for you by the staff. Below your score (“0/1” or “1/1”) in the email from bot@cs50.net releasing your score is a link; if your browser renders that link invisible, hover your mouse around in that area until you find a clickable spot; it’s there, we promise, click your mouse in the area roughly where the black box is in the below image (this particular image is from CS50L, but the score release emails all look the same!)

grading

Do I have to choose Verification before starting the course?

Nope! If you would like an edX Verified Certificate, you can pay for verification at any point, even after completing all of the coursework. Though we recommend, to avoid any logistical issues that can delay certificate issuance, that you verify before finishing the course. Otherwise, you will need to reach out to the staff to request a manual re-issue.

I started CS50W prior to 2023 – what happened to my progress?

At the start of each calendar year (this year, we expect the second week of January 2023), we clean up our gradebook and “reset” it. What happened to your progress depends on when you last submitted a project for the course:

  • If you last submitted (and had graded) a project in 2022, no cause for worry, your past progress is archived. Once you have an assignment submitted and graded in 2023, your past progress will be automatically imported to your gradebook again. Just sit tight and wait for the grading release email within three weeks after you submit.
  • If you last submitted (and had graded) a project in 2021, afraid your progress will not carry over into 2023, and you’ll need to start the course again. After you have been inactive for at least twelve months, the system will no longer retain your old scores.
  • If you actually finished the course in 2022, your gradebook will be removed during this reset, as we do not continue to retain scores for those who’ve finished the course! Your CS50 Certificate (attesting to your completion of the course) will still be available by visiting certificates.cs50.io, however.

I won’t be able to finish the course before 31 December 2023. What will happen?

To be determined! We evaluate the relevance of our courses periodically, and may decide not to continue the course beyond that date. For now, best to assume the final deadline is 2023-12-31T23:59:00-05:00.

Is my child too young to take CS50W?

CS50W is perhaps best suited for ages 12 and up. Younger students might need a hand from a parent.

Does this course have prerequisites?

CS50W should be completed only by those who have completed cs50.me/cs50x or equivalent; it does assume some background.

How do I know if I have completed all requirements for a certificate?

cs50.me/cs50w shows the scores you have received for each submitted project. Once you have completed all requirements, you will see a green banner atop that page, confirming your completion.

If I paid for a verified certificate before 2023, do I need to pay again?

Your verification should be good for an entire year, but if it has expired, you should be able to re-verify yourself via edX’s dashboard.

How do I get my free CS50 Certificate?

Once you have completed the course and met all of the requirements, you’ll see a link on your cs50.me/cs50w page allowing you to request a free CS50 Certificate, much like the one shown here. This link will be available within approximately four hours. If you have trouble accessing it, try logging out of GitHub and back in, then revisit the link to download your certificate.

How do I get my edX Verified Certificate? / Where is my edX Verified Certificate?

Every few weeks, CS50’s staff provides edX with a list of students who have satisfied CS50W’s requirements (by earning a satisfactory grade on every project. Typically within a week thereafter, edX then generates students’ Verified Certificates (for students who have active Verification), at which point they should appear automatically on edX’s dashboard. Note that edX will not notify you, so be sure to check your dashboard periodically.

If it has been more than 30 days since you met all requirements and you have still not received your certificate despite holding an active Verification that whole time, email certificates@cs50.harvard.edu with your details. Please do not email sooner; we cannot accept requests for expedited processing of Verified Certificates.

What’s the difference between a verified certificate and a CS50 Certificate?

A verified certificate, which you can purchase from from edX, “can provide proof for an employer, school, or other institution that you have successfully completed an online course.”

A CS50 Certificate is a free certificate from CS50 itself.

When are deadlines?

CS50W does not have individual deadlines for assignments. You are welcome to work on and submit at your own pace.

The overall deadline for the course is currently end of day, Eastern time, on 31 December 2023 (Sun, Dec 31, 2023, 11:59 PM EST). For your convenience, we will often on this website render this time in your local timezone (2023-12-31T23:59:00-05:00).

If all required work is turned in before the above time, and ultimately receives a satisfactory grade (whether before or shortly after that deadline), you will be considered to have completed CS50W.

Why does edX think my grade is 0%?

CS50W doesn’t use edX’s built-in gradebook, so all students’ scores appear (in edX’s gradebook) as 0%, always. Not to worry, see cs50.me/cs50w for your actual scores.