You got into college. That took a lot of hard work: going to class every day, studying every evening, and prepping for the SAT. Unfortunately, the work isn't over. Now that you're in at Cal State, Long Beach, you've got to...well, you've got to go to class every day and study every evening.
There's an added degree of difficulty to college as well. As a high school student, you had parents looking out for your best interests. They got you up in the morning, sent you off with a packed lunch, and nagged you to study.
Who looks out for your best interests now? Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team. No, they won't call you every morning to make sure you get to class. They know the Cal State, Long Beach system like the back of their hands, though, and they know how to use that system to your advantage. Most importantly, they're on your side. They're committed to ensuring you graduate with your degree, no matter what problems may arise over the next four years.
Academic Progression at Cal State, Long Beach
When it comes to academics, problems usually come in the form of low grades. It's not just that you might have retake a course here and there. If your GPA should fall too low, you could be subject to academic sanctions.
- “Good” standing means maintaining a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. That GPA includes any work you might transfer from other institutions.
- If your GPA should fall below that 2.0 cutoff, you are then issued an Academic Warning (previously known as Academic Probation). Your main goal while on Academic Warning status should be to return to Good status. You have two semesters in which to do that. You should also note that Academic Warnings are recorded on your transcript.
- If, after two semesters of Academic Warning, you have not raised your GPA above 2.0, you are then subject to disqualification from the university. In addition, you can be disqualified if your GPA falls below a number established based on your class standing, even if you have not previously been issued a Warning. For example, you can be suspended as a freshman if your GPA is lower than 1.5. Disqualification lasts for a minimum of one semester. Reinstatement requires you to demonstrate an ability to succeed academically, and your readmission is not guaranteed.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
If you are facing Disqualification, California State, Long Beach does offer an appeals process for immediate reinstatement to the university. As part of this appeal, you must submit evidence of academic progress, documentation of extenuating circumstances that may have caused your deficiencies, a description of the specific changes you plan to make in your academic approach, and evidence of any university-sponsored intervention programs you may have completed.
While a Disqualification appeal can be a necessary option, it's much easier to simply avoid reaching the point of disqualification altogether. How do you do that?
Obviously, your first response to low grades should be academic. That is, you might try visiting your professors during office hours, joining a study group, or stopping by the school's writing center. Sometimes, though, it's the system itself that causes progress issues. In these cases, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know a number of strategies for avoiding sanctions.
- You might try asking an instructor for extra credit or makeup work. If your grade is already borderline, this is often the simplest way to raise your GPA.
- Some faculty are open to grade negotiation. If your final exam score was especially high, for instance, you might try convincing your instructor to substitute that for your course grade.
- If you find yourself consistently struggling to pass your courses, you might want to visit Disability Services. If it turns out you have a learning disability, you may be entitled to course accommodations, like extra time to complete assignments. You might even be able to drop low course grades and retake those courses.
- Some low grades are the result of academic misconduct accusations. If you're innocent, or you feel your instructor has assigned an unfair penalty, you have the right to appeal to the Academic Integrity Committee (AIC)
- If you feel your instructor has mistreated you in any way, you should appeal to that instructor's department head. You may deserve a higher course grade.
Joseph D. Lento and his team can help you put these and other strategies into place, whether that means gathering evidence of your academic abilities, filling out paperwork, coaching you in negotiation tactics, or just figuring out who you need to talk to.
Of course, if the worst should happen and you should find yourself Disqualified, Joseph D. Lento and his team also have experience filing formal appeals. They know what reinstatement committees look for in these appeals, and they're practiced at making students look good on paper.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Students sometimes ask: how exactly is an attorney-advisor supposed to help me with academic issues? It's a fair question. It's not like you're on trial for shoplifting. You need help with your grades. That's normally a matter of studying harder or finding a tutor.
As the information on this page suggests, though, succeeding in college is often as much about dealing with bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about how to handle educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Educational Law team. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
Joseph D. Lento and his team are on your side. They understand that no one is perfect, and they're committed to the idea that a few mistakes shouldn't keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career. They'll fight to make sure you're treated fairly and that you get all the rights you deserve. You've worked hard to get to this point. Don't let that hard work go to waste. To find out more about how you can fight dismissal, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
