You knew what to expect when you enrolled in college. You knew you'd have to go to class and to study. You knew there might be extra work involved, like visiting professors during office hours or maybe joining a study group. You were ready for all of that. Studying harder isn't always enough to keep your GPA up, though. What do you do, for example, when you upload your paper to the course web page but the course web page says you didn't? What do you do when you're in an accident and have to miss an exam because you're in the emergency room? What do you do if your roommate turns out to be schizophrenic, and you're just too stressed to finish your term paper in freshman comp?
Your best option is to contact the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm won't call and get you out of bed and off to class in the morning. They can't help you study, and they can't write your papers for you. If you've run into a problem that studying won't solve, though, they may have a solution. They know the law, they know how Colorado Tech operates, and they're ready to put what they know to work for you.
For more information, call 888-535-3686, or use the automated online form
Academic Progression at Colorado Technical University
College success at Colorado Tech is reasonably straightforward. You have one academic goal: stay in Good academic standing. To do that, you keep your grade point above the minimum prescribed levels.
- If you have less than 15 credits, you need a 1.6 to remain in Good standing.
- If you have between 16 and 30 credits, you need a 1.75.
- If you have 31 to 45 credits, you need a 1.9.
- If you have more than 45 credits, you need a 2.0.
What happens if you fall below these numbers? You face a series of progressive sanctions.
- Academic Warning: If your GPA should fall below minimum standards, you are initially placed on Academic Warning. As part of this status, you must participate in academic advising. You can return to Good standing by raising your GPA. However, if your GPA remains below required levels, you then face further sanctions.
- Academic Dismissal: If you cannot improve your GPA during a semester on Academic Warning, Colorado Tech then dismisses you from the university.
You can apply to the university's appeals board for reinstatement any time following dismissal. The board's decisions are based on a variety of factors, including grades, attendance, general conduct, and your commitment to improvement. However, reinstatement is not automatic, and there is a limit to how many times you can be reinstated before completing your degree.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
If your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, like a death in the family or a hospitalization, you can appeal a dismissal to the university's Appeals Board. A successful appeal gains you an additional semester under Probation status. Failure to improve during this term, though, means automatic dismissal.
If you can't point to extenuating circumstances as the cause of your low GPA? Or if you're looking for a way to salvage your grades before you reach the point of dismissal? Luckily, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know a number of useful strategies for defending yourself from any academic sanction.
- Some low grades are caused by academic misconduct allegations. If an instructor believes you've cheated on an exam or plagiarized a paper, they have the authority to lower your course grade. They can even fail you outright. However, you have the right to challenge their decisions to a university appeals board.
- If you suffer from a learning disability, you may be entitled to certain classroom accommodations, such as the use of technology during exams or extra time to complete assignments. If you should discover at any point that you have such a learning disability, you can petition to the school to drop low grades from your GPA and allow you to retake those courses without penalty.
- Often, the easiest way to improve your GPA is simply to retake a course. A higher grade will raise your overall percentage.
- If you feel an instructor is treating you unfairly, you should bring that to the immediate attention of your instructor's department head. You may be entitled to a grade revision.
- Makeup and extra credit work can be another fast way to get your GPA up. If your instructor will allow you to complete an extra lab assignment or re-write a paper, you may be able to earn a higher grade, and that means a better GPA.
Many of these strategies for keeping your GPA up aren't obvious. Even your advisor may not know some of these tricks. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know them because they've been doing this for so long. The firm's attorneys won't just help you come up with a plan, though. They'll also work with you to put that plan into action, whether that means drafting a formal appeal or coaching you on how to negotiate with faculty. We'll do whatever it takes to make sure your path to a degree is as smooth as possible.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Students ask all the time: How is an attorney supposed to help me make it through college? It's a fair question. After all, it's not like you're on trial for shoplifting. You need help with your grades. That's normally a matter of keeping up with your reading, visiting the writing center, and getting assignments in on time.
The thing is, though, succeeding in college is often as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm 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 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.