You worked hard to get into Georgetown. You did your homework religiously; you studied for months to prepare for the SATs; you even joined the math club because you thought it would look good as an extracurricular. If there was any justice in the world, you could relax now and enjoy the fruits of your labors. You'd experience the D.C. atmosphere and take classes at your own pace.
Unfortunately, that's not how things work. You're in Georgetown now, and that means all new stresses—harder courses, more demanding professors, and learning how to adult. It probably won't surprise you that not everyone makes it through these four years.
National Student Defense attorney-advisor, Joseph D. Lento, wants to make sure you do.
You might be surprised by the idea that a lawyer can help with college, especially with academics. Here's the thing, though: often, progressing from one semester to the next is less about how well you do in class than it is about how well you navigate your school's bureaucracy. Who handles bureaucracy better than lawyers? Attorney Joseph D. Lento has dedicated his career to helping students. If you're facing probation, suspension, or dismissal, you owe it to yourself to find out just what he can do for you.
Academic Progression Requirements at Georgetown University
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you make it through Georgetown? One year, one semester, one class at a time.
The key is to remain in “good academic standing.” That means meeting three important standards.
- First, you can't fail any classes.
- Next, you must complete—not attempt, but complete—at least 12 hours of course credit each semester.
- Finally, you must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Fail to meet any of these standards, and you can find yourself on probation. You can, of course, return to good status simply by meeting these standards again. However, if you should fail to meet them while on probation, you can be suspended from Georgetown for a semester or a year or even dismissed from the school entirely.
It is also worth knowing that you can be suspended or dismissed for failing two courses in a semester or for failing three courses in total while at Georgetown.
Decision Processes
Decisions regarding academic standing at Georgetown are in the hands of the school's Academic Standards Committee. For the most part, probation isn't open to discussion. Rather it is a matter of numbers. One F, a GPA lower than 2.0, or less than 12 hours of completed coursework, and probation is automatic.
However, the Committee does control whether further academic problems warrant suspension or dismissal. In addition, they have the authority to determine how long a suspension you serve and what conditions you must meet in order to return to Georgetown.
It is also to the Committee that you must direct any appeals of a suspension or dismissal status. Appeals must be submitted in writing and must set forth the mitigating factors that caused your academic deficiencies.
Of course, there are other ways to forestall probation, suspension, or dismissal. Faculty do make mistakes, for example, and sometimes raising, getting an instructor to simply recalculate the numbers can get you a higher grade. Alternatively, you may be able to convince an instructor to reevaluate your work from a semester or issue an Incomplete grade while you finish extra credit or makeup assignments.
Attorney-advisor, Joseph D. Lento, can explain these and other options to you and can help you decide which is the best for your situation. He is also a skilled negotiator and can help you prepare to meet with faculty or administrators. If you should be suspended, he can also help you to put together your petition for readmission. The bottom line is that whatever academic problem you might be facing, Joseph D. Lento has a strategy to help you work through it.
SAP Standards
If you receive federal financial aid at Georgetown, there's one more set of academic standards you should know about: SAP, or Standard Academic Progress, standards. Such standards are required by the federal government to ensure students are making sufficient progress toward their degrees and not simply accepting money without applying it to their studies.
Each institution sets its own SAP policy. Georgetown includes three criteria.
- You must attain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 by the end of your sophomore year and maintain this to graduation.
- You must complete at least two-thirds of the courses you attempt.
- You must complete your degree within 150 percent of the normal time frame to complete such a degree.
When you cannot meet these criteria, you are placed in financial aid warning status. Should you fail to meet them at the end of your warning semester, you become ineligible for federal aid of any type. Degrees at Georgetown typically require 120 hours of credit. This means you can take a maximum of 180 before putting your aid in jeopardy.
If at any point you should lose aid, there is an appeals process to have it reinstated. Appeals are directed to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee at Georgetown and must be based on any mitigating circumstances that may have caused you to fall behind academically. A successful appeal allows you to receive aid for one additional semester while you work to improve your record.
While you can continue at Georgetown even if you've lost your financial aid package, many students find it hard to finish their degrees without funding. Financial aid appeals are yet another way in which Joseph D. Lento may be able to help you hold on to your dreams.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor
Students often feel they have to handle all their own problems once they enroll in college, and, if they find themselves in trouble—especially academic trouble—it's up to them to find a way out of it. Now you know better. You know there are many ways to deal with academic issues and that there's someone out there ready to help you.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team have represented hundreds of students just like you in academic progress cases. He knows the processes, and he can offer suggestions for how to use them to your advantage. If you or your child is facing dismissal, or even if you have already been dismissed, you owe it to yourself to learn about what options might be available to you. To find out more, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
