You got into Oregon State University. Congratulations are in order. You're clearly bright, disciplined, and dedicated to your education. Of course, you can't deny that you had a little help. Someone was there to get you up and off to class every morning. Someone made sure you studied every night. Someone kept you from going to keg parties on Tuesday nights.
Now you're on your own, and that raises the degree of difficulty significantly. Plus, college classes are a bit tougher than what you faced in high school, and professors are a bit more demanding than even that strict English teacher you had your senior year.
Here's the thing, though: you're not actually on your own, at least not entirely. The professionals at the Lento Law Firm aren't going to show up at your dorm room in the morning and get you out of bed. They're not going to wag their fingers at you when you're out too late. They can help when you run into academic progress issues, though. They know the Oregon State system and can help you navigate it. They know lots of tips and tricks for keeping your GPA up. And they're ready to put what they know to work to help you succeed.
Academic Progression at Oregon State University
If you're going to succeed in college, your first job has to be sorting out what counts as “progress.” In the most basic terms, you're in Good standing at Oregon State as long as you keep your cumulative grade point average above 2.0. Simple enough, right? Well, not always. What do you do when you suddenly come down with swine flu, or you break up with the love of your life and find it too depressing to go to class? What happens should your GPA fall below that magic 2.0 number?
The good news is the world doesn't end, at least not immediately. Here's how the academic sanction system works at OSU.
- Academic Warning: Issued any time your term GPA falls below 2.0. You're technically still in good standing, but a warning lets you know you should be paying more attention to your coursework.
- Academic Probation: This happens any time your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. You can remain on Probation as long as it takes to return to Good standing, provided your term GPA doesn't fall below 2.0.
- Academic Suspension: This occurs when you're on Probation and your term GPA is below 2.0. Suspension means separation from the university for at least 2 years. It's noted on your transcript. And while you can file for readmission, the process is rigorous, and your return is not guaranteed.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
Oregon State doesn't offer any formal processes for challenging an academic sanction. The standing policy does note that all standing decisions are in the hands of the Faculty Senate Academic Standing Committee and that this committee has the power to “grant exceptions” to the policy. That means you always have the option of appealing directly to the committee if you can point to some extraordinary circumstance that has caused your low grades.
What do you do, though, if you weren't in the hospital for several weeks or can't claim your Uncle Marvin's death kept you out of classes when you were supposed to be working on that big project? Luckily, the team at the Lento Law Firm has been doing this for a long time. They know lots of ways to handle the threat of sanctions.
- If you consistently struggle in class, you might consider visiting the Disability Services office. If you have a learning disability, you may be entitled to course accommodations, such as extra time to complete assignments. You can also ask the school to set aside your low grades and allow you to retake courses with those accommodations in place.
- Low grades can be the result of an academic misconduct allegation. Your instructor has the power to lower your assignment or course grades if they believe you've cheated or committed plagiarism. However, you can challenge these decisions using the university's hearing procedures.
- Classroom mistreatment can be grounds for a grade appeal. You should report any such mistreatment to your instructor's department head.
- You can sometimes convince an instructor to reconsider your coursework, especially if you have a compelling argument. If, for instance, you showed significant improvement during the semester, you might argue that this improvement warrants a passing grade, even if your individual scores don't add up to a passing grade.
- You can also try asking instructors for extra credit or makeup work. This can sometimes be the fastest way to raise a low grade point.
Of course, the professionals at the Lento Law Firm are also well-versed in OSU's readmission process. Should the worst happen and you find yourself suspended, you can count on them to help you gather and organize evidence of your abilities and draft your appeal.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do for You?
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 the team at the Lento Law Firm. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
The Lento Law Firm is 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.
