College can be one of the best experiences of your life. It's a chance to meet new people, discover your independence, and define who you want to be. It's not always easy, though. You'll find some classes harder than others. You'll encounter professors with standards that seem unreasonably high. You'll have to figure out how to balance your coursework with other aspects of your life, like dating and learning to do laundry. There will be those semesters when your grades slip a little. It happens to the best students.
What do you do when it happens to you?
You call Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. How can they help? They know the Santa Clara University system. They know who to talk to when you get into trouble and what to say. They know exactly how the academic standing policy works and how to challenge sanctions. Most of all, they know your rights as a student. They'll make sure you're treated fairly and given every opportunity to succeed.
Academic Progression at Santa Clara University
When it comes to academics, your first concern as an SCU student should be to remain in “good” academic standing. According to the university policy, that means three things:
- Enrolling in a minimum of 12 hours each quarter
- Staying on track to graduate—completing the minimum number of hours based on how long you've been enrolled
- 36 hours by the end of three quarters
- 76 hours by the end of six quarters
- 115 hours by the end of nine quarters
- 160 hours by the end of 12 quarters
- Maintaining a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0
Should you fail to meet any one of these standards, the university places you on “academic probation.” Luckily, there are no special requirements while on probation—no extra coursework to take and no restrictions on your activities. However, you are expected to return to good standing within two quarters. Otherwise, you risk “academic disqualification.”
Academic disqualification means complete and usually permanent separation from the university. You can apply for reinstatement after a year away, but you must be able to demonstrate in concrete terms your ability to improve as a student. And, as the policy notes, your chances of returning aren't good, even if you have that kind of evidence. The bottom line is, “Reinstatement to the University after disqualification is rarely permitted.”
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
In fact, there are no formal means of challenging any academic sanctions at SCU. If your grade point average should fall, the university assumes you're entirely to blame, and probation or disqualification is all but automatic.
The thing is, most situations are rarely black and white.
The good news is Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know a number of informal options for handling the threat of sanctions.
- If your low grades are the result of extenuating circumstances—an illness, for instance, or a family emergency, you can try appealing to the dean of your school or college for additional time to improve.
- If you feel you're being mistreated in the classroom, you have the right to complain to your instructor's department chair or, failing that, your school dean. You may deserve some form of grade relief.
- If you discover you have a learning disability, you can request to drop low grades and retake those courses.
- If your low grades are the result of an academic misconduct allegation, you have the right to appeal your instructors' decisions to the department chair.
- Some faculty are open to the possibility of grade negotiation. Perhaps you did particularly well on the final exam. You might argue that the grade on this exam merits a higher grade in the course. Alternatively, you might argue that your improvement over the course of the semester warrants some type of extra credit.
- Faculty are also sometimes willing to assign makeup or extra credit work, especially to students with borderline grades. You may have to accept an Incomplete for the course, but an I doesn't hurt your GPA the way a D or F can.
Your advisor may not tell you about all the possibilities open to you. They likely have many students to worry about, and they don't have the time to help you come up with an individualized plan for saving your academic career. Joseph D. Lento and his Team are focused on you, though, and only you. Not only can they help you to put together a strong plan, but they'll help you put it into action. Whether you need help pulling together evidence of your ability or you just want some coaching in the art of negotiation, Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team are on your side from start to finish.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
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 studying harder or finding a tutor.
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 Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law team. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm 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.
