Graduating from college is never a given. Sure, you're bright and hardworking, or you wouldn't have gotten into Texas State in the first place. Making it through four years, though, isn't just about studying hard and going to class. Life sometimes has a funny way of intervening and creating challenges that have nothing to do with your abilities as a student.
What do you do, for instance, when you encounter a professor who just doesn't seem to like you? How do you handle it when a family emergency comes up, and TSU administrators don't want to excuse your absences?
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team are here to help. They can't take your exams for you or write your papers. What they can do is help you navigate the Texas State system. They know who to talk to when you run into a problem, and they know what to say. They know what kind of issues you're likely to face, and they know all the strategies for getting you through them. If you're struggling to meet academic progress requirements, you owe it to yourself to find out how Joseph D. Lento and his team can help.
Academic Progression at Texas State University
Like all colleges and universities, TSU maintains an academic standing policy. The purpose of this policy is to keep you moving toward your degree at a steady pace. Of course, if you're not doing that, the policy can also be punitive.
The Texas State policy is relatively straightforward. To remain in Good standing, you must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. Fail to do that, and you face academic sanctions.
- Academic Probation: The first consequence of a low GPA is probation. There are no special requirements when you're on probation, and probation is not noted on your transcript. In addition, you can return to Good standing as soon as you are again above that 2.0 mark. However, you have only two semesters to do that. If your GPA should remain below 2.0 after that point, you are then subject to more serious sanctions.
- Academic Suspension: If you cannot raise your GPA after two semesters on probation, you are then placed on academic suspension. A first suspension lasts for one long semester. Importantly, suspensions do appear on your transcript. In addition, you must apply for readmission to the university, and your return is not guaranteed.
Should you return from suspension and again fail to raise your GPA after two semesters of probation, you are subject to a second suspension. Second suspensions last for two years.
Finally, should you continue to struggle after returning from a second suspension, you are permanently dismissed from the university.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
Texas State offers an appeals process for students who are facing suspension and whose academic deficiencies may have been caused by extenuating circumstances. Such appeals should be directed to the dean of your particular college or school. Should the dean deny your request, you may then appeal that decision to the university's Suspension Appeals Committee.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are well-versed in all the appeals procedures at TSU. They can help you gather evidence of your academic abilities and work with you to draft the application itself.
The best-case scenario, though, is to avoid suspension if you can. What do you do to appeal a lesser sanction, or if your sanction isn't necessarily the result of extenuating circumstances? Luckily, Joseph D. Lento and his team know a number of informal options for these circumstances.
- The easiest solution is sometimes to ask an instructor for extra credit or makeup assignments. If your grade is already borderline, an extra paper or project could be enough to keep your GPA above 2.0.
- Some faculty are also willing to engage in grade negotiation. If, for instance, your final exam score is higher than your course grade, you might argue that you have mastered the course material enough to deserve a higher grade.
- You should never suffer mistreatment in a course. If you're being treated unfairly, you should report that to the instructor's department head. You may be entitled to a grade revision.
- If your grade is the result of an academic misconduct accusation, you have the right to challenge your instructor's accusation and the sanction they've imposed to the university's Honor Code Council.
- If you should discover you have an undiagnosed disability, you can ask the university to drop low course grades and allow you to retake those courses with accommodations in place.
There may be no one at Texas State University to tell you about these and other strategies for saving your GPA. Even university advisors may not know about some of them. Joseph D. Lento and his team have been doing this a long time, though, and they know all the options. And, where an advisor may have many students to juggle, Joseph D. Lento and his team are specifically focused on you and your success. Whatever your situation, they can help you come up with a plan for getting back on track.
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 attorney-advisor 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.
