You came to Ohio State to earn a degree, so it should come as no surprise that the university expects you to study hard and attend class. It might be a surprise, though, to learn that the school maintains an academic standing policy to ensure you do just that.
No problem, right? You're bright and hard-working, and keeping your grade point up should be easy enough. The thing is, though, four years is a long time, and a lot can happen. You can definitely handle a few tough exams and a research paper or two. Can you handle those things at the same time you're managing a family crisis, though? Can you handle them while you are in the hospital after a car accident? Can you handle an instructor who just doesn't seem to like you?
Failure to meet academic standing requirements can mean academic probation or even dismissal. You don't want to be looking for another school or heading out onto the job market with no degree at all. National Student Defense Attorney-Advisor Joseph D. Lento wants to make sure you don't have to. Joseph D. Lento is committed to making sure a bad grade here or there, or even a bad semester, doesn't prevent you from earning your degree. It may sound strange, the idea that an attorney might be able to help you with academic issues. If you're struggling to meet standards, though, you owe it to yourself to find out what Joseph D. Lento can do for you.
Academic Progression at The Ohio State University
Academic progress at OSU is pretty straightforward. As long as your cumulative GPA is above 2.0, you're in “good” standing. Should your GPA fall below that number, though, you'll face the consequences.
The standing policy isn't hard and fast. Instead, your specific college carefully weighs all the factors after each semester before deciding your status. Ultimately, that is to your advantage since it means real people rather than computers are deciding your fate. However, it means you can't always tell what sanctions you might face for a low GPA.
- 2.0 is the magic number. As long as your cumulative GPA is above that, you're fine.
- The university also guarantees that it will assign no sanctions without issuing warnings first.
- If your GPA should fall just below the 2.0 number, your college can issue you an “academic warning.”
- However, your college could also place you on “probation” for a GPA below 2.0. That is, the committee's action depends on its subjective evaluation of your work. In any case, you are also placed on probation if your grades don't improve while under academic warning.
- Finally, if you remain on probation for “an extended period of time” you can be dismissed from the university entirely. In other words, as long as you demonstrate progress toward meeting the 2.0 mark, you should be OK. Should your grades fall for two semesters in a row, though, you will likely be expelled.
OSU does have a process for reinstatement to the university after dismissal. However, you cannot apply until you have been away from the school for at least two semesters. In addition, readmission is not automatic. You must be able to demonstrate that you are capable of academic success.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Again, your specific college at Ohio State makes decisions about your academic progress, and this is to your advantage since it means you can potentially plead with committee members directly for sanction exceptions. If, for instance, your academic struggles are the result of extenuating circumstances, like an illness, or family emergency, you can appeal directly to your college committee for more time to improve.
In addition, there are a number of other, less formal means for preventing probation or dismissal.
- Low grades can result from simple grading errors or miscalculations. All you need to do in such instances is provide your instructor with copies of your work or records of your grades.
- You always have the right to dispute a low grade. In most cases, your appeal should be directed to the instructor's department head.
- Low grades are sometimes the result of academic misconduct findings. Again, you have the right to contest such findings. In fact, even if you admit to cheating, you may still be able to challenge the severity of the sanction your instructor assigned.
- Some professors are open to grade negotiation. That is, if your final exam grade was higher than the rest of your coursework, you might try arguing that this single grade demonstrates you mastered the course material enough to deserve a passing grade. Or you might try simply asking your instructor to reconsider your coursework.
- Faculty are also sometimes open to the possibility of extra credit or makeup assignments, especially if your grade is already borderline or you have a compelling reason why one or two of your assignment grades were low.
Your advisor may not tell you about these and other options. In fact, they may not know about all these options. Joseph D. Lento has years of experience, though, and is familiar with all of OSU's processes and procedures. He knows who to talk to, and he can advise you on what to say. Likewise, he's skilled at collecting evidence and drafting appeals. Whether you're making an informal appeal to your college to avoid dismissal or you're trying to petition formally for reinstatement, he can help you come up with the best arguments for why you deserve a second chance.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Students sometimes ask: how can an attorney possibly help me deal with an academic problem? It's a fair question. After all, it's not like Joseph D. Lento can attend classes for you or take your exams.
The thing 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. He built his practice handling student conduct and academic progress issues.
More important than anything else, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law 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.
