You know that you're not going to succeed in college—especially not at a college like the University of Delaware—without getting yourself to class and putting in some serious study time. Sometimes, though, even smarts and hard work aren't enough to keep your grades up. You might be surprised at just how much college success has to do with navigating the university system.
What do you do, for example, when you have to be gone for a few days because of a family emergency? Who do you talk to if you think you might have ADD? How do you deal with a professor with an accent you just can't understand?
Attorneys live and breathe bureaucracy. It's part of the job. And the Lento Law Firm's attorneys are focused particularly on educational bureaucracy. They know the law and how to use it to protect your rights as a student. They also know how the University of Delaware operates. From grade appeals to filing official complaints, the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team is on your side and ready to help. So don't wait to see what might happen. The first time your GPA slips, call 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form and find out just what we can do for you.
Academic Progression at the University of Delaware
It's sort of an endless cycle: you needed a good GPA to get into the University of Delaware. Now that you're here, you need a good GPA to get a good job. It turns out, though, that your GPA is important even before you graduate. Unlike high school, you can be expelled from college if your grades slip.
UD actually has a whole policy about it all.
- Good Standing: This is the goal. Good standing means you're making steady progress toward completing your degree, and it means you don't have to worry about any academic sanctions. To stay in Good standing, you need a cumulative GPA that's above 2.0.
- Quality Point Deficit: You earn Quality Points for every course you take based on the grades you earn and the number of course hours you complete. Grades of C+ or higher create a Quality Point Surplus. Grades below C+ count against this Surplus. Too many low grades can create a Quality Point Deficit.
- Academic Probation: If your GPA should fall below 2.0, the University of Delaware places you on Probation so long as you have fewer than 13 Quality Deficit Points. While on Probation, you may not register for more than 14 credit hours. You can continue on Probation as long as it takes you to return to Good standing, provided your Quality Deficit Points never rise above the 13 mark.
- Academic Dismissal: If at any point your Quality Point Deficit totals 13 or more—even if you were not previously on Probation—you are dismissed from the university. The only way to return is to lower your Quality Point Deficit, and the only way to do that is by taking courses through the University's Professional and Continuing Studies program.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Unfortunately, the University of Delaware doesn't offer any formal process for appealing an academic sanction. Probation and Dismissal are based entirely on your GPA and Quality Point Deficits, and those aren't subject to review.
However, there are options for dealing with the threat of an academic sanction. The members of the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team know a number of useful tips and tricks for helping to keep your GPA in the safe zone. For example,
- Extenuating circumstances can be grounds for delaying a sanction. If, for instance, you've suffered through a difficult break-up or had to deal with the death of a family member, you can petition the dean of your school or college for more time to improve.
- Accumulating multiple low grades can be a sign of an underlying learning disability. Disability Services can provide you with free testing. You may be eligible for course accommodations, like more time to complete assignments. You can also ask the university to set aside your low grades and allow you to retake those courses without penalty.
- Academic misconduct accusations can lead to low grades. If your instructor thinks you've cheated or committed plagiarism, they have the authority to lower your grade on an assignment or to lower your course grade. However, you can fight these charges or fight the severity of the sanction.
- Some faculty are open to extra credit and make-up assignments, especially for students with borderline grades. You may have to accept an Incomplete while you finish these assignments, but an “I” doesn't count against your GPA the way a “D” or an “F” does.
- You may also be able to negotiate higher grades from some instructors. For example, you could try arguing that a high final exam grade warrants a higher grade in the course.
- Any time you suffer mistreatment in the classroom, you should report it to the instructor's department head. You may be entitled to some form of grade relief.
Your advisors may not tell you about these options. They're busy with lots of students. The truth is, they may not even know about some of these options. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm do. We've been doing this for a long time, and we have a complete understanding of the University of Delaware system. We're also entirely dedicated to your success. We'll work with you to come up with an effective plan. We'll also help you to implement it, whether that means collecting evidence, filing paperwork, or coaching you in the art of negotiating with professors.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do for You?
You know what the statistics say about people who enter the workforce without a college degree. Your UD diploma is more than just a piece of paper. It's your avenue to a successful career, and if it's under threat, you can't afford to try and handle the problem by yourself. At the first sign of trouble, contact the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team. Whether you need to know where to direct your appeals or need to file a formal grade grievance, we'll work to get you back on track. We'll make sure you're treated fairly and that you have every possible chance to earn your degree.
Before you reach the point of probation or dismissal, call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
