Succeeding in college is about going to class and studying hard. It's about visiting professors during office hours, getting papers done before the due date, visiting the writing center when you need extra help, and finding a tutor when you need one.
But it's also about knowing the system. It's about knowing what forms to fill out and when. It's about knowing who to go to when you need help and what to say. It's about knowing how to make yourself look the best you can academically.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team believe in your potential, and they're committed to making sure you get the very best possible education you can. They can't help you prepare for a big exam or look up sources for your research paper. What they can do is work with you when you need to file grade appeals, coach you in negotiating with your instructors, and help you find practical solutions when you run into administrative problems.
If you're struggling to meet academic progression requirements at the University of North Texas, if you've tried to solve the problem with hard work and you're still struggling, it may be time to find out just what Joseph D. Lento and his team can do for you.
Academic Progression at the University of North Texas
Let's start at the beginning. How does UNT define academic success? Like most schools, North Texas maintains an academic standing policy. That policy requires freshmen and first-semester transfer students to earn a 1.8-grade point average. After that first semester, you must keep a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
What happens if you fall short of these expectations?
- Academic Alert: First-semester students who fail to earn a 1.8 GPA are placed on Academic Alert. There are no adverse consequences to this status, but you're expected to raise your GPA to 2.0 by the end of the next semester.
- Academic Probation: Students other than freshmen whose cumulative GPAs fall below 2.0 are placed on Academic Probation. Again, there are no immediate adverse consequences for being on probation. Probation isn't, for example, noted on your transcript. In addition, you can remain on probation until your cumulative GPA rises to 2.0, as long as you earn a minimum 2.25 GPA each term.
- Academic Suspension: If you are on probation and fail to earn a 2.25-term GPA, you then face suspension. A first Suspension lasts for a minimum of one semester. When you return to the university, you are placed on probation once again. A second Suspension lasts for at least two semesters. Under normal conditions, you may return to the school as soon as you've served a first or second Suspension.
- Indefinite Suspension: A third suspension is considered an Indefinite Suspension. That is, your return is not guaranteed. You must apply to your school or college academic dean, and you can't do that until you have been away from the university for at least two years.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Academic standing issues can be especially frustrating because the University of North Texas doesn't offer any easy way to challenge sanctions. Your GPA is an objective fact, and the school doesn't consider it open to appeal.
Luckily, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know a number of useful solutions for responding to and avoiding academic sanctions. For example,
- With permission from your school or college, you may attend summer courses, even if you're on suspension. This offers you the chance to raise your GPA back to that 2.0 level.
- If your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances—an illness, for example, or some type of emergency—you can appeal to your school or college dean for more time to improve before a sanction is imposed.
- If you have a disability, you may be entitled to course accommodations, such as extra time to complete assignments. If an instructor should deny you these accommodations, you can appeal to Disability Services.
- If you should discover you have a previously undiagnosed disability, you may be able to get UNT to drop low course grades and let you retake those courses with accommodations in place.
- If you should suffer mistreatment from an instructor, you should immediately bring that to the attention of that instructor's department chair. You may be entitled to a grade revision.
- If a low grade is the result of an academic misconduct allegation, you have the right to appeal your instructor's decisions to their department chair.
- You can always ask an instructor for extra credit or makeup assignments. If your grade is already borderline, this can be an easy way to raise your GPA.
- Some faculty are open to the possibility of grade negotiation if you have a strong argument about why your grade should be higher and if you approach them respectfully.
Joseph D. Lento and his team have years of experience helping students deal with all sorts of academic standing issues. No matter what your specific problem is, they can help you come up with a plan, and they'll work-side-by side with you to put that plan into action.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
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 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.
