You came to college with a lot of goals: establish your independence, meet new people, and get on the path to a great career. First things first, though: if you can't measure up academically, if you can't meet professors' expectations and keep your GPA up, you might find yourself looking for a new university or heading onto the job market without a degree at all.
Even the brightest, most hard-working students struggle from time to time. What do you do when it happens to you? How do you make sure a tough course or a tough semester doesn't ruin your dreams?
You contact attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team. How can an attorney-advisor help you with academics? Joseph D. Lento and his team know the University of South Carolina system and how it works. They know how to file grade appeals, how to get you help if you're dealing with a learning disability, and how to negotiate with faculty and administrators. Most importantly, they know how to protect your rights and make sure you're treated fairly.
It takes hard work to make it to graduation. That's on you. When hard work isn't enough, though, the Lento Law Firm is here for you.
Academic Progression at the University of South Carolina
Academic progress at USC is defined by the school's Academic Standing policy. That policy is relatively straightforward: maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, and you remain in “Good” standing. If at any point your GPA should fall below that number, though, things can get complicated.
The first consequence of a low GPA is Academic Probation. The university recommends that students on probation visit an academic advisor and talk about improvement. Otherwise, though, there are no specific requirements for probation other than to work towards returning to Good standing. And you can remain on probation until that happens, assuming you meet a minimum GPA standard based on the number of hours you've completed.
- If you've completed fewer than 35 hours, you can remain on probation as long as your GPA remains above 1.5.
- If you've completed between 36 and 71 hours, you can remain on probation as long as your GPA remains above 1.8.
- If you've completed more than 72 hours, you can remain on probation as long as you earn a minimum term GPA of 2.5.
If you can't meet these minimum requirements, you are then subject to suspension from the university. First suspensions last for one full and one summer semester. However,
- You must apply for readmission.
- Readmission is not automatic. If your application is not approved, your suspension becomes permanent.
- You may not transfer in credit from courses taken at another institution while on suspension. This means you may have to begin paying back student loans while you wait for readmission.
Second Suspensions last for at least two full years and are more likely to become permanent.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
If you're facing suspension, you can appeal to your college or school's petition committee for immediate reinstatement. However, the process can be complicated, and appeals are usually only granted for extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or a serious illness.
In almost all cases, it's better to avoid getting to the point of suspension in the first place. How do you do that? It turns out, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know a number of strategies for keeping your GPA up.
- Some faculty are willing to assign extra credit or makeup work, especially if your grade is borderline. Completing an extra lab experiment or paper is often the easiest way to raise your grades.
- If you consistently struggle to pass your courses, you might consider getting tested for a learning disability. It could be you just need some course accommodations. You can even ask USC to drop your lower course grades and allow you to retake those classes once those accommodations are in place.
- Some low grades are the result of academic misconduct allegations. If your instructor believes you've cheated, they have the authority to lower your assignment grade or your course grade. You have the right to challenge these decisions, though, through either an administrative conference or, failing that, a full hearing before the Carolina Judicial Council.
- If you've been mistreated by an instructor, you should bring this to the attention of the instructor's department head. Such mistreatment could be grounds for a grade revision.
- Your instructor may be willing to negotiate your grade if you have a compelling argument. For instance, a high final exam score might be evidence that you mastered the course material well enough to deserve a higher course grade.
Not every strategy will work in every case. You need a plan that's tailored to your particular situation. Joseph D. Lento and his team have been doing this for many years. They know what works and what doesn't, and you can count on them to help you make the decision that's best for you. Just as important, you can count on them to help you implement your plan, whether that means working with you to collect evidence, advising you on how to fill out paperwork, or coaching you in the art of negotiation.
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.
