You came to the University of Texas at Austin to get an education, and that's just what the school expects you to do. UT maintains high standards, and failure to meet those standards can result in probation and, ultimately, dismissal. Of course, you can understand why the school does this. Employers aren't anxious to hire graduates from a school that will hand degrees out to anyone, and schools aren't going to attract many students if those students aren't going to get hired at the end of four years.
Here's the thing, though: we all make mistakes. No one can be expected to excel academically 100 percent of the time. Maybe writing just isn't your thing. Maybe you struggled to understand what your chemistry professor from Beijing was getting at most of the time. You failed a test or maybe even a whole class. It happens.
It shouldn't keep you from graduating. Joseph D. Lento wants to make sure it doesn't. Joseph D. Lento is a National Student Defense attorney-advisor who specializes in making sure college students are treated fairly by their universities. Joseph D. Lento can't take your classes for you. Your grades are your responsibility. If you're dealing with administrative issues related to academic progression, though, he may be able to help.
Academic Progression Requirements at the University of Texas, Austin
Moving forward from semester to semester and year to year at UT, Austin is a relatively straightforward matter. Hang on to a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0, and you'll have no problems. That's known as being in “good academic standing.”
Suppose you can't meet that number, though. Maybe you go through a bad breakup one semester, and your grades suffer. Maybe you have to deal with the untimely death of a loved one and have to miss a lot of class. Life happens, and it can affect your GPA. Should your GPA fall below 2.0, though, you'll find yourself on “academic probation.”
Probation isn't the worst thing that can happen to you, but you should know: UT Austin records academic probation on your transcript. That means future employers will know you struggled as a student, and as you might expect, that can affect your job prospects.
The worst thing that can happen when it comes to academic progression, though, is to fail to earn a 2.0 while you're on probation. That results in dismissal from the university altogether. In fact, you can even be dismissed outright, without the benefit of probation, if your GPA should fall below a certain number.
- If you've earned less than 15 hours, you can be dismissed if your GPA falls below 1.5.
- If you've earned 15-44 hours, you can be dismissed if your GPA falls below 1.7.
- If you've earned 45-59 hours, you can be dismissed if your GPA falls below 1.85.
- If you've earned over 60 hours, you can be dismissed if your GPA falls below 2.0.
You can petition UT for reinstatement, but the process is complex, and there is no guarantee you'll be readmitted. In addition, you should know that a first dismissal requires a minimum of one semester away from the university. A second dismissal means three years away from the university. A third dismissal is permanent.
Decision Processes
It's not always easy to challenge academic probation and dismissal decisions since these are based solely on objective criteria. That is, either you manage to earn a 2.0 GPA, or you don't. However, the UT policy on Probation and Dismissal does note that some schools and colleges at the university do offer an appeals process for students who have been dismissed. For example, McCombs School of Business allows students with extenuating circumstances to request an additional semester of probation in lieu of dismissal.
You have other options as well for forestalling probation and dismissal. Faculty can and do make mistakes, for instance. Sometimes just asking an instructor to recalculate your scores will result in a higher grade. In other instances, you may be able to get them to reconsider the quality of your work or to offer you extra credit or makeup assignments. Even if they issue you an Incomplete while you finish these assignments, that Incomplete can often keep your GPA from dipping below the 2.0 mark.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento has years of experience helping students just like you deal with academic standing issues. He knows all the options that are available to you and how to choose the one that will work best in your particular situation.
If the worst should happen and you wind up dismissed, Joseph D. Lento can also offer important advice on how to petition for reinstatement and can even help you collect evidence and put together your petition package.
SAP Standards
If you receive federal financial aid at UT, Austin, you have another set of academic standards to worry about. The government requires all colleges and universities to maintain a Standard Academic Progress, or SAP, policy. Such policies are intended to prevent students from becoming permanent students and taking advantage of federal funds without ever earning a degree.
Each school sets its own SAP criteria. The University of Texas at Austin has three.
- Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.
- Students must successfully complete at least 75 percent of all the courses they attempt.
- Students must complete their degree within 134 percent of the required credit hours for that degree.
Failure to meet any one of these criteria means you are placed in “Financial Aid Warning” status. This allows you one additional semester to improve. If you fail to improve, your financial aid is suspended until such time as you can meet standards.
In addition, UT does offer students the opportunity to appeal financial aid suspension if they have extenuating circumstances that have led to their poor academic performance. Such appeals involve explaining what went wrong, describing how things have changed, and providing a detailed plan for moving forward. Successful appeals result in an additional semester of financial aid.
You can continue at UT even if you should lose your financial aid as long as you are still meeting academic standing issues. Many students find it hard to finish college, though, once they lose this important means of support. If you're worried about losing aid or have already lost it, contact Joseph D. Lento to see how he may be able to help.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor
Students often feel they have to handle all their own problems once they enroll in college, and if they find themselves in trouble—especially academic trouble—it's up to them to find a way out of it. Now you know better. You know there are many ways to deal with academic issues and that there's someone out there ready to help you.
Joseph D. Lento has represented hundreds of students just like you in academic progress cases. He knows the processes, and he can offer suggestions for how to use them to your advantage. If you or your child is facing dismissal, or even if you have already been dismissed, you owe it to yourself to learn about what options might be available to you. To find out more, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
