If you've been in college for more than a minute, you know that you've got to go to class and you've got to study. You have to start papers before the deadline. It helps to visit professors during office hours and attend group study sessions when you have the chance.
There's another side to college that can be just as important, though: learning to navigate the system. You have to know how to get along with cranky professors, who to talk to if your financial aid doesn't show up on time, and what to do when you're faced with a family crisis the same week as your midterms.
The Lento Law Firm can't help you get up on time or teach you how to use the library's resources. They know how the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee system works, though, and they can help guide you through it, no matter what kind of problem you might be dealing with. So, if you're struggling to meet UWM progression requirements, maybe start by hiring a tutor. If studying isn't enough, though, contact the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm and see what they can do.
Academic Progression at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
The key to college success? Meeting your school's academic standing criteria. These are goals the school has implemented to ensure you're moving steadily toward your degree. To help you understand how important these goals are, they're also tied to sanctions. Fall behind, and there are consequences. The first of these consequences are designed to serve as warnings reminders that you need to work harder. Ignore these warnings, though, and the penalties get progressively more severe.
- Academic Probation: Good standing at UWM means you're maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Any time you fall below that number, you're placed on Academic Probation. Your goal while on probation is to return to Good standing. You can remain on probation as long as it takes to that, provided you earn at least a 2.0 semester GPA.
- Dropped for One Semester: If your semester GPA should fall below 2.0 while you're on probation, you are then dropped from the university for one semester. You must apply for readmission, and if you are allowed to return, you are placed on Final Probation. Final probation works just like probation, but should you continue to struggle while on Final Probation, the consequences are more severe.
- Dropped for Two Years:If your semester GPA is below 2.0 while on Final Probation, you are then dropped from the university for two full years. Again, you must apply for readmission.
You always have the opportunity to apply for readmission to the University of Milwaukee, even if you've been dropped. However, even a single semester away from school can threaten you're ability to finish your degree. Most students find it hard to get back into the educational groove once they've been away. You're always better off avoiding a drop if you possibly can.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
How do you avoid getting dropped? The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, does offer a process for immediate reinstatement. This process involves appealing directly to the dean of your school or college. You'll likely need to offer evidence of extenuating circumstances or demonstrate that you have made a good-faith effort to improve.
However, the very best solution to the threat of a drop is to avoid reaching that point in the first place. How do you do that? Again, your first response to a low GPA should always be to study harder. However, when that isn't enough, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know a number of other solutions that can help. For instance,
- It's always worth asking an instructor for extra credit or makeup assignments. An additional lab or a paper rewrite could be enough to keep your GPA up.
- You deserve fair treatment in the classroom. Any time you feel an instructor is mistreating you, you should report their actions to their department head. You may be entitled to a higher grade.
- If you should discover you have a learning disability, you can request that UWM drop your low grades and allow you to retake those courses with accommodations in place.
- If your low grades are the result of an academic misconduct allegation, you have the right to challenge your instructor's decisions, including the severity of the sanction they have imposed, to a UWM academic misconduct hearing committee.
Though you have a number of options open to you when it comes to responding to academic sanctions, it's not always easy to know which one is the best for your particular situation. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm can help you come up with a plan of action, and they can help you put that plan to work, whether that means drafting a formal appeal or coaching you in the art of grade negotiation.
The Lento Law Firm is Here to Help
Students ask all the time: How is an attorney supposed to help me make it through college? It's a fair question. After all, it's not like you're on trial for shoplifting. You need help with your grades. That's normally a matter of keeping up with your reading, visiting the writing center, and getting assignments in on time.
The thing is, though, 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 the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm 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 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
