Tufts University is among the more prestigious schools in the country. In keeping with that reputation, it holds students to high standards of academic excellence. You probably already know this. After all, it took no small amount of brains and hard work to get into Tufts in the first place, right? Getting in is no guarantee you'll graduate, though. For that, you're going to have to work even harder.
High standards are important. Unreasonable standards—that's another thing altogether. No one's perfect, after all, not even a Tufts student. You're bound to slip up every once in a while, whether that means oversleeping and missing that important econ final or just never quite finding the time to get through Macbeth.
A few mistakes here and there shouldn't cost you your degree. National Student Conduct attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento wants to make sure it doesn't. Joseph D. Lento knows what you're up against. He also knows how Tufts University works. Joseph D. Lento can't take your classes for you, but If you're struggling to meet academic progress requirements, you owe it to yourself to find out how he might be able to help.
Academic Progression Requirements at Tufts University
As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. You find success at Tufts by making steady progress, one semester at a time. To ensure you stay on track, a faculty Committee on Academic Standing reviews your progress after each semester.
Complete at least 12 credits each semester and earn a minimum 2.0-grade point average, and remain in “good” academic standing. However, Tufts may issue you an academic alert if you fall below 12 credits for any reason, including failing a course, withdrawing from a course, or taking an Incomplete for a course. Fail to reach the 2.0 GPA mark, and that “alert” could turn into “academic probation.”
Getting yourself off of academic probation is a matter of once again meeting those two requirements—12 hours and a 2.0. Do that, and you're back in good standing. However, if you can't reach those marks while on probation, you'll be forced to withdraw from the university for at least one semester.
You can petition for readmission to Tufts after a semester away. However, further academic probation during any future semester means permanent dismissal from the university.
Fighting Probation and Dismissal Decisions
There are no formal procedures at Tufts University for challenging academic standing decisions. That's because these decisions are normally based on entirely objective criteria: your GPA and the number of credits you've completed in a given term.
However, you don't have simply to accept an academic sanction. There are ways to prevent it.
- The very fact that academic standing issues are decided by a committee means you can always appeal directly to that committee. If, for example, extenuating circumstances have led to your poor academic performance, you may be eligible for an additional semester of probation rather than outright dismissal.
- Unfair treatment in a class is grounds for an appeal as well. If you feel that an instructor has held you to standards other students haven't been held to, you can complain to the department chair or the dean of your college or, again, take your case directly to the Committee on Academic Standing.
- Even tenured professors make mistakes. Sometimes fixing a low grade is simply a matter of getting your instructor to re-calculate your scores.
- Instructors can sometimes be prevailed upon to reconsider the quality of your work from a semester or to take into account your overall progress during a course. This, too, could potentially raise your grade.
- Some faculty are willing to assign extra credit work to help you bring up low scores. If a professor assigns you an Incomplete rather than an F, it could be enough to prevent probation or dismissal.
In all likelihood, your advisor at Tufts won't tell you about all these options. Often, they have so many advisees that they don't have the time to worry about whether or not one or two are facing probation, suspension, or dismissal. Joseph D. Lento, though, is focused on you and making sure you have a fair shot at earning your degree. Not only will he let you know all the options available to you, but he'll help you to pursue them, whether that means coaching you on how to negotiate with a professor or helping you draft a formal appeal to submit to the Committee on Academic Standing.
SAP Requirements
Students who receive federal financial aid at Tufts are subject to an additional set of academic standards. These are known as Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. The government requires these standards. They ensure that students can't receive endless financial aid without making some progress towards a degree.
Schools set their own SAP criteria. At Tufts, there are two:
- Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Students must accumulate 24 hours of credit by the end of their first year, 54 by the end of their second, 86 by the end of their third, and 120 by the end of their fourth.
The Office of Financial Services evaluates student progress at the end of each semester. Students who fail to meet either of these criteria are placed under Financial Aid Warning. Continued deficiencies mean the suspension of aid.
You can regain federal aid by meeting standards once again, but students sometimes find it difficult to complete a semester without aid, so losing aid even for a short time can be a serious setback to your education. You can also appeal the loss of aid if you have mitigating circumstances that have caused you to struggle academically. However, there is no guarantee of a successful appeal.
If you're facing the loss of financial aid, it's important you contact Joseph D. Lento as soon as possible. He may know strategies to protect your funding, but often there are time limits on putting these into effect.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor
Many students assume that once they get to college, they're supposed to handle all their own problems by themselves. After all, you're supposed to be “adulting” now, right? They may not know how to go about fighting a dismissal decision, and so when they get that letter telling them they've been dropped from the university, they just accept it.
You know better. You know there are many ways to salvage your academic career, even if you've made some mistakes. More importantly, you know you don't have to handle this situation all on your own. There's help available to you.
Joseph D. Lento knows how the Tufts University system operates. He knows the processes and procedures, and he knows how to use them to your best advantage. Whether you're trying to satisfy probation requirements, facing dismissal, or working to be readmitted, Joseph D. Lento is on your side and ready to do what it takes to keep your future bright.
To find out more, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
