Tulane is a great school. Graduate from there, and you can be sure your future will be bright. That's the real trick, though, isn't it: graduating? Great schools don't just give degrees away. You can expect four years of tough classes, full of rigorous assignments, taught by demanding faculty. Finishing isn't a sure thing.
Of course, you're up to the challenge. After all, you got into Tulane, so you must be reasonably smart and capable. The thing is, though, getting in was a little different than actually attending. Classes weren't quite as hard as a high school student. And you didn't have to worry so much about all these new adulting responsibilities. Life has a funny way of intervening at the most inopportune of moments.
What do you do if it intervenes and you wind up struggling to keep up at Tulane? You contact Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team. You may never have considered the possibility of getting academic help from an attorney, but if you look closely at how academic progress works at Tulane, you'll quickly see that an attorney-advisor can be a valuable asset in finding success.
Academic Progression at Tulane University
You came to Tulane to study, and Tulane will certainly hold you to that. No matter which of the university's several schools and colleges you attend, you'll find you're subject to an academic standing policy. Most resemble the policy in effect at the largest of these colleges, Newcomb-Tulane.
As that policy makes clear, in order to move forward at Tulane, you must
- Complete 12 hours of coursework each semester
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average based on your total number of completed hours. Up to 24 hours, that minimum number is 1.6. From 25 to 48 hours, it is 1.8. And for anyone with over 49 hours, it is 2.0.
Ordinarily, Tulane evaluates academic standing only once a year, at the end of the spring semester. This means if you should struggle in the fall, you still have time to raise your grade point before evaluation.
If you haven't met GPA and course hour requirements by the end of the spring term, though, you are placed on probation for the fall. While on academic probation, your progress is checked at the end of each semester rather than annually. In addition, you must complete an Academic Probation Agreement, you must meet with your academic advisor at least once at the beginning of the term and once during midterms, and you must utilize one of the university's designated academic improvement resources.
As soon as your GPA rises enough, you return to “good” academic standing.
However, you can be on probation for a maximum of two consecutive semesters. If you continue to struggle at that point, you are given an academic leave of absence from the school for a minimum of one semester. During this period, coursework at other institutions cannot be transferred to Tulane. In essence, you must stop being a student.
Finally, when you return from a leave of absence, you continue on probation. Further academic struggles can result in permanent dismissal from Tulane.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Tulane doesn't offer any formal process for challenging an academic standing decision, even dismissal. Essentially, the school believes that these decisions are based on objective fact—grade points and courses completed—and not subject to review.
However, if you're facing an academic sanction—probation, a leave of absence, or dismissal—you do still have some options.
- You can appeal directly to the dean of your school or college for additional time to meet requirements. You may have a case if your lack of progress is the result of some extenuating circumstance, such as a family emergency or an extended illness.
- You can also complain any time you feel you are being mistreated in the classroom. Such complaints should be directed either to your instructor's department head or to the dean of your school or college. Again, you may be entitled to some form of grade relief in such instances.
- Low grades are sometimes simply the result of a recording error or miscalculation. If you've kept a record of all your work, it's usually easy to correct these problems with a grade change form.
- Low grades are also sometimes the result of an academic misconduct accusation. If your instructor believes you've cheated in some way or committed plagiarism, they may have lowered your grade on an assignment or lowered your grade in the course. You can appeal such decisions to your school or college's Hearing Board.
- You can also try negotiating with your instructor. Some faculty are willing to reconsider your work if you simply ask. Or, you may have a more specific argument to make, such as that your progress during the course deserves additional consideration.
- Faculty are also sometimes willing to consider assigning extra credit or makeup work. It never hurts to ask, especially if you only need a few points to reach the next grade level.
Your advisor may not tell you about all of these various options. They may not even know about them. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team are fully versed in all the possibilities. If you're struggling to meet academic standing requirements, they'll work with you to come up with a plan and help you to put that plan into action. They have experience with the appeals process, know what hearing boards look for in terms of evidence, and can even coach you on how to negotiate with faculty.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Back to that question from the beginning of this page: how exactly can an attorney-advisor help you with academic issues? It's a fair question. After all, it's not like they can attend classes for you or take your exams.
The thing is, 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 an attorney, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law team. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm 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.
