Congratulations on making it into ASU. It's never easy getting into college. It requires hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. Guess what, though: now that you're in, you have another four years of the same thing to look forward to. Getting into college is tough; graduating can be even tougher.
At ASU, as at most schools, you're expected to keep your grades up, and there are serious consequences if you don't: you could be subject to academic probation, suspension, and even dismissal.
If you're struggling to keep up and facing an academic sanction, it's important you know that there's help available. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team can't take your exams for you or write your papers. They can help you navigate university bureaucracy, though, and often that's the key to academic success.
Academic Progression at Arizona State University
Academic standing policies are designed to let you know you're falling behind academically. They do this by connecting your classroom performance to serious consequences.
Every college and school at ASU has its own standing policy, and each has its own set of consequences. For the most part, though, all of them resemble the policy in place a the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the university's largest program.
The most important requirement for remaining in “good” academic standing is holding a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above. Should you fall below this mark your first semester at school, you're placed on academic warning. Otherwise, you're assigned academic probation.
Academic probation means a hold is placed on your registration. To remove this hold, you must complete a Canvas Academic Success Planner. In addition, you must take UNI 220, a course that teaches how to improve your academic focus. More importantly, though, you must raise your cumulative GPA above 2.0. Otherwise, you risk more severe sanctions.
You can continue on probation—even if your GPA hasn't yet reached the 2.0 mark—as long as you earn at least a 2.0 semester GPA. If you cannot meet this requirement, you are then disqualified from fall and spring registration for at least one semester. After a semester away, you can apply for readmission. However, the application process takes longer to complete than your freshman application did; you must pay a new application fee; and your return to ASU is not guaranteed, especially if you have been disqualified before.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
If you're looking to apply for readmission following academic disqualification, you'll likely want to take advantage of summer courses at ASU, which you are still allowed to take. You might also want to consider taking courses at another institution. If you can score a strong GPA on this coursework, you'll have a compelling case to make that you should be allowed to return to the university.
What can you do, though, before the situation reaches this point? How can you forestall a negative sanction like probation or prevent yourself from getting disqualified in the first place? It turns out there are a number of less formal options for dealing with low grades.
- If your low grades are the result of extenuating circumstances—a family emergency, for instance, or a serious illness—you should appeal directly to the dean of your school or college. They may be willing to offer you more time to improve.
- If you have a learning disability—even if it is undiagnosed—you may be able to convince an instructor to reconsider your course grade.
- Mistreatment in the classroom can be another justification for a grade review. If you feel your instructor has treated you unfairly, bring this to the attention of your college dean immediately.
- Academic misconduct allegations can sometimes cause a low grade. You have the right to challenge your instructor's decisions to your school's academic integrity hearing board.
- You can try negotiating directly with some instructors. If, for instance, your final exam grade was high, you might argue that it warrants a higher grade in the course.
- Some faculty are willing to assign extra credit or makeup work, especially if you already have a borderline grade.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are familiar with Arizona State processes and procedures. Whether you're looking to file a formal appeal or trying to convince a professor you deserve higher scores, they can work with you to develop a plan and put that plan into execution. They have years of experience helping students gather evidence, draft documents, and make their cases. What can they do to help you?
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 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 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 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.
