If you've been at Baylor for any length of time at all, you know that hard work is key to academic success. You have to go to class. You have to study. It helps to visit professors during office hours and to join study groups.
You may not have realized yet that academic success can be just as dependent on knowing how to navigate the university system effectively. You have to know who to call if you're going to miss several classes to attend a funeral. You have to know how to contact disability services if you think you might have ADD. You have to know how to deal with an instructor who just doesn't seem to like you.
No one knows more about navigating bureaucracy than attorneys, and no attorneys know more about educational bureaucracy than the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. Our Education Law Team has spent years protecting the rights of students just like you. We know the system, and we know how to use it to your best advantage.
To find out more about how we can help you, call 888-535-3686 or take a little time now and tell us about your situation.
Academic Progression at Baylor University
New students and even some upperclassmen at Baylor aren't always aware that the university has a clearly defined academic standing policy. That policy tells you exactly what you need to stay in good standing, and it tells you what happens if your GPA should slip a bit.
- Good Standing: Obviously, this is where you want to be. It means you're making steady progress towards your degree. BU defines good standing as maintaining cumulative and term grade point averages above 2.0.
- Academic Notice: Any time your GPAs dip below that 2.0 number, Baylor places you on academic notice. You're required to meet with an advisor before you register for courses, and you may also be required to develop and implement an "Academic Improvement Plan." The good news is you can return to good standing as soon as you raise your GPAs, and you can remain on academic notice as long as that takes, provided you earn 2.0 term GPAs.
- Academic Suspension: The bad news is that if you can't keep your term GPA up, you're subject to suspension. Worse, you don't get a second academic notice. If either of your grade point averages should fall at any point after you've served an academic notice, you face immediate suspension. First suspensions last for a full semester plus a summer term. Second suspensions last for a full year. You must apply for reinstatement, and as part of that application, you must explain the reason for your original failure and how you plan to improve academically.
- Academic Dismissal: Baylor does not allow for a third suspension. If you should continue to struggle after returning to the university, you're then permanently dismissed.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Baylor has an appeals process for students facing suspension and dismissal. However, you need evidence of extenuating circumstances and/or evidence that you have been working to improve. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can help you gather this evidence, and they'll even work with you to draft your appeal. They know what academic deans look for in these documents and how to make you look your best.
In addition, Lento Law Firm attorneys know a number of less formal strategies for keeping your GPA up and avoiding dismissal. For example:
- Low grades are sometimes a sign that you may have an undiagnosed learning disability. Your attorney can help you get tested and work with disability services to make sure you have appropriate course accommodations in place. They can also petition the university on your behalf to drop low grades from your transcript. Then, you can retake those courses for replacement credit.
- You can retake courses up to three times, and should you earn higher grades, this can certainly help boost your GPA. In addition, under Baylor's academic forgiveness policy, you can replace up to three C- or worse grades by retaking the courses.
- Low grades can be the result of academic misconduct accusations. If your instructor has lowered your grade because they think you've cheated or committed some form of plagiarism, you can appeal their decisions to the Office of Academic Integrity.
- You should never suffer mistreatment in the classroom. If at any time you believe an instructor is treating you unfairly, you should report this to that instructor's department head. You may be eligible for some type of grade adjustment.
- Faculty are sometimes willing to negotiate grades if you have a compelling argument. For example, if your final exam score was especially high, you might try asking your instructor to use that as your overall course grade.
- You can also ask instructors for extra credit or makeup work. Not all instructors offer such opportunities, but this can be a quick way to pull up your course grade and your GPA.
Whatever situation you're facing, you can be sure your Lento Law Firm attorney will sit down with you and come up with a solution that is tailored to your specific needs. In addition, they'll help you implement that solution, whether that involves coaching you in negotiation, filing an appeal on your behalf, or simply helping you find out who you need to talk to about a problem.
Should you be suspended or dismissed, we're also well-versed in Baylor's readmissions process and can review all your materials before you submit them.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Baylor diploma is far more than just a piece of paper. It's your avenue to a successful career. If it's under threat, you can't afford to try and handle the problem by yourself. University processes and procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate, and often, you will find the system is stacked against you. You need the very best help you can get, someone who is in your corner and ready to fight on your behalf.
The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team has helped hundreds of students, just like you, respond to academic issues and make it to graduation. What can we do for you? To find out, call us today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.
