Do you know what to do if you need to miss class to attend a funeral? Do you know who to talk to if you think you might have a learning disability? How do you deal with a professor who just doesn't seem to like you?
College success can often be as much about learning how to navigate the system as it is about learning the Periodic Table. It may never have occurred to you before that a law firm might be able to help you with your academic progress, but if you think it through, it actually makes a lot of sense. Florida SouthWestern State College is a bureaucracy. Who knows more about bureaucracies than attorneys? And, as it turns out, no one knows more about educational bureaucracies than the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. The firm's Education Law Team was founded to help students get fair treatment and a reasonable shot at earning their degrees, no matter what kind of red tape they might face along the way.
What can we do to help you? Find out by calling 888-535-3686, or take a little time now and tell us about your situation.
Academic Progression at FSW
Like all colleges and universities, Florida SouthWest maintains an “academic standing” policy. That policy sets the academic standards you must meet in order to be considered in “good” standing. It also sets a series of penalties you face any time you fall out of good standing.
Here's a more thorough explanation of how the policy works.
- Good Standing: At FSW, good standing is defined as a cumulative grade point average above 2.0. As long as you keep your GPA above that number, the college considers that you're making steady progress toward your degree.
- Academic Warning: Should your GPA fall below the 2.0 number, FSW initially issues you an academic warning. As part of this warning, you must meet with your academic advisor to work out a plan for improvement. In addition, the college limits you to no more than 12 credits each term.
- Academic Probation: If your GPA remains below 2.0 after a warning semester, the college then places you on academic probation. You remain limited to 12 credit hours per semester, and you must meet with your advisor before you can register. In addition, you must complete a formal Student Success Action Plan outlining how you will address your deficiencies. The good news is that you can remain on probation as long as it takes to raise your GPA back to good standing, provided you earn a minimum 2.0-term GPA each term.
- Academic Suspension: Should your term GPA fall below 2.0 while on probation, you then face suspension for a semester. You must petition for reinstatement, and your return is not guaranteed.
- Academic Dismissal: Should you return from academic suspension, you are placed on probation. Should your term GPA fall below 2.0, you are then dismissed from the university for a period of one full year. Again, in order to gain reinstatement, you must petition the college, and the Academic Suspension Reinstatement Committee can decide not to approve your petition.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Filing a reinstatement petition can be a useful way to get back on track if you've found yourself suspended or dismissed from FSW. It's not an easy process, however. There are deadlines to meet. You have to convince the Reinstatement Committee that you understand your previous mistakes and that you've taken steps to correct them, and if you should fail, you face permanent dismissal from the college.
You don't have to go through the petition process alone, though. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm understand how the administration at FSW operates, and we're experienced in filing reinstatement appeals. We can help you put together a packet of material that puts you in the very best possible light.
You should know, though, that you're always better off avoiding these sanctions if you possibly can. Time away from school is never productive, and it can be hard to get back into the academic groove once you're out of it.
Luckily, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm can also recommend a number of informal strategies for keeping your GPA up.
- While FSW does not offer a formal academic appeals process, extenuating circumstances can often be grounds for extra time to improve. If you've been dealing with major depression or a long-term illness, you can ask the dean to take this into account before issuing you a sanction.
- Any time that you feel your grade should be higher than it is, you also have the right to file a grade appeal. You must be able to support your contention, but you always deserve fair treatment in the classroom.
- A low GPA can be a sign of a learning disability. Plenty of students have them and don't realize it. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can help you get tested and make sure you get the proper course accommodations. They can also talk to the college about dropping low scores from your GPA so you can retake those courses without penalty.
- Another reason students sometimes struggle to keep their GPAs up is academic misconduct allegations. Your instructors have enormous authority to decide you've cheated or plagiarized and issue sanctions like lowered course grades. Often, their decisions go unchallenged. However, you have the right to appeal those decisions to the Academic Dean.
- Some faculty are open to the negotiation process. If you have a compelling argument, you may be able to convince an instructor that you deserve a higher grade than the one you received.
- One of the easiest ways to raise your grade is simply to ask for extra credit or makeup work. If your grade is already borderline, a paper rewrite or an extra lab assignment could be all you need to avoid a sanction.
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all response to the threat of an academic sanction. You can expect your Lento Law Firm attorney to sit down with you and go over all the options. They'll help you determine which one is right for your particular case, and they'll work with you to implement it. They are practiced in the fine art of negotiation, but they can also be fierce if they feel like their clients' rights are being respected.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Florida SouthWestern 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.
