Most university students don't realize it, but there are ways to improve your GPA that have nothing to do with studying harder and visiting your professors during office hours. College success has an enormous amount to do with how well you navigate the system. You know—the "system."
If you're having trouble getting along with a T.A., what do you do? Where do you go if you think you might have ADHD? Who do you talk to about missing class for a week to attend a funeral? How well you deal with these kinds of issues can have a concrete effect on your course grades.
You don't have to know all the answers, though. In fact, very few students do. Filling out paperwork and cutting through red tape can be a full-time job, and you already have a full-time job. You're a student. Dealing with bureaucracy is actually our job. The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team knows your rights as a student. We also know how Idaho State University (ISU) operates. If you're struggling to meet academic standing requirements and studying harder isn't working, it might be time to see what we can do.
We'll get into some of the options below. First, though, you need to know how to contact us for help. Call 888-535-3686 today, or take a little time now and tell us what kind of problem you're facing.
Academic Progress Standards at Idaho State University
What do we mean by “academic progress standards”? It turns out ISU maintains something called an academic standing policy. There's a positive purpose to this policy: it lets you know exactly what you need to do to make steady progress towards your degree. Follow the policy, and you'll graduate on time and with a GPA that can get you an actual job. The policy serves a negative purpose as well, though: it sets up a series of increasingly serious consequences you face when you're struggling to meet academic standards.
- Good Standing: Everything starts with good standing. At ISU, you're in good standing as long as your cumulative grade point average is at least 2.0. You face absolutely no restrictions, and you don't have to deal with any extra requirements.
- Academic Warning: Any time your cumulative GPA is below 2.0, ISU places you on academic warning status. This is just what it sounds like—a warning that you're off course academically and need to improve. Your goal, of course, is always to return to good standing. Don't worry if it takes you more than one semester to do that. Nothing worse than a warning will happen to you as long as you continue to earn term GPAs of at least 2.0.
- Academic Probation: Should your term GPA fall below 2.0 while you're on academic warning status, you are then moved to academic probation. You are required to visit with an advisor before you register for classes. Again, you can remain on probation until you return to good standing, provided your term GPA stays above 2.0.
- Academic Dismissal: A term GPA below 2.0 while you're on probation means complete dismissal. You can apply for readmission after one semester away from ISU, but your return is not guaranteed. You must submit an application along with an application fee, and you must be able to show clear evidence of your academic potential, usually in the form of transcripts from other schools.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
If you've been dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a serious illness or a family crisis, you can appeal for immediate reinstatement after dismissal. You will need to present evidence of your circumstances as well as a compelling petition stating your case.
What do you do if you don't have these kinds of circumstances? For that matter, what do you do if you're facing a lesser sanction, like probation?
As we promised in the beginning, we know a number of ways to use the ISU system to your advantage, and we can show you how to pull your GPA out of the danger zone. For example,
- Students have a right to fair treatment in the classroom. Any time you think an instructor is mistreating you, you should report that to the instructor's department head. At a minimum, this will create a paper trail that you can use to file a formal grade appeal once the semester is over.
- Consistently low grades can be a sign of a learning disability such as ADD or ADHD. Disability Services can get you properly tested, and if you have such a disability, they can get you appropriate course accommodations. In addition, you can drop low grades from your GPA and retake those courses for replacement credit.
- ISU takes academic integrity seriously. Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of dishonesty can lead to lower course grades. Instructors even have the authority to fail you outright. If you're innocent, however, you can challenge your instructor's decisions. Even if you did make some type of mistake, you can challenge the severity of the sanction.
- Faculty will sometimes negotiate grades if you have a compelling argument. Your high grade on a cumulative final, for instance, might be enough to convince them you deserve a higher course grade.
- You always have the option of asking instructors for extra credit and makeup assignments. The worst they can say is no, and usually, enough will say yes to add points to your GPA.
Of course, not every strategy is going to work in every situation. If you're struggling academically, you need someone to sit down with you and go over the source of your problems. The Lento Law Firm attorney will do just that. They'll work with you to come up with a workable plan, and they'll stand beside you as you put that plan into action.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Idaho State University diploma is far more than just a piece of paper. It's your avenue to a successful career. If it's under threat for any reason, 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 progress 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.
