You came to college with your eyes wide open. You heard all the lectures in high school: if you want to succeed at Iowa State, you've got to take your coursework seriously. You have to go to class. You have to study.
Here's what they don't tell you: college success is often as much about knowing how to navigate the system as it is about acing tests and writing term papers. You have to know how to get along with difficult professors; you have to know what departments to contact when you run into problems; you have to get good at filling out paperwork.
That's where attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team come in. They can't write your papers for you or take your tests. They can't help you find a tutor or the right study group to join. What they can do is figure out who you need to talk to when academic issues come up and what to say. They can work with you to file paperwork and help you collect evidence of your abilities. Most of all, they can make sure your school respects your rights as a learner and that it treats you fairly in all cases.
Academic Progression at Iowa State University
Success at Iowa State is all about meeting the school's progress requirements. These are outlined in the Academic Standing policy. Your primary responsibility under this policy is to maintain a cumulative GPA above 2.0. Do that, and you remain in “Good” standing. If your GPA should fall, though, you face a series of progressive academic sanctions.
- You are issued an Academic Warning any time your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. As part of Warning status, you must meet with an academic advisor and complete an Academic Plan for how you will improve. However, Warnings are not recorded on your transcript.
- If you should continue to struggle, you can then be placed on Academic Probation. More specifically, probation occurs when you're under Warning status and fail to earn a 2.0 semester GPA. You can also wind up on probation, though, if you have more than 75 hours and haven't improved your cumulative GPA after two semesters under Warning status or any time your term GPA falls below 1.0.
- You can continue on probation until you return to Good standing, provided you earn at least a 2.0 term GPA each semester. If you cannot do that, you are then dismissed from the university. ISU does offer a path to reinstatement once you have been away from the university for at least one semester. However, your return is not guaranteed and requires the submission of a readmission petition.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
You can return to Iowa State after a dismissal and even after a second dismissal, and Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team can help with that process. They are experienced in filing readmission petitions. They know exactly what sort of evidence readmission committees look for in these petitions and how to make you look your very best on paper.
However, you're far better off not being dismissed in the first place. Luckily, Joseph D. Lento and his team also know a number of effective strategies for keeping your GPA up and avoiding sanctions.
- Learning disabilities are more common than many students realize. If you regularly struggle to pass your classes, you might consider visiting with Disability Services to see if you might have one. You might be able to drop low grades from your GPA and retake those courses.
- Some instructors offer extra credit and make-up assignments, especially for students whose grades are already borderline. This can be an easy way to raise your GPA.
- Faculty are also sometimes willing to participate in grade negotiation if you have a strong argument. For instance, you might argue that your progress over the course of a semester warrants those few extra points you need for a higher grade.
- Classroom mistreatment can be grounds for a grade revision. If an instructor has treated you unfairly, you should bring this to the attention of their department head.
- If your low grade is the result of a cheating or plagiarism allegation, you have the right to challenge your instructor's decisions to the Dean of Students.
- Dismissal is not automatic at Iowa State. It must be reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee. This means you may be able to appeal to members of this board for more time to improve.
Every student's academic progress issues are unique. Maybe you're struggling to get along with a professor. Maybe an administrator is refusing to approve an absence. Maybe you can't seem to get to class because you're experiencing depression.
Joseph D. Lento and his team are committed to your future. They'll come up with a plan that is tailored to your specific situation and help you to implement that plan, whether that means working with you to collect evidence of your ability or coaching you in the art of negotiating with faculty.
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 dealing with bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about how to handle educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Educational 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.
