If you've been in college for more than a minute, you've had time to figure out it's a lot tougher than high school. Course subjects are more complex, professors are more demanding, and you can actually wind up dismissed if your grades fall.
Maybe the hardest part of college, though, is just learning to navigate the system. After all, you're on your own for the first time now. Even learning how to get yourself up on time in the morning can be challenging. You're trying to learn to live with a roommate; you're figuring out how to motivate yourself to study when everyone else is having a pizza party; and when you can't get along with an instructor, you have to solve the problem for yourself. All of this can drag a GPA down pretty quickly.
The Lento Law Firm can help. We know what you're saying: how can an attorney help me improve my GPA? The thing is, a university is a bureaucracy, and often, success is about knowing who to talk to and what to say. It turns out that attorneys are really good at handling red tape. The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team is especially good at handling educational red tape.
If you're struggling to meet Long Island University's (LIU) academic standing policy, it could be you just need help navigating the system. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 to find out just what we can do, or take a little time now and tell us about your situation.
Academic Progression at Long Island University
The LIU academic standing policy is more than a little vague. The goal of such policies is to let you know what you need to do to make steady progress toward your degree and to outline clear consequences for when you're not making that progress. That way, you're more motivated to do your best on every assignment in every class. The LIU policy does define "good" standing. In simple terms, you need to keep your cumulative grade point average above 2.0 in order to avoid problems. Elsewhere, the university mentions that you can be placed on probation or even dismissed at the university's discretion. Nowhere, though, does the policy say what might lead to these outcomes.
It's always a little dangerous when a university refuses to be clear. Clear rules and procedures provide you with guarantees that you'll be treated fairly. This is one reason why you need an attorney on your side if you're dealing with academic progress issues at LIU. We can protect your rights and make sure you're given every reasonable chance to earn your degree and graduate.
While it is tough to talk about the specifics of a vague standing policy, we can offer some suggestions about what you should expect from LIU's policy.
- Good Standing: Good standing is generally defined as a GPA above 2.0, but there are exceptions for newer students. If you're in your first year at LIU, good standing is actually anything over a 1.8. During your second year, good standing is anything over 1.9.
- Academic Probation: Again, LIU notes that it has the power to dismiss you any time you're struggling academically, whether or not you've been issued a warning about your work. In most cases, though, you can expect to be placed on probation only when your GPA falls below the 2.0 cutoff.
- Academic Dismissal: Again, there are no clear rules about dismissal, but the university does dismiss students whose grades fall too far. Typically, this happens to students who fail to improve after being placed on probation.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
LIU offers a readmission process for students who have been dismissed. You must wait at least one semester before filing a petition, your return is not guaranteed, and if you should return, you return on probationary status.
If this is the situation you find yourself in, the Lento Law Firm can work with you to gather evidence of your academic ability, help you draft your appeal, and ensure the entire process goes smoothly. We know what review committees look for and can give you your best chance at readmission.
Maybe you haven't yet reached the point of dismissal, though. We can still offer some important services. We know all the tricks for keeping your GPA up and can help you avoid probation or dismissal in the first place. For instance,
- If you've been dealing with any special circumstances, such as a serious illness or some other personal crisis, you can try appealing directly to the dean of your school or college. These circumstances can be grounds for additional time to improve.
- If you struggle to pass a lot of your classes, you may be suffering from an undiagnosed learning disability. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can connect you with Disability Support Services and make sure you get tested. If you have ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, or some other disability, you can get special accommodations in most courses. You can also ask the university to drop low grades from your transcript and let you retake those courses.
- LIU allows you to replace any failing grade by retaking the course. This can be an easy way to raise your grade point. Generally speaking, though, you have only one chance to improve your scores.
- Academic misconduct can be grounds for a lowered course grade. If an instructor thinks you've committed plagiarism or cheated in some other way, you can challenge their allegations and the grade they've assigned you.
- There is no penalty for asking instructors for extra credit or makeup assignments. The worst they can say is no. If they agree, a single paper rewrite or an extra lab assignment could be enough to increase your GPA.
- You should never suffer mistreatment in the classroom. Any time you feel an instructor is treating you unfairly, you should report this to the instructor's department head. You have the right to file a grade appeal or grievance.
Whatever your situation at LIU, there's almost always a way to improve it. When you call the Lento Law Firm, we'll sit down with you and go over the specifics of your case. Then, we'll come up with a plan to get you back on track, and we'll work with you to put that plan into action. Need help drafting an appeal? We can do that. Need coaching in negotiating with faculty? We can do that, too. We can't take your exams for you or write your papers, but we'll do whatever it takes to make sure you have a reasonable chance to earn your degree.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Long Island University 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.
