As a student at New Jersey Tech, it will come as no surprise to you that your school expects you to study hard and go to class. You might be surprised to learn, though, that you are held accountable for your academic success. Maybe you figured that once you got in, your life would be easier. In fact, if you can't keep your GPA high enough, you can find yourself on probation, suspended, or even dismissed from the school outright.
Of course, none of us is perfect. We all have those courses or those semesters when it seems like everything just goes wrong all at once. Your roommate is being particularly hard to get along with, you twist your ankle playing Ultimate Frisbee, and your parents call to tell you they're turning your room into a home gym. And, when a few things go wrong, it can all start to snowball. Before you know it, your GPA has plummeted, and you're ducking every time you see your advisor in the hallway.
A tough semester shouldn't cost you your chance to earn your degree from New Jersey Tech. Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team want to make sure it doesn't. They know the law; they know how your school works; they're ready to do everything they can to help you navigate the system and keep your future bright.
Academic Progression at New Jersey Tech
New Jersey Tech evaluates your academic progress after both the fall and spring semesters, measuring it against an academic standing policy. As long as you maintain a cumulative GPA above 2.0 and earn above 2.0 each term, you remain in “good” standing. Fail to meet either of these marks, though, and things get a little complicated.
- Academic Warning: Your status changes from good to academic warning any time your term GPA falls below 2.0, assuming your cumulative GPA remains above 2.0. In addition, first-year students can be placed on warning status if their term GPA falls between 1.75 and 2.0.
- Academic Probation: Freshmen whose GPA falls below 1.75 are immediately placed on probationary status. So too, are students whose term GPA is below 2.0 if they've been on warning status at any point in the past. Finally, students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 are also placed on probation, assuming their GPA has never fallen below this point before. That is, you may be on probation only once. Any deficiencies after that point receive a harsher sanction.
- Pre-suspension: You can, of course, return to good standing if your cumulative GPA rises back above that 2.0 maker. On the other hand, if you earn a 2.0 term GPA while on probation but your cumulative GPA remains below 2.0, you are considered to be on pre-suspension status. You may attempt a maximum of 12 credits, and if you cannot earn both a cumulative and term GPA of at least 2.0 while taking these credits, you are subject to full suspension. Again, you cannot be on pre-suspension more than once during your time at New Jersey Tech.
- Suspension: Pre-suspension can lead to suspension if you cannot raise your cumulative GPA high enough. You can also be suspended for a term or cumulative GPA below 2.0 if you've been on probation at any time in the past (since you can't be on probation or pre-suspension more than once). Suspensions last for at least one full academic semester (fall or spring), and you must apply for reinstatement.
- Dismissal: Finally, should you gain readmission after a suspension, you return on probation. Should you reach the point of suspension again, you are permanently dismissed from the institute.
You should also know that all statuses for all semesters are recorded on your academic transcript.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
New Jersey Tech offers few formal methods for dealing with academic sanctions. For the most part, such sanctions are based on GPA and are not subject to challenge.
The one exception is in cases of suspension. If you have extenuating circumstances, such as a medical or psychological condition that may have caused your deficiencies, you can appeal to the Dean of Students. Should the Dean grant your appeal, you will be placed on pre-suspension for one additional semester.
You should know, though, that there are many informal ways to handle an academic sanction. Your advisor may or may not tell you about these. Joseph D. Lento and the Education Law Team certainly will.
- You always have the option to try negotiating directly with your professors. Perhaps your final exam score demonstrates you mastered the material, but your course grade doesn't reflect that. That can be a basis for asking an instructor to reconsider your work.
- In addition, some faculty are willing to assign extra credit or makeup work, especially if your grade is already borderline.
- Instructors make mistakes occasionally when it comes to recording grades and calculating them. If you've been diligent in keeping copies of your work, it's often a simple matter to convince them to submit a grade change request.
- If your low grade is the result of a misconduct allegation, you have the right to challenge that allegation through an administrative or hearing board hearing.
- If you've been mistreated by an instructor, you should always bring this to the attention of the instructor's department head or the Dean of Students. Such mistreatment may be grounds for a grade revision.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know other strategies for handling academic standing issues as well. They have years of experience and know the education system inside and out. They can help you decide what approach will work best in your case and even help you gather evidence or figure out who you need to talk to. Whether you need coaching in negotiation tactics or advice on drafting an appeal, Joseph D. Lento will do everything in their power to help get your education back on track.
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 navigating bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. That Team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm 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.
