College can be one of the greatest experiences of your life. It's a chance to learn new skills, discover who you are, and establish your independence. NYU is a more rewarding place to do all of this than most. You're in a vibrant city, getting an education from a school that's known the world over.
Success at NYU doesn't just happen, though. It takes hard work, discipline, and perseverance. Not everyone makes it. Plenty of students start here with high hopes, only to wind up transferring to a junior college or beginning a career they don't really want.
If you're struggling academically or worried over whether you're going to make it to the next semester or the next year, there's help out there. National Student Defense attorney-advisor, Joseph D. Lento, can offer solutions to many of the most common issues college students face. You might be surprised by the idea that a lawyer could help you survive college, but think about it: higher education is all about bureaucracy, and who knows more about handling bureaucracy than a lawyer? Joseph D. Lento can help you deal with the paperwork and negotiate fair treatment. He can even represent you at appeals hearings. Don't let a bad exam or a failed course come between you and your dreams. Find out what Joseph D. Lento can do for you today.
Academic Progression Requirements at NYU
It's like that old joke: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you get your degree from NYU? By moving forward one semester at a time. Moving forward means staying in “good academic standing.” In concrete terms, that requires
- Achieving at least a 2.0 GPA every semester
- Maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
You should know that NYU isn't just one school: it's eighteen separate colleges, and some have requirements that go beyond these GPA requirements. For example, Gallatin College also demands that students accumulate no more than 12 Incomplete hours in a given semester and that they complete at least 76 percent of all courses they attempt.
One thing all of these colleges have in common, though, is that students who fail to meet academic standards are placed on Academic Probation. As part of probation, NYU puts a hold on a student's registration that can only be lifted by meeting with an Academic Advising Dean. In addition, academic requirements have become even stricter. To get off probation, students must earn a C or better in 16 consecutive credits. Failure to meet these requirements while on probation can result in suspension and even dismissal.
Decision Processes
Each college also has its own process for dealing with issues of academic progress. Most have a committee that reviews student records at the end of each term. The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, for instance, has the Steinhardt Faculty Committee on Student Progress (COSP).
For the most part, decisions about probation, suspension, and dismissal at all the various colleges are based on the numbers. Either your GPA satisfies requirements, or it doesn't; either you earn enough credit in a term, or you don't. However, advisor recommendations do play some role in the decision-making process. In unusual circumstances, students can appeal to their advisors to write a letter explaining what mitigating circumstances may have caused their academic deficiencies.
There are other possible approaches to dealing with academic progress issues as well. Faculty can and do make mistakes, for example. If you feel your grade in a course is lower than it should be, it can be worth your while to contact your instructor and ask that they recalculate it. Sometimes an instructor is willing to reconsider your work in its entirety and consider revising your grade. In other cases, you may be able to convince a professor to give you an Incomplete while you complete extra credit or makeup assignments.
Joseph D. Lento knows all the options that are available to you and can help you choose the one that will work best in your particular situation. Need to negotiate with a professor? Joseph D. Lento can help you develop a strategy. Need to submit paperwork as part of an appeal? Joseph D. Lento can help you gather documentary evidence to support your claim. Whatever problem you're facing, Joseph D. Lento can help you navigate it.
SAP Standards
There is yet another set of academic standards you may have to meet if you receive federal financial aid at NYU. These are known as SAP standards. SAP stands for Satisfactory Academic Progress. Basically, these standards prevent anyone from abusing the federal financial aid system, and all colleges and universities have them.
NYU's Office of Financial Aid reviews SAP each year. Decisions are based on two measures:
- GPA: Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.
- Students must pass at least 67 percent of the courses they attempt.
Failure to meet either of these standards means automatic suspension of aid, though students can re-gain aid once they are again meeting standards.
In addition, students can appeal aid suspension if they have extenuating circumstances that caused them to fall behind academically. Successful appeals provide students with an additional probationary semester to receive aid while they improve their numbers.
Most students struggle to finish college if they lose their financial support. Joseph D. Lento and his team aren't just skilled at helping students handle standing requirements. They know how to deal with financial aid issues as well.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor
Many students feel they are completely on their own once they enroll in college. If they find themselves in trouble—especially academic trouble—they just assume they have to handle it. They don't know how to go about fighting the system, so they wind up accepting probation, suspension, dismissal, or the loss of financial aid when they have options.
The fact is, there are many ways to deal with academic issues. A bad semester doesn't have to mean the end of your career at NYU. Joseph D. Lento has represented hundreds of students just like you in academic progress cases. He knows the processes, and he can offer suggestions for how to use them to your advantage. If you or your child is facing dismissal, or even if you have already been dismissed, you owe it to yourself to learn about what options might be available to you. To find out more, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
