You can't succeed at Northern Illinois University without smarts and discipline. It's crucial that you get to class every day and that you study. There's something else you need as well, though, if you want to make it to graduation: an ability to navigate the system. A university is a bureaucracy, and like all bureaucracies, it can sometimes be hard to get access to the resources you need.
You've got a secret weapon to help you deal with red tape, though: the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. The firm's Education Law Team knows exactly how Northern Illinois University works. Need to know how to get course accommodations for your learning disability? Or whom to talk to if you've contracted COVID? What do you do when you think a classmate has copied your paper? We have the answers.
We're on your side, and we want you to succeed. If you're facing an academic progress issue, call to find out how we can help. Dial 888-535-3686 today, or take a little time now and tell us about your situation.
Academic Progression at Northern Illinois University
Let's start with the basics. What is an “academic progress issue” exactly, and how do you avoid it?
Like all colleges and universities, NIU maintains what's called an academic standing policy. That policy sets the standards you need to meet in order to earn your degree and it sets punishments for students who aren't meeting those standards.
- Good Standing: There are special honors you can achieve, like making it onto the Dean's List, but more basically, your goal should be to stay in good standing while at NIU. That means you're doing what you need to, and you're on track to make it to the finish line. At NIU, good standing is defined as a cumulative grade point average above 2.0. That's it. Easy enough, right?
- Academic Probation: The thing is, staying in good standing is sometimes easier said than done. Almost every student goes through a tough semester every once in a while. If your GPA should fall below 2.0, NIU places you on academic probation. As part of probation, you are required to consult with an academic advisor about your status and how to improve. Your main goal, though, is to return to good standing. You have just one semester to do that.
- Academic Dismissal: If your GPA remains below 2.0 after a term on probation, you become a candidate for dismissal. College deans review all student dismissals, and they have the power to allow students one additional semester on probation. However, you cannot count on your dean to save you.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Most colleges at Northern Illinois offer an appeals process for students facing dismissal. Appeals are based strictly on extenuating circumstances—long term illnesses, for example, or family emergencies. If you're already facing dismissal, you can count on the Lento Law Firm to work with you to gather evidence of your situation and to draft the appeal itself. If you don't have an extenuating circumstance to point to, your Lento Law Firm attorney can still help you negotiate with your college dean for an additional semester on probation rather than dismissal.
- Lento Law Firm attorneys also know some informal options for keeping your GPA up. They've been at this a long time and helped hundreds of students just like you.
- You always have the right to ask an instructor for extra credit or makeup work. A paper rewrite or an extra lab assignment could be enough to raise your borderline grade and keep you out of the dismissal danger zone.
- Your low grades could be a sign that you have an undiagnosed learning disability. If so, you likely need course accommodations to help level the playing field. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can make sure you get properly tested and that NIU provides you with the resources you need. In addition, we can file a petition on your behalf to drop low grades from your transcript so you can retake courses without penalty.
- Your instructors have the power to lower your grades if they think you've cheated or committed some form of plagiarism. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can help you appeal these decisions, though. Even if you admit that you committed an offense, you can still appeal the severity of the sanction.
- All students deserve fair treatment in the classroom. If you feel an instructor is mistreating you, you should report that immediately to the instructor's department head. At a minimum, you have the right to appeal the grades you're given.
- Some faculty are open to grade negotiations, especially if you have a compelling argument. Even if you failed a course, you might argue that your progress during the semester entitles you to a passing grade.
The Lento Law Firm knows that no two situations are alike. If you're struggling to meet academic expectations at NIU, your problem will be specific to you. We won't try to give you a solution that doesn't fit your case. You can count on your attorney to sit down with you and come up with a workable plan. They'll also help you to implement that plan, whether you need them to draft an appeal or you're looking for coaching in how to negotiate with professors. More than anything else, having an attorney on your side will ensure that the university treats you fairly.
Of course, if the worst should happen and you should find yourself dismissed, you can also count on your Lento Law Firm attorney to help you through the readmission process.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Northern Illinois 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.
