Congratulations on getting into college! That's the first step on the path to a successful career. The hard work is just beginning, though. To earn your degree, you have to go to class, study, write papers, and ace exams. Easy enough, right? After all, you're bright, disciplined, and motivated.
The thing is, life sometimes has a funny way of derailing even bright, disciplined, and motivated students. You wind up with mono one semester or go through a bad breakup, and the next thing you know, you're struggling to keep your GPA up. A low GPA can lead to suspension or even dismissal. You could find yourself heading out onto the job market with no degree at all.
Luckily, there's help available when life intervenes. The Lento Law Firm is on your side. Their attorneys know the Palm Beach State College System. They know who to talk to when you have a problem and exactly what to say. They know the best strategies for negotiating with faculty for higher grades. They know how to respond to plagiarism allegations. Most importantly, they're on your side. They believe in your future, and they're dedicated to making sure you get there.
Academic Progression at Palm Beach State College
Let's start with the basics: just what does it take to succeed at Palm Beach State? The school maintains what it calls a Standards of Academic Progress (SOAP) policy that sets forth all the requirements. According to that policy, “Good” standing involves maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average based on how many hours you've completed.
- Between 1 and 14 hours, that number is 1.4.
- Between 15 and 27 hours, it rises to 1.6.
- Students with 28 to 45 hours need a 1.8.
- If you're above 45 hours, you need at least a 2.0.
Any time you're not meeting Good standing requirements, PBSC places you on Academic Probation. While on Probation, you are limited to 12 hours each term. In addition, you must meet with an advisor before registering for the next term. Of course, your primary objective while on Probation is to return to Good standing. The good news is that you can take as long as you need to do that provided you earn a minimum 2.0 semester GPA. The bad news is, if you don't reach that number, you're subject to more serious consequences.
The most immediate consequence of a low term GPA while on Probation is Academic Suspension. This means separation from the college for at least one semester. In itself, that's a serious disruption in your studies, and many students find it difficult to get back on track after a Suspension. You should also know that Suspensions are noted on your permanent transcript, and that can hurt your job prospects out of college.
When you return from Suspension, you're placed on Academic Probation. If you continue to struggle, you're then subject to Academic Dismissal. You are eligible to apply for readmission after one year away from the college, but your return is not guaranteed. Should the College Admissions Appeals Committee reject your application, your dismissal becomes permanent.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
Unfortunately, Palm Beach State College doesn't offer any formal process for appealing an academic sanction. Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal are based on your GPA, and PBSC doesn't consider that a debatable issue. For the most part, sanctions are automatic.
That doesn't mean you have no options. There are a number of useful ways to handle the threat of a sanction.
- If your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, such as a serious illness or a personal emergency, you can appeal to the dean for more time to improve.
- If you should discover you have an undiagnosed learning disability, you can ask the college to set your low grades aside and allow you to retake those courses with course accommodations in place.
- If your low grades are the result of academic misconduct allegations, you have the right to appeal your instructor's decisions to an Academic Hearing Committee.
- If you've suffered mistreatment in a course, you have the right to bring this to the attention of your instructor's department head and to file a grievance and a grade appeal.
- Some faculty are open to the process of grade negotiation. For instance, you might try arguing that your progress over the course of the semester merits a passing grade, even if your scores alone aren't enough to pass.
- Faculty are also sometimes willing to assign makeup and extra credit work. You might have to accept an Incomplete while you finish this work, but an I doesn't count against your GPA the way Ds and Fs do.
Finally, if you should find yourself suspended or dismissed from PBSC, you can count on the professionals at the Lento Law Firm to help with your reinstatement appeal. They've worked with hundreds of student clients, and they know exactly what readmissions committees look for in these petitions.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisors
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 the team at the Lento Law Firm. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
The Lento Law Firm is 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.
