Graduating from college is never a given. If it were, there wouldn't be so many students dropping out or so many dismissed every semester. Yes, you're bright and hard-working, or you wouldn't have made it into SDSU in the first place. You can never know, though, when life is going to put roadblocks in your way. Maybe you can't understand what your Indian professor is telling you about statistics. Maybe calculus is your Achilles heal. Maybe it's not school at all but something else that gets you off track, like a bad breakup or a diagnosis of mono.
Whatever issues you face, you shouldn't let them stand in the way of earning your degree. You've made it this far; don't let all your hard work go to waste. Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team can help. How? They can make sure your school treats you fairly. They can help you identify who to talk to when you have a problem and what to say. And, if you need to file a formal appeal, they have the background and experience to make sure you've crossed all your t's and dotted all your i's. No matter what sort of academic progress issues you may be dealing with, you can trust Joseph D. Lento and his Team to help you straighten them all out.
Academic Progression at San Diego State University
Just because you got into SDSU doesn't mean you'll finish. Lots of students don't. If you want to make it to the finish line, you'll have to meet the school's rigorous academic expectations, semester in and semester out.
Basically, the academic standing policy has two requirements.
- Keep your cumulative grade point average above 2.0.
- Keep your semester grade point average above 2.0.
As long as you meet both requirements, you remain in “good” standing. If either of your GPAs should fall, though, FSU immediately places you on Academic Probation.
Florida State doesn't place any restrictions on you when you're on academic probation, and there are no special assignments to complete. If you raise both of your GPAs to the necessary level, you return to good standing.
However, while on probation, you are subject to Academic Disqualification. If, while on probation, either of your GPAs should fall below a specific number based on how many hours you've taken, the school simply dismisses you.
- 29 hours or less: you must keep your GPAs above 1.5
- 30-59 hours: you must keep your GPAs above 1.7
- 60-89 hours: you must keep your GPAs above 1.85
- 90 or more hours: you must keep your GPAs above 1.95
Disqualification lasts for at least one full academic year. At that point, you can apply for readmission to the university. However, you are subject to the same admission standards as first-time student applicants. You'll likely have to complete coursework at another institution, for instance, in order to raise your GPA high enough to get in. Return is not guaranteed. Disqualification can ultimately become permanent dismissal.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Florida State offers no formal options for contesting academic sanctions. That's primarily because these are based on GPA. In most cases, either your GPA is high enough or it isn't. There's no room for debate.
However, there are other informal ways to respond to the threat of sanction. For example,
- Your deficiencies might be the result of extenuating circumstances. Perhaps, for instance, you had to deal with a family emergency while you were already on probation. You can appeal directly to your school or college dean for more time to improve.
- If an instructor has mistreated you or treated you unfairly in some way, you have the right to bring this to the attention of the instructor's department head or—failing that—the dean of your college.
- You also have important state and federal rights if you suffer from a disability. You may be entitled to classroom modifications like additional time to complete assignments. In fact, even if you took a class several semesters ago, before you were diagnosed, you can still petition the university to reconsider your past grades.
- Some low grades are the result of academic misconduct accusations. Your instructor has the authority to decide you've committed an infraction and to assign a sanction as they see fit. However, you have the right to challenge these decisions through a formal hearing.
- It is always worthwhile asking a professor to assign makeup or extra credit work. They may be willing, especially if your grade is borderline to begin with.
- Faculty are also sometimes open to grade negotiation. If you think that maybe they missed something the first time around, or you have a specific argument to make—like the fact that your unusually high final exam score suggests you mastered the course material—you may be able to convince them to change your scores.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team have been helping students for many years, and they know all the angles when it comes to staying on track academically. Whether you need help gathering evidence for a formal appeal or you're looking for basic coaching in the art of negotiation, they can work with you to come up with a strategy and put that strategy into action.
Finally, though, if you should ultimately wind up disqualified, Joseph D. Lento and his Team also have experience filing readmission petitions. They know exactly what committees look for, and they know how to make you look your best on paper.
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 his 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.
