You're here for just one reason—your GPA has fallen a bit, or maybe more than a bit, and you're looking for help. You've probably already noticed at this point that this is a website sponsored by a law firm—the Lento Law Firm. The next logical question is, how is an attorney supposed to help me keep my grades up? So, let us explain it.
College success isn't just about studying and getting to class every day. It's about learning to navigate the "system." It's about knowing who to talk to when you have a problem, what to say, and how to say it. All the studying in the world isn't going to help if your chemistry professor refuses to allow you to retake an exam you missed to attend a funeral. What will help is knowing exactly which administrative office to complain to.
No one knows more about bureaucracy and red tape than attorneys. No attorneys are more well-versed in educational bureaucracy than those who work for the Lento Law Firm. Our Student Defense Team has dealt with every conceivable type of student problem you could imagine, including a few you probably couldn't imagine. We know how Santa Fe College operates, including how to use the system to your advantage.
If you're worried about meeting the college's progress requirements, you owe it to yourself to find out how we can help. Call 888-535-3686 today to learn more, or take a little time now and tell us what kind of problem you're facing.
Academic Progress Standards at Santa Fe College
Let's start with the basics. Like all colleges and universities, Santa Fe College maintains something called an "academic standing policy." This policy defines what it means to make steady progress toward your degree. It also sets up penalties for students who aren't making satisfactory progress.
- Good Standing: This is the goal. As long as your cumulative and term grade point averages are at least 2.0, you remain in good standing.
- Academic Warning: Should either of your GPAs fall below 2.0, Santa Fe College places you on academic warning status. As part of this status, you are limited to no more than 12 hours per term.
- Academic Probation: If you fail to bring your GPA up while on academic warning status, you are then subject to academic probation. In this case, you are limited to no more than 9 chosen hours per term. In addition, you must take a three-hour study skills course.
- Academic Suspension: If your GPA remains low after a semester of probation, Santa Fe College suspends you for the next term – spring, summer, or fall. You can petition for readmission after this point, but you must meet with a counselor before your return, and when you return, you are once again placed on probation.
- Academic Dismissal: Finally, if either of your GPAs remains below 2.0 after returning from suspension, Santa Fe College then dismisses you entirely for a period of at least one year. As with suspension, your return following a dismissal is not guaranteed.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
Suspension and dismissal happen, even to bright, hard-working students. If it has happened to you, a Lento Law Firm attorney can help you file for readmission. We know what academic committees look for in these petitions. We can help you burnish your resume and make sure you look your very best on paper.
If you're facing a warning or probation, we can help in other ways. In fact, we know strategies that may be able to prevent a sanction in the first place. For example,
- Santa Fe College maintains a review process for students whose academic deficiencies are caused by extenuating circumstances. A family emergency or a serious bout of depression could be grounds for more time to improve your GPA.
- If you consistently struggle in all or most of your courses, you could be dealing with an undiagnosed learning disability. Disability Services can work with you to get tested, and if you do have such a disability, you can talk with the college about dropping low grades from your transcript.
- An academic misconduct allegation could also be dragging your GPA down. If you've been accused of plagiarism or cheating, your instructor may have lowered the grade on the assignment or lowered your course grade. They even have the power to fail you outright. However, you can appeal those decisions. In fact, even if you did violate the policy, you may not deserve the sanction you were given.
- You always have the option of asking individual instructors for makeup and extra credit work. Such assignments can be a quick way to pull up a GPA.
- You can try negotiating with instructors on other grounds. For example, your improvement over a semester might be worth a passing grade, even if your scores don't add up to a passing grade.
- You will occasionally come across instructors who treat you unfairly. You should report such treatment immediately to your instructor's department head. You may be entitled to some form of grade adjustment. At a minimum, this will lay the groundwork for a grade appeal if you need to file one.
Your advisor may not tell you about these and other options for avoiding academic sanctions. They may not know about some of them. The Lento Law Firm has been at this a long time, long enough to have learned all the tips and tricks that work. Of course, every situation is different, but you can count on us to come up with the solution that's right for you and to work with you to implement it.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Santa Fe College diploma is far more than just a piece of paper. It's your avenue to a successful career. If it's under threat for any reason, 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 progress 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.
