You worked hard to get into Stanford University. You took all the toughest classes at your high school; you spent untold hours studying for the SATs; you gave up going to the biggest, raging-est kegger of your senior year to attend the Math Club social.
If there was any justice in the world, you could rest easy now. You'd spend the next four to five years relaxing as you learned what you need to know to embark on a successful six-figure career. Unfortunately, college doesn't work that way—especially at Stanford. Your reward for all the hard work it took you to get into Stanford is more hard work. Graduating from Stanford isn't a given. It means making steady progress from semester to semester and year to year.
You'll find all you need to know about the requirements for academic progress at Stanford here. You'll also find something that you may not have expected: an offer from an attorney-advisor to help you as you go through school. No, Joseph D. Lento can't take your classes for you or sit in on your chemistry final. What he can do, though, is offer advice—on how to deal with faculty and administrators, how to fight attempts to dismiss you for poor academic performance, and how to reclaim your spot at Stanford if you should find yourself dismissed. Joseph D. Lento is on your side, and he'll do whatever it takes to help safeguard your academic future.
Academic Progression Requirements at Stanford University
Academic success at Stanford is all about remaining in “good” academic standing. That involves meeting three important standards.
- First, you must complete—not just attempt, but complete—at least nine units of coursework each quarter.
- In addition, you must complete at least 36 units of coursework over your most recent three quarters. In other words, you are expected to average 12 units of credit each quarter.
- Finally, you must also earn at least a 2.0 GPA each quarter.
Failure to meet any one of these standards can put your standing, and ultimately your progress, in jeopardy.
The first consequence for falling out of good academic standing is Academic Notice. Academic Notice means for the next quarter you must take at least 12 units of “new” coursework. You're still required to achieve a 2.0 for this coursework. In addition, your cumulative GPA must be 2.0 at the end of this quarter.
If you're unable to meet the requirements of Academic Notice, you are placed on Academic Probation. Note that Stanford can place you directly on Academic Probation without serving Academic Notice if you fall seriously behind in your classes. Academic Probation lasts for two quarters rather than just one. The requirements, however, are essentially the same as those for Academic Notice: 12 units of coursework and a 2.0 GPA, both cumulatively and for the two quarters.
Finally, failure to meet the requirements of Academic Probation at Stanford results in Academic Suspension. First suspensions last for a year. Any additional suspensions will last three years. The good news is that while on suspension, Stanford does allow you to complete credit at other institutions that you can use towards completing your degree.
Decision Processes
Decisions about your academic standing are ultimately in the hands of the Stanford Academic Progress Review Board. Most decisions are made based purely on the numbers—the number of units you complete during a quarter and your GPA. However, if you believe that your punishment is harsher than you deserve—that, for instance, you were given Academic Suspension when you really only deserve Probation—it is to this board that you direct your appeals.
In addition, there are other ways to stave off a negative decision about your academic standing. Faculty do make mistakes, and staying in good standing may be as simple as asking an instructor to re-calculate your grade and submit a grade change request. In other cases, you may be able to convince an instructor that your work deserved a higher grade than you actually received or to give you an Incomplete while you finish outstanding assignments.
Joseph D. Lento knows all the options available to you and can help you decide which is the best approach in your case. In addition, he can also coach you in negotiating with faculty and help you gather evidence to build your case. Of course, if you should be suspended, Joseph D. Lento can also help you prepare your readmission package to make sure you don't run into any problems that could prevent your return to Stanford.
SAP Standards
If you receive financial aid, your status at Stanford may be subject to another type of review. The federal government requires that all schools maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards to ensure no one can take advantage of the aid system to become a perpetual student.
Each school sets its own SAP policy. Stanford's policy includes five requirements, some of which you'll recognize from the academic standing requirements.
- You must complete at least nine units of coursework each quarter.
- You must have completed at least 36 units of coursework during any three quarters.
- You must complete at least 60 percent of all the course units you attempt. Failures and withdrawals count against this percentage.
- You must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
- You must complete your degree within 18 quarters.
Obviously, you need to meet similar standards to maintain good academic standing. However, failing to meet one of these will not in and of itself put your attendance at Stanford in question. Rather, you lose financial aid. You can still continue as a student, though many students find it difficult to complete their degrees once they've lost their aid packages.
As with academic standing issues, a negative SAP review doesn't mean the immediate loss of funds. Instead, should you fail to meet one or more of the SAP standards, you are given a Financial Aid Warning. This allows you an additional quarter to meet the requirements.
If you fail to meet requirements after a warning, you become “Ineligible” for aid.
Even in this case, you have options. You can appeal an Ineligible status by working with an academic advisor to develop an academic plan. This allows you yet another probationary quarter in which to meet SAP requirements.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor
Students often feel they are on their own at college, that if they find themselves in trouble—especially academically—there's no help out there for them. That's not true. The right attorney-advisor knows lots of ways to get your academic career back on track.
If you should find yourself facing dismissal or even probation, take action. Making a mistake doesn't have to ruin what you've accomplished up to this point. Joseph D. Lento has represented hundreds of students just like you in academic progress cases. He knows the procedures, 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.
