You worked hard, you sacrificed, and you got into UC Berkeley. Your future's set now, right? Not necessarily. Getting into Berkeley is one thing; finishing there is another, and you don't reap the rewards until you've got that diploma in your hands.
Success has to be earned one semester, one year, at a time. There are plenty of stumbling blocks that can get in your way, from missing your calculus final because you wrecked your car to having to sit out a semester because you caught mono.
National Student Defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento knows how hard you work, and he wants to help. You might well ask, what can an attorney do for me? I'm a student. Joseph D. Lento built his career helping students, just like you negotiate with faculty and administrators and fight dismissal proceedings. If you're struggling to meet progression requirements at UC Berkeley, he may be able to help you, too.
Academic Progression Requirements at UC Berkeley
To move forward at UC Berkeley, you must remain in “good academic standing.” That means meeting three requirements.
- First, you must earn—not attempt, but actually earn—at least one letter grade every semester you are enrolled. Withdrawals, Failures, and Incompletes do not count as earned grades.
- You must also earn at least a 1.5 GPA each semester.
- Finally, you must earn a 2.0 GPA each year. In other words, while your GPA can fall for one semester, you must achieve a high enough GPA in the following semester to raise it back to 2.0.
Failure to meet these three requirements results in a change from “good” to “probationary” academic status. Should you fail to meet these requirements again at the end of your probationary semester, you are then dismissed from the school for at least one year.
You can gain readmission by completing two terms at another institution and earning at least a 3.0 GPA. Of course, you must go through an application process to be readmitted.
Decision Processes
The UC Berkeley Advising Office makes decisions about issues of student standing. However, probation and dismissal decisions are largely a matter of numbers. You either achieve enough credits and a high enough GPA, or you don't.
However, if you are facing probation or dismissal, there are things you can do to restore your standing. Faculty do make mistakes, for example, and it could be that one of your instructors simply miscalculated your grades, and your GPA is higher than you think. Sometimes, you can convince an instructor that your work deserves higher grades than it actually received. This, too, could raise your GPA. Or, you might be able to talk your instructor into giving you an Incomplete while you complete makeup work or extra assignments
Joseph D. Lento understands your options and can help you decide which will work best in your particular case. He's also a skillful negotiator and can coach you in talking to faculty. If the worst should happen and you should find yourself dismissed, Joseph D. Lento can help you gather evidence and write the letter that serves as the foundation of your readmission application package.
SAP Standards
Academic standing may not be the only bar to your progress at UC Berkeley. Most students at the school receive some form of financial aid. That aid is subject to annual review under the school's SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) policy. SAPs are mandated by the federal government to ensure that students can't take advantage of scholarship, grant, and loan monies.
Each school sets its own SAP policy. UC Berkeley has three standards undergraduates must meet in order to retain their financial aid each year.
- First, you must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. This is a slightly different standard than that required under the school's academic standing rules.
- In addition, you must complete at least 67 percent of all the courses that you attempt. Again, WDs and Fs count against this percentage.
- Finally, you must complete your degree within 150 percent of the published length of your particular degree program.
Note that at UC Berkeley, the SAP policy is, in most ways, more stringent than the academic standing policy. Failing to meet SAP standards will not get you dismissed from the university. It can, however, cost you your financial aid. Many students find it difficult, if not impossible, to finish their degrees without this aid, even if they are technically eligible to continue.
There is no warning semester at UC Berkeley for SAP reviews. You lose aid as soon as you falter. Nor can you regain aid simply by meeting standards again.
If you become ineligible for aid, you can file an appeal to have aid restored based on any extenuating circumstances that may have hindered your academic progress. A successful appeal means you enter a one-term probationary period in which you may regain full status by meeting standards.
Like issues of standing, financial aid issues can be tricky to handle on your own. With years of experience dealing with university faculty and administrators, Joseph D. Lento can be an important asset in preparing an SAP appeal.
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 simply not true. The right attorney-advisor knows lots of ways to get your academic career back on track when it falters.
If you should find yourself facing probation, dismissal, or the loss of your financial aid, you want to take action as quickly as possible. 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.
