You're bright, hard-working, and capable, or you wouldn't have gotten into the University of Georgia. If you want to graduate from UGA, though, you're going to have to keep up that discipline. Courses aren't easy, and professors can be demanding. Plus, college success isn't like high school success. You're on your own now, setting your own schedule, making your own list of priorities, and getting yourself out of bed in the morning. In short, you're trying to adult at the same time you're a student. That's not always the easiest balancing act to pull off.
In fact, you might even find yourself struggling academically every now and then. It happens even to the best students. What do you do if it happens to you?
You contact attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. Not sure how a lawyer can help you with academics? Don't worry; that'll become clear as you go. For now, though, you need to know that no one knows how to navigate the UGA system like Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team. Whether you're trying to figure out who you need to talk to or you want advice on what to say, they're on you're side and ready to do what it takes to keep your degree on track.
Academic Progression at the University of Georgia
First things first: what exactly do you have to worry about when it comes to academics? Obviously, it helps to study and to go to class. There are papers to write and tests to take. In the broadest sense, though, your job is to remain in “good” academic standing. Here's what UGA's academic standing policy has to say about doing that.
- Good Standing: The main qualification for good standing is a cumulative grade point average above 2.0.
- Early Alert: Given to students whose cumulative GPA is over 2.0 but whose term GPA falls below that number (or who receive a D during the term).
- Warning: Given to first-semester students who fail to earn a 2.0.
- Probation: Given to students with two consecutive semesters with a cumulative GPA below 2.0.
- Suspension: Given to students whose cumulative GPA is below 2.0, term GPA is below 2.25, and hours fall below 6. Suspension lasts for a minimum of one full semester.
- Dismissal: Given to students on probation or returning from suspension if their term GPA is below 2.25 and they complete fewer than 6 hours. Dismissal lasts for a minimum of 1 academic year, and students must apply for readmission.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
UGA loosened its standing policy in 2022. It now takes more to wind up on probation; suspension was introduced as a middle ground between probation and dismissal, and it's harder to earn a dismissal. However, it remains difficult to appeal a standing decision. In fact, there are no formal mechanisms for doing so.
Any standing decision, though, has the potential to disrupt your studies. If you're facing a sanction—even probation—it can be useful to know some strategies for avoiding it. Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know several.
- If you're dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency, or a serious illness, you should bring this to the attention of your school or college dean. They can grant you more time to improve your grades.
- Similarly, you should bring any classroom mistreatment to the attention of the instructor's department head. You may deserve a grade revision.
- Many students with disabilities are entitled to classroom modifications. If you didn't receive those modifications, you should let Disability Services know. In addition, if you discover you have a disability that wasn't diagnosed when you took a class, you may be entitled to retake that class and replace the grade.
- If your low grade is the result of an academic misconduct accusation, you have the right to challenge that accusation and any sanction that went with it to the Office of Academic Honesty.
- Some UGA faculty are open to the possibility of grade negotiation. You can try asking them to reconsider all your work from the semester. Or, you might try making a more specific argument, like the fact that you did well on your final exam demonstrates you mastered the course material better than your actual grade reflects.
- Faculty are also sometimes willing to assign makeup and extra credit work. You may have to take an Incomplete while you finish this work, but an I doesn't count against your GPA the way a D or an F does.
Whatever your particular situation, Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team can help you come up with a plan to avoid an academic sanction. In addition, they can help you put that plan into action, whether that means working with you to gather evidence of your scholastic abilities or coaching you in the art of negotiation.
And, should you wind up suspended or dismissed, Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team are also well-versed in the appeals process at UGA. They can help you draft and polish your application so you look your best on paper when the committee considers your petition.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Students ask all the time: How is an attorney supposed to help me make it through college? It's a fair question. After all, 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.
The thing is, 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 the Lento Law Firm 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.
