College can be one of the most rewarding challenges of your life. The reward, of course, is knowledge and the credentials you need to start on a successful career path. The challenge? Making it through four years of difficult courses taught by demanding professors. In fact, not everyone makes it to the reward. Plenty of students struggle to keep up academically and never actually manage to get their degrees.
If you're struggling to meet academic progress requirements at the University of Miami, you should know: attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento is here to help.
You might be surprised by the idea that an attorney could help you get through college. Think about it, though: how much paperwork do you have to fill out to apply for financial aid? What kind of red tape do you have to go through just to register for classes? How complicated is the University of Miami's parking policy? Often, getting through school is as much about knowing how to navigate the system as it is about acing exams. Who knows more about handling red tape and paperwork than lawyers?
Like every other aspect of the college experience, your academic progress is governed by a complicated set of rules and procedures. You'll find out all about those below. The most important thing to know, though, is that if you're struggling to meet requirements, Joseph D. Lento has the background and experience to help you defend your record and keep your career on track.
Academic Progression Requirements at the University of Miami
The rules for academic success at the University of Miami are reasonably straightforward. Simply put, as long as you're meeting the cumulative grade point requirement, you remain in “good” standing.
That grade point requirement involves a sliding scale based on how many hours you've completed at the university.
- If you've completed fewer than 33 hours, you must maintain a minimum 1.7 cumulative GPA.
- If you've completed between 33 and 64 hours, you must maintain a 1.8 cumulative GPA.
- If you've completed between 65 and 96 hours, you must maintain a 1.9 cumulative GPA.
- If you've completed more than 96 hours, you must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
What happens if you can't meet these marks? The immediate consequence is “academic probation.” If you're on probation, you are required to meet with your advisor before each semester to discuss your progress and your plans moving forward. In addition, you are limited to a 13-hour course load.
More importantly, if you cannot raise your GPA over two semesters of probation, you face dismissal from the university. Dismissal isn't necessarily permanent. However, you must go through a rigorous petition process to be readmitted to the University of Miami, and not every petition is successful. Even if you do gain readmission, if you continue to struggle academically, you can be permanently dismissed.
Dealing With Probation and Dismissal Decisions
Academic standing decisions at the University of Miami are made at the end of each semester. For the most part, these decisions aren't open to debate. In fact, they are initially made automatically by computer. Either your GPA meets standards, or it doesn't.
However, there are some means of challenging dismissal. The most direct route is to appeal to your school or college's Academic Standards Committee. If, for example, you can demonstrate that extenuating circumstances—like an illness or a family emergency—hindered your progress, you may be granted an additional semester of probation rather than face dismissal. Keep in mind that appeals must be filed within 30 days of receiving notice of your dismissal.
If your school or college committee should deny your request, you can further appeal to the university's Faculty Senate Affairs Committee (FSSAC). The FSSAC also hears grade appeals based on issues such as discrimination and disability.
There are other, less formal ways to handle probation and dismissal as well.
- It is always worth keeping track of your semester scores yourself and doing your own grade calculations. It is not uncommon for faculty to make mistakes in figuring final grades, and sometimes avoiding an academic sanction is as simple as asking a professor to re-calculate your scores.
- It is also possible to negotiate with faculty for higher grades, especially if you have a compelling argument for why you deserve better scores. If you can demonstrate that you made significant improvement over the course of a semester, for instance, or that your final exam score proves you learned the material, you might be able to convince a professor to raise your final grade.
- Some faculty are willing to assign extra credit or makeup assignments to students in academic distress, particularly if they've demonstrated real effort over the course of the semester. They may assign you an Incomplete while you finish this work, and that, too, can raise your grade point enough to avoid probation or dismissal.
Finally, of course, if the worst should happen and you should be dismissed, you can go through the readmission process after two semesters away from the university. As long as you can explain what caused your academic failure and what you plan to do to remedy these problems, you can re-enroll as a student and complete your degree.
Joseph D. Lento knows all the options available to you, including these and others, and can help you choose which will work best in your given situation. Just as importantly, he can help you as you make your way through the process, offering advice, working with you to draft appeals, and even coaching you in negotiation tactics.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor
An attorney-advisor isn't a substitute for hard work and discipline. If you want to succeed at the University of Miami, you're going to have to go to class; you're going to have to study, you're going to have to research. If you're doing all that, though, and you're still struggling to meet the school's requirements, Joseph D. Lento may be able to help.
Joseph D. Lento is an attorney, and he works hard helping students get fair treatment and the rights they deserve. Joseph D. Lento built his career handling academic progress and student conduct issues. He knows the University of Miami system, and he knows how to use it to your advantage. Most importantly, he's on your side. He understands that no one is perfect, and he doesn't think that a few mistakes should keep him from earning a degree.
You've worked hard to get to this point in your academic career. Don't let a difficult course or a difficult semester ruin all that you've accomplished so far.
To find out more about how you can fight dismissal, contact the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
