College success starts with going to class and studying. It helps to visit professors during office hours if you're having trouble. Study groups are never a bad idea, and tutors are sometimes useful.
Here's an idea you probably haven't considered, though—hiring an attorney. What's an attorney supposed to do for you? Well, here's the thing—college success also has a tremendous amount to do with your ability to navigate the UND system. You've got to know who to contact if you need to miss class to attend a funeral. You need to know where to go if you think you might have ADD. And you need to know who to contact—and what to say—if you just can't seem to get along with your statistics teacher.
Who knows more about bureaucracy than lawyers? And when it comes to educational bureaucracy, one name stands above all others: the Lento Law Firm. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights. We've defended hundreds of student clients, and along the way, we've learned a thing or two about cutting through university red tape. We know tips and tricks for keeping your GPA up that your advisor may not know.
What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 today to find out, or take a little time now and tell us what kind of problem you're facing.
Academic Progress Standards at the University of North Dakota
A lot of our clients don't realize their universities even have academic progress standards until they're suddenly slapped with a sanction. Almost all schools have them, though, including UND. Run afoul of them, and you can find yourself suspended or worse.
Here's everything you need to know about UND's academic standing policy.
- Good Standing: The easiest path to your degree? Staying in good standing from start to finish. Good standing means you're making the progress you need to. At UND, it's defined as a cumulative grade point of 2.0 or above. That's it. Stay above that number, and you're golden.
- Academic Warning: If your GPA falls below that magic 2.0 number, UND issues you an academic warning. The good news is that there are no special obligations when you're on warning status—no extra courses to take or seminars to attend. Further, you can remain on warning status as long as it takes you to return to good standing...as long as you keep your semester GPA at 2.0 or better.
- Academic Suspension: If your semester GPA falls below 2.0 during an academic warning semester, UND then suspends you from taking classes. Suspension lasts for at least one semester, and you must apply for reinstatement.
- Academic Dismissal: Finally, if you should continue to struggle after returning from a suspension, you can be dismissed. Dismissals last for a full year. Again, you can apply to return, but in this case, you must be able to show clear evidence of your academic potential, and you must have an outline of how you plan to succeed if you are reinstated.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
Lots of our clients contact us only after they've been suspended or dismissed. If that's the situation you find yourself in, we can help you get back on track at UND. We know exactly what reinstatement committees are looking for in prospective candidates. We can show you how to gather evidence of your academic abilities and help you draft all the necessary documents. We know all of UND's filing deadlines, and we can make sure you put your best foot forward.
If you contact us early enough, though, we may be able to help you avoid an academic sanction altogether. It turns out there are strategies beyond studying that can pay huge dividends for your GPA. For example,
- If your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, you can appeal directly to the dean of your school or college. A family emergency or a serious illness can be grounds for more time to improve.
- You always have the right to fair treatment from instructors. If you think you're being mistreated in the classroom, the Lento Law Firm attorney can help you create a paper trail and work with you to file a grade appeal.
- Low grades can be a sign of a learning disability. Your attorney can make sure you get fairly evaluated, and if you do have a disability, negotiate fair accommodations with the university. They can also petition to have your low grades dropped from your transcript. This allows you to retake those courses with a level playing field.
- Instructors have the authority to lower your grades if they think you've cheated on an exam or plagiarized a paper. That can lower a GPA pretty quickly. If you are innocent, though, or you feel your sanction is too harsh, the Lento Law Firm attorney can help you file an official grievance.
- It is sometimes possible to negotiate directly with faculty. For instance, you may not have passed a course, but if you've shown improvement, you can always ask an instructor to pass you anyway. It's a matter of developing strong arguments and employing effective negotiation tactics.
- One of the easiest ways to negotiate a grade is to ask for extra credit or makeup work. It could be that an extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite is enough to raise your borderline grade.
Of course, no approach is going to work in every situation. Some professors simply refuse to work with students when it comes to grades. You may not have extenuating circumstances you can point to. Your professors may have caught you red-handed downloading your paper from a paper mill. No matter what your situation, though, you can count on the Lento Law Firm attorney to sit down with you and work out a plan for moving forward. Then, they'll stay beside you as you put that plan into action and make sure that UND treats you fairly.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your University of North Dakota 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.
