You got into the University of Texas, Dallas. That's a significant accomplishment. It will only mean something, though, if you actually graduate from the University of Texas, Dallas, and that's going to require even more hard work. Courses can be tough, professors can be demanding, and this time around, you'll be learning how to “adult” at the same time you're going to classes. Plenty of students find that combination overwhelming and wind up dropping out or being dismissed.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team want to make sure you make it to the finish line. They know how challenging it can be to balance everything when you're in college. It's not always easy to keep that GPA up. If yours has fallen, if you're facing sanctions from your university, you can count on Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team to stand by your side. They know whom to talk to when you're in trouble and what to say, and they can help you handle whatever problems you may be facing.
Academic Progression at the University of Texas, Dallas
Your success at UT, Dallas is defined by the school's academic standing policy. This policy sets the benchmarks you must meet and defines the consequences you face if you don't.
As long as you keep your cumulative and major GPAs above 2.0, you'll have no problems. You're in “good” standing. Fall below those marks, though, and things can get complicated.
- Academic Probation: The first thing that happens when your GPA falls is that you're placed on academic probation. Probation isn't just meant to warn you that you're in trouble. It also comes with some important additional requirements.
- You must earn at least a 2.0 term GPA while you are on probation
- You cannot withdraw from a course or request an incomplete
- You must meet with an advisor before registering
- You must retake any major or university Core courses you failed the previous semester
As long as you meet these requirements, you can remain on probation until you are again in good standing.
- Academic Warning: If you do not meet academic probation requirements, you are then placed on “academic warning” status. Again, this status comes with academic requirements. For the most part, these are the same as the requirements for academic probation, but in order to remain enrolled at UT, Dallas, you must earn at least a 2.2-term GPA. In addition, you can only remain on academic warning for two semesters.
- Academic Suspension: If your grades remain low while on academic warning, you then face suspension from the university. A first suspension lasts for at least one semester. A second suspension lasts for a full year. A third suspension means permanent dismissal.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
You can return to the University of Texas, Dallas after your first or second suspension. However, this usually requires that you take courses at another institution and do well in them. And, even if you do return, your studies at UT, Dallas will have been disrupted.
What can you do to avoid getting suspended in the first place?
It turns out there are some informal ways to challenge standing decisions, raise your GPA, and ensure you stay on track.
- If your struggles are the result of some kind of extenuating circumstance, like a family emergency or a long-term illness, you can petition your school or college dean for more time to improve.
- If you suffer from any type of disability, you may have the right to classroom modifications. If you're not given those modifications, you can appeal your grade. In fact, if you discover you have a disability at any point while you're in college, you may be able to drop any low grades and retake courses with no penalty.
- You should never suffer mistreatment in the classroom. If an instructor is treating you unfairly, you should bring that to the attention of the instructor's department head. You may be entitled to some form of grade relief.
- Some low grades are the result of academic misconduct allegations. If a professor has accused you of plagiarism or cheating and reduced your grade, you can challenge those decisions to the Office of Community Standards and Conduct.
- You can always try negotiating directly with your instructors. Some may be willing to consider a particularly persuasive argument. For instance, if you failed a course but did well on the final, you could try arguing that your final demonstrates you sufficiently mastered the material to pass.
- You can also try asking faculty for extra credit or makeup work, especially if your grade is borderline.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team have been defending students for a number of years, and they know all the various options to pursue when you're facing an academic sanction. They can help you come up with a plan. They can also help you implement that plan, whether that means tracking down evidence of your academic abilities, drafting a formal appeal, or coaching you in the art of negotiation.
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 his 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.
