You know how much effort it took to get into college in the first place—going to class, studying every night, prepping for the SATs. You made it in. That's the good news. The bad news is things only get harder from here. Classes are tougher, and college professors are more demanding than even that one English teacher who always made you spit out your gum.
You wouldn't be the first student to struggle during your first few semesters at college. You wouldn't be the first to have some family crisis come up that distracted you from your studies. The question isn't whether problems will come up while you're in college but rather how you handle them when they do.
If you're struggling to meet your school's academic standing criteria, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help. How is a lawyer supposed to help you with academic progression issues? That will become clear as you read. For now, all you need to know is that the Lento Law Firm Team is dedicated to helping students. They know your rights, they know how your school operates, and they're ready to put their knowledge, background, and experience to work to make sure you succeed.
Academic Progression at Utah State University
If you haven't been in college long, you may not be entirely clear on what “academic progress” means. Basically, Utah State has what's known as an “Academic Standing” policy, which sets the benchmarks you're supposed to meet each semester and prescribes punishments any time you fail to meet them. Here's an outline of what that policy has to say.
- Good Standing: Good standing—the standing you want to be in—requires you to maintain a USU cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
- Warning: Freshmen whose GPAs fall below 2.0 are issued an Academic Warning.
- Probation: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors with GPAs below 2.0 are placed on Academic Probation. Probation is essentially the same as Warning status. It simply means your grades are low enough that you could be in danger of more serious consequences, including suspension. There are no special requirements while on probation, and it is not noted on your transcript. Your chief concern while on probation should be to return to Good standing.
- Suspension: If your semester GPA should fall below 2.0 while you're on probation, you are then subject to suspension. Suspensions typically last for at least one semester, and additional suspensions can lead to permanent dismissal.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
The Utah State Academic Standing policy, doesn't provide any process for challenging a sanction. In other words, the school assumes that any time you receive a warning, probation, or suspension, you've had a fair opportunity to improve. Unfortunately, life doesn't always work like that. One semester you may have struggled with difficult classes and wound up on probation. The next semester you might have developed Mono. Suddenly, you find yourself Suspended from USU. What are you supposed to do?
Luckily, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know many useful strategies for dealing with the threat of academic sanctions.
- Extenuating circumstances can be grounds for a deferred sanction. If you've been hospitalized or dealt with a death in the family, you can try petitioning your school or college dean for more time to improve.
- If you've been mistreated by an instructor, you should always bring that mistreatment to the attention of the instructor's department head. Again, you may be entitled to some form of grade relief.
- Consistently low grades can be a sign that you suffer from a learning disability. You may be eligible for course accommodations. In fact, you can ask Utah State to set aside low grades and allow you to retake those courses with accommodations in place.
- Academic misconduct accusations can also be a source of low grades. If your instructor believes you've plagiarized a paper or cheated on an exam, they may have lowered your assignment or course grade. However, you have the right to appeal your instructor's decisions to the Office of Student Conduct.
- Some faculty are open to the possibility of grade negotiation. You may have a specific argument, such as the fact that your high final exam score merits a higher course grade. Or, perhaps, you might consider asking for makeup or extra credit assignments. These can be an easy way to get your GPA up, especially if you have a course grade that's already borderline.
While there are many options when it comes to protecting your GPA and avoiding an academic sanction, you have to know which one is right for your particular situation. The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can help you narrow down your choices. In addition, they can work with you to develop a plan and put that plan into action, whether that means gathering evidence, drafting appeals, or coaching you in the art of negotiation.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Team Do for You?
Let's go back to that question you were asking in the introduction: how exactly is an attorney-advisor supposed to help me with academic issues? It's a fair question. 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.
As the information on this page suggests, though, succeeding in college is often as much about dealing with bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about how to handle educational bureaucracy than the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is 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 888-535-3686, or use our automated online form.
