Struggling to meet Western Carolina University's academic progression requirements? It happens even to the best students. You've probably heard all the advice—make sure you're in class every day, start papers the day they're assigned, and visit professors during office hours. All of that's important. What most students don't realize is that learning to navigate the WCU system can also be key to keeping your GPA up.
You need to know who to call when you have a problem, what to say, and how to say it. Do you know how to respond if your course webpage says you didn't upload your midterm paper when you know for a fact you did? Do you know who to contact if you need to miss a big exam to attend a funeral?
Whatever your situation, the Lento Law Firm is on your side. Yes, you read that right—a law firm is here to help with your academic progress issues. The thing is, attorneys are actually pretty adept at dealing with bureaucracy, and the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team is particularly skilled at handling educational bureaucracy. Whether you need to appeal a grade or you think you might have a learning disability, we can offer solutions when you're struggling with your grades.
We offer a few simple suggestions below, but before we get into those, you need to know how to contact us any time you have a problem. Call 888-535-3686 today, or take a little time now and tell us what kind of problem you're facing.
Academic Progress Standards at Western Carolina University
Let's start with the basics—just what does academic progress mean at WCU? You'll find the answer in the university's academic standing policy. That policy describes exactly what it takes to keep yourself in “good” standing, and it explains what happens should you fall out of good standing.
- Good Standing: "Good standing" is roughly equivalent to "steady academic progress." As long as you remain in good standing, you don't need to worry about sanctions, and you should have no trouble finishing your degree on time. At WCU, there are two markers of good standing. First, you need to keep your cumulative grade point average at 2.0 or above. In addition, you need to successfully complete at least 67 percent of all the courses you attempt.
- Academic Warning: Should you fall out of good standing, WCU issues you an academic warning. As part of warning status, you must work with the Office of Student Retention to develop and implement a plan for improvement. Your goal, of course, is to return to good standing.
- Academic Suspension: You have just one semester to return to good standing once you've been issued an academic warning. If your GPA remains below 2.0 or your completion percentage remains below 67 percent after that point, you then face suspension. Suspension lasts for a minimum of one semester, and you must reapply in order to return to the university.
- Academic Dismissal: You can also be dismissed outright from WCU if you fail to satisfy the terms of your academic action plan. Dismissal lasts for a minimum of two years, and again, you must go through the readmission process in order to return to the university.
Note that your return is never guaranteed. If your petition for readmission is denied, you face permanent separation from the university.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
If your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, such as a serious bout of depression or a family emergency, you can appeal suspension and dismissal to the Academic Appeals Board. Lento Law Firm attorneys have helped hundreds of students go through these processes. We can make sure you have solid evidence and work with you to draft the appeal itself.
However, we also know a number of tips and tricks for keeping your GPA up and, hopefully, avoiding the prospect of suspension or dismissal altogether. For example,
- You always deserve fair treatment in the classroom. Any time you feel an instructor is mistreating you, you should report this to the instructor's department head or, failing that, the dean of your school or college. At a minimum, making such a report can lay the groundwork for filing a formal appeal once the semester is over.
- Low grades can be a sign of a learning disability. If you consistently struggle in all or most of your courses, it may be worth visiting with Disability Services. Among other accommodations, a learning disability may entitle you to retake courses for replacement credit.
- Academic misconduct allegations can also lead to low grades. Instructors have broad authority to punish cheating and plagiarism with lowered grades on assignments and lower course grades. However, you don't have to accept such sanctions. You always have the option to appeal your case to the university's Academic Integrity Board.
- You can sometimes convince an instructor to modify your grade if you have a good argument. For instance, if your final exam score is especially high, you might try asking them to use it as your course grade.
- You always have the option to ask instructors for extra credit and makeup work. Sometimes, an extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite can be enough to pull your course grade up, and even one improved grade can help your GPA.
Your advisor may not give you suggestions like these. In fact, they may not even know about some of these options. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm have been helping students for a number of years, and we understand exactly how the WCU system works. Whatever your particular situation, you can count on us to come up with a solution, and we'll work with you to implement that solution. Your academic success is always our primary concern.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do for You?
Your Western Carolina 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.
