Academic Standing
Academic Standing
What is academic standing?
Academic standing is where you stand in terms of your GPA and academic progress. Academic standing can refer to a few different situations that include good academic standing, academic warning, academic support, academic improvement, and academic suspension.
Good academic standing simply means your cumulative (overall) GPA and term GPA are above a 2.0 (a “C” average).
What are some ways to remain in good academic standing?
- Keep open communication between yourself and your instructor.
- Utilize campus resources such as tutoring and the writing center to perform to the best of your ability.
- Know your options and contact your instructor or SSA with any questions or concerns.
- Retake failed classes to remove them from your GPA and replace them with your new, passing grade.
- Be aware of drop/withdraw dates.
Academic warning means that a student earned less than a 2.0 GPA during the last term. A hold will be placed on a student’s account, meaning that they can’t register for the next term until the hold has been lifted.
To get your hold lifted, meet with an Advisor in Student Success and Advising. In this appointment, the student and advisor will review the academic standing policy, financial aid implications, and discuss a plan for future success.
To make an appointment with an SSA Advisor, log into the Portal and select the blue Navigate icon. Select the “Make an Appointment” button, “Student Success and Advising” for the student service, and “Academic Standing” for appointment reason.
Academic support means that a student earned less than a 2.0 GPA in the last two terms. A hold will be placed on a student’s account, meaning they can’t register for the next term until the hold has been lifted. To lift the hold, a student must meet with an Academic Success Advisor in Student Success and Advising. In this appointment, the student and advisor will review the academic standing policy, financial aid implications, and discuss a plan for future success.
- To make an appointment with an Academic Success Advisor, log into the Portal and select the blue Navigate icon.
- Select the “Make an Appointment” button, “Student Success and Advising” for the student service, and “Academic Standing” for appointment reason.
Academic improvement means that a student’s last term GPA is 2.0 or above but their cumulative GPA is below 2.0. This can happen after being on Academic Warning or Academic Support. Students will have a registration hold and are required to meet with an advisor to discuss a plan for continued success.
If a student is on Academic Improvement or Academic Support and earns a term below a 2.0, they will be placed on Academic Suspension and required to take the term following suspension off from WOU, or Summer and Fall if the suspension takes place at the conclusion of Spring term.
To return to WOU after one term off:
- Fill out the Academic Suspension – Request for Reinstatement after Mandatory Time Off, found on the Registrar’s website.
- Students will also be required to meet with an academic advisor two times before Week 7 of the first term in which they are reinstated. In these meetings, the advisor and student will co-create an academic success plan.
If a student returns from a first academic suspension and doesn’t earn a 2.0 GPA that term, they will be suspended again. A second academic suspension means a student will have to take a mandatory year off. Alternatively, a student can take 24 credits at another institution, earn a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better in those 24 credits, and request to be reinstated.
When students are emailed about being suspended, they are also given directions for how to petition to waive the mandatory time off requirement. Students may submit this petition if they feel that they have an extenuating situation that affected their academic success. They will be required to fill out the Academic Suspension – Petition to Waive Mandatory Time Off (found on the Registrar’s website), answer the questions on the form, have all registration holds lifted, and meet with the suspension committee. For more information, please see the Academic Catalog.
