It is that time of the term when some students may be starting to feel a little queasy about the final grades they might earn this term. So, let’s say hypothetically that your grades are not good. What comes next?
(Please note that this email is about academic status. Financial Aid has different policies as dictated by the federal government.)
Good Standing
As an undergraduate student, as long as your term GPA, your cumulative GPA and your major GPA are all above 2.00, you are still academically in good standing. The only exception to this is if you have failed the same course twice; that would cause you to be automatically suspended. The 2.00 level is important because it is the minimum level needed to earn an undergraduate degree from MSOE. Both a cumulative and major GPA of 2.00 or above are required to graduate.
Some of you may be reading this and thinking “Whew! I should just squeak by above 2.00. All is well!” If you are one of these students, I encourage you to think about the bulleted points below but also read the Help is Available section at the bottom of the page. Please remember that 2.00 is the minimum required to be in good standing. There is room for improvement.
Academic Probation
- If this is the first term any of your GPAs has dropped below the 2.00 level, you will be placed on Academic Probation. Academic Probation is a warning that something is getting in the way of your academic success. Information about the specifics of Academic Probation can be found on the Registrar’s Office webpage.
- One bad term can seem like the end of the world, but I encourage you to look at it as a learning experience. Evaluate what you need to change to be more successful next term, create a plan for success, and then follow through on your plan.
- Some things to ponder that often cause academic issues:
- Did you study enough to expect success? The rule of thumb is a minimum of two hours outside of class for every hour in class.
- Beware of ‘multi-tasking’ masquerading as study time. You cannot effectively and actively study while simultaneously texting, playing the drums to the beat of your music with your pencil, and watching TV. You need focused study time.
- Did you attend every class? Studies show that there is a strong correlation between class attendance and grades.
- Were you overly optimistic about your chances of pulling up a failing grade? In hindsight, should you have dropped any classes before the week 8 deadline?
- Should you have asked for tutoring? If you did get tutoring, did you wait too long?
- Did you take advantage of your faculty members’ office hours? Did you ask for help as soon as you realized you were struggling with the course content?
- Do you know how to study effectively? Studying more may not necessarily equal effective studying.
- How are you spending your time? Have you succeeded at managing your academic, personal and social obligations?
- Did you do all of the homework assigned even if it wasn't collected? It is hard to know if you really understood a concept you have read until you test yourself. Application to secure understanding is one of the important reasons that instructors assign homework.
Subject to Suspension
- Whenever you have two consecutive terms where either your term, cumulative or major GPA is below 2.00, you are Subject to Suspension. Information about the specifics of the Subject to Suspension status can be found on the Registrar’s Office webpage.
- Don’t panic if you receive a Subject to Suspension letter from me. There is an appeal process. Take some time to think about what the issues are that are getting in the way of you being successful. You will need to convince the appeal committee to overturn your suspension status by demonstrating that you have a clear understanding of the issues and a clear plan to fix those issues.
- Since you’ve had two rocky terms in a row, it is time to do some real soul searching.
- Is MSOE the right school for you? Do you really want to be here? Just because you don’t feel like MSOE is the right place for you doesn’t mean you cannot be a successful student somewhere else.
- Are you in the right major? Talk to your academic advisor, and other people who know you, about options you may have by simply changing your major here at MSOE.
- Is there something non-academic getting in the way of you being academically successful? If so, would it be best to take some time off to resolve the issue and then return later? Is it something that could be helped by meeting with someone in Counseling Services?
- Are you working too much? We know that many of our students must work to pay the bills. Would a part-time program of study or a five-year plan work better for you? Although you would like to be done in four years, the ultimate goal is to GRADUATE. There are alternate paths to get your degree. The four-year plan doesn’t work for everyone. Is it working for you?
- Did you have an unrealistic view of how the term was going and what grades you were earning? If so, how can you remedy that in future terms prior to the drop deadline?
- Are you over-extended with extra-curricular activities? You learn many incredibly valuable things from extra-curriculars. However, be sure you learn to say ‘no’ when your academics are in jeopardy because of too many activities.
Notification
If you are on Probation or Subject to Suspension status after your final grades are posted, a letter will be mailed to the local school year address we have on file for you. Those letters typically are mailed Wednesday of break week. If you think you may receive a letter, please make sure that your mailing address is up-to-date. Make your changes on the main Students page in myMSOE or at https://resources.msoe.edu/AddressUpdate/.
Help is Available
Whether you fit into one of these statuses or will squeak by above the 2.00 requirements, you may want to talk with someone about your academic difficulties. There are many resources available. I know it is hard for many of you to reach out. I know it sometimes hurts your pride to admit you need help. Since this is a really long email and you have read this far, I have a feeling fixing the issues yourself or ignoring them in hopes that they magically resolve themselves may not be working. I encourage you to seek assistance!
- Counseling Services is a great resource for developing a plan for future success. Many students have the perception that the counselor’s job is to delve into the corners of your life. The reality is that while they can probably help you delve into those dusty corners, they can also help with time management, study skills, anxiety and stress, homesicknesspreliminary assessment of whether you may have a learning disability, interest inventories to determine areas of career interest for you and many other really useful things. It may sound a little scary to ‘go to counseling’. They aren’t scary people, and they have helped lots of students. I highly encourage you to get connected to them if you are struggling. You can make an appointment with a counselor by calling (414) 277-7590 or by stopping by their office in the Kern Center, K230.
- Student Accessibility Services is a great service for those of you with diagnosed disabilities. If you are eligible for accommodations and are not getting accommodations now, I encourage you to touch base with Angela Moureau (moureau@msoe.edu) to find out ways that she can help you navigate the college setting. Angela’s office is on the 2nd floor of the German English Academy.
- Many students think the Raider Center for Academic Success(RCAS) is only for one-on-one tutoring. Yes, they have that. However, in addition to one-on-one tutoring, there are group tutoring sessions and drop-in labs for physics, math and chemistry. They also have writing specialists. And, there is help available for study skills, time management and test-taking strategies. RCAS is located on the 2nd floor of the German English Academy.
- If you are an international student, or if English is not your native language, Mark Fischer in the Raider Center for Academic Success (fischerm@msoe.edu) is a good resource who can help you navigate college life, from culture to homework. Make an appointment to get help with any of your language needs in speech, reading, or writing. Doing work in a second language is difficult, and he’s happy to help make your work load more manageable with language help.
- Your academic advisor or program director can be a great resource if you are trying to figure out if you are in the right major. He or she can also discuss the bulleted issues from the above sections with you or refer you to someone who can help you talk through those soul searching questions. Use them as a resource!
- Perhaps you know of some other friendly face--an instructor, a work-study supervisor, a staff member, or your friendly registrar. I encourage you to reach out to someone if you are struggling. While he or she may not be able to help you answer the questions above, they can help you figure out the best person to help you.
Withdrawing from All Classes
Although it is too late to drop individual classes from your schedule, you still have the option to withdraw from all of your classes. The deadline for withdrawing is Friday of 10th week, November 13, at 4:30 pm. Although it may seem extreme to withdraw, if none of your classes are going well, you should at least consider it as an option. If you withdraw, you will not earn final grades in your classes. Your transcripts will show grades of W (for withdraw) and your GPA will not be affected. Make sure you know the academic and financial consequences of this decision; discuss the option with your advisor, someone in Counseling Services, and/or someone in Financial Aid so you can make a well-informed decision. Withdrawing from your classes does not prohibit you from registering for next quarter.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help connect you to any of our resource people on campus. Have a great day!
Mary Nielsen
CC365
414-277-7216