Glossary
Academic Bankruptcy: Under this policy students who have interrupted their education at Laredo College for five consecutive calendar years may, upon their return of said absence, declare academic bankruptcy. Under this policy all college level work done at an earlier date is eliminated from computation of the cumulative grade point average, and none of it can be applied toward a degree, certificate, or for credit at LC. Such work will not be removed from the student’s scholastic records and transcripts.
Casual Student: A non-degree seeking student taking courses for personal enrichment.
Census date: The date in an academic term for which an institution is required to certify a person’s enrollment in the institution for the purposes of determining formula funding for the institution.
Institution Grade Point Average: The average of a student’s grades in college-level courses taken during all the periods of enrollment at Laredo College, except for grades of repeated-excluded courses, and courses with a grade of "W", "P", "NC" and "AU". Effective Fall 1986, only the highest grade is calculated in the cumulative grade point average when a student repeats a course (this does not apply to courses that were repeated prior to Fall 1986.) The Cumulative Grade Point average is on the Laredo College Transcript.
Curriculum Grade Point Average: The average of a student’s grades on all courses counted toward a certificate or degree.
Dependent: A person who:
- is less than 18 years of age and has not been emancipated by marriage or court order; or
- is eligible to be claimed as a dependent of a parent of the person for purposes of determining the parent’s income tax liability under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Domicile: A person’s principal, permanent residence to which the person intends to return after any temporary absence.
Grade Point Average: The average of grades earned in college-level courses taken during a semester/session divided by the number of semester credit hours.
LC Transcript: An official report of a student’s performance on all course work attempted while enrolled at Laredo College and courses transferred from other institutions of higher education. When you enroll in college classes you are beginning a college transcript that will follow you throughout your college career.
Legal guardian: A person who is appointed guardian under the Texas Probate Code, Chapter 693, or a temporary or successor guardian.
Maintenance of Texas Residence: To physically reside in a location. The maintenance of a residence is not interrupted by a temporary absence from the state.
Minimum Institution Grade Point Average: The standard of all the student’s grades in college-level courses that indicates satisfactory academic standing at Laredo College based on a set number of hours.
GPA Hours: Hours for college level courses taken at Laredo College except for courses with a grade of "W", "P", "NC" and "AU"
Residence: A person’s home or other dwelling place.
Scholastic Warning: A student who fails to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress(SAP) for the first time. Student for financial aid eligibility is placed on warning and is eligible to receive Financial Aid.
Scholastic Suspension: Student who fails to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress(SAP) for the second time is placed in suspension. Student is not eligible for Financial Aid.
Scholastic Probation: Students who has been placed on Financial Aid suspension and successfully appeals the suspension, is put in probation and is eligible to receive Financial Aid for the term.
Six Drop Rule: Beginning with the Fall 2007 semester, all freshmen enrolled for the first time at any Texas public college or university will be limited to six course withdrawals (drops) during their academic career. Drops include those initiated by students or faculty and withdrawals from courses at other Texas public institutions. A student is considered to have withdrawn from the institution when the student drops all courses during the semester.
This policy does not apply to courses dropped prior to census day or to complete withdrawals from the college. Students are not impacted by the six drop rule if the drops from classes meet the following criteria:
- Courses taken by students while enrolled in high school – whether for dual credit, early college credit, or for college credit alone.
- Courses dropped at private or out-of-state institutions.
- Remedial or developmental courses, other courses that would not generate academic credit that could be applied to a degree
- Courses taken as required co-requisites such as a lecture class with a required laboratory are counted as one drop whether or not identified as separate courses or as separate sections of a course.
TSI (Texas Success Initiative): An Assessment Testing Program. Texas state law requires that all entering students be tested in reading, writing and mathematics before enrolling in college-level courses in any Texas public college or university. TSI replaces the former TASP program.