Academic Standing Policy
Criteria for Good Academic Standing and Satisfactory Progress
To be considered in good academic standing and to be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate, a matriculated student must:
1. Maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 OR above, and
2. Successfully earn 60% of credits attempted each semester. (Credits attempted are defined as credits enrolled at the end of the Add-Drop period.)
Credit Hours Earned
The term “credit hours earned” means the total number of credits received from any or all of the following: Courses completed at the College with a grade of ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ ‘P’, or ‘PC’; acceptable transfer credits from other institutions; credit by examination (including CLEP and Departmental Exams). The total credit hours earned figure is used to determine whether a student has met the total number of credits required for a degree.
Credit Hours Completed
Credit received from courses completed at the College with a grade of ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ or ‘F’ is noted as credits completed on the transcript. The credits completed figure is used to compute the Grade Point Average (GPA) and to determine whether a student has met the CGPA requirement of 2.0 for a degree.
Early Alerts
By the third week of the semester and again by midterm, faculty will report students who are not attending class and/or are having academic difficulty. Faculty may also submit online alerts at any point in the semester for students having difficulty in their classes. Students registered for 15-week classes will be notified in writing of early and midterm alert reports and will be advised to take appropriate action. Classes that operate outside of the traditional (link to parts of term) 15 week session may have alternate dates for early alerts.
Mid-Term Alert
Faculty will provide progress reports to all students at midterm. The report will indicate an estimate of each student’s current status. If you receive a mid-term alert, you should discuss your report with your faculty advisor, Pathway advisor or an Academic Counselor in the Student Support and Advising Center.
Academic Probation
A student who does not meet the above standards of a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 or above and successfully earn 60% of credits attempted at the end of a semester will be placed on academic probation and will receive a letter of notification. Academic Probation directs a student to meet with an advisor to review the student’s academic progress and to discuss use of the College’s student support and advising services in order to improve academic performance.
Request to Waive an ‘F’ Grade
An ‘F’ grade earned during the first 30 credits attempted at North Shore Community College may be waived any time before graduation upon written application to the Enrollment Center. A maximum of three ‘F’ grades may be waived. It is required that you discuss fully the option to waive an ‘F’ grade with your faculty advisor or an Academic Counselor in the Student Support and Advising Center. When an ‘F’ grade is waived, the record of taking the course will remain on the transcript and the grade will be noted as “FN.” No credit will be received and the grade will not be calculated into the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). For the purpose of determining honors eligibility, ‘FN’ grades will be calculated into the honors CGPA as 0 quality points. After graduation an ‘F’ grade may not be waived.
Academic Suspension
A student who does not meet the above requirements of a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 or above and successfully earn 60 percent of credits attempted for two consecutive semesters will be placed on academic suspension. Suspension means that a student is prohibited from enrolling in the College until he/she has met with an Academic Review Board to discuss academic progress and to receive permission to re-enroll. The Academic Review Board may make re-enrollment contingent on a student taking specific steps to help ensure future academic success. A student must fulfill all requirements set by the Board.
Academic Review Board
A suspended student must attend an Academic Appeal Review Session in person in order to be eligible to receive permission to re-enroll. The College recognizes that special or unusual circumstances can affect academic performance. These mitigating circumstances will be considered by the Review Board in granting a student permission to re-enroll. Therefore, a student is required to complete an application to appeal their suspension and provide a written statement explaining any important information the Board should know before making its decision. The composition of Review Boards will be determined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students will be notified of the Academic Review Board’s decision via email. In addition, if the student wishes to appeal this decision, they may do so through the Vice President of Academic Affairs.