Understand the Academic Standing Policy

-- Stephen Burgdorf

I was sitting on my couch, frantically editing a paper for my Writing for Magazines class. I was also recovering from the flu. Despite my preventative efforts, I still got sick, missed two classes and fell behind in my assignments.

As I keyed my fingers raw, I grew worried: “Am I ever going to get this work done?” My worry turned to frustration and then anger. I shut my laptop, sighed deeply and said to myself, “I’m done with this class!” The next day I withdrew.

While I relieved myself of the stress of falling behind, I still remained angry. If I had just had a few extra days, then maybe I might have caught up. Come to think of it, if I hadn’t gotten sick, could I have kept up anyway? Was my planning good enough? Meanwhile, my remaining class kept me plenty busy and I was able to focus my efforts and earn a good grade. While I couldn’t control catching the flu, perhaps I didn’t need to take the class at all.

Like most Metropolitan State University students, I also work full-time. We are lucky, however, because the university plans class offerings with working students in mind. Therefore, we can plan our classes by what suits us. If it’s one class or a full 12-credit load—great! Tailor school to your life. Personally, I now look to the saying, “It’s a marathon not a sprint.”

Wise planning becomes more important now than ever. Metropolitan State’s Academic Standing Policy (#2050) has changed, effective fall 2008. The updated policy states that a student will be placed immediately on academic probation if he or she falls below the school’s “good academic standing” criteria. To be in good standing you must have a g.p.a. of 2.0 or better and a completion rate of 66.66 percent or better.

This policy is an additional reminder to carefully choose your courses and understand how withdrawal can affect your academic standing.

According to Donna Blacker, advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences, some scheduling considerations include:
•Balancing your work and school schedule. Plan your credit load around your full-time or part-time job.
•Taking advantage of Saturday class offerings. For the 9–5 crowd too tired after work to concentrate on weeknights, this may be a good option for you.
•Taking summer courses. The half-summer accelerated courses allow students to complete a class quickly. But make sure you feel comfortable taking the class in that manner.

Blacker recommends that “students start slow and figure out what works for them.” The pace at which you take courses may depend on whether or not you are taking courses that are a challenge for you. She also advises that students initially attempting 300-level courses may need to go slow until they get used to the increased workload.

Finally, don’t rely on incompletes as an extension, even though some teachers may offer them to you. Incompletes that are not turned into letter grades by the time academic standing is determined will be considered unsuccessful and can also result in negative standing, affecting your financial aid and/or eligibility for the following term.

To view the new Academic Standing Policy, please visit the Metropolitan State Web site. Scroll down to Section II, Undergraduate Academic Standing Review—revised May 2008.