What is Academic Probation?

No one ever claimed getting an education was going to be easy. Every so often a student may encounter an especially difficult course which leads to a significant drop in his or her overall grade point average (GPA). If that grade point average falls below a minimal standard established by the school, the result could be a condition called academic probation. This may sound like a punishment, but most colleges view academic probation as a safety net between rehabilitation and expulsion.

Almost all incoming students receive an academic break during their first sessions, since actual GPAs have not yet been established. Once the student has entered his or her second session, however, there are minimal standards of academic progress which must be met to remain in good standing with the school. A GPA of 1.00 may be required for freshmen students, which essentially means a D+ average. This requirement may be ramped up to a 1.5 or 2.0 GPA as the student becomes an upperclassman. Any drop below those minimal academic requirements will most likely trigger academic probation.

In reality, academic probation is handled as a wake-up call for both instructors and students. The student's faculty adviser may suggest retaking difficult courses in order to boost a sagging GPA. Additional services provided by the college may include intensive tutoring and personal counseling. The student may have to reconsider his or her major if the coursework continues to prove too difficult. Academic probation does not restrict a student from enrolling in the next session, but it might affect which courses are available.

The alternative to academic probation is often academic expulsion, which no one wants. While under academic probation, a student is still under the protective umbrella of the institution and can still take steps to rehabilitate himself. Once academic expulsion has taken place, a student's options may be limited to attending a different school, taking a temporary sabbatical or pursuing a different career path without a diploma or degree. This is why many colleges put such an effort behind rehabilitating students under academic probation. The institution accepted the student for qualities beyond academics, so losing him or her forever because of a temporary academic setback would be distressing.

Academic probation is usually self-limiting. The student has a specified amount of time to bring his or her grades up to a specified grade point average or other measurement of academic progress. If the student manages this feat, then full rights are restored and the student is free to pursue his or her program of choice. If the student continues to perform poorly, then the school may ask the student to transfer to another college or pursue other fields of endeavor.