Academic Probation in College: What It Is and How to Get Back on Track

If you’ve been struggling academically and find yourself on academic probation, you’re not alone — around 20% of first-year students at four-year colleges end up in a similar situation.

Receiving a notice of academic probation can be a massive blow to your confidence, but it can also pose serious academic and financial consequences. Fortunately, academic probation doesn’t have to signal the end of your college career.

Many factors can lead to academic probation, and there are various ways you can improve your academic performance and successfully earn your degree.

Each school handles academic probation differently. If you are put on probation, however, you can generally expect to be required to participate in academic support activities and restricted from enjoying some non-academic functions.

At Arizona State University, for instance, students on academic probation take a one-credit mindset connections course. This course equips learners with skills and strategies for improving self-awareness and focusing on achieving goals. Students also discover more about the university’s resources for academic success.

Recognizing common causes of academic probation can help you avoid future slip-ups and work toward improving your academic habits. Many choices and external factors can result in students getting put on academic probation, including the following:

Although academic probation is intended as an early warning system — a chance for students to improve their scholastic performance — getting put on probation comes with an array of potential consequences. Most seriously, if you fail to come off probation, you could be suspended from college for a semester or even dismissed.

Many forms of financial aid require you to be in good academic standing. Since academic probation is a warning that you aren’t in good standing, you risk losing some or all of your financial aid.

For example, the Pell Grant is initially distributed based on financial need, but you cannot renew the grant unless you make satisfactory academic progress. Losing financial assistance can make it difficult or impossible to finish your degree program. However, you can become re-eligible for financial aid upon returning to good standing.

Does academic probation stay on your record? It depends. Most schools do not record academic probation on your transcript, but some do. While this may matter for graduate school admissions, few employers ask to see transcripts.

So, if your school is one of the few that records academic probation on your record, it’s consequential but not devastating.

The most far-reaching impact of academic probation happens if you do not come off probation. Then, you can face academic dismissal, which occurs when your school refuses to re-enroll you because you have not maintained an acceptable GPA.

Usually, you receive several warning letters and opportunities to boost your grades before academic dismissal happens.

Getting off academic probation can be daunting, but it’s possible if you are willing to commit to your education. The process for getting off academic probation varies between schools and can even differ from student to student, so it’s essential to follow your school’s policy carefully.

To get off academic probation, students usually must meet minimum GPA requirements. Schools often have two GPA policies for students on academic probation.

Overall GPA Policy: The most common overall GPA requirement is a 2.0. This means that your cumulative GPA from all terms, excluding grades received from other institutions, must be at least a 2.0 at the end of each semester or quarter.

Term GPA Policy: Term GPA is the cumulative grade received at the end of a given academic term. Maintaining a good term GPA can extend your probationary period. While this might not sound like a good thing, it shows your school that you are trying to improve your academic standing, and helps keep you from being dismissed entirely.

You can expect your school’s academic probation guidelines to include a specific time frame to improve your standing. These timelines vary.

For instance, Texas State University gives students two semesters to get their coursework in order. In contrast, Arizona State University and UC Berkeley’s College of Letters and Sciences give their students one semester.

You may also be required to meet with your academic advisor, take an academic probation course, create a success plan, or get instructors to sign off on your academic performance.

The specifics of academic probation vary from campus to campus. Usually, probation lasts one year or one semester. Sometimes, you might remain on probation until you bring up your total GPA.

At the University of South Carolina, for example, students whose GPAs fall below 2.0 are placed on probation. The following semester, they must earn a GPA above 1.5 to avoid suspension, but they remain on probation until they earn at least a 2.0 in one semester.