2024-2025 Academic Catalog

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Academic Standing

The grade point average required to maintain good academic standing at Carroll College is 2.00. In order to remain in good standing, a student must have a 2.00 grade point average for both the semester and cumulative work.

When semester grade reports indicate that a student has failed to meet the minimum scholastic standards (2.00 grade point average), the student is not in good academic standing.

After a semester of unsatisfactory work, a student enrolled for 12 or more semester hours will be placed on academic probation; however, acute or significant failure to meet minimum academic standards after one semester may warrant academic suspension. Likewise, academic suspension may result upon completion of a second consecutive semester of unsatisfactory work or upon completion of a total of three non-consecutive semesters of unsatisfactory work. In general, the following rules will apply:

  • A student with a term GPA below 1.0 will be suspended (with the ability to appeal)
  • A student with a term GPA below a 2.0 but previously in good academic standing will be put on academic probation
  • A student with a term GPA below a 2.0 who was previously on academic probation will be suspended (with the ability to appeal)
  • A student with a term GPA above 2.0  but with a cumulative GPA below a 2.0 will remain on academic probation 

The records of part-time students will be reviewed after the student has attempted 12 or more semester credits. If a total of 12 or more semester credits have been attempted and cumulative grade point average is unsatisfactory (below 2.00), the student will be placed on probation.

For transfer students, the grades earned at Carroll College alone will determine the grade point average of the student at Carroll.

The academic standing of a student who withdraws from the College and then seeks re-admission will be based on that of the student’s last term of attendance at Carroll. Students must meet the grade point average described above to be considered as making satisfactory progress. Students who fail to make satisfactory progress may be declared ineligible for financial aid, either institutional or under the Title IV Federal Aid program. Grade point averages falling below this 2.00 standard are considered unsatisfactory.

Participation in College-Sponsored Activities

Students on academic probation for a second term or more (consecutive or non-consecutive) as a result of work at Carroll College may not hold offices in student activities and organizations, nor may they participate in any varsity sports contests, intercollegiate forensic competitions, main stage theater productions, choir tour commitments, the Gold Team Ambassadors, Community Advisors, Peer Ministers, or Carroll sponsored education or service abroad. Upon restoration of good standing, students may resume participation as long as all other eligibility requirements are also met.

Suspension

Suspension may result after one semester of unsatisfactory work should very poor performance warrant such action. Likewise, academic suspension may result upon completion of a second consecutive semester of unsatisfactory work or upon completion of a total of three non-consecutive semesters of unsatisfactory work. 

A student who has been academically suspended is not eligible to apply for readmission for at least one academic year.

For most students, academic suspension provides time needed to address issues that are interfering with academic progress. In rare cases, students may be able to demonstrate that those issues have been resolved. If a student’s circumstances meet the following criteria, they are eligible to appeal:

A stud ent may apply for immediate readmission (or “appeal”) if they can:

  1. Describe the circumstances that interfered with their studies,

  2. Document that they have already taken steps to change their situation, and

  3. Show that these circumstances have been resolved.

Some situations that might lead to a successful appeal:

  • Sustained illness that has now been cured and/or treated;

  • Sustained financial problems that have now been resolved;

  • Personal trauma for which a student is now being treated and will continue treatment.

The appeal is not a good option for students who need time to figure out what challenges have affected their studies, who still need time to resolve those challenges, or have been granted an appeal at the end of the previous term.

Guidelines for Appealing Academic Suspension

A student who is notified that they are suspended or dismissed from Carroll College for poor academic performance has the right to appeal. 

  1. A suspension appeal must be submitted on or before the suspension appeal deadline; late appeals will not be considered. The appeal deadline and instructions for appeal can be found in the Academic Suspension Notice sent to the student by the Registrar.

  2. Suspensions that are appealed will not take effect until the associate vice president for academic affairs, in consultation with appropriate faculty and staff, has evaluated the appeal and made an official determination. If necessary, the associate vice president for academic affairs may ask the student to schedule a time to discuss the situation.

  3. After a student’s appeal materials have been reviewed, they will be informed of the College's decision and any required conditions regarding their future enrollment via an email from the associate vice president for academic affairs. 

  4. If an appeal is approved, the student’s academic standing will be changed from Academic Suspension to Conditional Academic Probation, and specific terms will be outlined regarding the student’s ability to immediately return to the College.

  5. If the appeal is denied, the student will not be eligible to return until after remaining out of school for a year. Upon return, the student’s academic status will be changed to Academic Probation.   

  6. All academic appeal decisions are final.

Appeals must contain the following:

  1. Letter of Appeal (required; up to 750 words): An appeal is a request for a review. Make your appeal clearly but succinctly. Focus your attention on your actions and the facts of the situation. This is your main opportunity to help the appeal reviewers understand what specific and concrete changes you have made to resolve the issues or circumstances that have affected your studies. Focus on specific examples and describe changes and plans that are already in place. Explain why you believe you have a realistic chance at academic success in the upcoming term, if immediately readmitted.

  2. Plan for Success(required): This document helps the appeal reviewers understand your future plans regardless of whether you will be immediately readmitted or your suspension is upheld. Clearly identify your plans to achieve good academic performance if permitted to return. Be specific. 

Questions to consider addressing in your appeal include:

  • What will be different from previous semester?

  • Do you need to change majors? If so, why?

  • Do you need to take different courses? If so, why?

  • What strategies do you have to ensure your academic success?

  • What campus and other services will you use to improve your academic performance?

  • Do you need to find consistent medical resources?

  • Do you want to get a job to gain some work experience?

  • Do you need to stabilize your financial situation?

3. Supporting documents (optional): Depending on your circumstances, you may include other materials with your appeal statement. If your appeal involves a documented on-going health- related issue, you may include medical documentation. This must be received on official letterhead with original signatures. Official verification from a qualified health professional (physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist) should list the date(s) of diagnosis or assessment and provide a detailed description of treatment plan, patient response, and prognosis. The qualified health professional must not be a relative.

A note on AI: Like other information content and sources, generative AI can be used to organize or support original ideas but not used to write essays and not presented as your own original work. If you choose to use AI to assist you in generating these documents, you are expected to adhere to Carroll College conduct standards of honesty and integrity. Falsification is a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. As such, you must properly credit any sources used in your written submission.

Restoration of Good Standing

Full-time students (6 Carroll credits or more in summer, 12 credits or more in fall or spring) on academic probation are restored to good standing when their semester grade point average is 2.00 or above and their cumulative grade point average is 2.00 or above when enrolled as a full-time student. A part-time student on probation must complete at least 9 credits with grades of the quality required to be restored to good standing. A student with satisfactory performance in a semester, but a continued unsatisfactory cumulative grade point average, will remain on probation until the cumulative average is above the minimum.