Northeastern State University

Academic Information

Retention Standards

Freshmen students, 30 or fewer credit hours, with a GPA of 1.7 to less than 2.0 will be placed on academic notice. A student must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA for the duration of his/her college experience with the exception of freshmen on academic notice and academic probation.

A student will be placed on academic probation if she/he fails to meet:

*All courses in which a student has a recorded grade will be counted in the calculation of the grade-point average for retention purposes excluding any courses repeated or reprieved as detailed in the State Regents’ Grading Policy and excluding remedial/developmental (pre-college) courses and physical education activity courses.

A student who achieved a grade point average of 2.0 or above in regularly-graded course work, not to include activity or performance courses, during the last semester enrolled will be allowed to continue as a student regardless of the cumulative grade point average.

Any student not maintaining satisfactory progress toward academic objectives will be placed on probation for one semester. At the end of that semester, the student must have a semester GPA of 2.0 in regularly-graded course work, not to include activity or performance courses, or meet the minimum cumulative GPA standard required above, in order to continue as a student. Students not meeting either of these criteria will be suspended and may not be reinstated until one regular semester (fall or spring) has elapsed. At that time the student may petition the Admission Appeals Committee for readmission consideration.

Students suspended in the spring semester may attend, at the discretion of the suspending institution, the summer session immediately following spring suspension. However, such students may enroll only in core academic courses which meet the general education requirements or degree requirements. Only students under first-time suspension status at the suspending institution are eligible. To continue in that fall semester, such students must achieve a 2.0 or better semester GPA or raise their retention GPA to the required level.

The administration at NSU realizes that there are times when extenuating circumstances prohibit a student from making satisfactory progress during his/her probationary semester. The appeals process allows for the examination of each individual situation where a student feels special consideration should be granted. A decision is then made as to whether extenuating circumstances do exist.

Students wishing to petition the committee must submit an application for admission and a Suspension Appeals form to the Office of Admissions and Records. Applications for admission and appeals forms are due by July 15 for consideration for the Fall semester, November 15 for the Spring semester and April 15 for Summer term. The student may be required to appear before the committee. Denial will be automatic for non-attendance.

The petition may be approved for probationary readmission if, in the best judgment of the committee, conditions appear to be favorable for the student to regain satisfactory progress. Such students are readmitted on probationary status and must maintain a 2.0 GPA each semester while on probation or raise their cumulative GPA to the designated level. Should a student be suspended a second time, she/he cannot return until she/he has demonstrated the ability to succeed by attending another institution and raising his/her cumulative GPA to the retention standards.

A senior who has failed to meet the graduation/retention grade point average of 2.0 may request to enroll in an additional 15 semester hours in a further attempt to achieve the requirements for graduation. Students may take up to 15 semester hours in one semester or if the student takes less than 15 semester hours, they must maintain the current retention standards of achieving an overall GPA of 2.0 for that semester in order to continue. Students may apply for the “Senior Rule” extension through the Office of Admissions and Records. Such students will be afforded this extension one time only.