Academic Standing

Students are expected to maintain certain standards of academic achievement.

A student's academic standing is determined by the institutional grade-point average at the end of each semester. Equating letter grades earned at GCSU to the following numerical code computes the grade-point average:

Each point represents a quality point earned per semester hour credit. Total quality points are determined by multiplying the number of points awarded for the grade in the course by the number of semester hours for the course. In other words, a student who receives an A in a three-hour course would earn twelve quality points for work in that course. It should be noted that students may earn credit through wellness activities, internships, student teaching and similar experiences which generate grades of either S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory). When an S (satisfactory) grade is earned for courses in which credit toward graduation is received, the credit will be counted but there will be no quality points given. The institutional grade average will thus be determined by the total quality points for those courses in which A through F and WF grades were given divided by the number of credit hours in which those grades were given. Students may repeat courses under the institutional average. In the calculation of the institutional average only the last grade earned and credit awarded will count toward the institutional grade-point average.

GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING is the status assigned when your institutional GPA on GCSU work at the end of each semester is equivalent to the minimum shown in the following table:

Some schools and programs may have higher grade point average standards for admission to their respective programs. See particularly the admission standards for the colleges of business, education, nursing and some majors in the arts and sciences.

ACADEMIC WARNING is incurred at the end of any semester in which the institutional average falls below the standard for good standing.

ACADEMIC PROBATION recognizes that a student is in serious danger of being dismissed from the university and notifies the student that a plan must be developed and implemented to improve the quality of his/her academic work. A student will be placed on probation at the end of any semester in which the institutional average remains below the stated minimums and academic warning has been issued during the previous semester. Students on probation will be placed on restricted enrollment and be expected to develop a plan for obtaining academic good standing. This plan will be developed with the assistance of the student's advisor and be approved by the advisor.

ACADEMIC DISMISSAL is the status assigned when students fail to achieve good academic standing while on probation. Dismissal requires the student to stay out of school for one calendar year. Academic dismissal is noted on the student's official transcript. Students must apply to return after one year and must develop a plan that will ensure their return to good standing by the end of the first year of their return. Students not returning to the status of good standing will be placed on academic exclusion.

ACADEMIC EXCLUSION is the final involuntary separation imposed upon a student who having previously been suspended and readmitted (either after voluntary separation or after choosing restricted enrollment status) fails to meet the minimum standards of good standing. Exclusion means that a student is permanently dismissed from Georgia College & State University. Exclusion will remain permanent unless the student has been away from Georgia College & State University for five years or more and elects to return to the university under the policy of academic renewal. Academic exclusion is noted on the student's official transcript.

Contact Information
Georgia College & State University
Center for Student Success
Campus Box 115
Phone: (478) 445-2361

"College Freshmen Ought to Know: that parties, drinking, and late hours will take a toll on your body no matter how young and virile you are. Sooner or later it will catch up with you, and you will not have the time or the concentration necessary to do the required coursework, which your grades will reflect."

Disbro, William. 100 Things Every College Freshman Ought to Know, The Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Institute: Williamsville, NY, 2007.