Academic Probation & Disqualification

Information on Academic Probation and Disqualification

Students are required to stay in "good academic standing" which means to maintain over a 2.0 GPA for classes taken at SDSU and overall (across SDSU and any transferred classes). For key information, read the selected text from these links:

Academic Probation & Disqualification Intro (read text under 1st header) Links to an external site.

GPAs by Student Rank to Remain on Probation (avoid being disqualified) Links to an external site.

 

Psychology Advising Tips

 

What should I do if I am on academic probation?

The long-term goal is to get back to a 2.0 or higher SDSU and/or Overall GPA, but in the short-term you need to meet a "target" GPA each term to avoid being disqualified (see FAQs further down this page for more info). Listed next are some university policies that you may qualify for as well as general guidance on strategies you might try to boost your GPA. You are encouraged to visit the Psychology Advising Office to have an advisor answer any questions that you may have, as well as create a plan to work toward good academic standing.

 

Retake a Course(s)

Course Forgiveness Links to an external site. – Is automatically applied the 2nd time you take a course at SDSU; the second grade replaces the first (whether higher or lower). This can be a quick way to 'erase' a low grade and help your GPA. You can use course forgiveness for up to 16 units.

Course Repeat Petition Links to an external site. – If you need to retake a course for a 3rd time, you will need to complete this process. The second and third grades for the same class are averaged. Review the Psychology Advising page on steps to file a Course Repeat Petition through our office.

"Regular" Course Repeat Links to an external site. – If you have exceeded the course forgiveness limit, regular course repeat automatically applies the 2rd time you take a course at SDSU. The first and second grades for the same class are averaged.

 

Retroactively Withdraw from a Course(s) or Term(s) 

Sometimes significant events occur in a semester that affect your performance and result in a lowered GPA. If students have serious and compelling reasons, they can apply to retroactively withdraw Links to an external site.. There can be financial aid implications for retroactively withdrawing. Make sure to speak with the Office of Financial Aid Links to an external site. before completing a request. Note that the process can take at least 4 to 6 weeks.

Although the Psychology Advising Office does not handle the process of retroactive withdrawal, you may want to meet with and advisor to review your options, e.g., discuss using course forgiveness or repeat versus retroactively withdrawing.

If you decide to pursue a retroactive withdrawal petition, we encourage you to read through the retroactive withdrawal instructions Links to an external site., which provides more detail on the steps you will need to take, what information to include in the written statement, and examples of supporting documentation.

 

Adjustments for future term(s)...

Aside from addressing personal and situational outside factors that may affect your academic progress, there may be some other adjustments that you are able to make in order to help refocus on your studies, such as: 

  • Manage a lighter workload – Evaluate how your overall course load may have affected your academic progress. If you normally enrolled in 15 units per semester, consider dropping to 12 units instead so that you can dedicate more time to each course. 
  • Consider working less hours per week – If you work part- or full-time while studying, it may be worth considering whether you can decrease the number of hours you are working during the semester (even if it is just decreasing by a few hours), or readjusting your work schedule to better allow you to take advantage of office hours or other academic resources that usually take place during the week. 
  • Enroll in interesting classes – Evaluate whether a lack of interest in the courses you were completing may have affected your academic progress. This may even include having to reconsider which major you are pursuing. Enroll in courses that you find more interesting in as you work to raise your GPA. You will likely find that you are more likely to show up to lecture/lab, complete assignments in a timely manner, and do better on exams if you are inherently interested in the class. 
  • Match learning style – Use SDSU's Digital Syllabus Collection Links to an external site. to review previous course syllabi to determine if a course is taught in a style that works best for you (e.g., quiz, exam, or writing heavy, group projects). If a course is taught by multiple professors, this may also help with choosing the professor whose teaching style best aligns with your learning style. 
  • Seek out help – If you find yourself struggling in a course, speak to the professor as soon as possible. Attend office hours and study sessions. Use the tutoring and/or writing center, if relevant. Make an appointment to speak with an academic advisor to discuss concerns with a specific course or to receive assistance with determining whether a different major would better fit your interests.

 

What GPA do I need next semester to avoid disqualification?

1) Find your target GPA which is the minimum GPA you need to stay on probation and avoid being disqualified. Your target GPA depends on the student class level/rank you will achieve by the end of the next Fall or Spring term that falls after you are placed on probation. See the table under the updated policy Links to an external site. on the Registrar's page to obtain your target GPA.

2) Then use the SDSU GPA Calculator Links to an external site. to figure out what average grade you need to earn in the following term to stay on probation. E.g., if you were put on probation at the end of Spring, then you would estimate the average grade you need to earn in your Fall classes. Because summer and winter break classes are optional, your GPA after taking summer and/or winter classes does not influence whether you can stay on probation; however, the impact on your GPA will influence whether you will be closer to meeting the GPA threshold needed to avoid disqualification and/or get off probation.

Remember, both your SDSU GPA and Overall GPA need to be as high or higher than your target GPA, so you may need to enter numbers into the calculator for one or both, depending on which are less than 2.0. Find the following info from your degree evaluation below the Academic Coursework section near the bottom.

Current Units Attempted Listed as "Units Attempted" — number of units already completed that were taken for a letter grade. Does not include any in progress (IP) or future progress (FP) units in this count.
Current Grade Points Accumulated Listed as "Points". Found to the right of Units Attempted on evaluation. This is the sum of points you earned per class (e.g., 2.0 if you earned a C), multiplied by the number of units the class was worth (e.g., 2.0 points x 3 units = 6 points for that class).
In Progress (IP) Units 

If you are looking up information during a spring or fall term, this is the number of units in which you are currently enrolled, found at the bottom of the degree evaluation.*
Desired GPA This is your target GPA determined by your current student rank.

*If wanting to see what grades would be needed in order to raise your GPA to a certain level in more than one semester, you can increase the number of "in-progress" units to reflect the number of units you expect to complete over the span of multiple semesters. 

 

What happens if I am disqualified? Can I come back to SDSU?

  • After at least a year students can reapply to SDSU. Students will be subject to the policy and admission standards in effect at the time of their application. Students cannot enroll in SDSU classes (including SDSU Global Campus and Open University) for a minimum of one year.
    • In the meantime, students can take courses at a community college to assist in raising their overall GPA. However, if the disqualification is due to the SDSU GPA, the student will need to wait a year to enroll in SDSU courses in order to raise the SDSU GPA.
    • Students should consult with an advisor to discuss whether any other options can be applied in their situation (e.g., retroactive withdrawal). 
  • Visit the Psychology Advising Office to devise a plan of action and evaluate whether a referral to the Office of the Registrar can be made to discuss reapplication to SDSU.

There is currently minimal information on Readmission Links to an external site. in the SDSU Catalog but our office will update this page as we learn more information.