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GPA Requirements

Students who are on academic warning may return to Good standing by earning at least a 2.0 GPA in at least six credits and have a BYU cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students who are on academic probation are placed on Previous standing rather than Good standing by meeting the same 2.0 GPA requirements.

A web page on AIM has been developed to help you determine what semester or term GPA you will need to improve your academic standing to Good or Previous. You may even enter anticipated grades for classes you have repeated. You can access this web site by clicking here. (You will have to enter your net id and password to access this page, since it contains your personal information.)

Remember:

  1. Your BYU cumulative GPA must also be above 2.0 to return to Good or Previous standing. Some students have to complete two or three enrollments before their BYU cumulative GPA reaches at least a 2.0.
  2. You must accrue at least six credit hours since your last academic standing computation--since the semester or term you went on warning or probation--to improve your academic standing.

Action Requirements

To assist students in realizing the GPA requirements to return to Good or Previous standing, the staff of the Academic Support Office recommends the following steps:

For students who have an academic registration block, forms are available in the Academic Support Office, 2500 WSC, which will assist them in this process and result in the removal of the block after they have met with a Faculty Member.

  1. Identify the Specific Obstacles to Your Academic Success
    • Be specific. It is not enough to write, "I need to study more." The question then becomes, "Why have I not studied more?" or "What prevents me from doing the studying I need to be successful?"

      It may be helpful to create this list over several days, noting obstacles as they come up, such as, "I feel tired whenever I think about studying."

    • Write out your list of obstacles. When a problem or obstacle is only given some thought, it is too easy to forget about it and fail to make a plan for success. Writing out the list of obstacles helps to make them real and, as you continue in the process, manageable.

    • Note on your list certain characteristics of the obstacles.

      As a plan of action is to be developed, it will be helpful to know if the obstacles are:
      • Long term or short term: The longer a student has been struggling with an obstacle, the more likely it is he or she will need help correcting the issue.
      • Situational or personal: Some obstacles may be resolved with a change of situation, such as a better study location, a different apartment, or improved job schedule. Others, even with a change of situation, persist and may have to do with a student's decisions about values and goals. Often personal obstacles reflect an inner struggle a student is having.
      • Management or preparation: Management obstacles are those which require the better use of time and skills, while preparation obstacles are those which require earlier or preparatory course work for success. Preparation obstacles may be found in any area of study but often they involve courses that are hierarchical, such as mathematics, sciences and foreign languages.
      This list of characteristics is certainly not comprehensive, but it can assist the student in better defining the obstacle, which will be necessary in the development of a plan of action.

      Avoid the discouragement trap. Don't make the list so long or overwhelming that you defeat yourself even before you begin. Recognize that you want to make some positive changes in your life to become a better student and you are listing those obstacles that truly prevent you from doing your best and benefiting from the university experience.

  2. Brainstorm Solutions

    By each obstacle, list possible solutions--not just one or two but as many as you can think of. Again, it is important for a student to be as specific as possible. "Use my time more wisely," will probably not result in improved academics. Like any brainstorming activity, it is important to come up with as many possible solutions as possible without limiting one's self.

    In writing out the possible solutions, a student may recognize a need for a resource, such as tutoring or a workshop but not know if it is available. Discovering the availability of a resource comes later in the process; brainstorming solutions means writing out all possibilities.

  3. Circle the most Effective Solutions--Avoid Picking "Easy Ones"

    This is the moment that calls for personal honesty: "What will really work?" "What will I actually apply to be successful in overcoming the major obstacles to my academic success?" Becoming a successful student after one has struggled often requires making hard choices about what needs to change.

    Elect to work on one, two or perhaps a few major obstacles rather than tackling them all at once. A common failing for a student--or just about anyone who is struggling with problems--is to believe everything must be corrected now. This leads to a self-defeating experience, feelings of frustration and finally just giving up.

  4. Identify the "Unknown" Resources

    If in preparing the list of solutions, a student is uncertain if a resource exists, the student should call the Academic Support Office at 801-422-2723. Such resources may include workshops and counseling services.

  5. Prepare a Written Plan for Academic Success

    A written plan for academic success can be simple but still effective.
    • Begin with the statement, "To be more successful academically, I will..."
    • List at least two to three effective solutions for the academic obstacles.
    • Write beside each solution a beginning date to implement the solution.
    • Put the solutions in a place you will see every day.
    • Review your solutions and track your success in implementing them.

  6. Meet with a Faculty Member or Academic Advisor to Discuss the Plan and your Future

    The staff of the Academic Support Office suggests that no students think they have to do it alone to be academically successful. Academic advisors and faculty are available to discuss your challenges and assist you in evaluating your plan.

    Meeting with a faculty member is one of the great opportunities students have to meet experts in their fields and to seek advice. As students attend classes and get to know their instructors, they should identify those who they feel may be of help to them in discussing their academics and their professional futures. Students who fail to meet with faculty members have denied themselves a portion of the academic experience that comes with a university education.

  7. Implement the Plan for Academic Success and Monitor Your Success

    Decide that you will implement your plan. Start the day with, "Today, I will..." rather than, "Today, I will try..." Put your plan in a place that you will see each day, a reminder of what you will do to become a more successful student.

    You can add to your success by finding a study or "learning" partner; the mutual encouragement you can offer each other may help you overcome those moments of discouragement.

    Keep a journal to track your progress. It need not be a lengthy discussion, but each night you can reflect on your success and challenges.

  8. Catch Yourself Defeating Your Plan

    Just as you start to have that thought or feeling or start off in a direction away from being an effective student, stop and ask yourself, "Is this what I want to do now? If I don't work on this project now, will I really have time to do it later?" Imagine the satisfaction that comes with completing a project. The image of being a successful student--having completed the homework, the reading or paper--can be a strong motivator to continue your plan for success.

  9. Reward Yourself

    Winners are rewarded after the race is over--not before. After you have completed your plan, be sure to reward yourself with something you find enjoyable. But remember the rule: rewards come after the goals are accomplished. Each day you should find a way to reward yourself in some small way, while each week there should be a major reward for sticking with your plan.

  10. Never--Never--Give Up

    In the process of becoming a better student, you may stumble and fall back into an old pattern. That's why getting back up was invented. Review how you stumbled and make a note to catch yourself before it happens again.
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