What is Academic Standing?
Academic Standing is a calculation run at the end of every term (fall, spring, summer I, or summer II) to determine overall academic performance by degree-seeking undergraduate students. To graduate, in addition to fulfilling all of their degree and college requirements, an undergraduate student must have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0. Academic Standing uses a student's GPAs (both term and cumulative) and other indicators such as prior standing and attempted credit hours to determine academic progress and assign a rating (Academic Good Standing, Academic Warning, Academic Probation, Extended Probation, or Academic Dismissal) at the end of every term for which the student has academic history recorded. Academic Standing is primarily an internal university communication to the student and their academic advisors. Apart from Academic Dismissal, which requires temporary separation from the university, a student's standing is not recorded on their official transcript. Students on Academic Warning, Academic Probation, or Extended Probation are required to meet with an academic advisor to create a plan to improve their performance.
Academic Standing is run twice for each term: once immediately after the final grading deadline and again about a week later to account for grade changes. Consequently, Academic Standing is a snapshot of a student's academic history at the time of evaluation and may not be accurate following later grades changes until the student's standing is evaluated again at the end of the following term.
Generally speaking, a student at Temple University is considered to be a student "in good standing" as long as they are actively enrolled in a degree-seeking program and not on Academic Dismissal. This means that even a student on Academic Warning or Academic Probation may enroll in classes and participate in extracurricular activities, including clubs, organizations, and intercollegiate athletics.
What do the various Academic Standing ratings mean?
- Academic Good Standing (GD): Student's cumulative and most recent term GPAs are both 2.0 or greater, the minimum threshold required for graduation.
- Academic Warning (WR): Student's term GPA is less than 2.0 or the cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 before attempting 24 or more credit hours (16 or more credit hours for those seeking an associate degree) and attempting a 4th academic term.
- Academic Probation (PR): Student's cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 after attempting 24 or more credit hours (16 or more credit hours for those seeking an associate degree) or attempting a 4th academic term. First-year and transfer students in the first matriculated term cannot be placed on Academic Probation.
- Extended Probation (PX): Student's cumulative GPA is less than 2.0, the student was on Academic Probation in the most recently completed term, and the student's term GPA is 2.5 or greater or the student has attempted fewer than 12 credit hours since Probation began. Students are eligible for Extended Probation until they attempt 24 or more credit hours since the start of Extended Probation.
- Extended Probation - Post Dismissal (PZ): Student was previously on Academic Dismissal but following a successful petition was allowed to attempt another academic term on Extended Probation.
- Academic Dismissal (DM): The student's cumulative GPA is less than 2.00, the student was on Academic Probation or Extended Probation in the most recently completed term, and the student is not eligible for Extended Probation. A student on Academic Dismissal is not eligible to enroll for the following term.
What are the options for a student to return to Temple after Academic Dismissal?
If placed on Academic Dismissal, a student has the following options for potential re-enrollment:
- File an appeal petition to seek reinstatement for 1 academic term under Extended Probation;
- Wait at least 1 calendar year to return under Academic Recovery (if not previously attempted); or
- Wait 3 calendar years to return under Academic Forgiveness (if not previously attempted) – or 2 years if you attend another institution and complete 15 transferable credits with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
What is Academic Recovery?
Academic Recovery provides an opportunity for a student to return to the university following Academic Dismissal. A dismissed student may apply for Academic Recovery through their respective advising unit to return no earlier than 1 calendar year from the date of Academic Dismissal. To be approved, the student must have a cumulative GPA that can be raised above 2.00 within 2 full-time academic terms (24-36 Institutional Attempted Hours).
A student granted Academic Recovery status must complete for a grade a minimum of 6 credit hours and achieve a term GPA of 2.00 or higher in each of the terms they are registered. Students enrolling full time are eligible for Academic Recovery for a maximum of 2 academic terms (24 or more attempted credit hours). Students enrolling part time in one or more terms are eligible for Academic Recovery for a maximum of 4 academic terms or 24 or more attempted credits hours, whichever comes first. Course overloads are not permitted.
A student who achieves a cumulative GPA above 2.00 will be removed from Academic Recovery and returned to Academic Good Standing.
A student in Academic Recovery will be on Academic Dismissal for a second time if:
- The student does not complete for a grade a minimum of 6 credit hours; or
- The student's term GPA is less than 2.00; or
- The student's cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 after attempting 24 or more credit hours.
A student may return under Academic Recovery one time. In the event a student is removed from Academic Recovery on Academic Dismissal, the student may apply to return under Academic Forgiveness, if not previously attempted.
Who should I contact for assistance?
For questions related to Academic Standing, please contact the academic advising office in your school/college.
Additional information
Academic Standing policy in the Bulletin
Academic Forgiveness policy in the Bulletin