Overview of Academic Standing

Let’s start with the scary news first: what does probation mean and what can happen. The focus of our workshop is to help you rebound academically, but we want to ensure you know what happens with university academic probation.

What is University Academic Probation

Being on University Academic Probation means that you need to improve your performance during your next semester of classes. If you do, then you can continue to enroll at Ohio State! If you don’t improve, then you may be required to take some time away from Ohio State through an academic dismissal.

The minimum terms you need to meet for University Academic Probation are:

  • Earn at 2.3 or higher term point-hour ratio (TPHR) OR raise your cumulative point-hour ratio (CPHR) to 2.0.
    • Your TPHR is calculated on just the classes you take during your next term. This means if you just take one class, you need to earn a 2.3 (C+) or higher in that class. Or, if you take more than one class, the average of those classes needs to be a 2.3.
    • Your cumulative point-hour ratio is your overall GPA at Ohio State. This means that, even if you earn less than a 2.0 for your TPHR, you can meet this requirement by raising your overall OSU CPHR to a 2.0.
  • Avoid earning any failing grades, such as Es or ENs.
  • Complete your academic success workshop.

What Happens At the End of the Semester?

At the end of the semester, the College will review your performance in your classes. If you meet the terms of your probation, you can continue enrolling at Ohio State! You will just continue on University Academic Probation until you get your OSU CPHR back to a 2.0 and return to good university standing. If you don’t meet the terms of your probation, the College will look at your overall record and determine whether continuing to take classes at Ohio State is in your best interest, or if taking time away would prevent you from doing further damage to your record. If the College decides you need to take some time away from classes, they could academically dismiss you from Ohio State.

If you don’t meet the terms of your probation, the College will look at your overall record and determine whether continuing to take classes at Ohio State is in your best interest, or if taking time away would prevent you from doing further damage to your record. If the College decides you need to take some time away from classes, you could be academically dismissed from Ohio State. 

Academic dismissal is a big step, and it definitely feels scary. Students have the option of appealing their academic dismissal if they feel they have extenuating circumstances they want the committee to consider. Your dismissal notification will include instructions on the appeal process, but in general an appeal involves replying to your dismissal email with a personal statement of appeal within ten calendar days of your notification.

What Happens If I’m Academically Dismissed?

Academic dismissal doesn’t mean a student can’t come back to Ohio State. It just means that a student has to take some time away from classes at Ohio State to regroup and recover. After two semesters away from Ohio State, students can submit a petition for reinstatement to return to Ohio State. These petitions aren’t guaranteed, so students need to demonstrate that, if allowed to return, they will be successful in their major and graduate. Students should use that required time away to reflect on what was getting in their way of doing well, start addressing those issues, and possibly taking classes at another college or university to show their improvement.

Ohio State also offers a program called Fresh Start, which allows you to reset your OSU CPHR back to 0.0 after you have spent five cumulative years away from Ohio State. It’s a long wait, we know, but it’s a nice option for students who have been away and want to return.

What Should I Do?

As you can see, while there are potential paths to return to Ohio State, the best strategy is to avoid academic dismissal altogether. And that is what this workshop is designed to help you do! We will work together to figure out what is going well, what can go better, what goals you have, and what resources and action steps you can take to make this semester your best one yet.

Ready to start working toward that best semester? Click here to continue.