Academic Good Standing

Academic Good Standing applies to all students who meet or exceed the standards indicated below.

For regularly admitted (non-transfer) students:

Academic Standing Regular

Term of Attendance	Minimum cumulative GPA
Entering 2nd Semester	1.6 Cumulative GPA
Entering 3rd Semester	1.8 Cumulative GPA
Entering 4th Semester	1.9 Cumulative GPA
Entering 5th Semester through Graduation	2.0 Cumulative GPA

In all cases, by the beginning of the junior year (5th semester of full-time college enrollment), Academic Good Standing will require a cumulative Denison GPA of 2.0. 

Transfer Students:

Transfer students will be tracked based on the number of semesters of full-time college enrollment.
Example: A transfer student entering Denison after one semester of enrollment elsewhere will be tracked as follows:

Academic Standing Transfer

Term of Attendance for Transfer Student	Minimum cumulative GPA
Entering 3rd Semester of Full-Time College Enrollment; 2nd Semester at Denison	1.8 Cumulative GPA
Entering 4th Semester of Full-Time College Enrollment; 3rd Semester at Denison	1.9 Cumulative GPA
Entering 5th Semester of Full-Time College Enrollment; 4th Semester at Denison	2.0 Cumulative GPA

The 'transfer student table' will be adjusted accordingly depending on the number of full-time semesters enrolled elsewhere by a transfer admit. In all cases for transfer students entering their fifth semester of full-time college enrollment, Academic Good Standing will require a cumulative Denison GPA of 2.0.

Any student with a cumulative GPA below 2.0 at any time will be enrolled in the Academic Resource Center’s (ARC) programming for academic success and notified that the continuation of their present academic performance may put them at risk of Academic Warning or Suspension. 

Denison’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy establishes and applies standards of academic progress that must be met by all students for them to qualify and remain eligible for assistance from Title IV student financial aid programs. A student can meet the standards of the Academic Good Standing Policy and not meet the SAP standards. Students should be familiar with both policies. Students not meeting SAP after the warning period of enrollment or at the start of their junior year will be ineligible to receive additional financial aid without an approved SAP appeal. 

Since a student could be in Academic Good Standing but not meeting the terms of our SAP policy, it is essential that students whose cumulative GPA is below 2.0 are aware of their SAP status. Students can view their current SAP status in their My Financial Aid portal. Questions regarding the SAP policy should be directed to the Office of Financial Aid (finaid@denison.edu).

Academic Warning

Academic Warning occurs when a student has a cumulative GPA above 1.0 and below the threshold for Academic Good Standing as defined by the sliding scale above. A student is expected to reach Academic Good Standing within two semesters. If, after two semesters on Academic Warning, the student has not reached Academic Good Standing, they will be placed on Academic Suspension upon review of the Academic Standing Board. Any semester GPA below 1.0 will automatically result in Academic Suspension, unless this occurs in the student’s final semester before graduation. Thus, a student may bypass Academic Warning and be placed on Academic Suspension if the semester GPA is below a 1.0.

Continued Academic Warning

Continued Academic Warning is designated when a student who is on Academic Warning is successful in achieving a semester GPA at or above the cumulative target for the subsequent semester, but did not raise the cumulative GPA to the level required for Academic Good Standing. Students on Continued Academic Warning are expected to achieve or exceed the cumulative GPA required for Academic Good Standing, as defined by the sliding scale, at the conclusion of the subsequent semester, or they will be placed on Academic Suspension upon review of the Academic Standing Board.

Academic Suspension

Academic Suspension resulting from unsatisfactory academic performance occurs in three ways:

1. A student (regardless of prior academic standing) who earns a semester GPA below 1.0 is placed on Academic Suspension, unless this occurs in the student’s final semester before graduation.
2. A student who is on Academic Warning and earns a semester GPA below the cumulative GPA, as defined by the sliding scale, at the conclusion of the subsequent semester will be placed on Academic Suspension upon review of the Academic Standing Board.
3. A student on Continued Academic Warning who does not earn a semester GPA that allows them to return to Academic Good Standing, as defined by the sliding scale, at the conclusion of that semester, will be placed on Academic Suspension upon review of the Academic Standing Board.

Students who have been academically suspended must petition for reinstatement to the Academic Standing Board (ASB). 

Academic Standing Board

The Academic Standing Board reviews and decides all matters related to student academic standing. ASB’s decisions regarding Academic Warning, Continued Academic Warning, and Academic Suspension are final. 

Reinstatement

Reinstatement occurs when an academically suspended student once again becomes eligible for enrollment via a successful petition to the Academic Standing Board (ASB). Students have the right to appeal a negative decision of a petition for academic reinstatement. 

Reinstated students will be placed on Academic Warning at the time of their reinstatement if their cumulative GPA is below the level required for Academic Good Standing as defined by the sliding scale. Students on Reinstatement will be given conditions by the Academic Standing Board that must be fully met during the subsequent semester(s) to remain eligible for enrollment.

The procedures for seeking Reinstatement are found below in “Eligibility for Reinstatement.”