We understand that many factors can impact your academic standing. Academic progress review is the college’s way of ensuring that students meet our minimum academic standards and make timely progress toward degree completion.
What does it mean to be academically dismissed?
The College initiates an academic standing review as soon as the Registrar’s Office completes their end of term grade processing, generally within two weeks of the end of the fall and spring terms. If your GPA indicates that you are academically dismissed, the director of Student Advising and Academic Support will send you an email (to your Purchase email account only) and in hard copy to the home address you have listed with the College.
I just got a notice of Academic Dismissal, what do I do?
First, don’t panic. The first time that you receive a notice of academic dismissal, you have the right to submit an appeal to the Academic Review Committee, which is a group of 5 voting faculty members from across the College along with non-voting support staff from Student Affairs. The Committee is chaired by Jennifer Shingelo, Director of Student Advising and Academic Support (non-voting). If you have questions or concerns about this process, please reach out to Jennifer at 914-251-3990 or ADV.acad.standing@purchase.edu.
Second, understand that this is not a punitive process. We want to ensure that you are able to fully engage in your education here at Purchase without negatively impacting your finanical aid or your GPA. Sometimes, we find that students may be juggling too much (family obligations, work, mental or physical health issues) and need to re-assess whether now is the right time to be in college. The academic dismissal may serve as a “wake up call” which indicates that you may need to take a break and get some extra support before continuing your studies. Your mental, physical, and emotional health need to come first.
How do I appeal?
Instructions and deadlines are stated both in your dismissal letter and will be updated below each semester. Since the academic dismissal process might be challenging for you, we encourage you to read the letter and guidelines very carefully, and several times, so that you don’t miss an important piece of information or react hastily. You will find answers to most or all of your questions within the letter and on this page. See below for tips on answering the appeal questions.
Timeline for Spring 2023 dismissals:
Monday, May 15, 2023
Final grades due to Registrar
Monday, May 22, 2023
Dismissal notices emailed to students’ Purchase email addresses
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at noon EST
Written appeals are due via the link below
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Academic Review Committee Meets to review appeals
Monday, June 5, 2023 by 5:00pm EST
Results of Appeals sent to students’ Purchase email addresses
The college will accept only written appeals through the above link (i.e., we do not consider face-to-face or phone appeals). As indicated in your letter, you may submit written documentation that substantiates an extenuating circumstance (e.g. unforeseen personal issue) or letter that supports your academic reinstatement (e.g. from a professor). You are responsible for furnishing any documentation you wish for us to read; please do not provide phone numbers for us to call or indicate support is available upon request. You may upload this documention in the appeal form as indicated.
The Academic Review Committee (ARC) carefully reviews every appeal and determines whether to give a student the opportunity to return on academic probation or to academically dismiss the student from the College. All cases are afforded the same due process and consideration. The terms of academic reinstatement and probation will be included in the reinstatement letter.
The goal of responding to the questions on the appeal form is to communicate the circumstances that contributed to your low GPA this semester and the concrete steps you will take to succeed if you are able to return. To this end, your responses should:
Be clear and coherent
Offer a persuasive reason for you to return
Demonstrate that you have reflected on the reasons for failure, particularly any choices or behaviors that contributed to a poor outcome
Your responses should aim to persuade the committee that you should be readmitted and that, if readmitted, you will have the tools to succeed. To make your case, consider the following:
Read from the committee’s perspective. Your reasons should go beyond what you want or what would benefit you; ask yourself “would this convince my professors that I am serious, ready, and able to succeed?”
Think about what circumstances have contributed to your difficulty with academics.
Think about what behaviors and choices have contributed to your difficulty with academics.
Communicate what changes you will make to your behaviors and choices that will enable you to succeed if you are readmitted. Be specific.
“I will do better” is not convincing. “I will do x, y, and z. I will seek help from ___ resources and hold myself accountable by ___” is more convincing.
Grammar and Mechanics
Use the following resources to maximize readability:
Avoid comma splices and run-on sentences. Instead, consider using a comma and conjunction, using a semi-colon, or creating a new sentence.
Use specific nouns as subjects and objects rather than vague pronouns.
Subjects and verbs should agree in number.
Verbs should be active and tenses should be consistent; past events should be in the past tense, ongoing issues/general facts should be in the present tense, and your plans for the future should be in the future tense.
Revising and Proofreading
It is essential that you revise and proofread your responses before submitting. Revise for content, persuasiveness, and coherence first; then edit and proofread for clarity and errors. Do not submit your first draft.
Proofreading Strategies:
Print out a copy.
Read it out loud to yourself.
Do you run out of breath before the end of the sentence? If so, it is probably a run-on. Add appropriate punctuation (see above) or break into two sentences.
Have someone else read it out loud to you. Follow along and mark confusing parts. Have your reader mark confusing parts as well.
Check your Purchase email account for college notices about the outcome of your academic dismissal review. For Spring 2022 appeals, you will be notified via your Purchase email by 5:00pm Monday, June 13th at the latest. This date may be subject to change, and you will be informed.
You can reapply to Purchase after one full academic year Readmission is not guaranteed. Read our readmission guidelines for application/forms, deadlines, and requirements.
Reinstatement on Academic Probation is not a guarantee.
The ARC very carefully reviews each appeal, and weighs all factors presented.
We do consider extenuating circumstances that mitigate a student’s academic performance, yet we give foremost consideration to two factors:
Your academic history at Purchase College and if relevant, other colleges
Your plan for addressing the issues which prevented your success at Purchase
If the Committee sees evidence of an upward trend in your grades over time, and you have a clear and coherent plan for making positive changes which support your college career, your chances at readmittance are stronger than if you simply state that you will ‘try harder.’
Students on Academic Probation are not eligible for grades of incomplete. Your academic standing will be based solely on your GPA at the end of the semester.
If you are enrolled in summer courses following spring semester, or winter courses following fall semester, in order to raise your GPA, you may remain in them regardless of the outcome of the review.
The Academic Standing Review, however, is based upon your cumulative GPA at the end of the spring and fall semester. Taking summer/winter courses is a privilege, and we do not delay dismissal or reinstatement decisions until summer/winter course grades are finalized.
Likewise, we do not consider your number of summer/winter credits as a grounds for appeal or a guaranteed GPA boost. Stating you are taking a summer/winter course will not help your argument or sway the committee.
If you are dismissed, and your summer/winter grades earned (as a non-matriculated student) happen to raise your cumulative GPA above a 2.0, you may subsequently ask for special permission to continue as a non-matriculated part-time (11 or fewer credits) student for the forthcoming semester. At the conclusion of that full semester, you may apply for readmission if your cumulative GPA remains at least 2.0.