<p>My son started at FSU last summer. He did fine over the summer but had an AWFUL autumn semester, flunking two classes. He was put on Academic Probation which included taking a mandatory "Academic Success" class. He has worked hard this semester to get his grades up but his future at FSU is in limbo until his final grades for the semester come out.</p>
<p>Question:
1. If he's ALMOST at the threshold of the required gpa (in order to stay at FSU) but a tiny bit short... is there any recourse or room for advocacy on our part? If so, to whom and would it be beneficial for us (as parents) to step in and advocate? </p>
<p>We're deeply disappointed that our son is in the position that he is, and fear that his lesson and learnings about taking responsibility and consequences is too little, too late, and he'll be kicked out of FSU. For those of you reading this, please take your studies seriously because there are dire consequences if you don't. Not only are we facing the possibility of he not being able to continue at FSU, we're also facing the possibility of losing Bright Futures.</p>
<p>Take a deep breath. It sounds like he is trying to turn things around. </p>
<p>I would call the Dean of Student’s office and ask to speak with the Dean personally. Then explain that you KNOW that your son is 18, and that they CANNOT talk particulars without your son’s permission, but that in general, what are you facing as a family? Ask what happens if he is at the threshold of the needed GPA but just short. Ask know what exactly happens with different scenarios. I think the office will help explain what will happen and tell you if there is any wiggle room. [The</a> Florida State University](<a href=“http://deanofstudents.fsu.edu/index.html]The”>http://deanofstudents.fsu.edu/index.html)</p>
<p>I had to call one semester when a Chemistry Professor “lost” my daughter’s last exam before finals. He told students to come by that last Friday of class and pick them up to study for finals. There were some in stacks outside his office, some on his desk, and some on the floor. Some had been graded and some not. He could not find hers and said “Oh Well.” Apparently he mumbled she could retake it now or use her final grade also as the test grade. I called the Dean and in the meantime she went back to his office and told him she would help him find it, in between tears. Lots of tears. It was a tough class and it was the exam she had done exceptionally well on. The Dean was in a meeting and when she called me back the exam had been located. The Dean could not have been nicer. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, his overall GPA has to be 2.75 or more overall for the year to keep Bright Futures, and obviously if he has that he would not be at risk of having to leave FSU. Time for him to work all summer and make that up. Currently you can take summer classes at the local CC or at FSU and if they raise the GPA up over 2.75 you can petition to have the BF reinstated. Otherwise you have to wait a year and if it gets up over 2.75 you can petition for reinstatement. HOWEVER, the legislature may change that this year and do away with any reinstatement. So your son needs to take some financial responsibility or he is likely to party over the fall during football season and have it happen again. </p>
<p>Hang in there.</p>
<p>@ sunnyflorida
Thank you so much for your words of advice. Based on your first sentence (deep breath), I know you understand.</p>
<p>(Who said parenting gets easier as they get older?! ha!)</p>
<p>For future reference, keep in mind you can drop classes up to 7 weeks into the semester, and in your first two years, you can drop ONE class up to 12 weeks into the semester. You still have to pay for it, and it shows up as a drop on your transcript, but it doesn’t affect your GPA. Considering you don’t get credit for a class when you flunk it, you may as well just drop it.</p>
<p>Coming from a Current student who was in your son’s shoes:</p>
<p>I had a great fall semester, but this spring I failed 1 class (but dropped it before it counts) and ended up almost failing two more. I’d let your son take care of it all, have him call the dean, see what they can do. The most important thing is to Be there, without being there.</p>
<p>He’s an adult now, he needs to figure it out himself. My parents told me that they were behind me 100% but I had to fix the situation myself. Guess what? I ended up being able to do some extra work, and now i’m getting a decent grade in both of the classes.</p>
<p>If he is really going to learn the lesson, he has to fix his own mistakes.
It sounds harsh, but i’m being honest, if my parents called for me I wouldn’t know what its like to sit in front of your dean, of a prestegious university, and pretty much beg to stay in college. Its a terrible feeling, and it really whipped me into shape, its not something I ever want to experience again.</p>