Academic Actions
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Academic Retention Standards
Montclair State University considers students with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher as having good academic standing.
Students with a cumulative GPA below 2.0 are designated, at first, as on probation. Probation can lead to academic suspension and then dismissal. The information on this page is here to help students avoid academic suspension and/or dismissal.
Five Stages of Academic Action
Academic Warning
To help students avoid the serious consequences of being on probation, students’ records are updated to academic warning status if their cumulative GPA falls between 2.249 and 2.00. Academic warning signifies to students that they are close to falling on academic probation.
Students on academic warning are strongly encouraged to meet with their assigned advisor who can assist in devising a strategy for academic success. This strategy will include the recommendation to repeat courses for which a grade of D+, D, D- or lower was received. Undeclared freshmen and sophomores are assigned an advisor from University College, while declared freshmen and sophomores are assigned an advisor in the Center for Academic Success and Tutoring (CAST); juniors and seniors work with an advisor in Center for Leadership and Engagement. Students in the Educational Opportunity Fund Program meet with their EOF counselor.
Probation
In order to be in good academic standing, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students who fall below this GPA are placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation must:
- raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher in one term to return to good academic standing.
- meet with an Academic Advisor (check NEST if you are unsure where to find your advisor, or call Center for Academic Success and Tutoring /University College/ Center for Leadership and Engagement).
- participate in and successfully complete the Academic Progress Program, which will be outlined and discussed with more details in your initial appointment. The Academic Progress Program consists of mandatory advising, tutoring and workshops.
Students who earn a term GPA of 2.0 or higher but maintain a cumulative GPA below 2.0 will be continued on probation. Students who are unable to raise their term and cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher in one term will face academic suspension.
Continued Probation
Students who earn a term/semester GPA of 2.0 or higher but maintain a cumulative GPA below 2.0 will be continued on probation for another semester. Students who earn at least a 2.25 term/semester GPA but less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA in the subsequent semester will continue to be on probation for a third consecutive semester.
Students on continued probation will also be required to participate in the Academic Progress Program.
Suspension
Students who do not meet the stated retention standards are placed on academic suspension. Suspended students cannot take classes at Montclair State for a full calendar year (two consecutive semesters, not counting winter and summer sessions); the suspension means that Montclair State will automatically remove students from any fall or spring classes for which they may have registered. Students will be permitted to remain in winter courses and can remain in summer courses that begin before the final summer session (usually in early August). Students who raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 as a result of these winter or summer course completion can return to good academic standing. Good grades in winter or summer courses that do not raise the cumulative GPA to 2.0 will not change a student’s standing.
Dismissal
Students readmitted from academic suspension must earn at least a 2.0 semester GPA at the end of their first semester back at Montclair State University or they will be academically dismissed. Additionally, students readmitted from academic suspension must raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 by the end of his/her second semester after readmission. Students who do not achieve these retention standards will be placed on academic dismissal. Students academically dismissed cannot enroll in courses at Montclair State University, and are not eligible for readmission under any circumstance.
Appeals Process
All students who have been suspended may request that the University reconsider its decision by submitting appeals to the Scholastic Appeals Committee. The Committee will review only those appeals that are complete and are received by the specified due date.
Decisions that may be reached by the Scholastic Appeals Committee include:
- Approved
- Denied
- Provisional – Referral to Student Academic Services.
Continuing students are reinstated only if they agree to change their major. First-year students referred to their SAS advisors are reinstated only if they agree to enroll in ADVS 198 Pathways to Success. - Provisional – Referral to Dean of Students Office
Students who are readmitted by appeal must meet with their academic advisors to develop a statement of understanding delineating the parameters of reinstatement. Reinstatement does not imply or constitute reinstatement to a particular major or academic program.
ADVS Option
Students on first time suspension that have not participated in the ADVS 198 program will automatically be enrolled in the ADVS 198 Pathways to Success program as long as they sign their ADVS 198 contract by the date indicated in their official standing letter. Participation in this program will allow a student to continue their studies at Montclair State for the next consecutive semester. Students choosing to opt-out of this program and who wish to attempt to continue at Montclair State University must meet with their advisor and complete an appeal of their suspension by the specified due date. Students will then go through the Academic Appeals process and all decisions rendered by the Scholastic Appeals Committee are final.
Students who:
1) opt out of the ADVS program,
2) fail to sign their ADVS contract, or
3) have their appeal denied through the Scholastic Appeals Committee are eligible to apply for readmission once they have been away from the University for at least one academic year. One academic year is defined as two consecutive semesters, not counting winter and/or summer sessions. Readmission is not guaranteed. *
Students who participate in ADVS and do not meet the 2.0 term G.P.A. requirement must sit out for at least one semester – and they must also reapply to the university. (These students receive credit for their ADVS semester towards the two semester requirement).
*After suspension, it is highly recommended that students earn at least 15 credits at another institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and no D or F grades before applying for readmission at Montclair State University.
For further clarification, please contact the Academic Success Center at asc@montclair.edu or at 973-655-5425.
***Please note that students are only permitted to transfer in a maximum of 60 credits to Montclair State University from any two-year institution. As no more than 60 transfer credits from a community college can be applied to a degree at Montclair State, it is not advisable for students who have earned an associate’s degree to take classes at a community college while on suspension. Additionally, students planning to apply for readmission to the University in the future should not be repeating coursework taken at Montclair State at another institution. ***
Students should refer to their analyses of academic progress and/or their unofficial transcripts on NEST to verify the number of credits that have already been applied to their record (if applicable). The NJ Transfer website provides extensive information about the 15 credit and GPA thresholds. Suspended students who fulfill this requirement may become eligible for a conditional readmit-from-action status which is granted only to students who demonstrate that they are prepared to succeed academically.
Students who return to Montclair State with conditional readmit-from-action status must earn a term GPA of 2.0 or higher in the first semester back. Students then move to academic-monitoring status which, in turn, grants one more term to raise the cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher. Students with academic-monitoring status who do not raise their cumulative GPAs to a 2.0 or higher are dismissed.
There is an appeal process for students who are placed on academic suspension. However, appeals are not approved automatically, and as standard practice, are granted only for extremely mitigating circumstances that can be documented.
Students suspended from the University for academic reasons will have a notation placed on their transcript. Students who re-enroll, remain in good academic standing, and complete the requirements for graduation may request removal of the notation at the time they file for graduation. Requests must be submitted to the Office of the Provost. The Provost, in consultation with other University officials, will make the final decision regarding removal of the notation.
Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policies differ from institutional policy related to the calculation of a GPA. SAP regulations require the inclusion of all course grades when determining aid eligibility under these rules. While a student may have an institutional GPA of 2.0 or greater, the SAP GPA may be lower if there is repeat coursework on the transcript. The inclusion of grades from repeat coursework may not impact the institutional GPA but will impact aid eligibility under SAP.