Academic Success Workshop

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Academic Success WorkshopProbation 2

• Welcome to our online workshop for students on
  Academic Probation II. We at Meredith believe
  you can be successful here. You are not alone.
  Along with other students in academic difficulty,
  you will
• Learn about academic policies
• Identify your sources of academic difficulties
  and generate specific resources for improving
  your academic performance
• Be introduced to campus resources
• Learn the Nuts Bolts of GPA, transcripts, and
  goal setting

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Before you begin

• Obtain your packet from the Academic and Career
  Planning, 2nd Floor of the
• Park Center
• Your packet contains
• A Contract for Academic Improvement
• Your current unofficial transcript
• Directions for the workshop
• You will need a calculator, pencil or pen, and
  scratch paper.

Find a quiet place to complete this online
workshop. Plan to spend some concentrated time
with this material.
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Why am I on academic probation?

• You are on academic probation because your
  Meredith GPA at the end of the last semester was
  below the minimum for the total number of hours
  attempted for all semesters. When a student fails
  to achieve minimum progress, she will be placed
  on academic probation for the following semester.
  When she does not achieve minimum progress the
  following semester she is placed on Probation
  II.
• Minimum Expected
• Total Hours Attempted Meredith GPA
• 1-16 Hours GPA 1.5
• 17-25 Hours GPA 1.7
• 26-59 Hours GPA 1.8
• 60-89 Hours GPA 1.9
• 90 Hours GPA 2.0

Looking at your transcript, the TOT-MER row and
HRS GPA column gives you your total hours
attempted. The TOT-MER GPA is your latest
Meredith GPA.
Source Academic Policies and
Procedures Meredith College Undergraduate
Catalogue
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Things I must do while on probation
When a student fails to achieve minimum progress,
she will be placed on academic probation for the
following semester. A student on probation must
conform to the following guidelines the next
semester in which she is enrolled Fail
ure to satisfy all these requirements will result
in a delay of future class registration until the
student has presented detailed plans for
correcting her academic deficiencies to Academic
and Career Planning.

• 1. Register for no more than 14 hours
• Enroll in ENG 111 if her general education
  composition requirement has not been met
• Repeat courses in which a D or F was earned
• Complete an academic success workshop (this
  online workshop counts as your academic success
  workshop) and Contract for Academic Improvement
  followed by a meeting with an Advisor in Academic
  and Career Planning. This meetings must occur by
  March 1, 2010.

Source Academic Policies and Procedures,
Meredith College Undergraduate Catalogue
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Lets begin

• Looking at the first section of the form,
  Contract for Academic
• Improvement, think about the goals you set for
  last semester and
• answer the following questions ON YOUR CONTRACT.
  If you cannot
• remember your goals from last semester, list the
  things that you had
• wanted to accomplish last semester.

List below the goals you made last semester
following the probation workshop 1. 2. 3. Did
you meet those goals? If so, what helped you
meet those goals? What worked well for you that
you would like to continue to put into
practice? If not, why not? What prevented you
or stopped you from meeting them? How will this
semester be different from last semester? Be
specific.
There are resources available for students who
are having trouble meeting their goals. The next
few slides outline some of those resources
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Resources

• All students encounter challenges during their
  academic career. The key to success is
  identifying YOUR roadblocks and taking action
  towards resolving the problem. Here are some
  links to resources that can help you
• If you are having trouble with
• Goal Setting or motivation, visit Academic and
  Career Planning. Sometimes students struggle
  because they do not know what they want to major
  in or lack focus in their studies.
• Study skills or time management, visit Academic
  and Career Planning. We can provide resources to
  help you or offer regular coaching meetings.
• Personal issues, like loneliness, roommate
  problems, family issues, or trouble adjusting to
  college, visit the Counseling Center. If you are
  distracted by personal issues, counseling may
  help you cope better so you may focus on your
  studies.
• Financial issues, visit Financial Assistance.
  Sometimes students spend more time at work and
  dont have enough time to study. Financial
  Assistance may be able to help you with your
  financial situation.
• A disability, visit Disability Services. This
  office also can assist students who question
  whether a possible disability may be the cause of
  academic difficulty.

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More resources
Time Management
Test Taking
Tutoring
Reading
Learning Styles
Advising Process
Note Taking
Foreign Languages
Writing Papers
Click the specific topic to learn more.
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Assessing Your Resources

• The next section of your contract asks you to
  think
• about your specific resources and strengths for
• meeting this semesters goals. Complete the
  following
• questions ON YOUR CONTRACT and bring your
• answers to your meeting with a staff member from
• Academic and Career Planning.

What are your Strengths? 1. 2. 3.
Challenges? 1. 2. Resources Support
Systems? 1. 2. 3. Soft spots (areas you would
like to improve)? 1. 2. 3.
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Goals Setting for the Semester

• Now that youve thought about last semesters
  goals and the resources available to you, take a
  few minutes to create some goals for this
  semester. The next provides a guideline to
  writing goals.

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SMART Goals For This Semester

• Make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable,
  Action
• oriented, Realistic, and Time -phased (they have
  a specific
• deadline). List 2-3 action plan steps for each
  goal, stating
• how you will reach your goal.
• Write them down and bring them to your follow-up
• meeting to discuss.

Goal 1 To _____________________________________
______________________________________________. A
ction Step _____________________________________
__________________________________ Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________ Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________ Goal 2 To
__________________________________________________
_________________________________. Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________ Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________ Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________ Goal 3 To
__________________________________________________
_________________________________. Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________ Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________ Action Step
__________________________________________________
_____________________
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Take a 10 minute break
Study Tip Take a short break each hour to
refresh your mind and body. Youll do
better. Set an alarm clock or timer and come
back!
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Nuts Bolts about GPAs

• You will need to learn more GPAs before
  continuing the contract.
• What is a GPA?
• How do I calculate my GPA?
• What about multiple semesters?
• How do I read or understand my transcript?
• Why do I have three GPA totals on my Meredith
  transcript?
• How does repeating a course help my GPA?
• What is the minimum GPA I must earn to get off
  academic probation?
• What grades to I need to earn to reach my GPA
  goal?

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GPA Quality Points Hours Attempted
Your GPA is determined by dividing the total
number of quality points that you have earned by
the number of hours you have attempted.
For example, if you have earned a total of 90
quality points and have attempted 50 credit
hours, your GPA will be 90 50, or 1.8
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GPA Quality Points Hours Attempted
Quality points (QP) are calculated by multiplying
the number of credit hours for a course by the
numerical equivalent of the grade you earn in the
course.
Each letter grade has the following numerical
equivalency
A 4 B 3 C 2 D 1 F 0
If you earn an A in a three credit-hour
course you will have earned 12 quality points (3
hrs x 4 12QP) for the course.
Multiply the grade in each course by the number
of credit hours for the course and then add the
totals for each class together for your semester
total. Example CORE 100 (4 credits) x B (3.0)
12 QP Mat 130 (3 credits) x C (2.0) 6 QP Psy
100 (3 credits) x A (4.0) 12 QP Art 101 (3
credits) x B (3.0) 9 QP Total semester Quality
Points 12 12 6 9 39 QP
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How to Calculate a GPA

• Calculate the quality points for each subject.
• Add the quality points from all the subjects.
• Divide by the total number of hours attempted.

RememberA 4 B 3 C 2 D 1 F 0
ENG 111 3 hours B (3 hrs. x 3 9 quality
points) MAT 144 3 hours A (3 hrs. x 4 12
quality points) BIO 101 3 hours C (3 hrs. x 2
6 quality points) BIO 141 1 hour B (1 hr. x
3 3 quality points) CORE 100 4 hours B (4
hrs. x 3 12 quality points) Total quality
points 42 Total hours attempted 14
GPA 3.0 GPA Total Quality Points Total
Hours Attempted 42 QP 14 hrs. 3.0 GPA for the
semester
1
2

3
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GPA for Multiple Semesters
To determine your GPA over multiple semesters,
add your quality points and hours attempted from
ALL semesters and follow the GPA formula GPA
Total Quality Points Total Hours Attempted
Now lets learn how to read the transcript.
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Parts of a Transcript
TOT-SEM GPA - current semester TOT-MER GPA -
cumulative totals only from Meredith
College TOT-DATE GPA - cumulative totals from
Meredith and transfer credits
HRS GPA - hours attempted HRS CRD - hours
credited QUAL PTS - quality points
1 a The original F grade remains on the
transcript for the replaced course and the
transcript is updated when the repeated course is
completed. Notice that the 3 hours attempted are
still included in the totals (1b). F credits are
not counted towards graduation credits. 2
Pass/Fail courses are not counted in the GPA
calculations unless you fail the class. Passing
credit counts towards graduation credits. 3
TOT-MER GPA along with 4 TOT-MER row, HRS GPA
(hours attempted) column determines probation
status (see CHART)
FALL 200x HRS HRS QUAL GPA CRD
PTS FYE 100 1.00 B 1.00
3.00 ENG 111 replaced on 1/18/xx ----- F
0.00 ----- 1a BIO 101 3.00 C 3.00
6.00 BIO 141 1.00 C 1.00
2.00 PSY 100 3.00 C 3.00 6.00 PED
120 0.00 P 1.00 ----- 2 HIS
103 replaced on 1/18/xx 3.00 D 3.00
3.00 TOT-SEM GPA 1.429 14.00 1b12.00
20.00 TOT-MER GPA 1.429 3 14.00
4 12.00 20.00 TOT-DATE GPA 1.429 14.00
35.00 20.00 TRN 23

CHART
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Repeat Courses with D or F Grades

• The recommended way to improve your GPA is to
  repeat courses because this will increase your
  quality points while keeping your hours attempted
  down.
• The hours attempted for repeated courses are not
  counted in the GPA calculations.
• For example, a students new hours attempted for
  her Spring semester may be only 6 if two of her
  four classes are repeated. She will still be
  considered a full time student because she
  carries 12 hrs, but for GPA purposes we only
  look at the new hours attempted.

CHART
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Advantages of repeating your courses
Repeating your courses this semester will help
you raise your GPA. By repeating two courses, a
student may be able to get off probation with
only C and D grades this semester because her
hours attempted will not be calculated in the
TOT-MER GPA once again. Earning a D to get off
probation is not recommended.
When repeating a course with a D grade, the
calculations will reflect the difference between
the D and your new grade. A students earns 3.00
QP the first time when earning a D in HIS 103,
so, a C grade in the repeated course earns an
additional 3.00 QP, instead of 6.00 QP (6 - 3 3
QP). If she earns a B the second time, then it
earns the difference between the B (9 pts) and
the original D (3 pts), earning her 6.00 more QP.
CHART
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Determine Your Targeted QP

• By calculating your targeted minimum quality
  points you will be able to project the exact
  grades you need this semester to get off
  probation.
• Students think they need to earn straight As to
  get off probation. For many, this is unrealistic
  and unnecessary.

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What is my minimum GPA ?

• The next section of your contract states
• In order to be in good academic standing I must
  earn a GPA of at least
• Look at your transcript to do this section.
• Locate the current semester printed on your
  transcript.
• You will not have any grades, or hours credited
  (HRS CRD) or quality points (QUAL PTS) listed,
  since your work is in progress.

Get your calculator, pencil and scratch paper.
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Finding your minimum GPA

• 1. Count the number of credit hours you are
  taking this semester.
• 2. Subtract any hours from courses you are
  repeating.
• This is your new hours attempting for this
  semester.
• Add your hours attempting this semester (step 3
  above) to your total hours attempted prior to
  this semester (TOT-DATE, HRS ATT column on your
  transcript). This is your total hours attempted,
  all semesters.
• Go to the CHART (link below, or listed earlier in
  the presentation) and find your minimum Meredith
  GPA.
• Record your minimum GPA on your contract or
  continue on for help.

CHART
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Recapping the calculations
1. _____ Count hours you are taking this
semester 2. -_____ Minus hours repeating 3.
_____ New total hours attempting this
semester 4. _____ Add hours attempted prior to
this semester, from TOT-DATE, HRS ATT transcript
column 5. _____ New total hours attempted, all
semesters 6. Refer to the for
your minimum GPA. 7. In order to be in good
academic standing I must earn a GPA of at least
(record your minimum GPA on your contract now).
CHART
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What grades do I need this semester?
1. ____ New total MER hrs attempted (step 5 of
previous slide) 2.X____ Multiply your min. MER
GPA needed to get off probation. (previous
slide) 3. ____ Quality points needed 4. -
____ Minus QUAL PTS, TOT-DATE column
(transcript) 5. ____ Your targeted minimum
quality points needed this semester (see next
slide to learn more).
always round up here - there are no fractional
quality points.
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Grades needed to reach minimum GPA goal

• Determine the grades you will need for each
  course you are taking this semester using the
  chart below.
• Example If you were taking four 3-credit
  courses and your targeted quality point total was
  30, then you could earn 3 Bs and 1 C (27 6
  33) to exceed your target and to assure you get
  off probation. Another way would be to earn 1 A
  and 3 Cs (12 18 30).
• Quality Points Chart (3 credit courses)
• 1 A 12QP 1 B 9 QP 1 C 6 QP 1 D 3 QP
• 2 A 24 2 B 18 2 C 12 2 D 6
• 3 A 36 3 B 27 3 C 18 3 D 9
• 4 A 48 4 B 36 4 C 24 4 D 12

A 4 B 3 C 2 D 1 F
0
Write your targeted grades on your contract
beside your target GPA.
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Youre Almost Finished!Take another 10 minute
break
Study Tip Take a short break each hour to
refresh your mind and body. Youll do
better. Set an alarm clock or timer and come
back!
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Important Dates
Important dates to remember (1) The last day
to withdraw from a course is March 26,
2010. (2) Schedule a follow up appointment with
a staff member in Academic and Career Planning by
March 1, 2010. Have your contract and workshop
completed by that appointment and bring them with
you to the appointment.
Academic Calendar
Withdrawing from a class may be an option to
consider in salvaging your GPA. By mid-term you
will know how well you are doing in your classes
if you are communicating often with your
professors.
Record these important dates on your own personal
calendar!
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What can you do to be successful this semester?
? Attend a study skills workshop ? Go to the
Learning Center ? Visit my professors during
office hours ? Reduce work hours ? Get more
sleep ? Pass assignments in on time ? Define
career goals ? Talk to a counselor ?
Register with Disability Services ? Talk with
faculty advisor ? Develop a support system ?
Reduce involvement in social activities
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Frequently Asked Questions

• How is an incomplete figured into my GPA?
• Initially, the incomplete is not figured into
  your GPA adding no quality points and no hours
  attempted.
• Once your incomplete grade has been submitted to
  the registrars office, your GPA for that
  semester will be refigured to include the correct
  grade.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I know if Im considered a freshman,
  sophomore, junior, or senior?
• TOT-DATE, HRS CRD
• Semester hours completed
• Freshman 1 - 25
• Sophomore 26 - 59
• Junior 60 - 89
• Senior 90 and above

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What GPA do I need to graduate?
• All students must maintain an overall Meredith
  GPA of 2.0 or higher. You also need a 2.0 or
  higher in your major coursework.

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What happens if I dont get off Academic
Probation II?

• A student on academic probation II who does not
• meet Meredith quality point ratio (QPR) at the
• conclusion of the semester will be suspended
• for the following semester. This student will be
• allowed to make up deficiencies at Meredith
  during
• the summer sessions. If her summer work does not
• raise her Meredith QPR to the minimum standard
• established for retention (refer to the Minimum
• Expected Meredith QPR chart), she will be
• suspended for one semester. A student on
  academic
• probation will not be approved to take summer
  course
• work at another college or university.

CHART
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Source Meredith College Undergraduate Catalogue
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What happens if I dont get off Academic
Probation II? (continued)

• A suspended student may apply for re-admission
  after one semester and, if readmitted, re-enroll
  for any subsequent semester if space is
  available. A re-admitted student is on probation
  and must raise her Meredith QPR to the minimum
  standard outlined in the above chart. However,
  a re-admitted student who makes at least a 2.0
  semester QRP during her first semester back will
  be allowed one additional semester to achieve the
  required Meredith QPR.

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What happens if I dont get off
probation? (continued)

• The student has the right to appeal the academic
• suspension. She must appeal in writing to the
• registrar within 10 days of receipt of the notice
  of
• suspension. A standing retention committee will
• hear the appeal. Appeal application forms are
• available from the registrar. If a student is on
• academic probation after one or more consecutive
• semesters of being off, she will be subject to
  the
• rules which apply to a first-time probation
  student.

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Quiz time

• The next part of your contract states

To get off probation, I must earn at least a GPA
of _____. The 3 things I must do as a student on
academic probation are 1. 2. 3.
Youve already determined and recorded the
minimum GPA you need. Complete the list of three
things you must do based on the information found
at the beginning of this workshop. Write these
things down ON YOUR CONTRACT.

• Helpful hints
• It was outlined in your probation notification
  letter from the registrar, it is also in your
  catalogue (available online) under Academic
  Policies and Procedures, and
• we stated four things earlier in the workshop
  (slide 4).

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Whats Next?
Return your completed and signed Contract for
Academic Improvement to Academic and Career
Planning, 2nd Floor Park Center when you come for
your scheduled follow-up appointment.

• Attend your follow up appointment with a staff
  member in Academic and Career Planning by March
  1, 2010.
• Be prepared to discuss your strategies for
  improving your academic performance this semester
  and how you are doing so far in reaching your
  goals. Bring your transcript.

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This concludes the Academic Success Workshop. If
you still have any questions please do not
hesitate to contact your faculty advisor or
Academic and Career Planning.

• Meredith College Academic and Career Planning
• Division of College Programs
• [phone]
• http//www.meredith.edu/acp
• advising_at_meredith.edu
• career_at_meredith.edu

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