As the winter semester begins, it means that most Oakland students have successfully made it through the fall semester. But what about the students who didn’t make it? Many students don’t know what happens if they fail a class. There is a process and steps that should be taken if that happens.

Kelly Gianetto, academic advisor for the college of arts and sciences, stated that  students should always meet with their academic advisor if they fail a course to help them determine what steps to take next.

“They may need to repeat the course or the 0.0 grade will affect their GPA,” Gianetto said.

The conversation about a failed course will be individualized to the student’s situation. This depends on the student’s GPA before and after the semester. In extreme cases, a student may be put on probation or dismissed.The Office of the Registrar will notify the student via email.

“The required GPA needed to pass a class would depend on what requirement the course is being used for (Gen Ed, major, co-req, etc.). The catalog is the best resource to find out what grade each course needs to pass,” Gianetto said via email.

There are also students who  receive scholarships and need to maintain a certain GPA in order to keep that scholarship.

“The eligibility and renewal criteria for each award is determined by the awarding organization,” said Cindy Hermsen, director of financial aid. “Most awards require a minimum cumulative GPA as well as semester and cumulative credit completion.”

“If a student drops below an award required GPA or credit completion, the student will no longer be eligible to receive the award. There are awards in which a student can regain eligibility by reaching the required cumulative GPA and/or credit completion in a future semester; however, some awards might not offer reinstatement,” Hermsen said via email.

Students with any questions concerning their awards can contact the Student Financial Services Office in 120 North Foundation Hall. They can also telephone the office at 248-370-2550 or send an email to [email protected]. Students can also refer to the academic advising page found on Oakland’s website for more information and to set up an appointment with an advisor.

[info box: a student may take a course up to three times, excluding drops and withdrawals.]

[info box: All grades will always show on the student’s transcript, but only the most recent grade is the one calculated into the GPA.]