Academic Suspension

Larry321

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
93
I am meeting with my PMS about my Fall GPA (sub 2.0) and the email title was "Academic Suspension". I have an incomplete on a class that should bring my Fall gpa back to a 2.0 once they enter my new grade for that class. My accumulative gpa was 3.5 before the Fall disaster and is now 3.1. I am confident that I will do well this semester and was looking for any advice before I have this meeting. I'm an MS3.
 
+1 Jcleppe,

Also ace your next APFT, and be prepared to do particularly well at Advanced Camp this summer.

Good luck, and let us know how the meeting goes.
 
When you meet with the PMS, Don't make excuses, just take responsibility and lay out your plans for doing better next semester and not letting this happen again.
That is exactly how I plan to handle this. I'll own it and I've worked out what went wrong and what I am doing to correct this. My concern is that the email title was suspension and not probation. Losing my scholarship is going to be a nightmare as it would for anyone.
 
My concern is that the email title was suspension and not probation. Losing my scholarship is going to be a nightmare as it would for anyone.

Unfortunately suspension may be what you're looking at. The AROTC Contract states that the Academic requirement is to maintain a 2.0 GPA average, some take that to mean that it is the cumulative GPA but in fact it means the GPA for each semester. Since you're GPA has fallen below the 2.0 requirement, that usually means a suspension of the scholarship until your GPA goes up.

This is where it gets tricky and I'm really not sure how it works, whether it means:
1) You will owe back the scholarship for the semester in which you missed the requirement.
2) Your current semester will still be paid and it will be your next semester which is not paid.
3) Both the current and next semester is not paid.

One question, you mentioned that you are getting an incomplete for one class and when that's factored in it will bring your GPA back to a 2.0. When you remove the incomplete class from your schedule do you still have enough credits to fulfill the Full Time Student requirements for the scholarship contract. Make sure you talk to your advisor and check with the department that handles your degree audit to make sure your GPA would reflect a 2.0 for the Fall. Talk to your PMS about all this and have any paper work that would show that your GPA will go back up.

Just one other question, how does having an incomplete class bring your GPA back up, is the a class that you would been receiving a poor grade in that is going to be changed to an incomplete?

These are questions you will have to go over with your PMS, but at this point I tend to believe you will lose at least one semester of your scholarship. Again this will all be explained to you during your meeting and you will be informed of all your options.
 
I am not promoting meeting the minimums.
Life events happen and believe or not, people make mistakes in college. I am sharing this in the context of know and understand your rights and the expectations that need to be met. This could refer to academics, physical fitness, or honor.

You messed up, seem to be aware of that, and know how to fix it.
You now need to do exactly what you are doing, own it and move on.
Now the coaching part.
Most cadets and midshipman have no understanding of their rights and responsibilities.
You are responsible to meet the minimum requirements to maintain your scholarship.
You will meet with the Skipper, own you screwed up, facts are facts, but sign nothing and agree to nothing punitive until you have discussed this with someone else, hopefully someone knowledgeable without skin in the game. I recommend an attorney with expertise in this area.
There are numerous nightmare stories on this forum about folks on scholarship giving away their rights by signing a documents under pressure from the unit.
If you have met the minimum requirements, which I believe are not less than 2.0 and progressing satisfactorily toward graduation (need an Army expert to verify) you have met your requirements.
The Navy requires a 2.5, but if you for some reason you get a 2.0 first semester of your junior year as long as your cum is above a 2.5 you're fine.
Units don't want to look bad. You highlighted yourself by posting <2.0 and embarrassed the unit. Regardless of whether you get it changed, you are a target for making them look bad.
Be aware of this fact. You have no friends. Your job is to meet the requirements for commissioning. Do your best to exceed those requirements, but don't be threatened into giving away your rights.
Being disenrolled under contract can have a 6 figure penalty. If they don't want to commission you because they don't like you, they eat it.
Know your rights, agree to nothing, sign nothing, without getting outside objective advice.
OS
 
My concern is that the email title was suspension and not probation. Losing my scholarship is going to be a nightmare as it would for anyone.

Unfortunately suspension may be what you're looking at. The AROTC Contract states that the Academic requirement is to maintain a 2.0 GPA average, some take that to mean that it is the cumulative GPA but in fact it means the GPA for each semester. Since you're GPA has fallen below the 2.0 requirement, that usually means a suspension of the scholarship until your GPA goes up.

This is where it gets tricky and I'm really not sure how it works, whether it means:
1) You will owe back the scholarship for the semester in which you missed the requirement.
2) Your current semester will still be paid and it will be your next semester which is not paid.
3) Both the current and next semester is not paid.

One question, you mentioned that you are getting an incomplete for one class and when that's factored in it will bring your GPA back to a 2.0. When you remove the incomplete class from your schedule do you still have enough credits to fulfill the Full Time Student requirements for the scholarship contract. Make sure you talk to your advisor and check with the department that handles your degree audit to make sure your GPA would reflect a 2.0 for the Fall. Talk to your PMS about all this and have any paper work that would show that your GPA will go back up.

Just one other question, how does having an incomplete class bring your GPA back up, is the a class that you would been receiving a poor grade in that is going to be changed to an incomplete?

These are questions you will have to go over with your PMS, but at this point I tend to believe you will lose at least one semester of your scholarship. Again this will all be explained to you during your meeting and you will be informed of all your options.
Jcleppe is an example of what I was referring to.
The rules can be interpreted numerous ways and units have huge latitude to handle issues at the local level.
I agree with Jcleppe with one exception. The unit may not present all options to you.
I expect the meeting to be a come to Jesus, don't ever let this happen again. Your response should be "three bags full Sir"
If it is anything other than that, get outside advice.
OS
 
The Navy requires a 2.5, but if you for some reason you get a 2.0 first semester of your junior year as long as your cum is above a 2.5 you're fine.

Great post and good advice about not signing anything on the spot without having someone look it over.

Question, NROTC does not have an Academic requirement for each individual semester, just for the cumulative GPA?
 
One other thing, make sure you put your best foot forward in your meeting, be humble but confident in your ability to get things back on track. I say this because not fulfilling any section of the contract can also result in not only suspension but disenrollment from the program, it has happened before. In your favor you have maintained a good GPA up to this point and this will most likely be seen as a hiccup in an otherwise good academic history.

Follow Oldsalts advice and ask questions about anything you don't understand and don't agree to any life changing options with out outside counsel.
 
In the Navy the local unit has wide latitude.
The requirement is a minimum 2.5 GPA and progressing towards graduation.
The Navy doesn't present a rubric matrix to the CO dictating how each situation should be handled.
The CO is left to use his best judgement.
 
My concern is that the email title was suspension and not probation. Losing my scholarship is going to be a nightmare as it would for anyone.

Unfortunately suspension may be what you're looking at. The AROTC Contract states that the Academic requirement is to maintain a 2.0 GPA average, some take that to mean that it is the cumulative GPA but in fact it means the GPA for each semester. Since you're GPA has fallen below the 2.0 requirement, that usually means a suspension of the scholarship until your GPA goes up.

This is where it gets tricky and I'm really not sure how it works, whether it means:
1) You will owe back the scholarship for the semester in which you missed the requirement.
2) Your current semester will still be paid and it will be your next semester which is not paid.
3) Both the current and next semester is not paid.

One question, you mentioned that you are getting an incomplete for one class and when that's factored in it will bring your GPA back to a 2.0. When you remove the incomplete class from your schedule do you still have enough credits to fulfill the Full Time Student requirements for the scholarship contract. Make sure you talk to your advisor and check with the department that handles your degree audit to make sure your GPA would reflect a 2.0 for the Fall. Talk to your PMS about all this and have any paper work that would show that your GPA will go back up.

Just one other question, how does having an incomplete class bring your GPA back up, is the a class that you would been receiving a poor grade in that is going to be changed to an incomplete?

These are questions you will have to go over with your PMS, but at this point I tend to believe you will lose at least one semester of your scholarship. Again this will all be explained to you during your meeting and you will be informed of all your options.

My instructor gave the "incomplete" for the course to allow my time to finish my project (it was larger than most) for the class. At my school, once the instructor grades my work the grade will change for the course and my Fall gpa will be recalculated. So basically my Fall grades are not finalized.

Edit: I did not drop below 12 credits.
 
Last edited:
suspension isn't the end of the line. This too can be overcome with dedication and hard work. In the end, this will be just another hurdle you have to get over to complete the road you have chosen. there will be more along the road to success, and you will get over those as well.
 
My concern is that the email title was suspension and not probation. Losing my scholarship is going to be a nightmare as it would for anyone.

Unfortunately suspension may be what you're looking at. The AROTC Contract states that the Academic requirement is to maintain a 2.0 GPA average, some take that to mean that it is the cumulative GPA but in fact it means the GPA for each semester. Since you're GPA has fallen below the 2.0 requirement, that usually means a suspension of the scholarship until your GPA goes up.

This is where it gets tricky and I'm really not sure how it works, whether it means:
1) You will owe back the scholarship for the semester in which you missed the requirement.
2) Your current semester will still be paid and it will be your next semester which is not paid.
3) Both the current and next semester is not paid.

One question, you mentioned that you are getting an incomplete for one class and when that's factored in it will bring your GPA back to a 2.0. When you remove the incomplete class from your schedule do you still have enough credits to fulfill the Full Time Student requirements for the scholarship contract. Make sure you talk to your advisor and check with the department that handles your degree audit to make sure your GPA would reflect a 2.0 for the Fall. Talk to your PMS about all this and have any paper work that would show that your GPA will go back up.

Just one other question, how does having an incomplete class bring your GPA back up, is the a class that you would been receiving a poor grade in that is going to be changed to an incomplete?

These are questions you will have to go over with your PMS, but at this point I tend to believe you will lose at least one semester of your scholarship. Again this will all be explained to you during your meeting and you will be informed of all your options.

I had a short meeting this morning with the PMS and he agreed to wait unit the incomplete grade came in. I was shown a form about academic suspension and I think (I have to talk with him again) that if suspended it would be of the scholarship for this spring semester (or until I get me semester average above the mark). So... I got the grade for the incomplete and it didn't raise me above the 2.0 mark (missed it very so slightly). I've got to get with the financial aid people at school and see about all those scholarships I turned down for ROTC. And I have to meet with the PMS again.

Side note: I looked at several contracts online (I have to find mine) and they don't mention anything about retroactive payment. Only that the scholarship is suspended until you get your act together.
 
That all sounds logical from what others have mentioned before. Sounds like you will complete the next (Spring) semester without the scholarship, if you maintain the 2.0 or higher GPA for that semester then your scholarship will be reinstated for the next semester. Since it is a suspension and not disenrollment, you won't owe anything for previous semesters. With a suspension they will not retroactively pay for the suspended semester, they will only start the scholarship up again for the next semester providing you keep your GPA within contract regulations.

Best of luck to you.
 
I expect that the other scholarshipsyou declined are gone. Good idea to talk to financial aid office though.
 
You may be able to secure a loan for the semester.

As Kinnem says, connect with financial aid and complete a FAFSA as soon as possible.
 
@Larry321 ,

I was trying to think of something wise to add when I noticed @AROTC-dad ‘s footer—the quote from Colin Powell. That pretty well sums it up. Often times the dedication to preparation and hard work don’t occur until after the failure, from which I’m sure you’ll learn. You may look back on this experience as being one of the cheapest, best value lessons in your life—even if you do have to pay for a semester of school.

As you read the comments (which happen to come from the most valuable posters on this forum) I hope you appreciated their methodical, dispassionate approach to your issue as much or more than any specific advice they gave.

Get all this behind you. MS4 year is exciting with the anticipation of branch and duty station assignments.

Best of luck!
 
Back
Top