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Student in Good Standing

In order to be a student in good standing, you must not be under any disciplinary sanction, must not have any unsatisfied financial obligation to the College, and must not be on academic probation, suspension, or dismissal.

Academic Probation

If your graduation grade-point average falls below 2.0, you will be placed on academic probation (applicable only to students enrolled in a degree- or certificate-granting major). An academic review will determine the conditions you must fulfill to continue your enrollment at Penn College.

* Your graduation-grade point average is calculated using only the courses taken while enrolled in a given major. If you switch majors, grades for courses not required by your new major are not figured into your graduation grade point average. Learn more about GPAs.

Notification

If you are not a student in good academic standing at the end of a semester, you will receive a letter explaining your academic status (probation, repeated course attempts, academic suspension, or academic dismissal). The letter will outline specific conditions related to your continued enrollment, suspension, or dismissal.

Academic Suspension

You may be suspended from the College due to unsuccessfully repeating courses, having a first-semester GPA below 1.0, or exceeding the number of semesters in which your GPA is lower than 2.0.

You may repeat any developmental course (ENL 001; MTH 004, 005, 008) just one time. If you take a developmental course twice without earning a passing grade, you will be academically suspended from the College until the course requirement is satisfied with an equivalent course at another institution or until you change your major to one that does not require the repeated course.

You may repeat a non-developmental course two times. If you take a non-developmental course three times without earning a passing grade, you will be academically suspended from the College until the course requirement is satisfied with an equivalent course at another institution or until you change your major to one that does not require the repeated course.

You will be academically suspended from the College if your graduation grade-point average is below a 1.0 at the end of your first semester* (after attempting at least six credits). This suspension cannot be appealed. An administrative exception can be requested ONLY in cases in which there are extenuating circumstances. Otherwise, you can appeal to re-enroll after one semester’s absence (not including summer) from the College.

*Course work completed in the summer prior to the first regular semester is not considered in this calculation.

You will be academically suspended from the College if your graduation grade-point average is lower than 2.0 in ANY three semesters, sequential or otherwise (applicable to students who entered Penn College in Fall 2004 or later). This suspension cannot be appealed. An administrative exception can be requested ONLY in cases in which there are extenuating circumstances. Otherwise, you can appeal to re-enroll after one year’s absence (not including summer) from the College.

In cases in which extenuating circumstances exist, academically suspended students may request an administrative exception. Requests for an administrative exception are thoroughly reviewed. Exceptions are granted only when performance was affected by circumstances beyond a student’s control, e.g., death of an immediate family member, significant traumatic event. Students should be prepared to provide documentation* that corroborates the circumstances on which the request is based. Requests for an administrative exception must be submitted in writing to the Dean of Academic Operations (email to academicoperations@pct.edu; deliver to SASC, Room 3061, or mail to the Dean of Academic Operations DIF 56, Pennsylvania College of Technology, One College Ave., Williamsport PA 17701.) Requests should include the following:

  • The nature of the extenuating circumstance that impacted your academic performance
  • Evidence that these factors have been successfully addressed
  • An outline of your plan for achieving academic progress
  • Documentation relating to the extenuating circumstance*

Granted requests may be accompanied by special requirements (e.g., credit limitations, GPA requirements, mandatory major change). Failure to satisfy these requirements will result in academic suspension from the College. Upon a second academic suspension from the College, the student will be subject to the Academic Renewal process explained below.

Appealing to Re-enroll

If you have been academically suspended or if you are a returning student whose GPA was less than 2.0 during your last-attended semester, you may be eligible to appeal to re-enroll. Students who have been academically suspended are only eligible to appeal to re-enroll upon the expiration of their designated suspension period.

To appeal to re-enroll, you must submit a written letter of appeal to the Assistant Dean of Academic Operations (email to academicoperations@pct.edu; deliver to DJG, Room 1049; or mail to the Assistant Dean of Academic Operations DIF 116, Pennsylvania College of Technology, One College Ave., Williamsport PA 17701). Your letter should contain the following information:

  • The semester in which you are interested in re-enrolling;
  • The major or program in which you wish to re-enroll;
  • A brief explanation of the issues that led to your academic problems and evidence that these factors have been successfully addressed;
  • A written account of your academic and/or professional activities while away from College (i.e., employment, other schooling, etc.); and
  • If applicable, an official transcript showing your successful completion of course work at another institution.

If your appeal is successful, special requirements (e.g., credit limitations, GPA requirements, mandatory major change) may be imposed. Failure to satisfy these requirements will result in academic suspension from the College. Upon a second academic suspension from the College, you will be subject to the Academic Renewal process if you wish to return to Penn College.

Academic Renewal

Upon a second academic suspension from the College, you will be eligible for Academic Renewal after a minimum of four academic years have passed since any for-credit course work has been attempted/completed at Penn College.

  • Academic Renewal can be applied for only once; failure to fulfill the specified requirements and succeed academically after obtaining renewal will result in permanent academic dismissal from the College.
  • If you return to Penn College via Academic Renewal, you will be given the opportunity to start your graduation GPA over, and you will be required to fulfill specified, non-negotiable requirements and demonstrate improved academic performance.
  • Your previous Penn College course work will not be removed from your transcript; it will remain as a record of your academic history. However, your academic transcript will be reviewed to carry forward credit and grades for required course work previously satisfied with a grade of C or higher, provided that the course work is less than 10 years old.

Anyone wishing to return to the College after a four-year suspension will be required to submit the following to the Assistant Dean of Academic Operations:

  • A letter outlining the issue that led to the student’s academic problems, including evidence that those factors have been successfully addressed,
  • A written account of the student’s academic and/or professional activities during the time away from Penn College,
  • If applicable, an official transcript of courses successfully completed at another institution, and
  • Two letters of recommendation addressing the student’s readiness to resume college-level work; the letters must come from individuals from other colleges, employers, or associates who are familiar with the student’s academic and/or professional activities during the time away from College.

Additional Information

To learn more about Academic Probation, Suspension, or Renewal, contact Academic Operations at 570.320.8019. Students can access full details in Section IV of the College's Policy & Procedure Manual, available electronically on the myPCT Portal (network login required); a printed Policy & Procedure Manual is available for review in the Madigan Library.

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Academic Affairs

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