Helping Students Rebound from Academic Probation and Achieve Good Academic Standing
Back on Track is an Academic Advising Center-sponsored program that is designed to help students who are on academic probation (i.e., students whose cumulative GPA is below 2.0). A student in Back on Track works one-on-one with a professional mentor to review their unique strengths, challenges, needs, and motivations in the context of their academic success.
With this information in mind, the mentor and student collaboratively develop a personalized academic plan designed to address factors that have impacted their academic experience; to enhance academic and personal skills, habits, and/or strategies; and to provide a framework for monitoring the student’s progress. Subsequently, the Back on Track mentor offers continued support and guidance throughout the term in an effort to help the student build momentum in pursuing their goals
Benefits of Back on Track
Students who participate in the program with commitment and discipline:
- Are more likely to achieve Good Standing or Dean's List than students who do not complete the program
- Foster greater recovery of their cumulative GPA, which impacts both academic standing and financial aid eligibility
- Advocate for their success with the support of their mentor's feedback, knowledge, guidance, and tools
- Build momentum in pursuing their goals and establishing a foundation for continual growth.
Five Steps to Academic Success
Students meet with their mentor during the add/drop period to ensure that their course schedule balances the opportunity to repair their GPA (likely by repeating courses) with the need to maintain federal financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. This process involves calculating a projected credit ratio and the minimum term GPA they need to raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 as well as adjusting their schedule to align with the 15 credit limit.
Back on Track mentors help students reflect on and clarify factors that contribute to or hinder their academic success via a self-assessment process. Mentors also inform students of various campus resources that can provide support in harnessing their strengths and addressing their challenges.
Students and mentors collaboratively develop a “game plan” for the semester that includes specific, personalized goals and action steps to maximize academic success. The plan usually includes one or more campus services with which the student will connect.
Students and mentors typically meet five times during the semester to monitor progress, troubleshoot challenges, and celebrate accomplishments. Of particular importance, is the mid-semester meeting because it coincides with the period during which students may receive warning grades, offering an opportunity to recalibrate the Plan for Academic Success.
During their last meeting, students and mentors discuss anticipated final grades, academic standing, and next steps. Students also complete an evaluation that assesses their experience in the program and how their plan impacted their academic experience.