Academic Probation

Students who begin any semester term in Good Academic Standing but fail to maintain a cumulative institutional GPA of 2.0 or higher are placed on Academic Probation at the end of that semester. It is extremely important that you check your grades often so that you can work with your assigned advisor to develop strategies or get connected to resources that can help you improve your GPA. 

Students are notified via their ACES email regarding their academic standing. Academic Standing is reviewed at the end of each fall, spring and summer semester, and will be calculated by reviewing your semester grades and prior academic history. It is very important that you check your email at the end of every semester for notifications about academic standing status. You will not receive an additional notice from NVC regarding your AP standing. 

Once a student is placed on Academic Probation, a registration hold is activated on their account. They are still able to register but must meet complete specific requirements during their probationary semester. One of them is to meet with their assigned advisor to discuss ways they can improve their GPA and be academically successful.

Another requirement is to complete the Back on Track (BoT) non-credit course in Canvas, designed to help students build strategies to improve their academic progress, and avoid academic dismissal. 

Students may re-enroll for one semester after meeting with their
Academic Advisor. Once on probation, students are limited to a maximum
course load of 12-13 credit hours (up to 4 classes) every semester. The assigned advisor may waive the registration hold if midterm grades show “C” or higher in all enrolled courses each semester. Only grades visible in the Banner system or progress reports submitted by your instructor(s) will count as official to have your hold waived. 

1. Complete the Back on Track Canvas Course

The Back on Track Course is a free, mandatory course that helps students understand more about Academic Probation and develop strategies to achieve academic success. Each module in the course is designed to help the student plan, strategize and develop ways to get them back on the right track. There are many resources for students both on and off campus that can help them refocus on their education. This course will go into detail about how and where you can find these resources. Students are enrolled in the course during their probationary semester and are required to complete the course in order to be eligible for the enrollment once the registration period begins.

Students who do not complete the course will not have their registration hold waived until after final grades post and academic standing is reviewed. This could delay your ability to enroll in classes for several weeks. 

2. Meet with their Assigned Certified Academic Advisor

All students on academic probation are required to connect with their assigned advisor to discuss their academic progress. In addition, you will complete your Action plan  with your assigned advisor and submit through the Back on Track course.

3. Submit Midterm Progress Reports

All students on academic probation are required to have their instructors submit progress reports regarding their progress in current courses. Instructors will submit the Progress Report online. They must be submitted by the deadline in order and show you are passing your classes with a "C" or higher to be able to have your registration hold waived. The progress report link is provided to you in the Back on Track course. 

4. Earn a Semester Institutional GPA of 2.0 or Higher

In order to continue being able to enroll in classes, your semester institutional GPA has to be a minimum of 2.0 or higher each semester. This is a "C" average in all classes. Your overall institutional GPA may still be below 2.0 but as long as your semester institutional GPA meets the minimum requirements, it shows that you are making academic progress.

Students on Academic Probation may re-enroll each semester if their cumulative institutional GPA is below 2.0, but their semester institutional GPA is 2.0 or higher. This is considered Continued Academic Probation. Students must submit progress reports and meet with their assigned advisor every semester to evaluate their progress until they earn a cumulative institutional GPA of 2.0 or higher and return to Good Standing.

Continued Academic Probation students remain limited to a maximum course load of 12-13 credit hours (up to 4 classes) every semester. The assigned advisor may waive the registration hold if midterm grades show “C” or higher in all enrolled courses.

 It is our sincere desire to assist you in reaching your educational goal. Together, you and your advisor will develop a Student Success Action plan to help you get back on track!  Some additional areas of assistance we strongly recommend that you utilize are:

• Speak with your instructor(s) during their posted office hours or before/ after class. Make sure you understand the course expectations and requirements. If your instructor reaches out to you about your progress in their course(s), please respond to them, as they want to help you.
• Tutoring Labs located at each respective department(s).
• Academic Advising for assistance in developing a plan to improve your academic standing; Meeting with your Academic Advisor regularly ensures that you stay on the correct path. You advisor will also be able to help you with career and major exploration.
• The Access Office for disability-related services.
• The Advocacy Center for issues that are not academic specific but significantly impact your ability to concentrate on your classes. This could be food insecurity, housing, transportation, financial, etc. 

In addition, the college offers many other resources and can provide you with referrals to off-campus resources that could assist you with non-academic needs, such as emergency grants, the food pantry, and much more. We strongly recommend that you utilize these resources as soon as possible to develop a positive action plan. All resources are free!

A student's academic standing is evaluated after each semester. In order to continue attending, students must earn a semester institutional GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students who do not meet the minimum semester institutional GPA of 2.0 will be placed on Academic Dismissal.

Please see more information about Academic Dismissal here.

How do I get placed on the Back on Track Course?

You will be placed on the Back on Track course by the academic standards team or by your academic advisor after the census date during your probationary semester. After census, you will be sent an email via your student ACEs email explaining how to access the course and an invitation to the course. You must accept the invitation to access the course. 

Where is the Back on Track Course?

The Back on Track course is located in Canvas and can be accessed by clicking on the Canvas icon in ACES. You will will also receive an invitation to be a part of the course. You will need to accept to be able to complete it as directed.

What do I need to do?

You will need to complete the module in its entirety, including the Post-Assessment. You will have until the end of the semester to complete, however the best time to complete is before midterm of the semester. Students who complete the BoT course prior to midterm have a much higher likelihood of successfully completing their classes and be able to continue enrolling than those that do not. 

How do I get my registration hold waived so I can register for the next semester(s)?

There are two ways to have your registration hold waived:

• Once you completed the course and met with your assigned advisor- Your assigned advisor will waive your registration hold. 
• If you have not completed the course- You will need to wait until final grades have posted and academic standing has run before your hold may be waived. This can take up to 3 weeks from the time final grades are visible, delaying your ability to register and find the best classes for your schedule. 

I don't see the Back on Track Course.

If you don't see or find your module, please contact the Academic Standards team at nvc-ast@alamo.edu. If you are not currently enrolled in classes, but previously on Probation the last term you attended, you will be placed on the module on the term that you are returning.

If you are a student who was placed on Academic Probation upon completion of the Summer or Fall 2024 semester(s) and are enrolled for the spring 2025 semester, this is what you need to know:

• Students who were enrolled as of February 5th (census date) will be enrolled in the Back on Track Canvas course by Friday, February 14th.
• An invitation will be sent to you via ACES- you are required to accept the invitation to get access to the course. Please do not decline the invitation, as it will affect your enrollment eligibility for the next semester
• The course requires you to complete all parts/ modules to be considered complete.  
• The due date for completion is March 22nd,  however it is best that you complete the course within the first 8 weeks of the semester to help you be successful in your courses
• Upon completion of the course, your registration hold will be waived until May 2nd -after that, you must wait until final grades have been submitted and academic standing has been determined before you can have your hold waived
• Have your instructors submit progress reports by April 15th demonstrating you are currently successful in your enrolled courses- the Progress Report is an online form they will submit on your behalf. You can access it in the BoT canvas course in the "How to Stay on Track" module.
• Your enrollment eligibility will be assessed upon completion of the spring semester. If you are enrolled but did not meet the minimum semester GPA of 2.0, then you will be dropped from all enrolled courses and possibly placed on Academic Dismissal. Completing the petition process after the 16-week sit out period will be required.