Academic Awareness Program 

Academic Awareness | De Anza College | image of graduation capThe Academic Awareness Program (AAP) provides resources to assist students on academic or progress probation in returning to good academic standing.

At De Anza, the probation process is an opportunity to think about what's getting in the way of reaching your academic goals. You might be working too many hours, or struggling with food, housing or mental health needs. Or you might benefit from tutoring or advice on choosing classes and the right major. Together with your counselor, the Academic Awareness Program can help you get back on track! 

Contact the Academic Awareness Program!

For questions or assistance, visit the Academic Awareness team directory to find contact information and a complete list of team members. We are ready to support you!


What Is Academic or Progress Probation?

There are two types of probation: academic probation and progress probation. Students can be on one or the other, or both at the same time. Click each tab to learn more.

  • Academic Probation

    You can be placed on academic probation if you have taken 18 units at De Anza and your cumulative grade point average (GPA) is below 2.0.

    You can move off academic probation and return to good academic standing by raising your cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher.

    See below for more information about academic probation standards and requirements.

  • Progress Probation

    You can be placed on progress probation when you have enrolled in at least 18 units at De Anza and received course grades of W (Withdrawn), I (Incomplete) or NP (No Pass) for at least half of the units in which you enrolled. This means you have completed less than 51% of the units for all courses in which you have enrolled.

    You can move off progress probation and return to good standing by passing your classes; avoiding grades of W, I or NP; and raising your cumulative completion rate to 51% or higher.

    See below for more information about progress probation standards and requirements.

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Need Help Paying for College?

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The Strength Through Adversity Scholarship celebrates students who show strength and persistence in working toward their goals, despite facing challenges and being on academic probation. The deadline to apply for winter quarter is March 18, 2024.

Apply for Scholarship


Need Help Paying for Books?

stack of books on grass with dollar bills fluttering in the air

We have FREE book vouchers available for students on academic or progress probation.

You can use these vouchers to purchase books and materials at the De Anza Bookstore.

Apply for Book Voucher


Standards and Levels

If you are on academic or progress probation, you will have a registration hold placed on your student account. This will prevent you from registering for next quarter – and from obtaining any certificates, degrees or transcripts – until you meet with a counselor.

Students on probation Level 2 or higher may also lose their priority registration status.

If you're on academic or progress probation, you will be sent an email each quarter informing you of your status and the requirements for returning to good academic standing.

Important Information About Financial Aid and GI Benefits

If you are on academic or progress probation for more than one quarter, you could lose eligibility for certain types of financial aid or GI benefits. Contact the Financial Aid or Veteran Services office for more information.

Academic Probation Standards and Levels

You will be placed on academic probation if your cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all courses taken at De Anza falls below 2.0. At that point, you will be notified by email and you must complete the required steps listed below on this page, which are intended to help you improve your academic performance.

An initial period of probation lasts for one quarter. After that, you will be taken off probation if you have increased your cumulative GPA to at least 2.0. 

  • If your GPA for the quarter you're on probation is 2.0 or higher, but your cumulative GPA remains below 2.0, you will remain at the same level of probation for another quarter.
  • If your GPA for the quarter you're on probation is below 2.0, you will move to the next level of probation for the following quarter.

There are five levels of academic probation:

  • Level 1
  • Level 2
  • Level 3
  • Pre-dismissal
  • Dismissal: If your GPA for the quarter is below 2.0, and your cumulative GPA has remained below 2.0 for at least five quarters, you can be placed on dismissal status for the next quarter. It doesn't matter if the quarters are consecutive or not.

Contact the Academic Awareness Program or your counselor to determine your current level of academic probation. 

Progress Probation Standards and Levels

You will be placed on progress probation if your course grades are W (Withdrawn), I (Incomplete) or NP (No Pass) for at least half of the units in which you have enrolled at De Anza. This means you will have completed less than 51% of the units for all courses in which you have enrolled at De Anza.

At that point, you will be notified by email and you must complete the required steps listed below on this page, which are intended to help you improve your progress.

An initial period of probation lasts for one quarter. After that, you will be taken off probation if you have increased your cumulative completion rate to at least 51%. 

  • If your cumulative completion rate remains below 51% for another quarter,  you will move to the next level of probation for the following quarter.

There are five levels of progress probation:

  • Level 1
  • Level 2
  • Level 3
  • Pre-dismissal
  • Dismissal: If your cumulative completion rate is below 51% for five quarters, you can be placed on dismissal status for the next quarter. It doesn't matter if the quarters are consecutive or not.

Contact the Academic Awareness Program or your counselor to determine your current level of progress probation.


Required Steps

Students on all levels of academic or progress probation are required to:

  • Complete the survey: You must complete the Academic Awareness Student Survey for the current quarter.
  • Meet with an academic counselor:
    • If you are part of a program that has its own academic counselors, please contact the counselor for your program. You'll find how to reach them by visiting the Our Counselors webpage.
    • If you are not a part of a program that has its own academic counselors, please contact the Academic Awareness Program team. You will be partnered with an Academic Awareness counselor and a student support specialist to assist you in regaining academic standing and getting back on track to reach your goals.


FAQs and Answers 


Tips for Maintaining Good Standing

Here are some things you can do to maintain your academic standing:

  • Complete all the classes in which you enroll. If you're struggling, talk with your instructor, your program counselor or a member of the Academic Awareness Program team.
  • Remember the deadline to drop classes each quarter: For standard, 12-week classes, you must drop no later than the second Sunday of the quarter to avoid getting a W or other undesirable mark.
  • Plan your schedule so you can balance responsibilities at school, work and home. Remember that 12 units is considered a full-time course load.
  • Allow time for homework. Typically, that means two to three hours a week, per class unit. A four-unit class may require four hours of class time and eight to 12 hours of homework per week.
  • Visit the Student Success Center: They offer individual, group and online tutoring in a variety of subjects, along with study skills workshops and other assistance.
  • Consider other kinds of support. De Anza has programs that offer all kinds of services to assist students in reaching their goals. You’ll find a list of resources on the Guide to Student Services and Resources for Basic Needs webpages.
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