Academic and Progress Probation
We want to support you in achieving your academic goals! If you're on academic or progress probation, the Retention Program at De Anza College can provide resources to assist you in returning to good academic standing.
Scroll down or click these links to find information about:
- How to contact us for any questions
- Upcoming probation workshops
- Useful information and tips
- What is academic or progress probation?
- Levels of probation and requirements
- FAQs and answers
Need Help Paying for College?
The Strength Through Adversity Scholarship is designed to recognize and support students who persevere while on academic probation. The deadline to apply for spring is June 13.
Need Help Paying for Books?
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.
How to Reach Us
You can speak with a Retention Program team member by phone – call 408.864.8388
- Someone is available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to noon
- Outside those hours, please leave a voicemail with your full name, CWID, phone number and a good time to reach you
Or use one of these methods:
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Questions (eAdvising)
Use the eAdvising System for a Quick Question
You can use eAdvising to send us a question. Here's how:
- First, click the yellow bar that says Log In to eAdvising.
- Once you have logged in, click Ask a Question.
- From the drop-down menu select a question.
- Type in any details that will help us understand your situation, and then click Submit.
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Drop-Ins
Drop-In for 10-15 Minutes on Zoom
Have a quick online chat with a member of the Retention Program team – no appointment needed – during the hours listed below.
Click the yellow bar that says "Drop In Via Zoom" to log in for a 10-15 minute virtual session during these hours
- Mondays: 11 a.m. to noon
- Tuesdays: 4 to 5 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 1 to 2 p.m.
- Thursdays: 2 to 3 p.m. – no Thursday drop-ins on April 13, May 11 and June 8
- Fridays: 10 to 11 a.m.
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Appointments
Make an Appointment
You can make an appointment to meet with a Retention Program counselor by clicking the yellow bar below.
If you are part of a program that has its own counselors, (such as International Student Programs, De Anza College Promise, EOPS or Veterans, or a Learning Community such as Puente, Umoja, IMPACT AAPI or Men of Color), please make an appointment with your program counselor by using the Our Counselors directory.
Upcoming Workshops
Level 2 Workshops
Click on the yellow button below to register for a Level 2 Academic Probation Workshop. There are five workshops scheduled for Spring quarter:
- Tuesday, April 25 – Noon to 1:30 p.m. – online
- Wednesday, May 10 – 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – online
- Tuesday, May 16 – 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – in person
- Thursday, May 25 – 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – online
- Tuesday, June 13 – 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – online
Useful Information and Tips
Tips for Avoiding Probation
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 or your counselor or a member of the Retention Program team.
- Remember the deadline to drop classes each quarter: For standard, 12-week classes, you must drop before the third Monday 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.
Special Grade Policy for COVID-19
In consideration of the disruptions caused by COVID-19, the college adopted a temporary local policy for the way De Anza will treat grades earned in the winter, spring, summer and fall of 2020:
- A grade of F earned for any 2020 term will not be counted in calculating earned units or Grade Point Averages as they relate to a student's academic standing at De Anza.
- Grades of D-plus, D and D-minus earned for any 2020 term will not be counted in calculating Grade Point Averages as they relate to a student's academic standing at De Anza.
However, because other universities – including campuses in the University of California and California State University systems – are continuing to count D and F grades under their own policies, De Anza College has resumed counting D and F grades for winter 2021 and subsequent quarters. If you believe this will create a significant hardship for you, or if you have any questions, please contact the Admissions and Records Office for assistance. (Updated April 21, 2022)
Extended Deadlines for Pass/No Pass
De Anza has extended the deadlines for requesting Pass/No Pass retroactively for certain quarters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- You can request Pass/No Pass retroactively for classes taken in
- Winter or spring of 2022
- Winter, spring, summer or fall of 2021
- Winter, spring, summer or fall of 2020
- Before choosing Pass/No Pass, there are some important things you should consider: For example, some transfer universities may not accept Pass grades for certain requirements. It's a good idea to meet with a counselor to discuss this and other options before selecting Pass/No Pass.
- To learn more about these important considerations and how to submit a request, visit our Pass/No Pass webpage.
What Is Academic or Progress Probation?
There are two types of probation: Academic and Progress. Here is what you need to know about the different types and levels of probation.
You can be placed on probation if you don't meet minimum standards for
- Academic performance, as measured by your cumulative Grade Point Average
- Progress in completing courses without an excessive number of W (Withdrawal), I (Incomplete) or NP (No Pass) grades
You won't be required to meet these standards until you have taken at least 18 quarter units. Here are the standards for each.
Standards for Academic Probation
You will be placed on Academic Probation if your cumulative Grade Point Average (for all courses taken at De Anza) falls below 2.0. At that point, you will be notified by email that you are required to take certain steps, 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.
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.
Standards for Progress Probation
You will be placed on Progress Probation if your course grades are W (Withdrawn), I (Incomplete) or NP (No Pass) for half or more of the credit units you have attempted. This means you will have completed less than 51% of the units for all courses in which you have enrolled.
At that point, you will be notified by email that you are required to take certain steps, 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.
If your cumulative completion rate is below 51% for five quarters, you will be placed on Dismissal status for the next quarter. It doesn't matter if the quarters are consecutive or not.
Levels of Probation and Requirements
If you are on 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 certain requirements. Depending on the level of probation, you also may lose your priority registration status.
- Students on probation will be sent an email each quarter informing them of their probation status.
- Below you'll find the required steps for each level of academic probation and progress probation.
Important Financial Aid Information
If you're 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 Office or Veteran Services office for more information.
Required Steps for Academic Probation
Level 1
If you are on Academic Probation Level 1, you will be subject to a registration hold
that can be lifted by:
- Meeting with your counselor to help you develop a plan for academic growth and success.
- Completing the Student Self-Assessment Survey.
We also strongly recommend that you complete one of these courses during the quarter that you are on probation
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- COUN 5: Introduction to College, or
- EDAC 1: Introduction to College and Accommodations
You can add the required course during the Add and Drop period for the quarter.
Level 2
If you are on Academic Probation Level 2, you will lose your priority registration status and will be subject to a registration hold. You can have the hold removed by:
- Meeting with your counselor to help you develop a plan for academic growth and success.
- Completing the Student Self-Assessment Survey.
- Completing a 90-minute Level 2 Workshop
Register online for the Level 2 workshop by clicking the yellow button below. The sessions fill up quickly, so don't delay in signing up!
Level 3
If you are on Academic Probation Level 3, you will lose your priority registration status and will be subject to a registration
hold. You can have the hold removed by:
- Meeting with your counselor to help you develop a plan for academic growth and success.
- Completing the Student Self-Assessment Survey.
Predismissal
If you are on Predismissal Academic Probation, you will lose your priority registration status and will be subject to a registration
hold. You can have the hold removed by:
- Meeting with your counselor to help you develop a plan for academic growth and success.
- Completing the Student Self-Assessment Survey.
- You may also face dismissal if your cumulative GPA doesn't improve during the quarter you are on predismissal probation.
Dismissal
If your cumulative GPA (for all courses taken) is below 2.0 for five quarters, you can be placed on Dismissal status for the next quarter.
This means you won't be allowed to register for classes and you will be dropped from any classes in which you are already registered. You will also be subject to a hold that will prevent you from obtaining certificates, degrees or transcripts.
You can ask to have your registration hold removed by submitting an online form called the Petition for Admission After Dismissal for consideration by the De Anza College Appeal Review Committee (ARC).
- You can find this form in MyPortal by opening the Apps section, then clicking on the icon for Adobe Sign Student Forms and looking under Student Webforms for the De Anza Petition to the ARC for Admission After Dismissal
- The form will ask you to descibe how you plan to improve your academic performance
- You will need to meet with an academic counselor to complete this form
- The ARC will conduct a formal review and will notify you of the outcome.
This process can take up to two weeks to complete. If you wish to resume taking classes, you should begin this process immediately by scheduling an appointment with your counselor as soon as possible.
Required Steps for Progress Probation
Level 1
If you are on Progress Probation Level 1, you will have a registration hold placed on your student account. You can have the hold removed by:
- Meeting with your counselor to help you develop a plan for academic growth and success.
- Completing the Student Self-Assessment Survey.
Levels 2 and 3
If you are on Progress Probation Level 2 or 3, you will lose priority registration status and have a registration hold placed on your student account. You can have the hold removed by:
- Meeting with your counselor to help you develop a plan for academic growth and success.
- Completing the Student Self-Assessment Survey.
Predismissal
If you are on Predismissal Progress Probation, you will lose priority registration status and have a registration hold placed on your student account. You can have the hold removed by:
- Meeting with your counselor to help you develop a plan for academic growth and success.
- Completing the Student Self-Assessment Survey.
- You may also face dismissal if your course completion rate doesn't improve during the quarter you are on predismissal probation
Dismissal
If your cumulative completion rate (for all courses taken) is below 51% for five quarters, you can be placed on Dismissal status for the next quarter.
This means you won't be allowed to register for classes and you will be dropped from any classes in which you are already registered. You will also be subject to a hold that will prevent you from obtaining certificates, degrees or transcripts.
You can ask to have your registration hold removed by submitting an online form called the Petition for Admission After Dismissal for consideration by the De Anza College Appeal Review Committee (ARC).
- You can find this form in MyPortal by opening the Apps section, then clicking on the icon for Adobe Sign Student Forms and looking under Student Webforms for the De Anza Petition to the ARC for Admission After Dismissal
- The form will ask you to descibe how you plan to improve your academic performance
- You will need to meet with an academic counselor to complete this form
- The ARC will conduct a formal review and will notify you of the outcome.
This process can take up to two weeks to complete. If you wish to resume taking classes, you should begin this process immediately by scheduling an appointment with your counselor as soon as possible.
Your probation status may not be reflected accurately if you are currently enrolled at both De Anza and Foothill College, or if you have taken classes at both colleges in the past. If you are on probation status and these circumstances apply, you should contact the Retention Program team for assistance.
FAQs and Answers
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What is academic or progress probation?
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When do I get off academic or progress probation?
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How can I have an academic or progress probation hold removed?
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Will probation affect my financial aid or GI benefits?
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Does probation affect my priority registration?
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Can I get help with my classes or other issues?
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What if I have other questions?