Academic Policies FAQ

Yes. At the end of a term, a myCuesta email will be sent to you as notification of Probation status.  You may enroll and attend classes for the upcoming term under Probation. 

• Academic Probation:  A student shall be placed on academic probation if they have attempted a minimum of 12 semester units of work and has a grade point average of less than a "C" (2.0).
• Progress Probation:  A student shall be placed on progress probation if they have enrolled in a total of at least 12 semester units and the percentage of all units in which the student has enrolled, for which entries of "W," "I," "NC," and “NP” were recorded reaches or exceeds 50 percent.

Each student is entitled to be notified of their academic difficulty and the availability of college support services to respond to the academic difficulty before the student is dismissed. Notification will consist, at a minimum, of the following: At the end of the semester in which the student has attempted at least 12 cumulative units and the student’s grade point average falls below 2.0 in all units graded, a notice that the student is on academic probation shall be sent via email to the student’s college email address informing them that they are on academic probation. “All units graded” is defined as all units of credit for which the student attempted at Cuesta College.

The consequences are:

• Loss of CCPG (California College Promise Grant) eligibility. You will need to sit out two consecutive primary terms to regain eligibility. 
• Financial aid jeopardized under the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. 
• Loss of early priority enrollment. You will not have an early priority to register until you return to Good Academic Standing.  
  • Fall priority reg begins mid-May, Spring priority begins mid-November, Summer priority begins mid-April. 
  • Grades are posted for Fall in mid-January, for Spring in mid-June, and for Summer in mid-August. 
  • Consequently, it's possible to lose early priority for up to two terms.

You completed less than 50% of the total credits you enrolled in to date at Cuesta College.

Example: You enrolled in 12 credits but you only received credit for 5 credits. Your student progress looks at your overall credits completed, and requires that you complete more than 50% of the total credits enrolled. 

Completion means a grade other than "W," "I," "NP," or "NC."  However, if you receive substandard grades which gives you less than a 2.0 GPA, then you are subject to Academic Probation.  It's possible to be on both Academic and Progress Probation resulting in Dismissal status.

You must complete the online Academic Reinstatement Process, which includes the development of a Student Success Plan. Next, you will meet with an academic counselor during Drop-in Counseling and complete a Reinstatement Contract.

At the end of the term, check your myCuesta email for notification or visit the dismissal reinstatement workshop webpage.

Probation-only students do not need reinstatement.

An application is not required if you sit out one primary term (fall or spring semester). However, If you sit out more than two semesters, you will need to submit an admission application to return. 

To be reinstated after dismissal (and after re-applying if applicable), email register@cuesta.edu and request reinstatement. Provide your student ID number in your email.

Academic: You must complete a cumulative GPA higher than 2.0 or higher in all units attempted to return to Good Academic Standing. 

Progress: You must complete fifty percent (50%) of units completed in which a letter grade (excludes 'W," "I,", "NC", and "NP") has been recorded.  

Two terms on progress probation are allowed. You will be placed on Progress Dismissal after the third term that your overall units completed are less than 50% of the total credits enrolled.

However, after two consecutive terms of probation, you will have the following consequences:

• Loss of CCPG eligibility.  You will need to sit out two consecutive primary terms to regain eligibility. 
• Financial aid jeopardized under the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. 
• Loss of early priority enrollment.  You will not have an early priority to register until you return to Good  Academic Standing.  

Bottom line, after two consecutive terms, you will lose early priority and CCPG eligibility but are not placed on Dismissal until after a third consecutive term of Progress Probation.

You must complete at least 50% of your coursework. This may take more than one term to achieve, unlike Academic Probation/Dismissal for earning higher than a 2.0 in one term. Also, your GPA status has no effect on your Progress Academic Standing. You may have a 4.0 GPA for a term, but be on Progress Probation or Progress Dismissal for not completing more than 50% of your coursework.