Institutional action for sub 2.0 GPA?

[dohopeful12345]

Hello,

AACOMAS has a question on IA that reads:

Have you ever been disciplined for academic performance (e.g. academic probation, dismissal, suspension, disqualification, etc.) by any college or school?

Apparently whenever anyone gets less than a 2.0 GPA, you're automatically put on "academic probation". My university calls it a "warning" on their website. It doesn't show on my transcript and I was never "disciplined" for it. In fact, I never even got a letter telling me that I was on academic probation.

I contacted my premed adviser and she told me I should put "no" since it was an automated warning and it would only hurt my application and that ADCOMs can see my poor grades that quarter without having an IA label to it.

Since ADCOMs can reject me for "lying" if they believe that anyone with a 2.0 GPA for a quarter should say "yes" regardless of what my adviser/transcript say, should I just check "yes" to be safe?

@Goro @LizzyM Does every applicant with a sub 2.0 GPA in a quarter/semester put down that they have been part of an institutional action?

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[bears1992]

Does your school consider the "warning" as academic probation? If the school uses the term probation I would include it on your app. An IA for academic probation doesn't mean anything. A sub 2.0 can we seen by adcoms and it's not really the type of thing that they consider an IA. I wouldn't lie about it on your AACOMAS app is your school does use the term "probation". If they just use the term "warning" I wouldn't include it.

 

[Goro]

Sounds like a no. I see these things every now and then for applicants, but I'll bet LizzyM, from her perch up there in the stratosphere, has never seen one! As long as you've moved upward from this, you'll be fine. We like comeback stories.

 

[dohopeful12345]

Does your school consider the "warning" as academic probation? If the school uses the term probation I would include it on your app. An IA for academic probation doesn't mean anything. A sub 2.0 can we seen by adcoms and it's not really the type of thing that they consider an IA. I wouldn't lie about it on your AACOMAS app is your school does use the term "probation". If they just use the term "warning" I wouldn't include it.

Yes they do use the term "academic probation". Here's the exact copy paste from the university website "If either your term or cumulative GPA is between 1.500 and 1.999, you are on Academic Probation. Academic Probation is a warning."

Sounds like a no. I see these things every now and then for applicants, but I'll bet LizzyM, from her perch up there in the stratosphere, has never seen one! As long as you've moved upward from this, you'll be fine. We like comeback stories.

Since my university uses the term "academic probation", should I check yes? I just want to make sure since I'd rather not have an extra smudge on my application if I could avoid it. At the same time, I wouldn't want to jeopardize my application for being dishonest.

I wasn't even aware my university had this policy until I saw it on their website, since my university classifies this type of academic probation as a "warning/academic status" and not a "discipline".

I'd love to hear Lizzy's thoughts on this though as well.

 

[nightowls]

I would go by what it says on your transcript because that is ultimately what the schools are getting. And since you said it doesn't show up, I want to say no because ADCOMs aren't going to look up your school's individual policy. If it doesn't show up, they won't know. They will still see your grades. I had IA on my application and they did ask about it during my interview. I had a reason and explained how I moved on from it.

 

[dohopeful12345]

I would go by what it says on your transcript because that is ultimately what the schools are getting. And since you said it doesn't show up, I want to say no because ADCOMs aren't going to look up your school's individual policy. If it doesn't show up, they won't know. They will still see your grades. I had IA on my application and they did ask about it during my interview. I had a reason and explained how I moved on from it.

Was your IA regarding a dip in GPA or was it due to something like cheating/plagiarism?

Since my school uses the term "academic probation" as a form of academic status, it feels weird to classify/emphasize it on my application since ADCOMs can already see my subpar GPA in my first year. But obviously, it's all dependent on how ADCOMs like goro or LizzyM interprets it.

Definitions of Student Academic Status
A student's Academic Status is determined after grades are processed at the end of each term

• Good Standing
  The student's term and cumulative grade point average (GPA) are 2.0 or higher.
• Academic Probation
  The student's term GPA is at least 1.5 but less than 2.0 or the cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 and the student is not Subject to Disqualification.

 

[bears1992]

Yes they do use the term "academic probation". Here's the exact copy paste from the university website "If either your term or cumulative GPA is between 1.500 and 1.999, you are on Academic Probation. Academic Probation is a warning."



Since my university uses the term "academic probation", should I check yes? I just want to make sure since I'd rather not have an extra smudge on my application if I could avoid it. At the same time, I wouldn't want to jeopardize my application for being dishonest.

I wasn't even aware my university had this policy until I saw it on their website, since my university classifies this type of academic probation as a "warning/academic status" and not a "discipline".

I'd love to hear Lizzy's thoughts on this though as well.

In that case I think it would be best to check yes. You don't want to get kicked out for lying on your app. That "IA" doesn't even matter anyways. I doubt most Adcoms even care about that since they can see your grades clear as day on your app.

 

[dohopeful12345]

I contacted the dean of academic advising and his exact words were "at xxxx, we do not consider academic probation a form of institutional action".

Knowing this, I'm inclined to put no, but it won't stop ADCOMs from throwing my app away if they think otherwise for lying and blacklisting me.

@Goro @LizzyM Have you guys encountered an issue like this and rejected an applicant for lying due to subpar GPA? (sorry about the excessive pings)

 

[Goro]

Never

 

[nightowls]

Was your IA regarding a dip in GPA or was it due to something like cheating/plagiarism?

Since my school uses the term "academic probation" as a form of academic status, it feels weird to classify/emphasize it on my application since ADCOMs can already see my subpar GPA in my first year. But obviously, it's all dependent on how ADCOMs like goro or LizzyM interprets it.

Definitions of Student Academic Status
A student's Academic Status is determined after grades are processed at the end of each term

• Good Standing
  The student's term and cumulative grade point average (GPA) are 2.0 or higher.
• Academic Probation
  The student's term GPA is at least 1.5 but less than 2.0 or the cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 and the student is not Subject to Disqualification.

I was on academic probation because I failed a class my first semester freshman year. My GPA was still slightly over 2.0 but it was still considered probation.

 

[Magus5454]

I would go by what it says on your transcript because that is ultimately what the schools are getting. And since you said it doesn't show up, I want to say no because ADCOMs aren't going to look up your school's individual policy. If it doesn't show up, they won't know. They will still see your grades. I had IA on my application and they did ask about it during my interview. I had a reason and explained how I moved on from it.

This - If its not on your transcript then, no, imo

 

[DameJulie]

After reading this post I still don't see clear answer to this. Does <2.0 GPA in a quarter/semester academic probation count as an IA on AMCAS or AACOMAS?

 

[holdthemayo]

I contacted the dean of academic advising and his exact words were "at xxxx, we do not consider academic probation a form of institutional action".

Here is your answer. If the dean is telling you it isn't an IA, then it isn't an IA. Keep a copy of that email, but don't worry too much about it.

 

[dohopeful12345]

Here is your answer. If the dean is telling you it isn't an IA, then it isn't an IA. Keep a copy of that email, but don't worry too much about it.

Will do! He actually wrote me a letter for it too!

I was just worried since ADCOMs could reject me and I wouldn't even know the reason, so I'd have no chance of explaining myself to them.

 

[StarDancer]

Sounds like a no. I see these things every now and then for applicants, but I'll bet LizzyM, from her perch up there in the stratosphere, has never seen one! As long as you've moved upward from this, you'll be fine. We like comeback stories.

Are top tier schools forgiving and like comeback stories too? I'm trying to narrow my list of schools. Can I DM you please?

 

[LizzyM]

I contacted the dean of academic advising and his exact words were "at xxxx, we do not consider academic probation a form of institutional action".

Knowing this, I'm inclined to put no, but it won't stop ADCOMs from throwing my app away if they think otherwise for lying and blacklisting me.

@Goro @LizzyM Have you guys encountered an issue like this and rejected an applicant for lying due to subpar GPA? (sorry about the excessive pings)

We would, more likely than not, toss someone in this situation for the low GPA, not for the IA or lack of an IA due to the low GPA. That said, if the low GPA was earned abroad, it is not on the AMCAS and becomes a moot point.

 

[Goro]

Hello,

AACOMAS has a question on IA that reads:

Have you ever been disciplined for academic performance (e.g. academic probation, dismissal, suspension, disqualification, etc.) by any college or school?

Apparently whenever anyone gets less than a 2.0 GPA, you're automatically put on "academic probation". My university calls it a "warning" on their website. It doesn't show on my transcript and I was never "disciplined" for it. In fact, I never even got a letter telling me that I was on academic probation.

I contacted my premed adviser and she told me I should put "no" since it was an automated warning and it would only hurt my application and that ADCOMs can see my poor grades that quarter without having an IA label to it.

Since ADCOMs can reject me for "lying" if they believe that anyone with a 2.0 GPA for a quarter should say "yes" regardless of what my adviser/transcript say, should I just check "yes" to be safe?

@Goro @LizzyM Does every applicant with a sub 2.0 GPA in a quarter/semester put down that they have been part of an institutional action?

Warnings appear to be different from actual probation or IAs.

 

[Yhorm the Giant]

I checked yes for being below a 2.0 my freshman year and was put on academic probation, same thing as you, like a warning. I wrote a very brief statement about how I have low grades, and then I didn't anymore. Got 10 II, so it's definitely not a death sentence, especially if you had a really strong upward trend. When I contacted the school I went to for my freshman year, they said it would never appear on transcripts anywhere, but that if the school was contacted buy a med school I applied to and had my consent to get information from the school I attended and directly asked about it they would be able to find info that I was on academic probation, not that I would ever expect the school to do that.