Retake courses

Your GPA will bounce back quickly if you can earn a passing grade in a course you previously failed.  If your problem is grade point average, this is the first strategy you might want to use.  Only the second grade will be factored into your GPA.  The previous grade will still appear on your record but it will be held out of the GPA calculations, once the new grade is posted.

Reduce your credit load

Less is MORE!  Take fewer credits and earn higher grades!  Spend your energy this semester on a few courses rather than spreading yourself over a many courses.  If you got into academic trouble by taking a full load of 12 credits, during the probation semester take 6-8 credits.  Don't worry about your timeline to finish your education in xx years...if you don't do well NOW, suspension will delay this even further.  By doing well with a few courses, you can work your way off probation and keep right on moving forward.  You'll get farther, faster!

Convert credits to hours per week

You might want to know how many hours per week of class time and study time it will take you to be reasonably in the ball park with time.  A well used strategy is to take the total number of credits for the semester and multiply by 3 hours.  If you have 12 credits, you will need to reserve at least 36 hours/week for the courses.  This includes seat time and study time.  Some difficult classes may take more time, but this figure will serve as a planning tool. 

Balance WORK and School WORK 

If you work AND go to College, you might need to use this strategy to prevent yourself from swamping out.  To balance work and credit load add the total hours you work each week and the total credit hours (see the previous section).  For a typical student, a successful range is from 50 hours/week to 60 hours/week.  If your have children or other responsibilities or if your commute is over an hour, 50 hours/week is recommended.

Choose success

The courses you take, the amount of time you put in, and the resources and support you access is your CHOICE.  Take the time to problem-solve what is getting in the way of your academic success.  Plan to be successful this time.  If you feel that you are doing everything you can and still not making the grade, talk to the college counselor, your instructor, or other support people on campus.  Take charge of your education!