The Daily Bulletin Archive

Here's one easy thing you can do this week to help the students you advise:

Did you know that the deadline for students to change their grading option to Pass/Fail or to withdraw from a course is this Friday, April 5? Educating your advisees about these options may help them to have a more successful semester.

Pass/Fail Grading Option
When students are struggling in a course, changing their grading option to Pass/Fail (PDF, 162 KB) may help them preserve their GPA, especially if they believe they can improve with the help of free tutoring and by changing their study habits.

It is important to note that students must be matriculated, and only one course per semester may be taken Pass/Fail. Students may not take the following courses Pass/Fail:

• Major or minor courses
• CWP 101 or CWP 102
• Courses in which they previously received a grade of C-, D+, D, or E

Withdrawal from a Course
In certain cases, students may wish to withdraw from a course in which they are not doing well to focus their efforts on their other courses. Depending on a student's unique situation, there may be many pros and cons to withdrawing from a course (or courses), so it is helpful for the adviser to weigh those with the student. 

Students who are considering withdrawing from a course should first speak with their instructor, their adviser, and a financial aid counselor. Withdrawals resulting in enrollment for less than 12 credit hours may affect financial aid and scholarships. It is also important for students to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress for federal aid and New York State aid. Because withdrawals can sometimes (but not always) affect a student's eligibility, it is always a good idea to recommend that he or she stop by Financial Aid in Moot Hall before making a decision. 

This Tip of the Week has been brought to you by the Academic Advising Advisory Council (AAAC). Got a great advising tip you'd like to share (or some feedback about academic advising at Buffalo State)? Contact AAAC co-chairs Lisa Berglund, professor of English, or Aimee Woznick, director of the Academic Commons.

Have a question, concern, suggestion, or technical problem with the Bengal Success Portal? Contact bengalsuccess@buffalostate.edu.