I want to take summer classes somewhere else. How does that work?
All summer courses must be pre-approved by the college before you take them.  This means your advisor must sign off, and if the course is a repeat of a course you took at MC, or a requirement for a major, minor, or teaching certification, then the department chair of the respective department must sign off.  The approval form is found online.  Lists of approved courses at local and regional community colleges are available in the Registrar's Office.

You must earn a grade of C- or better, or the course will NOT transfer.  There are limitations to how much credit you can transfer in after matriculation (31 semester hours) or after you have achieved senior status (7 semester hours).  Your total transfer hours cannot exceed 62.

When you have completed the course, you must request an official transcript from that college to be mailed directly to the Registrar's Office at MC.  We will then post the credit and send you an updated transcript.

Can I repeat a course I did badly in? How does it affect my grade point average?
Repeating a course eliminates the grade and credit previously earned and substitutes it for the current grade and credit earned in the calculation of the grade point average. Both the earlier grade and the later grade continue to be shown on the transcript.  You cannot earn credit twice for the same course, so if the original grade was passing, the repeat may help the GPA but not the earned hours.  Repeating a course may or may not improve a student's academic situation and could have financial aid implications. A student considering repeating a course should consult an advisor, the Registrar, and the Director of Financial Aid.

Where can I get a transcript?
Unofficial transcripts are for current students and for internal use. Students can access their own records online using the web-based student access system. Most employers and graduate schools or scholarship organizations will want to have an official transcript, which is printed on formal security safe paper, signed by the registrar and sealed with the college emblem. The cost for official transcripts is $3 per copy.

Requests for official transcripts must be received in writing with a legal signature from the student. E-mailed requests are not accepted at this time. Letters, faxes, and forms filled out in person are all accepted ways of requesting a transcript. The requestor must include full name, dates of attendance, social security number, current address and directions on where the transcripts should be mailed. Turnaround time is generally 3-4 days.

How do I withdraw from a class? From school altogether?
During the first five days of the semester, your advisor can drop you from a class and no record will appear on your transcript. After that time, and before the end of the ninth week of the semester, you must fill out a drop form, have the instructor and your advisor sign it, return it to the registrar and pay a $15 fee. A grade of “W” will appear on your permanent transcript, and it does not affect your grade point average.

If you withdraw after the ninth week, you must have extenuating circumstances such as illness, and must have the additional signature of the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The instructor may report a “W” grade to indicate passing at the time of withdrawal, or a “WF” to indicate failure at the time of withdrawal. Neither grade impacts the grade point average.

Withdrawing from ALL classes and leaving campus is a matter which is handled by the Dean of Students. Students should contact Student Affairs at x. 2113 or come to the office on the first floor of Poling Hall. When the withdrawal is processed, the registrar will record “W” grades for the student for all the classes.

Can I participate in commencement if I am not finished with my degree requirements?
The college holds only one commencement ceremony each year in May. Students who are within one semester of completing their requirements and who have completed the degree application may participate in the commencement ceremony with their class. Diplomas will only be awarded when all the work is completed and will be dated when all the work is completed. So a student who is student teaching in the Fall may “walk” through commencement in May and receive a blank diploma case. The diploma would then be mailed at the end of the Fall semester and the graduation/degree date would be the last day of the Fall semester.

My grades are not very good – what happens if I get put on probation or dismissed?
The requirements for academic progress are based on factors such as the semester in attendance (whether you are in your first semester, or your fifth, etc.), cumulative grade point average, and cumulative hours earned.

Academic probation is a serious warning status. Monmouth College alerts students with a pattern of low grades or slow accumulation of hours that their performance, if continued, will not qualify them to continue at Monmouth College. A student placed on academic probation will be required to consult with a faculty advisor and to draw up a plan detailing steps toward recovery of acceptable academic status. In addition, students on probation may be restricted by the Admissions & Academic Status Committee from participation in extracurricular activities for the term of the academic probation.

A student may be placed on probation for a maximum of two consecutive semesters. In the first semester of academic probation the student must attain a semester GPA of at least 2.00 and must earn at least 12 semester hours of credit to demonstrate acceptable progress toward academic acceptable standing. Failure to meet these requirements will result in dismissal at the end of the first semester of academic probation. By the end of the second consecutive semester on academic probation, the student’s cumulative GPA and number of credits earned must comply with the minimum standards for academic acceptable standing set forth in the preceding tables. Failure to meet these requirements will result in dismissal at the end of the second semester of academic probation.

A student who has completed five or more semesters must constantly maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or greater. Failure to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or greater after having completed five or more semesters will result in immediate dismissal. No probationary period will be granted.

Non-degree seeking students need not complete course work as shown in the above referenced table but must maintain the cumulative grade point average of 1.60 prior to the completion of their first 24 credits, 1.80 after 24 credits but prior to completion of their first 48 credits, and 2.00 thereafter.

A student has the right of appeal when notified of academic dismissal. A written appeal must be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within five days of receipt of notification. Appeals will normally be heard by the Admissions and Academic Status Committee, which will make its recommendation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will render a final decision and the student will be notified of the decision prior to the beginning of the following semester. Students should be aware that academic dismissal and loss of financial aid eligibility are two separate issues. Appeals must be made separately to the appropriate offices. For more information on Financial Aid Eligibility Appeals contact the Financial Aid office.

The College may at any time dismiss a student when it is evident that the student is not serious in seeking an education at the College or when the student’s academic performance or other behavior has become disruptive to the academic mission of the College.

The College seeks by these procedures to demonstrate its concern for the individual student as well as for a campus atmosphere conducive to serious academic effort. While wishing to help students recover from disappointing academic performance, the College will not encourage a student to stay who seems unlikely to benefit by remaining on campus.

Academic probation and dismissal are noted on the academic transcript.

How does probation and dismissal affect my financial aid?
Satisfactory academic standing is required in order for a student to maintain eligibility for financial assistance. At the end of each semester, after final grades have been issued, the Director of Financial Aid will verify the academic standing of each student.

Students who qualify to enroll at Monmouth College and who have registered for a combined sum of fewer than 60 semester hours remain eligible for financial assistance at Monmouth College. "Registered Semester Hours" include all transfer hours and all hours for which a student has officially enrolled (excluding audit classes) at Monmouth College. Official enrollment is defined as the hours for which a student is registered at the end of the period for adding a course. After reaching a combined sum of 60 "registered semester hours," a student will lose eligibility for all Federal, State, and Monmouth College financial assistance immediately if the student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.00. No advance warnings of pending loss of financial assistance can be given.

In any semester where a student has lost eligibility of financial assistance, the student may appeal to the Director of Financial Aid for the reinstatement of eligibility if the student can show that their cumulative GPA fell to less than 2.00 during the semester as the result of 1) the death of an immediate relative of the student, 2) a severe injury to the student, or 3) a severe illness of the student.

If an appeal is granted and the financial aid eligibility is restored, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and will be eligible to receive financial assistance for one semester. If, at the end of the semester on financial aid probation, a student does not establish a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or greater, no further aid eligibility can be allowed.

What if I want to change my advisor or my major or minor?
You may change your advisor at any time by completing the “Declaration of Major/Advisor” form, which only requires the signature of the new advisor, and returning it to the Registrar’s Office. Forms are available online. You may also change your major and minor by using the same form and obtaining the signatures of your advisor and the chairperson of the department which you wish to major or minor in.

How can I find out if I have enough credits to graduate?
Students should take responsibility for reading the degree requirements in the catalog and charting their own academic requirements. That being said, the student will work with the advisor to determine how to best satisfy requirements and educational goals in conjunction with the scheduled course offerings. For example, some departments offer upper-level courses on an alternate year schedule. Advisors and department chairpersons can provide their majors with useful tools relative to that department.

Before the end of the junior year, all students are required to complete the Application for Degree and will receive an official Degree Audit from the registrar. The degree audit will summarize all the remaining requirements. Students may have their degree audit updated at any time. 

IMPORTANT DATES