Academic Awareness Program
The Academic Awareness Program provides resources to assist students on academic or progress probation in returning to good academic standing.
What Is Academic or Progress Probation?
There are two types of probation: Academic Probation and Progress Probation. Click each tab to learn more.
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Academic Probation
Students are placed on Academic Probation when they have taken 18 units at De Anza and their cumulative grade point average (GPA) is below 2.0.
There are five levels of academic probation:
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Pre-dismissal
- Dismissal
See below for more information about probation standards and requirements.
Contact the Academic Awareness Program to determine your current level of academic probation.
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Progress Probation
Students are placed on Progress Probation when they have attempted at least 18 units at De Anza and 50% or more of their course grades are W (Withdrawal), I (Incomplete) or NP (No Pass). This means you have completed less than 51% of the units for all courses you have attempted.
There are five levels of progress probation:
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Pre-dismissal
- Dismissal
See below for more information about probation standards and requirements.
Contact the Academic Awareness Program to determine your current level of progress probation.
Need Help Paying for College?
The Strength Through Adversity Scholarship is designed to recognize and support students who persevere while on academic probation. The deadline to apply for fall 2023 is Monday, Dec. 11.
Upcoming Workshops
Workshops
New Academic Awareness Workshop
The Academic Probation Level 2 – Retention Workshop is being replaced with the new Academic Awareness Workshop. These will be offered in winter 2024.
Meanwhile, there is no Level 2 Workshop requirement for fall 2023.
Useful Information and Tips
Tips for Avoiding Probation
Here are some things you can do to maintain your academic standing:
- Complete all the classes in which you enroll. If you're struggling, talk with your instructor or your counselor or a member of the Academic Awareness Program team.
- Remember the deadline to drop classes each quarter: For standard, 12-week classes, you must drop before the third Monday of the quarter to avoid getting a W or other undesirable mark.
- Plan your schedule so you can balance responsibilities at school, work and home. Remember that 12 units is considered a full-time course load.
- Allow time for homework. Typically, that means two to three hours a week, per class unit. A four-unit class may require four hours of class time and eight to 12 hours of homework per week.
- Visit the Student Success Center: They offer individual, group and online tutoring in a variety of subjects, along with study skills workshops and other assistance.
- Consider other kinds of support. De Anza has programs that offer all kinds of services to assist students in reaching their goals. You’ll find a list of resources on the Guide to Student Services and Resources for Basic Needs webpages.
Probation Standards
Standards for Academic Probation
You will be placed on Academic Probation if your cumulative Grade Point Average (for all courses taken at De Anza) falls below 2.0. At that point, you will be notified by email that you are required to take certain steps, which are intended to help you improve your academic performance.
An initial period of probation lasts for one quarter. After that, you will be taken off probation if you have increased your cumulative GPA to at least 2.0.
- If your GPA for the quarter you're on probation is 2.0 or higher, but your cumulative GPA remains below 2.0, you will remain at the same level of probation for another quarter.
- If your GPA for the quarter you're on probation is below 2.0, you will move to the next level of probation for the following quarter.
If your GPA for the quarter is below 2.0, and your cumulative GPA has remained below 2.0 for at least five quarters, you can be placed on Dismissal status for the next quarter. It doesn't matter if the quarters are consecutive or not.
Standards for Progress Probation
You will be placed on Progress Probation if your course grades are W (Withdrawn), I (Incomplete) or NP (No Pass) for half or more of the credit units you have attempted. This means you will have completed less than 51% of the units for all courses in which you have enrolled.
At that point, you will be notified by email that you are required to take certain steps, which are intended to help you improve your progress.
An initial period of probation lasts for one quarter. After that, you will be taken off probation if you have increased your cumulative completion rate to at least 51%.
- If your cumulative completion rate remains below 51% for another quarter, you will move to the next level of probation for the following quarter.
If your cumulative completion rate is below 51% for five quarters, you will be placed on Dismissal status for the next quarter. It doesn't matter if the quarters are consecutive or not.
Probation Requirements
If you are on academic or progress probation, you will have a registration hold placed on your student account. This will prevent you from registering for next quarter – and from obtaining any certificates, degrees or transcripts – until you meet with an academic counselor. Depending on the level of probation, you also may lose your priority registration status.
- Students on academic or progress probation will be sent an email each quarter informing them of their probation status.
- Below you'll find the required steps for completing probation and returning to good academic standing.
Important Financial Aid Information
If you're on academic or progress probation for more than one quarter, you could lose eligibility for certain types of financial aid or GI benefits. Contact the Financial Aid Office or Veteran Services office for more information.
Required Steps for Academic and Progress Probation
Students on all levels of academic or progress probation are required to:
- Complete the survey: You must complete the Academic Awareness Student Survey (formerly Student Self-Assessment Survey) for fall 2023.
- Meet with a counselor:
- If you are part of a program that has designated academic counselors (such as a Learning Community, Athletics, Veterans, etc.), please contact the counselor for your program. You'll find how to reach them by visiting the Our Counselors webpage.
- If you are not a part of a program that has designated counselors, please contact the Academic Awareness Program Team.