All undergraduate students at Babson College are expected to maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA to be in good academic standing. Exceptions to this include:
- First-year students, who are expected to maintain a minimum 1.8 cumulative GPA at the end of both of their first two semesters at Babson; and
- Transfer students, who are expected to maintain a minimum 1.8 GPA for their first semester at Babson.
The Academic Standards Review Process will be initiated for students who meet any of the following criteria:
- The cumulative GPA falls below the benchmarks indicated above.
- They have earned a failing grade (F) in two or more classes in a single semester.
- Students who are near their benchmark who have received an Incomplete (I) grade in any class. The Committee may, at its discretion, consider any Incomplete (I) as an ‘F’.
There is a standing Academic Standards Committee that reviews all student cases and the results of these reviews may include the following (students should note that any of the following sanctions are possible if you are reviewed of the committee):
- The student may be placed on academic probation;
- The student may be placed on continued probation;
- The student may be suspended from Babson College for up to one year*;
- The student may be academically dismissed from Babson College and not permitted to return.
*Students may only be academically suspended from the College once. Should a student earn a cumulative GPA below the benchmark for good academic standing again, at any time following their return from an academic suspension, the subsequent review by the Committee may only result in either academic probation or academic dismissal from Babson.
The College holds students responsible for knowing and understanding all policies and procedures with regard to academic standards. If students have questions or concerns during this process, they should contact the Department of Student Advising & Success for clarification on these policies and procedures. Student Success Advisors will notify students being reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee. It is in the best interest of the student to submit a letter of explanation to the Committee. This letter must be submitted prior to the review meeting. The letter provides students the opportunity to inform the Committee of any extenuating circumstances that contributed to their performance in the prior semester, and is the only such opportunity to share this information with the Committee.
Members of the Academic Standards Committee include the Director of Undergraduate Administration, the Director of Student Advising and Success, the Associate Vice President for Student Success, a Student Affairs representative, and four faculty members. The Committee convenes after the close of the fall, spring, and summer terms. In certain circumstances it may be necessary to convene a smaller, representative group of the Academic Standards Committee and/or college officials to determine a student’s academic status.
The Undergraduate Deans’ Office will send the results of the Committee’s decision to students’ Babson email address and physical address of record. The Committee will make every effort to deliver timely notification of decisions. Responsibility lies with the student to read the electronically delivered notification letter. In the case of an academic suspension, Babson College will send a copy of the suspension notification to the student’s parents’ or guardians’ address as posted in Workday. Failure to receive timely notification due to an inaccurate or outdated address, or other situation that inhibits the delivery of the notification letter by the delivery service, is not the responsibility of the Committee.
Students have a right to appeal the decision of the Academic Standards Committee to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. The notification letter will include a deadline for an appeal which is typically 3-4 business days after notification. Grounds for an appeal are limited to the following:
- An error or misapplication of the policy (e.g., substantiated bias, material deviation from established procedures, etc.)
- New information that could not have been considered by the committee at the time of review.
Please note that dissatisfaction with the original committee decision and/or a failure to produce full context through a letter of explanation to the committee prior to the deadline are not grounds for an appeal.
Given the short time period between the fall and spring semesters as well as between the summer term and fall semester, students whose cumulative GPA falls below the minimum benchmark necessary to remain in good academic standing should be prepared for a decision that would require removal from the upcoming semester’s courses as well as an immediate vacancy from Babson housing.
Probation
Students placed on academic probation must complete an academic contract with their Student Success Advisor. Failure to complete this contract may result in further review by the Academic Standards Committee.
Suspension
Students on academic suspension from Babson College must notify their Student Success Advisor, in writing, of their desire to return to Babson following their suspension, and must address how they resolved any issues that led to their suspension as well as how they plan to succeed moving forward. Students should send written communication to the address below, or email their Student Success Advisor directly:
- Student Advising & Success, Hollister Hall Babson College Babson Park, MA 02457
In order to qualify for registration, housing, and financial aid, students must submit the request to return to campus to Student Advising & Success by the following dates:
- March 1 for fall re-entry
- October 1 for spring re-entry
Students must meet these deadlines in order to ensure qualification for the registration process for the semester in question. Students may return to Babson after missing such deadlines, however Babson College does not guarantee course selection or housing for students returning from an academic suspension.
F-1/J-1 International Students
Suspended international students with F-1/J-1 immigration status lose their permission to remain in the United States on the Babson College Form I-20/DS-2019. The Glavin Office of International Education must report this suspension to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. United States law requires that international students must transfer immediately to another U.S. institution, apply for a change of immigration status, or leave the United States immediately. International students must consult with an international student adviser in the Glavin Office of International Education to discuss the immigration implications of a suspension before taking any action.