7
Academic Policies
Academic Disqualification
General standard of academic good standing
At the end of the first academic year of two semesters and every academic year thereafter, students must achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.33 for all completed courses. Grades earned during a summer session may not be used to raise a student’s GPA from the prior academic year. Failure to achieve or maintain a 2.33 GPA will result in academic disqualification.
In determining whether a student qualifies to continue study at the law school following the first two semesters of law school, the grade that a student receives in Legal Research and Writing (101) is considered if and only if it is a C- or below. In determining whether a student qualifies to continue study after the second or later years, the grade in Legal Research and Writing (101) is included in calculation of the cumulative GPA.
Grades earned in on-campus summer sessions or Summer Abroad programs are not used in calculating a student’s cumulative GPA for purposes of academic qualification or disqualification at the end of the immediately preceding academic year.
Students who are academically disqualified after registering for and attending the on-campus summer session may (a) withdraw from the summer session and receive a full tuition refund for that session or (b) continue the on-campus summer session and, if reinstated in the law school on the Program of Directed Study, receive credit for the summer courses completed.
Students enrolled in Summer Abroad courses may complete the courses, and such courses will be included on subsequent transcripts. Students who choose to withdraw from an overseas course after registration for and beginning of attendance at an overseas summer session will not receive any refund of tuition or reimbursement for any incidental expenses such as transportation, housing, or meals.
Students who are academically disqualified for the first time at the end of the second year with a GPA below 2.33 are permanently disqualified and not eligible for readmission.
Students who are academically disqualified after completion of 86 units may not petition for readmission.
Permanent disqualification
(Students with GPA below 2.20)
Student who are academically disqualified at the end of the first two semesters of law school with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.20 are not eligible for readmission. There is no administrative or faculty discretion to waive this rule and readmit a disqualified student in this category. The Faculty Judicial Committee does not have jurisdiction to consider cases relating to academic disqualification.
Readmission on directed study following “Baby Bar” exam
(Students with GPA of 2.20 through 2.32)
Students who are academically disqualified at the end of the first two semesters of law school with a GPA of 2.20 through 2.32 inclusive, may be readmitted to the law school by passing the State Bar of California "Baby Bar" exam within one year of the disqualification. Student may be readmitted no more than once. It is the student’s responsibility to register for, pay for, and complete the exam, all within a timely manner. The "Baby Bar" exam is given in June and October. Students seeking readmission to the law school should plan to take the October test. June test results may not be available in time to start the fall semester.
Readmitted students are subject to rules applicable to students in the Program of Directed Study. They must achieve a 2.33 GPA at the end of the first year of the academic year following readmission. In determining whether a student qualifies to continue study at the law school, only those grades earned subsequent to the first year of law school are considered. For all other purposes (class rank, journal eligibility, etc.) the cumulative GPA, including the first-year grades, is used.
