How does the GPA system work at Ryerson?
Your GPA is a cumulative grade point average of your courses. CGPA is an average of all the courses you've taken to date while TGPA is an average of your courses for one term.
The Student Guide provides an excellent overview on GPA matters.
Enrolment Services provides instructions on how to calculate your GPA.
For more information on this topic see Ryerson's GPA Policy.
What are the different Academic Standings at Ryerson?
Your Academic Standing is a statement of your overall academic performance. As an Undergraduate student you can have one of four standings:
1) Clear
If your CGPA is 2.0 or higher AND you have not violated any Department/School Standing variations** or any probationary contract.
2) Probationary
If your CGPA is between 1 and 1.99 OR you have just been reinstated after being RTW.
3) Required to Withdraw (RTW)
If it is not your first term AND your CGPA is less than 1.00 OR you violated either a probationary contract or Department/School Standing variation OR you have not completed your program in the allotted time.
4) Permanent Program Withdrawal (PPW)
If you were reinstated after being RTW and you did not fulfil your resulting probationary contract OR you failed a required course 3 times OR you violated a Department/School Standing variation OR you were denied re-instatement to a program for a second time.
** Standing variations are specific program requirements that some Departments or Schools have. These variations are listed in the Undergraduate Calendar.
For information about Graduate student
Academic Standings see section 4.3 of the Graduate Admission and Studies Policy.
What if I want to appeal my Academic Standing?
For information on appealing your standing see our Academic Appeals section.
What do I have to do if I'm on Probation?
You need to visit your Department/School office to receive a probationary contract for the next term. Your contract will set out which, and how many, courses you can take, what TGPA you need to achieve and any learning skills workshops you have to attend. Also, you may be required to repeat courses you failed or did badly in.
Note that if you do not follow the conditions set out in your probationary contract (e.g. if you drop a course without permission) you will be given RTW status.
What will happen if I am Required to Withdraw (RTW)?
All students who receive RTW status must sit out the next semester. No courses taken at Ryerson (including the Chang school) or other post-secondary institutions during this semester can count towards your graduation. After this you have two options:
1) Fresh Start Option
After the 1st semester sit out you may apply to participate in the Fresh Start program. For those who were RTW after the Winter 2012 term the deadline for application is Friday, August 3, 2012 and you will need to fill out a Fresh Start application form and hand it into your Department/School by this date. Note that you may be eligible for OSAP funding while participating in Fresh Start - for information about this contact the Student Financial Assistance Office.
If you are accepted you will take 2 credit courses and a mandatory learning skills course in the 2nd semester after RTW and 4 credit courses in the 3rd semester after RTW and provided you meet the Fresh Start requirements you will be guaranteed reinstatement back into your program. There is also an option to participate in Fresh Start with an aim to transferring into a different program.
For more information see the Fresh Start FAQ. To find out if you're eligible to participate and what you need to do to apply contact your Program Advisor. You can also direct questions about the program to Heather Krepski, Fresh Start Coordinator at freshstart@ryerson.ca.
2) Sit Out Option
If you opt not to participate in Fresh Start you must sit out semesters 2 and 3 after which time you can apply for Reinstatement to your same program or apply for readmission to a new program. Note that no courses taken during the year off will count towards your graduation.
How do I apply for Reinstatement or Transfer to another program?
You must apply for reinstatement (to the same program) or transfer (to a different program) after receiving RTW status and sitting out the required one year. Note that your application will be judged in competition with other applicants and thus it is not guaranteed that you will be accepted. You will need to describe what happened in the past (i.e. why you were RTW) and what you have been doing during your absence (i.e. courses/seminars attended, or work experience) to address your previous academic challenges and prepare for coming back. See this document for letter writing advice.
If you are seeking reinstatement within 24 months of receiving your RTW status you must fill out a Request for Reinstatement form and a Supplementary form and submit it directly to your (chosen) Department/School. If you are seeking reinstatement after 2 or more years have lapsed, or you want to transfer to another program, you should apply using a Ryerson online application form.
In both cases, applications are generally evaluated based on past academic performance, program admission requirements and space availability. The deadline for guaranteed consideration (i.e. that your application will be reviewed) for Spring/Summer 2012 and Fall 2012 is Thursday, March 1st, 2012; for Winter 2013 the deadline is Thursday, November 1st, 2012.
If you have any questions or concerns about the process of applying for reinstatement, ask your Program Advisor. For questions regarding transfer applications you should inquire at the Department/School office you are applying to and/or the Admissions Department.
If your reinstatement/transfer application is successful, you will be given a probationary contract upon your return.
The Undergraduate Calendar has futher information on the reinstatement and transfer processes.
What happens if I receive Permanent Program Withdrawal (PPW) status?
If you receive Permanent Program Withdrawal (PPW) status you will not be able to return to your program of study. You can, however, apply for admission to another program at Ryerson by using the Ryerson online application form. You should include a letter explaining why you did poorly previously, why you think you are now ready to succeed academically and why you are interested in your new program choice. For advice on writing such a letter see here.
As an alternative, you may want to consider study at another post-secondary institution. See here for links to programs at other Canadian universities and colleges.
Where can I find more help and support?
Personnel in your program department are best able to offer you academic advice. Undergraduate Students should also consult the Undergraduate Program Calendar.
Student Development and Counselling also advises students who have been suspended and who either want to return to their program or pursue other avenues.
Check at the beginning of each semester for workshops specifically for suspended and withdrawn students such as the U201 information sessions and the Help - I'm Re-thinking my Educational Direction And I Don't Know Where to Start workshops.
The Learning Success Centre offers useful seminars and workshops which many probationary students attend. Topics cover a broad range of skills to make you a better learner, such as "Writing Exams", "Dealing with Performance and Test Anxiety", "Writing University Essays", "Learning from Textbooks", and "Learning from Lectures". They are required by some departments before re-instatement. The Learning Success Centre also offers interactive online resources. |
