Each Oberlin student has an academic advisor for help in planning an educational program consonant with the student's interests and goals. The advisor can offer guidance in evaluating academic strengths and weaknesses and provide information on Oberlin's curriculum and regulations. Entering students are assigned faculty advisors, usually in areas of stated interest. A student may change advisors at any time by asking another faculty member to serve and by notifying the Office of the Dean of Studies. Students who have declared a major are advised by a member of the department in which they are majoring.
Academic Standing
Guidelines. Students are expected to progress toward graduation
at a more or less constant rate. Given the graduation requirement
of 112 hours, students with no advanced placement or transfer
credit should average 14 hours per semester over eight semesters.
There is a minimum level of acceptable accomplishment each semester.
Students who enter Oberlin with fewer than 14 hours of transfer
credit and are in their first semester of enrollment must earn
10 hours of credit. After the first semester, students must earn
12 hours every semester. Students who at the beginning of a semester
need fewer than 12 hours to graduate are required to complete
only the hours necessary for graduation. Students transferring
to Oberlin with at least 14 hours of transfer credit will be required
to complete 12 hours each semester. Students who wish to register
in any semester for fewer than 12 or more than 16 semester hours
must obtain permission in advance from the Dean of Studies.
The Academic Standing Committee reviews the records of students
whose achievement in a given semester falls below the appropriate
established minimum. (The records of students who withdraw after
the end of the ninth week of classes are subject to review by
the Committee.) The decision of the Academic Standing Committee
regarding a student's academic standing is final.
The academic standing of Double-Degree students is determined
jointly by the College of Arts and Sciences and Conservatory of
Music Academic Standing Committees.
Probation. Students who do not achieve the required minimum number
of hours in a given semester will usually be placed on academic
probation (see below under "Suspension"). Such students
will be removed from probation upon meeting the required minimum
during the next semester; otherwise, they may be suspended.
Suspension. A student who does not achieve the minimum required
hours in any semester and who has previously been on probation
may be suspended for one or two semesters. For relatively small
deficiencies, the student may be continued on probation. Students
passing fewer than half the minimum required hours may be suspended
for one or two semesters, regardless of whether they have previously
been on probation. A suspended student must apply for reinstatement
through the Office of the Registrar. The student must also write
to the Dean of Studies explaining what he or she has done during
the absence and how the student is now better prepared to succeed
academically. Letters supporting the request to return are required
from the student's academic advisor and someone the student
has worked with during the suspension.
Dismissal. If a student has been sent a letter of suspension by
the Academic Standing Committee, and if thereafter the student
does not achieve the required minimum in any semester, the Academic
Standing Committee may dismiss the student from Oberlin College.