For this case study you will review the following materials to answer a number of questions and to ultimately assist a student at the postsecondary institution you plan on attending in the fall to get back on the ROAD TO SUCCESS.
Provided Materials:
1.
Sample high school transcript
2.
Sample College Year 1 transcript
Student Overview:
Jen is more than ready to head home for the summer! She really thought that college was going to be a breeze. Even when she started to get overwhelmed with her science courses she thought she would be able to pull through. Really…how different could college be from high school? In her first year she took classes that would fulfill her gen ed requirements and really liked the content. She was surprised that there was so much to learn in classes that she assumed were going to be bogus like Adolescent
Development and Intro to Music. However, the sciences were a struggle, but she held on! She would have to repeat Bio at some point, but at least she didn’t fail all of her classes! Jen also jumped right in with the debate team – a passion of hers since she was a kid – and was able to travel around the state competing against some of the best debaters out there. In her second year she was elected to the first seat of the debate team and is now in charge of practice development and scheduling as well as booking all travel for the team. In her second year she also joined the Black Student Union where she spends a lot of time working on the development committee to plan this year’s fundraiser. Jen also began working in the admissions office to make money to go away for Spring Break.
In her 2 nd year Jen’s academics really took a down turn and by the end of her Spring Semester she was in serious Academic trouble. Jen is at a loss as to how it went so wrong. When not planning the fundraiser, working or leading the Debate Team she is studying or in the lab for one of her science courses. She is sleeping as little as possible so she can maximize her time and still it never seems to be enough. Jen has gone as far as staying in the library overnight just to get away from her comfy dorm room bed and has found a friend to study with. She knew after failing her first Organic Chemistry exam in the fall she would just have to study harder. That is what you have to do when you want to be a doctor!
Guiding Questions:
• Based on the high school transcript what advice would you have given this student before he/she left for college. Evaluate his academic strengths and weaknesses.
• In what college courses was he/she successful? Why would you say he/she was successful?

• In what college courses was he/she not successful? Why would you say he/she was not successful?
• According to the SAP policy of your postsecondary institution, is the student at risk for being placed on Academic Suspension? Why or why not? What will happen if he/she is placed on
Academic Suspension? What does he/she need to do to get off of Academic Suspension?
• Develop a plan for Jen to get back on track in her next semester. Include in your advice information about add/withdraw dates, student resources available, suggestions about course scheduling and time management tips.
Supporting documents to provide for Jen:
1.
SAP policy from the postsecondary institution you hope to attend in the fall
2.
Course scheduling and graduation requirement info from the postsecondary institution you hope to attend in the fall
3.
A campus map from the postsecondary institution you hope to attend in the fall with a chart that highlights what you feel are the 10 most important student services on campus. Include information about what service is provided, general hours of operation and/or how to make an appointment, physical address, web address and phone number. You should also include any other interesting facts about this student service.
4.
Academic Calendar from the postsecondary institution you hope to attend in the fall

Based on Jen’s high school transcript, I would advise her to take Mathematics and
Science courses because those were the two subjects she performed extremely well in. I would also suggest that she pursue a career in either math or science. Her largest strengths were math and science. Another one of her strengths was literature. She had at least a 90 or higher in every literature class; therefore, she could also major in literature or English in college.
When Jen was in college, she was performing well in her Literature classes, as she got an
“A” in Introduction to Literature and a “B-” in Composition. Those were the two courses she performed well in during her freshman year. She was successful because she probably enjoys analyzing novels and discussing the deeper meanings in every story she reads. She also is probably a good writer.
She was not successful in her Mathematics and Science courses, as she got a “D” in
Principles of Biology, a “D” in Calculus I, and either a “D” or “C” in her sophomore science courses. She was not successful because the material she was being taught was hard for her to understand. Additionally, she was not successful because she did not ask or get help from her peers that know and understand the material taught.
If Jen were to go to my college - Villanova University - currently, she is not meeting
Satisfactory Academic Progress. In order for her to meet SAP, she must maintain a GPA of a
2.00, be enrolled in a minimum of 24 credits for an academic year, and complete a minimum of 24 credit hours. According to her cumulative GPA from her sophomore year, she would be put on Academic Suspension. At Villanova, if you are on Academic Suspension, she has only one semester to raise her GPA to the required 2.00. In addition, she would be prohibited from participating in any extracurricular activities, as well as limited to a schedule of five courses.
In order for Jan to get back on track, she would have to limit her time spent in the debate team. She would also have to go to office hours and sign up for tutoring for one, some, or all of the courses she must take on Academic Probation. Also, since her major is Biology-
Chemistry, she must maintain a GPA of 2.00 in Science and Mathematics courses, attain a
GPA of 2.00 in all courses, complete a core of Science and Mathematics courses, and must select seven upper division science courses in order to graduate.
This is the academic calendar for Villanova in the 2015-16 school year:

Aug. 20-23: New Student Orientation and Registration

Aug. 24: Classes Begin

Aug. 30: Last day for dropping and/or adding classes

Sept. 7: Labor Day – No classes

Oct. 9: Mid-term

Oct. 12: Semester Recess


Oct. 19: Classes Resume

Oct. 21: Grades Due (Noon)

Oct. 23: Registration Advising Begins

Nov. 11: Last Day for Authorization Withdrawal

Nov. 24: Thanksgiving Recess

Nov. 30: Classes Resume

Dec. 8: Friday Class Day for UG

Dec. 10: Final Day of Classes

Dec. 11: Reading Day

Dec. 12-18: Final Exams

Dec. 21: Final Grades Due

Jan. 11, 2016: Classes Begin

Jan. 15: Last Day for requesting Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Jan. 17: Last Day for adding and/or dropping classes

Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Day (no classes)
 Jan. 29: Last day for submission of work to remove incomplete (“N”) grade
 Feb. 12: Last day for “N” grade conversion to final grade (Fall 2015 Semester).

Feb. 26: Mid-term

Feb. 29: Semester Recess

Mar. 7: Classes Resume

Mar. 9: Grades Due (Noon)

Mar. 11: Registration Advising Begins

Mar. 23: Easter Recess Begins after last class

Mar. 29: Classes Resume

Mar. 30: Last Day for Authorized Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty (WX)

Apr. 26: Deemed a Friday Class and follows a Friday schedule for UG Day only

Apr. 27: Deemed a Monday Class Day and follows a Monday schedule for UG Day only

Apr. 28: Final Day of Classes

Apr. 29: Reading Day

Apr. 30 – May 6: Final Examinations (No exams on Sun. May 1)

May 9: Final Grades Due (12 Noon)

May 13 – 14: Baccalaureate and Commencement
 June 24: Last day for submission of work to remove incomplete (“N”) grade
 July 8: Last day for “N” grade conversion to final grade (Spring 2016 Semester)

I need help scheduling classes
I have difficulty managing my time
Office of the
Registrar
Counseling
Center
610.519.4030 registrar@villanova.edu Because Jen is struggling with the classes she is taking, she needs to choose different courses.
610.519.4050 Executive Director, Joan
Whitney joan.whitney@villanova.edu
Because Jen is staying up all night studying, she needs help with managing her time so that she can avoid these situations.