Academic Standing

GCC is invested in our students and we want to support your academic success. We recognize that sometimes there are bumps in the road and various obstacles may interfere with your academics. The academic standing policy is the criteria we use to evaluate your academic progress. Academic standing is a warning system meant to alert you – and your advisor – to potential academic difficulty so you can make necessary adjustments and get the help you need to be successful. There are five levels of academic standing that range from “Good Standing” to “Academic Dismissal.” Refer to page 34 of the 2021-2022 Catalog for a chart outlining the different levels.

Students seeking to appeal Academic Suspension or Dismissal

Academic Suspension prevents you from enrolling in classes for one full Fall or Spring semester. Follow the steps below to after this break, when you are ready to return – or if you are trying to appeal to return immediately without taking a break.

Academic Dismissal prevents you from future enrollment at GCC. If you wish to appeal this, follow the same steps below.

1. Write a letter of appeal that includes:
   • What has impacted your ability to be academically successful at GCC, not just this semester, but in previous semesters?
   • What is your plan for addressing some of these issues when you return to GCC? Please be specific about what you will do and what help you need from us.
   • Additional question if appealing Dismissal: What are your long-term academic and career goals?
2. Send your letter of appeal to the Director of Advising and Transfer, Tonya Blundon, at .
3. Once your letter of appeal has been received you will meet with the Director of Advising and Transfer to review your appeal. These meetings can be in-person or virtual. In this meeting you will discuss your circumstances and create a success plan to help you move forward.
4. If your appeal is granted, complete a Returning Student Application. You can do this through the Admissions website.
5. Register for classes!

Course Periodicity

Degree Audit Checklists

A degree audit is a tool to help you and your advisor track your progress toward degree completion. Each major or program of study has an associated degree audit. Please use your degree audit as a checklist to track the courses you take each semester. This will help with planning for graduation and transfer. As you near graduation, your advisor will be required to submit your completed degree audit to the Registrar’s Office for review.

View all Degree Audit Checklists

Dropping a Class

Considering dropping a class? Before you do, please consider the following:

• Will it have an impact on your financial aid award? Check this out with the Financial Aid Office prior to dropping a class.
• Is the course salvageable? Have you spoken with the instructor? Sometimes it is possible to remain in a course you thought you couldn’t.
• Is the course a prerequisite for another course you need to take? Will dropping the course impact your ability to take another course you planned to take next semester? If so, consider ways to stay in the course—this might include getting tutoring, working with your instructor, or limiting activities outside of school to allow more time for study.
• Are you nearing graduation? If so, will dropping the course change your timeline for graduation?

If you do decide to drop a class, you will need to complete a Drop Form in MyGCC.

Registration & Degree Planning

Degree Plan

Courses that can be taken with developmental-level English

Waitlist Procedures

If a class you are interested in registering for is full, you may have the option of being placed on a waitlist. Joining a waitlist means that you are committing to enroll in that class if a seat becomes available. You may not join a waitlist if you are already registered for another section of the same course. When a seat opens in the class, the next student in line on the waitlist will automatically be registered. Once you are registered, the class will also automatically be added to your bill.

How will I know if I am moved off of a waitlist?

Students registered from the waitlist will receive a notification to their GCC email, and a text message to their cell phone number on record in MyGCC. Your MyGCC account will always show your most up-to-date schedule information. You should check your schedule in MyGCC regularly if you are on a waitlist for a course.

How long will I stay on the waitlist?

Waitlists remain open through the last day to add a class. These dates can be found on the Academic Calendar for regular classes and the Registrar’s Office website for late-start, half-term, and other non-standard classes.

What do I do if I no longer wish to be waitlisted for a class?

Please contact the Academic Advising Center at 413-775-1339 or to be dropped from a waitlist. If you have already been registered for a course off of the waitlist, you will need to submit a form in MyGCC requesting to drop the class. Standard drop and refund deadlines apply.