Navigating Academic Success at the University of Maryland: Freshman Forgiveness and Resources

For students navigating the academic landscape of the University of Maryland (UMD), understanding available resources and policies is crucial for success. This article provides a comprehensive overview of key programs and policies, including the "Freshman Forgiveness" policy (also known as the repeat policy), academic support services, and career development resources.

Building Your Career Journey

The University Career Center at UMD is a valuable resource for students seeking to explore career options, gain experience, and further their education. Located on the third floor of the South Wing in Hornbake Library, the Career Center offers a range of services, including:

Career Checklists: Helping students identify their interests, skills, and values to find the right career path.
Resume Building: Providing guidance and resources to create effective resumes that highlight students' qualifications.
Networking Events: Connecting students with employers and alumni to build professional relationships.
Interviewing Tips: Offering strategies and practice sessions to improve interviewing skills.
Internship and Career Fairs: Providing opportunities for students to gain experience and explore career options.
Advice on Furthering Education: Guiding students on graduate school options and application processes.

Careers4Terps (C4T)

Careers4Terps (C4T) is the Career Center's primary online platform for career and internship opportunities. Through C4T, students can:

Search for on-campus jobs, entry-level positions, and internships.
Schedule appointments with career advisors.
Access exclusive career center tips and resources.
RSVP for career workshops and employer information sessions.

C4T is an invaluable tool for UMD students seeking full-time and part-time employment, as well as internship experiences.

QuickBucks Job Program

For students seeking short-term employment or quick cash, the QuickBucks job program offers a variety of opportunities, including:

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Data entry
Babysitting
Tutoring
Pet sitting
Moving help

Academic Support for a Smooth Transition

Transferring to a new university can present both social and academic challenges. UMD offers several resources to help students succeed academically:

Academic Counseling

The Counseling Center, located in the Shoemaker Building, provides academic skills counseling to help students:

Manage time effectively
Cope with the demands of classes
Improve study habits
Enhance reading comprehension

Writing Center

The Writing Center, located in Tawes Hall, offers trained consultants who can help students:

Improve their writing skills
Enhance their thinking skills
Review papers and provide feedback

Understanding the "Freshman Forgiveness" Policy (Repeat Policy)

The University of Maryland, College Park, has a repeat policy, often referred to as "Freshman Forgiveness," designed to help freshmen and transfer students adjust to the university's academic environment. This policy allows students to retake a course and have only the higher grade included in their cumulative GPA calculation, under specific conditions.

Eligibility Criteria

The "Freshman Forgiveness" policy applies when:

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The initial attempt of the repeated course was taken within the student's first semester (Fall or Spring) at the University of Maryland; or
The initial attempt of the repeated course was taken prior to or within the term in which the student reaches their 24th credit hour attempted, including transfer credits earned after high school graduation.

Students can choose to decline the New Student Provision for any course(s) by notifying the dean of their primary advising college before the graduation application deadline.

Key Aspects of the Repeat Policy

All University of Maryland grades and course attempts will remain on the student’s transcript.
Students earn credit for only one attempt of a course.
The cumulative GPA will be calculated using only the most recent grade from repeated courses that meet the eligibility criteria.

Waitlist and Holdfile

When a course is closed, students can add themselves to a waitlist or holdfile via Testudo:

Waitlist: An online queue for a course that is closed. Students must include a section number when registering.
Holdfile: An online queue for students who do not meet the restrictions for a particular course. The holdfile merges with the waitlist after the first or second day of classes.

Important considerations for waitlists and holdfiles:

Only waitlist/holdfile sections you are willing to take, as you must take the section if it becomes available.
You cannot be waitlisted and registered for two different sections of the same course.
If you are registered at or near your credit limit (16 credits), Testudo will not allow you to waitlist or holdfile additional courses. A workaround is to temporarily drop a course, waitlist everything you need to, then re-register for the dropped course. However, do not drop a course that is full or near full.

Academic Clemency

Undergraduate degree-seeking students who reenroll at the University of Maryland after a separation of at least five calendar years may be eligible for academic clemency. Application for academic clemency must be filed with the Office of Undergraduate Studies before the end of the first semester of the student's return.

Eligibility and Conditions

Academic clemency may be used for up to 16 attempted credits of D+, D, D-, and F grades from courses previously completed at the University.
Students may use academic clemency for eligible courses if they were in degree-seeking status immediately prior to their separation from the University.
Courses taken in non-degree-seeking programs are also eligible for academic clemency if the student completed at least one semester in degree-seeking status prior to their separation.

Key Aspects of Academic Clemency

Academic clemency does not change the number of repeat credits a student is allowed to have.
The academic clemency notation will appear on the transcript at the completion of the first fall or spring semester following reenrollment.
Each course for which academic clemency was granted will appear on the transcript under the semester of reenrollment, with an academic clemency notation.
Students will lose the earned credits for courses for which they have been granted academic clemency.
Repeating a course for which academic clemency has been granted does not grant exceptions to the repeat policy.
If a grade has already been removed from the cumulative GPA by virtue of the repeat policy, it cannot be removed a second time by the academic clemency policy.

Additional Repeat Course Guidelines

The following repeat course guidelines apply to all courses that may not be repeated for additional credit:

There is a limit to the number of times a student may repeat a course. Students may have one repeat of any course in which they earned a grade of A+ through F, P, S, W, NG, or Audit. They cannot be registered for any given course more than twice.
A student’s dean’s office may grant an exception allowing an additional course repeat, in which case, students must present a plan for successfully completing the course.
All attempts will be counted toward the total limit for repeatable credits.
Students may not choose the Pass-Fail option when re-registering for a course in which a grade of I (Incomplete) has been noted.
Students may repeat no more than 18 credits. Additionally, if a student withdraws from all courses during a semester, those courses are not included in this limit.

Academic Probation

An engineering student is placed on academic probation if their cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0. If a student has fewer than 60 credits when placed on probation, they may be permitted to continue in the major as long as a minimum semester GPA of 2.0 is achieved. If a student has more than 60 credits when placed on academic probation, they will be allowed one probationary semester. If the student’s cumulative GPA remains below a 2.0 after the probationary semester, the student will be dismissed from the Clark School of Engineering. All students on academic probation are required to complete the CARE (Creating Academic Responsibility in Engineering) program. In addition, all students on probation have an academic hold placed on their file and will not be allowed to add or drop any courses until the CARE program is completed.

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