Navigating the GPA Requirements at Suffolk University

For students aspiring to join Suffolk University, understanding the Grade Point Average (GPA) requirements is crucial. GPA is a very important academic factor. This article aims to provide a detailed overview of the GPA standards across various programs, satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policies, and other relevant academic regulations at Suffolk University.

Understanding Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations mandate that students demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in their educational program to maintain eligibility for financial aid. SAP is evaluated independently from the Academic Standing Committee, meaning a student can be in good academic standing with the University but not be making satisfactory academic progress under this policy as determined by the Office of Student Financial Services, and vice versa.

Students must meet specific standards to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress, which are evaluated at the end of each academic term, including the summer term if applicable. Effective at the end of the Fall 2022 term, all students are required to have successfully completed at least 67% of cumulative attempted credit hours at each point when SAP is measured by the Office of Student Financial Services. Completed credits are calculated by dividing the cumulative number of hours the student has earned by the cumulative number of hours the student has attempted.

GPA Requirements for Different Programs

The GPA requirements at Suffolk University vary depending on the program of study:

Undergraduate Programs: Graduate students (full or part time) are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Law School (JD): JD students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.500.
Law School (LLM and MSLL): LLM and MSLL students receiving federal student aid must opt for the numerical grading system and are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.000.

Transfer credits will not be factored into the GPA at Suffolk University Law School. In addition, JD, MSLL, and LLM students earning two or more unsatisfactory grades (C- or below) in a given term will not be considered to be making SAP. Students enrolled in the SJD program who receive one or more “F” grade will not be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress.

Credit Completion Rate

In addition to meeting the qualitative standards above, all law students must successfully complete at least 67% of cumulative attempted credits at the time of each SAP evaluation. The evaluation of completed credits is calculated by dividing the number of hours a student has earned by the cumulative number of hours the student has attempted. Grades of F, I, NC, W, WI, NG, U and X will be counted as attempted credits, but will not be considered as earned credits. All other grades will be counted as both attempted and earned. Transfer credits accepted towards a Law School degree will be treated as both credit hours attempted and credit hours earned.

Course-Related Policies

Retaking Courses

Students may retake a course for credit, and each time a student enrolls in a course, it will count as attempted credits. When a student repeats a course, all grades appear on the academic transcript, however, only the best evaluative course grade will be used to compute the cumulative GPA (unless the course has been designated as repeatable by the academic department for purposes of satisfying the student’s academic program). In the event a student who fails a course also fails the retake course, one F grade is calculated into the GPA.

Graduate CAS students may retake a failed course for credit and each time a student enrolls in a course, it will count as attempted credits. When CAS graduate student repeats a failed course, the most recent grade will appear on the academic transcript, and will be considered in the GPA (as of Fall 2022). SBS graduate students may retake only one graduate course in the student's graduate program where an F grade has been received. The original F remains on the transcript, but is not included in the GPA. A student may retake only one graduate course in his/her graduate program where an “F” grade has been received. The new course grade will be included in his/her GPA. The original “F” will remain on the transcript but will not be included in the GPA.

Grades and Their Impact

Several types of grades can affect a student's GPA and SAP status:

F (Failing): Indicates that the student has not completed all course requirements in a satisfactory manner.
I (Incomplete): Indicates a student has done passing work in a course but has not yet submitted all the outstanding work required for a formal evaluation. The "I" is awarded at the instructor’s discretion, only if the student has completed at least half of the course requirements satisfactorily at the end of the semester, and there is a reasonable expectation that all course requirements can be completed in one academic year.
F: Indicates that the student has not completed all the course requirements in a satisfactory manner in a course where they originally received an Incomplete grade. Incomplete grades expire to an F grade one year after the Incomplete grade was assigned.
IP (In Progress): Can be issued where by nature of the course content the course may not be complete by the end of the term.
W (Withdrawal): Signifies official withdrawal from a course.
AU (Audit): In an audited course, a student will not receive credit or honor points; however, a student must pay the same tuition as if taking the course for credit.
P/F (Pass/Fail): Selected graduate thesis, internship, and practicum courses may be graded on a pass/fail basis.

Grades of I, W, L, NG, IP, NP, and AU count as attempted and unearned credits and are not counted toward a student’s cumulative GPA. Grades of F, F*, and Fail count as attempted and unearned credits and count toward a student’s cumulative GPA.

Timeframe for Completion and Financial Aid Eligibility

All students have a maximum time frame for which they have financial aid eligibility in an academic program. A student will not be considered to be making SAP if their enrollment exceeds a timeframe equal to 150% of the published minimum credit requirement of the academic program. Refer to the academic catalog for specific program lengths. Suffolk University measures a student's timeframe in attempted credits. Students who change majors are subject to the same 150% maximum time frame. All periods of enrollment at Suffolk University (including study abroad and consortium agreement terms) are considered when evaluating SAP.

Financial aid eligibility is limited to 150% of the published minimum credit requirement of the student’s academic program. Refer to the Law School’s Rules and Regulations for specific program lengths. Suffolk University Law School measures a student’s timeframe in attempted credits. A student will not be considered to be making SAP if his or her enrollment exceeds the 150% timeframe. Periods of non-enrollment are not factored into this timeframe evaluation.

For students enrolled in the LLM Program, only previous academic coursework accepted for purposes of advanced academic standing will be considered in the calculation to determine SAP. All dual degree students must meet the criteria for SAP at the Law School, even if all attempted credits are at the Sawyer Business School and/or College of Arts and Sciences.

Financial Aid Warning and Appeals

Students not meeting the minimum SAP requirements are placed on financial aid warning and will receive a written warning indicating they have not met SAP standards. Financial aid warning lasts for one academic term. During financial aid warning, financial aid will be awarded and the student will be given one term to improve their academic standing and meet SAP requirements. If at the close of financial aid warning the student has not met SAP standards, the student will be notified in writing they are ineligible for financial aid for future terms. Students should be aware this includes all federal, state, institutional and many alternative loan aid programs.

Examples of situations where appeals will be considered include serious illness, hospitalization, or death of a family member. A student’s appeal must address why the student failed to make SAP and what has changed that will now allow the student to satisfy academic progress requirements at the end of the next academic term. Appeals must also include supporting documentation (i.e. hospital records, doctor’s note, etc). Students who submit an appeal will be notified in writing of the outcome. All appeal decisions will be made by the Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee, which includes representatives from the Dean of Students, Academic Services and the Dean’s Office. These decisions are final.

Read also: Financial Aid Guide

If an SAP appeal is granted, the student will be placed on financial aid probation. Conditions may be imposed on the student’s continued eligibility through an academic plan, which is developed in conjunction with the Academic Deans Office in the appropriate school. An academic plan may include requirements such as a reduced course load or the taking of specific courses. A student can re-establish eligibility for financial aid only by taking action that brings the student back into compliance with the qualitative and quantitative components of the SAP standard. A student’s SAP status is reviewed and updated at the end of each semester. While a student may regain eligibility for financial aid, they are reminded that most financial aid programs have lifetime aggregate limits.

Additional Academic Policies

Transfer Credits

Unless otherwise stated, the general rule is that a maximum of 6 graduate credits in the ﬁeld of specialization from an accredited institution will be transferable toward a master's degree at Suffolk University. Transfer hours accepted toward a Suffolk degree are treated as both credit hours attempted and credit hours earned.

Full-Time and Part-Time Status (SBS Graduate Programs)

Most graduate programs are offered on a part-time and full-time basis. Part-time and full-time are dependent on the number of registered credits within a given semester. Once admitted to a graduate program, a student may move from full-time to part-time or part-time to full-time by simply changing the number of credits for which they are registered. However, a student is initially admitted with a full-time or part-time status.

Full-time status for SBS graduate programs is defined as 12 to 15 credits. A student must be registered for at least 12 credits to be considered full-time.
Part-time status for SBS graduate programs is defined as 1 to 11 credits. A student must be registered for at least 1 credit to be considered part-time. A maximum of 11 credits is allowed.

Campus-based students must complete and have approved an Excess Course Petition Form [PDF] to exceed full-time course load credits. Evaluation of a student's excess course request(s) will be done on a case-by-case and course-by-course basis to ensure a student's success within their program. Summer Sessions: Six credits per summer session constitute a full-time schedule (maximum of 12 credits across all summer sessions). Campus-based graduate students must seek permission to register for any excess credits in a session and demonstrate extenuating circumstances for the request. SBS online graduate programs are part-time only programs. Three credits per term constitute a normal online course load. The only exception to this policy is the term in which a student registers for an additional 1 credit or 1.5 credit course (e.g., SBS 700, MBA 701, MBA 625, MBA 615, MBA 745, or FIN 601). All prerequisites must be taken before the excess course.

Grievance Procedures

If a student has a complaint that is not resolved, then the student should bring the matter to the attention of the department chair or program director. The academic dean (or dean’s designee) will inform the student of a decision within 15 business days of receiving the formal grievance. The student may appeal this decision to the provost (or provost’s designee), whose decision shall be final. Students with disabilities who believe they have received inappropriate treatment or inadequate service from the University pertaining to their granted accommodations have the right to file a grievance with Director of Disability Services. The grievance must be submitted in writing to The Office of Disability Services and should include a detailed description of the inappropriate or inadequate service and supporting documentation (when appropriate). Students with disabilities who are unsatisfied with the response from the Director of Disability Services may submit an appeal within 5 business days to the ADA Coordinator, Dr. Students with disabilities must state the resolution they are seeking.

NC-SARA and Complaint Resolution

Suffolk University operates under the approval of “NC-SARA”, National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. Consistent with 610 CMR 12.00 [PDF], students must attempt to resolve complaints at the institutional level. If the matter is not resolved at the institutional level students may submit a SARA complaint. Massachusetts residents may submit a complaint via the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s (DHE) consumer complaint form. Non-Massachusetts residents that are located in SARA member states may seek to file a formal complaint with the DHE using the SARA Complaint Procedure Process form.

Admissions and General Academic Profile

While GPA is a critical factor, Suffolk University employs a holistic admission process. Recommendation are considered important for admissions officials at Suffolk University. Other factors such as coursework difficulty, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and personal statements also play a significant role.

General Admission Information

The application deadline at Suffolk University is Aug. 31. The early acceptance rate is 85.1%. Half the applicants admitted to Suffolk University who submitted test scores have an SAT score between 1112 and 1303 or an ACT score of 24 and 30. However, one quarter of admitted applicants achieved scores above these ranges and one quarter scored below these ranges.

SAT and ACT Scores

Suffolk University requires that you either take the SAT or ACT. Generally, don’t freak out about taking the test too often. Suffolk University’s average SAT score is 1015 - this is the sum of the math and reading portions of the SAT (the 1600 scale). To be a competitive applicant for Suffolk University your SAT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the 910, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. Suffolk University’s average ACT score is 22. To be a competitive applicant for Suffolk University your ACT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the 20, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted.

GPA Expectations

Suffolk University’s average GPA is 3.15. Suffolk University is currently selective. However, be aware that oftentimes schools in this GPA range are increasing their selectivity in hope of increasing “prestige”.

Dual Degree Programs

Students will take two Communication graduate courses during their senior year; one during the fall semester and one during the spring semester. The two graduate courses taken during the senior year will count toward BOTH the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Upon successful completion of all of the degree requirements, a student will receive a dual Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. The exact degree will be awarded based on the specific undergraduate program the student completes. A student may permanently exit the dual degree program and opt to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree if all the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree have been met.

Tips for Prospective Students

Strive for a High GPA: Aim for a GPA that meets or exceeds the requirements for your desired program.
Prepare for Standardized Tests: If submitting SAT/ACT scores, aim for scores close to or above the average for admitted students. Aim for a 1100 SAT or higher, and you'll almost certainly get an offer of admission.
Engage in Extracurriculars: Join your school band, a sports team or another group activity. Volunteer in your hometown. Boston has tons of ways to be involved beyond just the college.
Craft a Compelling Application: Write a stellar essay that shows Suffolk University something they can’t figure out from the other parts of your application. Get teacher recs that speak to your character.
Apply Early: Apply Before the Deadline. Too many students wait until the last minute to submit their application, and too much can go wrong during this precious time window.

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