Returning Students
Students who have been enrolled and received a grade notation in a course (see Academic Policies for grade notations), but whose attendance was interrupted for two or more regular semesters, excluding summer, are required to file an application for readmission by the admissions deadline of the term in which they wish to enroll. Students seeking readmission must submit a $25 reapplication fee (non-refundable). Students whose previous CSU Pueblo work resulted in a cumulative grade point average below 2.000 (“C”) must also provide a written statement detailing the previous academic difficulties, the student’s plans to overcome these difficulties and any other pertinent information to assist the admissions committee in making a decision.
Students who are re-admitted after an absence of two or more semesters, excluding summers, are governed upon readmission by the catalog current at the time of readmission. Any college credit earned more than 10 years before the date of admission or readmission is not applicable toward the degree desired unless it is approved by the appropriate department chair. This policy includes transfer credit previously accepted by CSU Pueblo. This policy does not apply to general education courses. Any course substitutions, waivers, exceptions, or petitions completed prior to readmission must be submitted to the appropriate approving authority. Any exceptions to the policy must have prior approval from the Provost.
Degree-seeking students who have attended another post-secondary institution or have taken college-level correspondence or extended studies courses must provide complete official transcripts of such studies. Each student must indicate all previous college experience on his or her application, including any coursework since last attendance at this institution. Applicants may not ignore previous college attendance. Students who fail to inform the Office of Admissions of all previous college work will be subject to delay of admission, loss of credit, rejection of application and/or cancellation of enrollment.
Fresh Start
Fresh Start is available to student with less than a 2.000 GPA under certain circumstances. This includes first semester freshmen or student returning to CSU Pueblo after two years absence.
Student are eligible for only one Fresh Start opportunity (regardless of whether is it a Freshman Accelerated Fresh Start or Academic Fresh Start).
First Semester Students
Undergraduate (non-transfer) students who earn a GPA of less than 1.000 in their first semester at CSU Pueblo will be placed on probation and must make a choice:
- Take 1 – 3 semesters off, reapply and return with a Freshman Accelerated Fresh Start (see below)
- Continue attending the following semester and earn at least a term 2.000 GPA on 12 or more credits, and receive a third semester on probation; or earn less than a 2.000 term GPA and be academically dismissed.
Freshman Accelerated Fresh Start
The Freshman Accelerated Fresh Start opportunity is available for first-time, first-year students who finish their first semester at CSU Pueblo with a GPA below 1.000.
Students who meet these criteria will have the following option:
- Leave the University for 1-3 semesters (the summer session is not included in this count),
- Reapply/return to CSU Pueblo and begin earning a new cumulative GPA (first semester grades remain on the student’s transcript but will not be calculated in their cumulative GPA),
- Complete a Returning Student Application accompanied by supplemental documentation that addresses a combination of factors, including evidence of maturity and/or academic success at another institution as well as their strengthened preparation for academic success at CSU Pueblo (details online at Admissions Office).
Academic Fresh Start
Former CSU Pueblo undergraduate students may apply for Academic Fresh Start, a policy which allows students to establish a new academic record. A student may be granted any type of Fresh Start only once.
Academic Fresh Start may be granted after at least two years have elapsed since the student’s last term of enrollment as an admitted, degree-seeking student, regardless of the number of credits taken. Courses taken through Extended Studies as a guest student, or the CSU Pueblo Summer Session after being dismissed or ceasing enrollment as an admitted degree-seeking student will not count against the two-year interval required for Academic Fresh Start.
Eligibility for Fresh Start can be achieved in one or both of the following ways:
- Be successful in a job or volunteer experience and be able to supply strong letters of recommendation from your employer/supervisor (recommendations must not be from a family member or relative).
- Take at least 15 credits of academic courses either at another institution or as a guest student at CSU Pueblo and earn a 2.500 or higher cumulative GPA.
Students applying for Fresh Start will also need to:
- Submit a Returning Student Application by the deadline for the appropriate semester.
- Write a statement of motivation on why you would like to return to CSU Pueblo and why you think you are now ready to succeed. Analyze your past behavior and provide evidence of change and success since you left CSU Pueblo.
- In your statement, include an action plan for academic success that you have researched and considered carefully. Describe specifically how you will utilize campus advising and resources. Review the Collaborative for Student Achievement website at CSU Ft. Collins for suggested resources.
- Submit all information to the Admissions Office.
A student granted Fresh Start and enrolled will have a demarcation on the permanent academic record to delineate the previous record from the new academic record achieved under the Fresh Start policy. Credits for those courses in which a grade of at least C or S was awarded prior to the Fresh Start may be applied toward graduation requirements under the Fresh Start policy.
Only grades earned after the Fresh Start demarcation will be computed in the new GPA. Fresh Start may have implications regarding other requirements for graduation, such as upper-division and in-residence requirements.
If a student receives Fresh Start, the student must successfully complete at least 30 upper-division credits of course-work in residence at CSU Pueblo after the Fresh Start is granted in order to graduate.