Academic Fresh Start

student in classHave you been to college, but did not do that well?  Has it been at least four years? Academic Fresh Start may be just what you need. 

Academic Fresh Start is a plan of academic forgiveness which allows students who previously experienced academic difficulty to improve their academic record upon returning to college. Academic Fresh Start allows eligible students to resume study without being penalized for poor grades in the past and starts the path of a new grade point average.

Volunteer State Community College Academic Fresh Start Policy

Student Requirements

To be considered eligible for an Academic Fresh Start, a student must:

  • Have been separated from all regionally accredited collegiate institutions for at least four (4) consecutive calendar year immediately preceding the first term of enrollment as a transfer student or re-enrollment at VSCC
  • Be admitted as a degree-seeking student at VSCC
  • File the Academic Fresh Start application

Terms of Academic Fresh Start

  • After satisfying the requirements above, a student may be granted a Fresh Start only once
  • Students permanent record will remain record for all work; however, courses taken and previously failed will be excluded from the calculation of the GPA.  Courses with a D will also be excluded from the calculation when a grade of C or better is required in the student’s current major
    • Retained grades will be calculated in the Fresh Start GPA
    • Courses with D or F grades must be repeated at the college when they are required in the student’s current major.  No transient credit will be accepted after invoking Academic Fresh Start
  • Upon degree admission, Fresh Start applicants who did not satisfy approved standardized test requirements at the time of previous enrollment and whose academic plan include completion of a college-level English or mathematics course must meet current approved standardized test requirements regarding enrollment in college English and mathematics courses.
  • Billing and debt requirements associated with previous enrollment are not intended to be resolved with the granting of Academic Fresh Start.  Therefore, an Academic Fresh Start applicant should consult the Financial Aid office, Business Office and/or Veteran’s office for proper guidance regarding federal, state and institutional financial aid programs; collections of student fees and charges; payment plan options; and/or educational benefits.