Is reinstatement only offered to students who had a C.A. below 3 in their final session. If my C.A. is around between a 5 or a 4 this term, and i receive an academic review before next term ( which i will because i would have taken 18 units, I will be ineligible for my program. Is it possible to still take courses next term at Mac (open/elective courses) and see if my average rises. I know that reinstatement can potentially allow people that have failed out of school an opportunity to return, but what about someone who can still attend school, but cannot return to their program. Is there any way to be re-admitted?

Also I was wondering how people that have been on the brink of/ been kicked out of university make it through. I don't want to sound dramatic but I've disappointed myself, and my family and have made my life even harder than it already was. How will i pay for the schooling that I need to make up for this year? Will the bank even help me out now? Will my parents ever see me how they saw me before: smart and funny and kind or will i forever be the one that messed up everything when I have always been the reliable one? Can I survive on a part-time, minimum wage job with random hours? I just can't stop thinking about how big of a hole I've dug for myself. I wish I could talk to someone about it, but I don't have many friends here, and I'm so fearful to tell my parents because it will crush them, almost as much as its crushing me.

Sorry for the long post I just need to release, I guess.

Lastly, I was wondering if anyone that has gone through this before could tell me if the year off was actually beneficial or just more stressful. I feel like if I get kicked out, I'll need to work 2 full time jobs and a part-time job just to pay for courses, life, etc. Would it make more sense to take Ryerson online courses, or go to college? I think the former is more economical but i've looked into a college program and I think one year would be extremely beneficial: I would have hands on experience in the field I want to be in, where I'm actually creating something and connect with people that have been in the industry. A year is a long time to be set-back, I just don't know if I'll ever make it through.

I'm planning on going for an appt. Just wondering if anyone has ever been in this situation.

Hi Jessica. First off, thanks for posting to the MacInsiders community for help. You're not alone in this situation, and we'll help out as best we can!

Just want to make sure I understand right, did you 'drop out' in your third year, take a year off, and now are looking to come back to complete your fourth year?

If you were already a McMaster student, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to go and talk with an academic advisor in your faculty to see the best way to get back into the program to complete your final year. I'm not sure the policies if they only make appointments with current students or not, but you might be a special case.

I'll hunt around the McMaster website and see what I can find.

What the university website says:

If you are ineligible to continue at the University (i.e. the result of session on your last grade report was May Not Continue at University) and you wish to apply for reinstatement to a particular program, please contact the Office of the Registrar to obtain the appropriate application form. Students are considered for reinstatement for September entry or for May entry only.

You will be required to submit the following information along with your application:

• A brief summary of the circumstances relevant to your lack of academic success.
• Reasons for selection of program indicated.
• Reasons for selection of courses/program indicated.
• Activities since last registered at the University, including all academic work. You should provide evidence that you will now be able to succeed in a post-secondary program. Please refer to the website of the Faculty offering your selected program for further advice.
• If applicable, you should support your application with appropriate documentation (e.g. from a doctor, lawyer, therapist)..

Reinstatement is not guaranteed.

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /calen...-14/pg127.html

Sounds like you just need to contact the Office Of The Registrar and fill out that application explaining your circumstances.

If you had a high CA like you mentioned, then I don't see why they would deny you to finish.

You cannot be "reinstated" if your CA is above 3. Reinstatement is only for people who got kicked out of school due to a CA below 3.

If your CA is below what is necessary to continue in your program, but above 3, then you typically continue in some sort of "general" program taking courses to raise your CA.

As for all of your other questions, you need to take a look at WHY your grades are low...that really determines where you should go from here.
Eg, if you got low grades because you found the material too challenging or too boring, then taking random courses to boost your grades and then re-entering the program is a bad idea.
If some sort of life issue prevented you from doing well, then you should resolve or learn to deal with that before you take more courses.

you'll be put on academic probation, meaning you can continue for one term (i believe in a general program like starfish said) and then you get reassessed. taking a year off won't make you eligible for reinstatement, you'll have to reapply. depending on your circumstances you might be able to apply to have your last few grades wiped from your transcript. they'll sometimes do this if you didn't hand in assignments or go to an exam. what program are you in?

Depending on the program you're in, you might be put into program probation for one review period. This means that you can continue on your program even if your average is lower than required. Although, you are required to boost up your average in order to be admitted to the next level of your program. If you are in your third year going into fourth year and you didn't reach the CA needed for fourth year, you have to switch to a 3 year program of either the same program or a different one.

That's what happened to me. I made it to Honours Linguistics in my second year with the exact average needed. I got through the year but I didn't reach the average needed for third year so I was put in program probation. Unfortunately, I still didn't reach the CA needed for fourth year after I got through my third year so I had to switch to a BA program. Since linguistics is only offered as a four year program, I switched into my minor which is Geography. Now I'm going to graduate with it and potentially upgrade it.

Although this is true for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Here's the link for more info: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...14/pg1656.html. I'm not sure how admissions work on other faculties in terms of program continuation but I think it'd be the same thing...

PMed you