Academic dismissals from the College of Law are typically final. However, under limited circumstances, students may seek readmission to the College of Law by filing a petition with the Readmissions Committee. The Readmissions Committee consists of at least five faculty members appointed by the Dean. The Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, serving ex officio, participates in the discussion but does not vote. All decisions of the Committee are final and are not subject to appeal.
Students seeking to be readmitted must submit a petition within two years of the date of dismissal describing how they satisfy the readmission criteria described below. An electronic copy of the petition and supporting documentation must be submitted to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Students should include all documentation they feel may be of assistance to the Committee.
A student dismissed at the end of the Autumn semester of the first year may not resume classes until the passage of three semesters after the dismissal. A student dismissed at the end of the first year may not resume classes until the passage of one calendar year after the dismissal. A student dismissed at the end of the second, third, or fourth year may petition to resume classes in the semester immediately following the dismissal.
Students dismissed at the end of the first semester or at the end of the first academic year may file a readmission petition no earlier than January 15 and no later than March 1 of the academic year following the dismissal. Students dismissed after the second, third or fourth year may apply for readmission immediately after they receive a dismissal letter, but no later than August 1 for admission in the Autumn semester of that year. If students are dismissed and not readmitted within two years, they must apply for admission as a new student and their admission must be ratified by the Readmissions Committee.
Students who are readmitted after being dismissed, either at the end of the Autumn semester or end of the first year, will not receive credit for any course work previously completed and will have to complete all courses required for new students at the time of readmission. Students who are readmitted after being dismissed following the second, third, or fourth year will receive credit for all course work previously completed where credit was awarded.
A student dismissed at the end of the fall or spring semester of the first year must achieve at least a cumulative GPA of 2.000 after the return fall semester and a cumulative GPA of 2.300 after the second consecutive semester. A readmitted 1L student who does not earn at least a cumulative GPA of 2.000 for the first return semester shall be dismissed at the end of that semester. A readmitted 1L student who does not achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.300 at the end of the second return semester shall be dismissed at the end of that second semester.
A 2L/3L/4L readmitted after an academic dismissal during their second or third year shall have two consecutive semesters to achieve good standing (a cumulative GPA of at least 2.300). A student who is readmitted after an academic dismissal and who fails to achieve good standing after two academic semesters shall be dismissed at the end of that second semester.
Readmission Criteria
The Readmissions Committee applies the following criteria in considering a petition for readmission. Except in extraordinary circumstances, all of the criteria must be satisfied. The conditions upon which readmission is predicated are individually determined.
- The applicant’s academic failure must have been caused by extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances;
- The applicant must provide evidence that the extraordinary circumstances either no longer exist or will no longer substantially interfere with academic performance;
- In the Committee’s judgment, the applicant must be able to raise their GPA to 2.000 or above within the two consecutive semesters following readmission; and
- In the Committee’s judgment, the applicant must not lack the capacity to be admitted to the bar if readmitted (this section applicable only to JD students).
Readmissions Committee Meetings & Decisions
The Readmissions Committee meets twice during the academic year. For students dismissed at the end of the Autumn semester or at the end of the first year, the Committee will meet toward the end of the Spring semester of the academic year following the dismissal to consider petitions for the following Autumn semester. For students dismissed after the second, third, or fourth year, the Committee will meet shortly before the beginning of the Autumn semester.
When a decision is made to readmit, the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs shall place a memo in the student’s file that includes a statement of the considerations that led to the decision.
Limits on the Number of Readmission Petitions
A student whose petition for readmission is denied may apply for readmission one additional time. A student must apply for readmission within two years of the dismissal date.
American Bar Association Standard 501 and Readmissions
American Bar Association Standard 501(c) applies to all ABA-accredited law schools, including DePaul University College of Law. The standard states:
A law school shall not admit or readmit a student who has been disqualified previously for academic reasons without an affirmative showing that the prior disqualification does not indicate a lack of capacity to complete its program of legal education and be admitted to the bar. For every admission or readmission of a previously disqualified individual, a statement of the considerations that led to the decision shall be placed in the admittee’s file.