Academic Re-evaluation

Academic Re-evaluation is a policy that is sometimes known as "academic forgiveness"

Academic Re-evaluation is the process of removing all prior grades from future Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation for those students enrolling at Minnesota State Mankato after an absence from post-secondary education of at least four years.

It provides returning students who have had academic difficulties at an earlier stage of their academic career the opportunity for a "second chance" at academic success in earning a degree.

A student may petition for academic re-evaluation when all of the following conditions are met:

• The student has not been enrolled at Minnesota State Mankato or any other post-secondary institution for at least four (4) consecutive calendar years immediately prior to re-enrolling or transferring to Minnesota State Mankato.
• The student must initially complete at least 30 semester credits in consecutive terms, earning a minimum GPA in each of those terms of 2.00 and an overall GPA for those terms of at least 2.5.
• The student may not earned a previous degree of any type, Associate or Baccalaureate, in order to be eligible for academic re-evaluation.

Initiating Re-evaluation

Eligible students would complete a [PDF] petition for academic re-evaluation (154 KiB), available through the Office of the Registrar, and submit this petition to the Office of the Registrar. If the petition is approved, the Office of the Registrar processes the petition and notifies the student. If the petition is not approved, the Office of the Registrar will notify the student of non-approval and basis for that decision.

Transcript/Record Changes Following Re-evaluation

Once a re-evaluation has been processed, all courses (both transfer and Minnesota State Mankato courses) completed before the minimum four-year absence will no longer be computed in the student's GPA. All prior credit-bearing courses (those having grades of A, B, C, D, or P) will still count as earned credits. All prior non-credit-bearing courses (those having grades of F, NC, I, or IP) will still not count as earned credits. All grades from re-evaluated courses will still be displayed on a Minnesota State Mankato transcript, even though they are not included in GPA calculations. Academic re-evaluation will be noted on the transcript at the time it occurs. The student's recomputed GPA will include no grades before the four-year absence from enrollment.

Department/Program Requirements

Individual departments/programs may require majors and minors to repeat required courses completed prior to the academic re-evaluation for their program.

Request for Exception

Students may appeal a requirement for academic re-evaluation by submitting a written request to the Office of Academic Affairs along with the unapproved application for academic re-evaluation. This request must include evidence of extenuating circumstances. Appeals must be submitted by the second Friday of fall or spring semester.

Academic re-evaluation request forms are available at the Office of the Registrar or [PDF] online (154 KiB).

Questions concerning academic re-evaluation should be directed to

Records and Grades

room:  WA 132; phone:  389-2577