Students who fail out of school may find getting back in harder than getting out.

Students dismissed from the university can apply for reinstatement after one academic semester, said director of admissions Robert Burk.

Burk said each college has its own reinstatement committee that considers class hours taken, grade point average and the appeal letter within the application.

Students with a lower GPA are less likely to be readmitted, unless the college sees a chance for success, Burk said.

“If someone with a 1.3 wants back in, they’re likely not going to get back in,” Burk said. “For the vast majority of the students applying for reinstatement, very few students are really offered reinstatement unless there is a compelling reason or a chance at success.”

To be dismissed from the university, a student’s GPA must fall below 2.0, Burk said. When this happens, the student is put on academic probation and is allotted one semester to regain a 2.0, or the student will be dismissed. After dismissal, students must sit out one academic semester before they can apply for reinstatement, Burk said.

There are a variety of ways for students to earn reinstatement, Burk said. He said one beneficial rule is the 60/80 rule.

With the 60/80 rule, students leave before completing 60 credit hours and return before earning 80 credit hours.

This allows students to go to an Illinois community college and earn an associate degree in the arts or sciences. With the associate degree, Burk said it is possible for students to automatically be reinstated to NIU.

After reinstatement, students start at NIU with a fresh GPA, but their transcripts still carry the old results. Students without an associate degree or any other college classes taken will return with the same GPA with which they left.

Each set of students still have one semester to earn a 2.0 after reinstatement to avoid another dismissal, Burk said.

Burk said it is possible for students starting with no GPA to take one class to earn good academic standing, but said it would not help those with GPAs that do not reset.