Fresh Start

Sometimes all you need is a fresh start!

If you are returning to Santa Fe College after more than three years, and your past grades are holding you back, then Santa Fe College's Fresh Start may be an option for you.

SF's Fresh Start policy enables eligible students to request to exclude a portion of their academic record, that must be at least three years old, from all their GPA calculations at Santa Fe College.

Eligibility

To be eligible for SF Fresh Start, a student must:

  • be currently enrolled at Santa Fe College;
  • have had a break in enrollment for a period of 3 or more consecutive years;
  • have successfully completed 12 or more credits since re-enrolling after not having attended SF for a period of 3 or more consecutive years;
  • have had an all-college cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 by the end of the Fresh Start cutoff term;
  • have submitted all official final academic transcripts from all educational institutions attended; and
  • not have already earned a degree (AA, AS, AAS, Bachelor or higher).

Fresh Start Guidelines

  • SF Fresh Start applies to the student’s SF academic record only, from the term and year requested by the student and back, which must be at least three years prior to the current term. Courses that have been approved for SF Fresh Start will be identified as such on the student's academic transcript. Fresh Start does not apply to transfer credits.

  • SF Fresh Start is a one-time, final and irrevocable privilege. Subsequent requests for terms that later become three years old will not be considered.

  • Students may not request that specific courses be excluded or included in the Fresh Start request. All semesters at SF from the Fresh Start cutoff term and back will be excluded from cumulative grade point average calculations at SF. Therefore, it is in a student's best interest to consider carefully the term and prior record for which SF Fresh Start is sought.

  • SF Fresh Start will not remove courses from the student's academic record, it only excludes them from all the grade point average (GPA) calculations at SF. State and federal regulations concerning course attempts will still apply. For example, if a student has three or more attempts at the same course, state regulations mandate that the student be assessed full cost of instruction and not be permitted to withdraw from the course.

  • SF Fresh Start does not bypass state and federal financial aid regulations. The academic record impacted by SF Fresh Start is not excluded from state, federal, and SF Financial Aid policies. As such, SF Fresh Start applicants who are ineligible for Financial Aid remain so even after granted an SF Fresh Start. Students should consult with an SF Financial Aid Specialist prior to requesting an SF Fresh Start.

  • Students should be aware that some colleges or universities may not honor SF Fresh Start and may compute the grades as originally assigned.

Is SF Fresh Start a Good Option for Me?

Review the information below to determine if SF Fresh Start is a good option for you. In addition to SF Fresh Start, Santa Fe College provides other options to help you succeed, that are also listed below.

Retaking courses for grade forgiveness may be a good option if you …

  • Earned D or F grades.
  • Took the courses within the last three years.
  • Have not experienced any unforeseen hardship or extraordinary personal circumstances (medical condition, death of immediate family member, financial hardship, military orders).

Submitting a Petition for Drop with Refund may be a good option if you…

  • Earned D, F, W or I grades.
  • Took the courses within the last year.
  • Experienced a severe and unforeseen hardship that affected your academic performance (medical condition, death of immediate family member, financial hardship, military orders).

Submitting a Petition for Late Withdrawal may be a good option if you …

  • Earned D, F, or I grades.
  • Took the courses within the last year.
  • Experienced a hardship that prevented you from withdrawing from your course(s) by the published withdrawal deadline.

SF Fresh Start may be a good option if you...

  • Had a break in SF enrollment of three or more consecutive years and had a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 prior to your break in enrollment
  • Re-enrolled and have successfully completed 12 or more credit hours since re-enrolling
  • Have not already earned a degree (AA, AS, AAS, Bachelor or higher).
  • Are interested in applying to a program at Santa Fe College where GPA is a consideration factor.

How to request the SF Fresh Start?

You can submit your request in person at the Office of the Registrar (Northwest Campus, Building R, Room 112) or via email to registrar@sfcollege.edu.

Your request must include:

  • SF Fresh Start request form, signed by an academic advisor. If you are applying for a program of study at SF, it is preferred that you obtain the signature of the advisor for that program
  • Typed statement explaining past academic performance and the intended outcome of the fresh start.

SF Fresh Start Decision

Decisions will only be released through the college's official notification system. Please allow up to 45 business days for processing.

Appeals

Students may appeal an SF Fresh Start decision to the College Registrar. The student must submit a typed appeal statement within 10 business days of the date of the denial decision notification to registrar@sfcollege.edu. The appeal statement should explain the student's reasoning for why they think their application should be granted. The College Registrar will notify the student of their decision within 10 business days of receiving the appeal. This decision is final.