"Fresh Start" at Santa Fe College May Give Students Path Toward Success

December 6, 2021

December 6, 2021 – Santa Fe College is launching a new Fresh Start initiative to give students the opportunity to boost their cumulative grade point average (GPA). Beginning in the spring, students can consult with their academic advisor to see if Fresh Start is the right move for them.

In order to qualify, the courses to be excluded must be at least five years old. Once approved, all SF and transfer grades prior to the requested date would no longer be considered in the GPA at SF. The purpose is to allow students to have poor grades removed from their GPA at SF, and may enable them to enter limited-access programs that have additional admissions requirements. Fresh Start is a one-time, final and irrevocable privilege.

"Santa Fe College wanted to give students who may have struggled the first time they attended college an opportunity to find success," SF Registrar Mike Hutley said. "By utilizing Fresh Start, students may now be able to enter some of the college's limited access programs including Health Sciences, Career and Technical programs and others without the weight of past grades preventing that access."

College officials said that SF Fresh Start only applies to how the cumulative GPA is calculated at the college and does not remove courses from students' academic records. All state and federal regulations concerning course attempts will still apply, as will all state, federal and college policies concerning a student's eligibility for financial aid. Additionally, colleges and universities to which students plan to transfer may still consider grades excluded as a part of SF Fresh Start.

For more information, students considering SF Fresh Start should meet with their academic advisor and contact SF's Office of the Registrar and visit sfcollege.edu/registrar/fresh-start.