Fresh Start

Sometimes all you need is a fresh start!

If you are returning to college after more than five years, or if you are interested in taking a new academic direction, but 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 students to request to exclude a portion of their academic record, that must be at least five years old, from their GPA calculations at Santa Fe College. 

Fresh Start Guidelines

  • SF Fresh Start includes the entire academic record (grades from Santa Fe College and transfer courses) from the term and year specified by the student and back, which must be at least five years prior to the current term. Courses that have been processed for SF Fresh Start will be notated as such on the student’s academic transcript.

  • SF Fresh Start is a one-time, final and irrevocable privilege. Subsequent requests for terms that later become five 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 or other institutions from the fresh start 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 cumulative grade point average (GPA) calculations at SF. Therefore, 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 table 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 …

  • Earned D or F grades.
  • Courses were taken within the last five 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 …

  • Earned D, F, W or I grades.
  • Courses were taken within the last year.
  • Experienced an 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 …

  • Earned D, F, or I grades.
  • Courses were taken within the last year.
  • Missed withdrawal deadline due to an unforeseen personal or college circumstance.

Requesting SF Fresh Start may be a good option if …

  • Earned D or F grades in courses taken more than five years ago.
  • Experienced personal circumstances that affected your academic performance during previous attempt(s) at college.
  • Returning to college and/or earned passing grades in recent courses.
  • Interested in applying to a bachelor or competitive limited access 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 student and assigned advisor).
  • 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 Vice President for Student Affairs. The student must submit a typed appeal statement within 10 business days of the date of the denial decision notification. The appeal statement should explain the student’s reasoning for why they think their application should be granted. The Vice President for Student Affairs will notify the student of their decision within 10 business days of receiving the appeal. This decision is final.