What is a Continue on Probation Letter?
If you believe that you might not meet the requirements to clear Academic Probation by the end of your probationary term, you may submit a “Continue on Probation” (COP) letter to the Dismissal Review Committee to request consideration to be continued on academic probation for an additional semester. If you have not already done so, it may be helpful to review the following pages to understand the context of this letter:
- Academic Probation (see: "What happens if I do not clear Academic Probation?" FAQ)
- Dismissal
COP letters are not required, but allow you an opportunity to give some context to your academic record.
Deadline
Spring 2024 Continue on Probation letters are due May 31st, 2024.
If you are uncertain of your grades by this date, we recommend submitting your COP letter just in case. If you are Subject to Dismissal, your letter will be reviewed as part of the Dismissal Review process (see our Academic Probation page for more information). If you clear academic probation and return to good academic standing, your letter will not need to be reviewed.
How to Submit
The Spring 2024 COP Letter Google Form is now live. The letter can be submitted via this Google Form prior to or on the deadline.
COP Letter: Challenges and Resources
In addition to helping the review committee understand aspects of your experience that your academic record alone cannot communicate, the process of writing a COP letter might be the first time you have stopped to examine why you have struggled academically. Alternatively, you may know well why you are struggling, but be unsure of what resources are available to help you overcome your challenges.
We recommend reviewing our Common Causes of Academic Difficulty and Connect with Academic Support pages to help you reflect on your experience so far and to identify options for moving forward.
COP Letter: Chances
A common question students ask regarding COP letter is, “What are my chances?” or “How often do students get continued on probation?”
Each case is truly assessed individually. The chances of being dismissed are higher if your GPA is significantly below a 2.0, if your grades have been on a downward trend, or if you are struggling significantly in your major direction without plans to change. Your COP letter is a chance to add your voice to the decision and COP letters have changed the way a decision might have otherwise gone.
It is important, though, to know that even if you follow all of the advice and tips on this page, it does not necessarily mean your chances of being continued on probation will be improved. This page is meant to provide insight on what kind of information is useful to present and to help you understand how to present it.
Remember that it is better to be honest and be dismissed than present something you think the committee will want to hear only to get trapped on a path you do not want to be on. For example, if you spent your first year struggling in your intended major direction and are not ready to give up trying to succeed in that major, you could use your terms away to work on your study skills for your intended major at a community college and show readiness to continue in that direction when you return. On the other hand, if your COP letter outlined a plan to change your major direction, you could be continued but restricted from a schedule that would allow you to pursue that major direction.
COP Letter: Taking a Break from Cal
Sometimes when students write a COP letter, they realize that the best option for their situation is to take a break from attending school or at least from attending school at UC Berkeley. We have found that timing is one of the most important factors in a student experiencing academic success. If that is your conclusion, it can still be worth putting that into your COP letter and submitting it anyway. If you are approved to continue on probation, this would mean you can take a break and return on probation. If you are dismissed, you would need to take extra steps before returning to Cal. Read more relevant information on the following pages: