Fresh Start

If you are returning to OSU after a long absence and have an OSU CPHR (Cumulative Point-Hour Ratio, or GPA) under a 2.0, you may want to petition to apply Fresh Start to your academic records. This will allow you to restart at Ohio State with a clean CPHR of 0.00.

Fresh start can only be applied in certain situations and has some factors you should consider:

  • You must have not been enrolled at the University (any campus) for 5 or more years.
  • While all courses will remain on your permanent record, only courses in which you received a C- or higher will be counted for credit towards fulfilling degree requirements.
  • Other course work will not be counted for credit, towards any requirement, or toward graduation.
  • You will return to Ohio State with a recalculated cumulative GPA of 0.00. 
  • You must reach paid status for your first semester back at Ohio State before Fresh Start can be applied. This means that financial aid eligibility for your first term will not be based on the recalculation of your GPA under Fresh Start.

  • You must complete a minimum of two semesters and 30 semester hours after using the Fresh Start Rule before you are eligible to graduate. 

Keep in mind that if you are considering applying to graduate or professional schools, or even to other colleges at Ohio State, their admissions processes will look at all of your grades and may recalculate the original grade(s) into your total GPA.

If you are a returning student and would like to apply for Fresh Start, contact an academic advisor in the program you intend to pursue.