The use of "academic forgiveness," which allows students to be considered for readmission or graduation to college, is discussed, with attention to the procedures used by nine state colleges in New Jersey. The student is allowed an opportunity for low grades or other evaluations to be removed, under certain conditions, from grade point average (GPA) calculations or other determinations. None of the New Jersey colleges recasts the permanent record of the readmitted student (i.e., no grades are factored out of the transcript). However, the colleges handle loss of credit and the GPA of readmitted students in different ways. All of the colleges except one allow students to repeat courses. Four of the colleges allow students to use the higher grade earned in their GPA; the other colleges use all grades earned in the computation of GPA. The main factors involved in a restart scheme are: time absent from the institution; the recasting of the student record following readmittance; and conditions or constraints affecting the GPA and credits needed for graduation. The average time away from the institution for students at the New Jersey colleges is 2 years. Recasting the student record usually deals with "D" and "F" grades. Some schools allow a total restarting of courses and GPA--a trade off of all grades for the opportunity to begin again. (SW)