This page provides detailed examples of each component of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy as well as the evaluation process. It is intended to demonstrate the relationship between a student’s academic performance, his/her satisfactory academic progress status and financial aid eligibility. Students are encouraged to become familiar with the satisfactory academic progress policy in order to best understand the examples provided below.
Examples of the following components of the SAP policy are:
- Maximum Timeframe
- Credit Hour Completion Rate
- Grade Point Average
- Evaluation process
Maximum Timeframe: Andrew
Andrew is an approved full-time undergraduate student who started his degree program in Fall 2010. He declared a double major and a minor in Spring 2012 and he expects to graduate in Spring 2016. For the purposes of this example, Andrew is meeting the minimum GPA requirement for satisfactory academic progress purposes.
Andrew Approved full-time undergraduate |
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Term of Enrollment |
Credits Attempted |
Credits earned |
Cumulative credits attempted |
Cumulative credits earned |
Completion |
Number of semesters |
SAP |
Fall 2010 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
100% |
1 |
Meeting |
Spring 2011 |
15 |
12 |
27 |
24 |
89% |
2 |
Meeting |
Summer 2011 |
8 |
8 |
35 |
32 |
91% |
3 |
Meeting |
Fall 2011 |
18 |
18 |
53 |
50 |
94% |
4 |
Meeting |
Spring 2012 |
16 |
16 |
69 |
66 |
96% |
5 |
Meeting |
Summer 2012 |
6 |
6 |
75 |
72 |
96% |
6 |
Meeting |
Fall 2012 |
15 |
15 |
90 |
87 |
97% |
7 |
Meeting |
Spring 2013 |
18 |
12 |
108 |
99 |
92% |
8 |
Meeting |
Fall 2013 |
15 |
15 |
123 |
114 |
93% |
9 |
Meeting |
Spring 2014 |
12 |
12 |
135 |
126 |
93% |
10 |
Meeting |
Fall 2014 |
12 |
12 |
147 |
138 |
94% |
11 |
Meeting |
Spring 2015 |
15 |
15 |
162 |
153 |
94% |
12 |
Not Meeting |
At the end of Spring 2015, Andrew is not meeting satisfactory academic progress because a student is allowed a maximum of 12 semesters. So even though Andrew has above a 67% completion rate, he is not meeting satisfactory academic progress after the Spring 2015 semester because he has exceeded the maximum allowed number of semesters.
Grade Point Average: Mia
Mia is an undergraduate student who started her degree program in Fall 2014. She is expected to have a cumulative 2.0 grade point average for all credit hours attempted.
Mia Approved full-time undergraduate student |
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Term of Enrollment |
Credits Attempted |
Credits |
Cumulative |
Cumulative |
Completion |
Cumulative |
SAP |
Fall 2013 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
100% |
2.0 |
Meeting |
Spring 2014 |
15 |
12 |
27 |
24 |
89% |
1.90 |
Not Meeting |
At the end of Spring 2015, although Mia has above a 67% credit hour completion rate, she is not meeting satisfactory academic progress because she did not meet the minimum GPA requirement.
Evaluation of Academic Progress: Liang
Liang begins his undergraduate program in Fall 2013. At the end of Fall 2013, he is meeting satisfactory academic progress and is eligible for financial aid for Spring 2014. At the end of the spring term, Liang fails to meet SAP. Since he was meeting SAP in the previous term, he is placed on Financial Aid Warning for his next term of enrollment.
Liang decides to enroll in Summer session. At the end of Summer 2014, he meets SAP and is eligible for financial aid for the Fall 2014 term. At the end of Fall 2014, Liang fails to meet SAP. Since he was meeting SAP in the previous term, Liang is placed on Financial Aid Warning for his next term of enrollment.
Liang EVALUATION OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS |
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TERM OF ENROLLMENT |
EVALUATION OF SAP |
SAP STATUS FOR NEXT TERM OF ENROLLMENT |
FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY FOR NEXT TERM OF ENROLLMENT |
STUDENT ACTION WITH SFS FOR SAP |
Fall 2013 |
Meets SAP |
Meeting |
Eligible for Spring 2014 |
None required |
Spring 2014 |
Fails to meet SAP |
Financial Aid Warning |
Eligible for Summer 2014 |
None required |
Summer 2014 |
Meets SAP |
Meeting |
Eligible for Fall 2014 |
None required |
Fall 2014 |
Fails to meet SAP |
Financial Aid Warning |
Eligible for Spring 2015 |
None required |
Spring 2015 |
Fails to meet SAP |
Financial Aid Suspension |
Not eligible for Fall 2015 unless appeal approved |
Pay out of pocket or submit appeal |
Liang submits appeal. SFS Appeals Committee approves appeal. Liang is on Financial Aid Probation for Fall 2015. |
At the end of Spring 2015, Liang fails to meet satisfactory academic progress. Because he was not meeting SAP during the previous term, Liang’s financial aid eligibility is suspended. Liang can either pay out of pocket until he is able to meet SAP or submit an appeal. Liang submits an appeal which is approved by the Student Financial Services Appeals Committee. Liang is placed on financial aid probation for Fall 2015 and is eligible for financial aid.