Need to Submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal? Follow These Instructions for a Seamless Experience.

Life happens. Those two words alone evoke vivid imagery of the unfortunate aspects of life. Students who performed poorly in the 2025-26 academic year may need to complete an SAP appeal to regain eligibility for accessing federal student aid in the upcoming fall semester. If you received an email from the Financial Aid Office detailing the need for you to complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal, it is best to heed the advice outlined in this column.

You can complete an SAP appeal in four easy steps.

Breathe

Notification from the Financial Aid Office about the need to complete an SAP appeal often comes at the most inopportune moment. You may already know that your academic progress was unsatisfactory last year. Perhaps you are nervous about your academic progress moving forward. It is important first to take a deep breath and relax. While you cannot change the past, you can most certainly alter the direction of your future.

Now is not the time to lament all the wrongdoings of the prior year. Taking a deep breath helps you organize your thoughts and reflect on what happened this past year that led to your academic performance. For some students, it can be as simple as taking personal responsibility for studying better in the future. For other students, it can be more complex, as personal circumstances and other factors can affect their ability to perform at a high level. No matter how simple or complex your situation is, it’s important to take a moment to take a deep breath and collect your thoughts to avoid overreacting.

Carefully Read the SAP Notification Email

It is the responsibility of the Financial Aid Office to monitor a student’s academic progress. Federal regulations require a school to have a written policy about Satisfactory Academic Progress. You can review the College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress by clicking on this link. SAP is a two-fold test: 75% completion rate of attempted and earned credits and meeting a minimum cumulative grade point average requirement (2.0 for UG students and 3.0 for GR students). Students who fail one or both tests will need to complete an SAP appeal to continue receiving assistance from federal student aid programs.

In the SAP notification email, the Financial Aid Office will detail which test you failed. It is important to identify what you need to improve before devising a plan with your academic advisor. Students with an earned credit deficiency must complete the courses they previously withdrew from to remedy it. Students with a low cumulative grade point average will either need to repeat failed classes and earn a passing grade or improve their grades in future classes to revive their cumulative grade point average.

Complete an SAP Appeal by Submitting the Survey

The SAP notification email includes a link to a Financial Aid Office SAP appeal form. This brief survey allows students to explain their situation and how they plan to address their academic failures. It’s important to be honest at this stage. Disclose what you are comfortable sharing with the Financial Aid Office. Students who take personal responsibility for their situation are more likely to have their SAP appeal approved than those who respond inadequately to the survey.

Students typically have until July 1 to submit an SAP appeal. Late submissions after July 1 are acceptable; however, late submissions hinder the processing time of your federal student aid before the next semester begins. Remember to submit your appeal on time to prevent processing delays.

If the Financial Aid Office denies your SAP appeal, you will receive an email explaining the reasoning for the denial. Students who fail to complete an SAP appeal will not receive federal student aid assistance until their academic progress improves.

Sign an Academic Action Plan and Enroll in Classes

After the Financial Aid Office approves your SAP appeal, your academic advisor will contact you about an Academic Action Plan that you will need to sign. The Academic Action Plan stipulates what you need to do to get back on track with your academic performance. Students who are unsure about their next steps should speak to their academic advisor. Scheduling the correct type of classes to remedy a low cumulative grade point average or earned credits deficiency can be tricky for some students, so take advantage of your academic advisor’s wealth of knowledge and experience. Their job is to help you turn around your academic performance.

Students who have questions or concerns about their SAP notification should contact the Financial Aid Office. By following these four simple steps, students can submit their SAP appeal on time and devise a strategy for getting back on track academically in no time.