Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Links to an external site.

In order to remain eligible to receive financial aid, students must maintain SAP standards, which include the following components: 

  • Minimum GPA: Must maintain a minimum 2.0 overall/cumulative GPA.
  • Minimum Pass Rate: Must complete at least 75% of the units you attempt each academic year, with acceptable grades (A through D- and CR are considered acceptable). Units attempted is determined by your enrollment as of Census.
  • Maximum Time Frame: May receive funds until 150 units are completed (180 units for certain Engineering programs) and/or 12 semesters of full-time equivalent enrollment have been completed (15 semesters of full time equivalent enrollment for certain Engineering programs).

If you do not meet SAP eligibility because of one or more of the above requirements, one method of reestablishing eligibility for financial aid is filing an appeal Links to an external site.. Please see the linked webpage for guidance on what information you will need to provide in order to file an appeal, as it differs depending on which SAP requirement you do not meet. Note that students are limited to one appeal per degree program. Be sure to reference the deadlines Links to an external site. for submitting a SAP appeal.

A letter of support is only required for students who are submitting a SAP appeal to address the Minimum GPA requirement. A letter of support is not required for a Minimum Pass Rate or Maximum Units/Time Frame appeal.

See the section below for guidance on how to receive a letter of support from the Director of Psychology Advising.

 

Obtaining Letter of Support for SAP Appeal

In order to submit a SAP appeal to address the Minimum GPA requirement, students will need to obtain and submit a letter of support from a staff, faculty member, assistant dean or other academic professional on campus.

 

Steps to Receive a Letter of Support for a SAP Appeal

For Psychology students, please complete the following steps to receive a letter of support from our advising director (Dr. Sadler).

  1. Meet with a Psychology peer advisor to review your degree requirements. This first step ensures that all of your options are reviewed prior to beginning the process of a SAP appeal, as well as to help you devise a plan of action for how you will make progress toward meeting your degree requirements. 
  2. If you choose to submit a SAP appeal, you will be asked to provide our director with your Letter of Explanation to serve as supporting documentation. This is the same letter that you are asked to submit as part of the SAP appeal. See the following section for further guidance on what to include in this letter.
    • By submitting the same letter that you will be providing for the appeal, you will receive direct feedback on the strength of your letter, as well as advice on how to better address the prompt, if needed. 
  3. Once you have written your letter of explanation, send the letter via email to psychology.advising.sdsu@sdsu.edu to be reviewed by the Director of Psychology Advising. You will typically receive a letter of support within a week (turn-around time varies depending on the busyness of the office).
    • You may also receive guidance/suggestions on editing your letter of explanation during this time as well.
  4. Submit all of the necessary documentation (e.g., letters of explanation and support, supporting documentation).

 

What to Include in the Letter of Explanation

Your appeal must be based on extenuating circumstances beyond your control that affected your ability to satisfactorily complete your classes. Extenuating circumstances beyond your control that may be considered with supporting documentation might include:

  • personal injury or illness that required extended recovery time or significant improvement;
  • death or illness of immediate family member;
  • significant trauma in your life that impaired your emotional and/or physical health; or
  • other extenuating circumstances.

In a signed letter of explanation no longer than one page, explain what happened that contributed to you not making progress towards finishing your degree, and what you will be doing moving forward to get back on track academically & make progress towards degree completion.

In other words, the letter should include an explanation on what impacted your ability to make progress toward completing your degree requirements and include concrete action plans for getting back on track (e.g., identifying courses you plan to repeat for course forgiveness, retroactive withdrawal).