Student Persistence

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Learn more about Columbia College Chicago's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy below.

• What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

  Students need to meet the following standards of academic compliance in order to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress:

  • cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 or higher each semester
  • successfully complete at 67% of their attempted credit hours (completion rate: this is the number of credits a student successfully completes compared to the number of credits attempted)
  • complete their degree program within the maximum timeframe, which is 150% of the length of their academic program in credit hours

  To read more about SAP compliance and how it is calculated, click here.  

• How will I be notified if I am not in academic compliance?

  At the end of each term (fall, spring, summer) each student’s cumulative GPA, completion rate, and maximum timeframe will be calculated. The Office of the Registrar will notify students who do not meet one or more of these academic compliance standards.

  These are the four types of SAP statuses about which students may be notified:

  1. Financial Aid Warning (Academic Warning) - this status means that a student has one semester in order to improve their cumulative GPA or completion rate and attempt to regain academic compliance
  2. Financial Aid Suspension (Academic Dismissal) - this status means that a student has already been on Academic Warning for at least one term and has not yet regained academic compliance
  3. Financial Aid Probation (Academic Probation) - this status means that a student has successfully appealed their dismissal
  4. Financial Aid Probation Continuance (Academic Probation Continuance) - this status means that a student has successfully appealed their dismissal for at least two consecutive terms
• Can I continue taking classes at Columbia if I am dismissed?

  Columbia recognizes there may be extenuating and mitigating circumstances affecting student performance. Columbia allows students to appeal their academic dismissal by submitting a SAP/dismissal appeal to their academic advisor. A student is eligible to submit an appeal if any of the following circumstances apply:

  • Death of a relative
  • Physical or mental health illness or injury
  • Extraordinary and unusual change in personal circumstances that affected academic performance
  • Significant academic progress has been demonstrated

  
  If you are interested in appealing your dismissal, please refer to the Preparing a SAP/Dismissal Appeal section below.
• What if these circumstances don’t apply to me or if I don’t want to appeal my dismissal right now?
  Students who do not complete an appeal, or whose appeal is denied, must attend a community or city college for at least two semesters. Students with the goal of returning to Columbia need to demonstrate academic progress at their community/city college prior to applying for readmission at Columbia and submitting a new SAP/dismissal appeal. Students interested in attending a community/city college and later applying for readmission should meet with their Columbia academic advisor in order to make a plan. Academic advisors can help students figure out what transfer-friendly classes they can take at other institutions.
• Preparing a SAP/Dismissal Appeal
  1. Schedule a meeting with your academic advisor in order to discuss your appeal.

  Be prepared to talk about what happened last semester and what you plan to do differently in the future to help guarantee your academic success.

  2. Complete the SAP Agreement + Discussion sheet with your academic advisor.

  The SAP A+D sheet will serve as a guide if your appeal for readmission is approved. Through this discussion, you will learn what you need to do in your first semester back in order to regain academic compliance. You will calculate how many credits you should earn in order to improve your cumulative completion rate, if applicable, and what grades you need in order to boost your cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher.

  3. Write your SAP appeal letter so that the review committee can learn more about your circumstances.

  Describe why you were not able to maintain academic compliance and explain what you will do in the future in order to improve your academic success (such as taking advantage of tutoring, meeting with your academic advisor, repeating classes for academic forgiveness, staying in communication with your professors, working on time/attention management strategies, and/or requesting accommodations, if applicable).

  4. Submit your completed SAP/dismissal appeal to your academic advisor (email submission is common).

  A complete appeal consists of four parts: a SAP appeal form (provided by your advisor), your SAP Agreement + Discussion sheet, your appeal letter, and any relevant supporting documentation (if you have questions about what documentation you can provide, please speak with your advisor).

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us at studentpersistence@colum.edu.