Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals

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Ridgewater College and Minnesota State requires that all students make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) towards a degree, diploma or certificate to remain in good academic standing. Students are responsible for their own academic progress and for seeking assistance when experiencing academic difficulty. However, sometimes a student’s failure to make SAP is due to extenuating circumstances. For those circumstances, we have developed an appeal process for suspensions resulting from a failure to meet academic standards.

How to Complete and Submit Your SAP Suspension Appeal

Step 1

Have all the following required documents ready to upload before you begin working on your SAP Suspension Appeal Form. If you don’t attach all of the required documents, or if you upload them in a format that we aren’t able to view, your appeal will be denied. Here is what you will need:

Personal statement (see below for instructions on what you must include)
Documentation to support your personal statement (see below for a list of appropriate and acceptable documentation)
A signed letter of support from someone that knows your situation and includes details on how they will support your efforts to achieve satisfactory progress
Copies of all your unofficial college transcripts

You can scan and email documents to yourself from any copy machine on campus, if you need access to technology.

Step 2

Once you have all your documents ready, submit your appeal by doing the following:

Open the SAP Suspension Appeal Form.
Enter your star ID and password to access the form.
Fill out the student information section.
Check the reason(s) for your appeal (i.e. personal, physical health or mental health issue). Once you click on the reason, add the related documents.
Review the re-enrollment requirements and check all the boxes to indicate that you submitted all the required documents.
Upload your unofficial transcript(s).
Click on the check box to enter your electronic signature.
Click “Submit Form” button at the bottom of the form. You will receive an automated email letting you know that your appeal has been received.

Step 3

Once your completed appeal has been received, you will be scheduled to meet with a counselor to complete an Academic Success Plan (ASP).

Documentation

How to Write Your Appeal Personal Statement

Section 1: Introduce yourself, your major or education plan and explain the circumstances that lead to your suspension.

Section 2: Detail the events of the first term of warning (example: fall 2021) and why you did not achieve a 2.0 GPA and/or a 66.66% completion rate.

State the term (example: fall 2021) and why you did not successfully complete your courses.
Explain the documentation you attached to your appeal to support your statement.
Explain how you plan to prevent this from occurring again.

Section 3: Detail the events of the term of suspension (example: spring 2022) and why you did not achieve a 2.0 GPA and/or 66.66% completion rate.

State the term (example: spring 2022) and why you did not successfully complete your courses.
Explain the documentation have you included to support your statement.
Explain how you plan to prevent this from occurring again.

If needed, provide additional information for additional terms suspended.

Closing Paragraph: Discuss your plan to ensure success if your appeal is approved (i.e. reduced credit load, fewer work hours, use academic support center or other support service, etc.).

Documentation to support your personal statement

I am appealing based on:	Documentation required:
Personal, physical or mental health issue	Health providers statement on official letterhead
Death of a family member/close friend	Death certificate or obituary
Military call up for active duty	Copy of official military orders
Family/relationship crisis	Court or legal documentation
Childcare	Documentation from childcare provider
Disability	Letter of support from disability services office on campus
Natural disaster, including flood, fire, tornado, etc.	Copy of insurance claim and/or media report
Job insecurity	Unemployment verification or termination letter, or letter from an employer
Housing insecurity	Eviction notice, letter from a shelter or social worker
I have been out of college and did not take it seriously while I was enrolled	Letter of support from someone that confirms your commitment to your educational goals and why school is a good option for you
First generation college student	Letter from someone explaining you are the first person in your family to go to college
No career goal or major	Career assessments or information on how you chose your major
Other	Include documentation that supports any extenuating circumstances you outlined in your personal statement

Letter of support from family/friend/employer/other

The writer of the letter should state their name and relationship to you. They must explain:

How they have seen you change your circumstances to have academic success.
How they will help you with your plan to prevent the circumstances that led your unsatisfactory progress.

Deadlines

Fall 2025 start appeal deadline: July 18, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. (if you were suspended before the Summer 2025 term)
Fall 2025 start appeal deadline: August 12, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. (if you were suspended in Summer 2025)

When you are ready to submit your appeal: SAP Suspension Appeal Form.

Once your appeal is received, you will be scheduled to meet with a college counselor to review your appeal and develop an Academic Success Plan (ASP).

If you need to upload additional documentation after you have already submitted your appeal you can do so here: Document Upload Form.

Your appeal will be reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid. Please note it can take up to 30 days for you to get your results. You will be notified via email with the result. If your appeal is not approved, you may request a committee review your appeal.