Adams State University is dedicated to ensuring students have every opportunity to achieve their educational goals. To encourage successful degree completion in a timely manner, academic progress for all students is reviewed at the end of every term.

Three Standards of SAP

Minimum Cumulative GPA: 2.0 for undergraduate students, 3.0 for graduate
Pace: Students must successfully complete at least 67% of their attempted credits
Maximum Credit: Students must complete their degree within 150% of the required credits. For undergraduates, baccalaureate degrees must be completed within 180 credits. Graduate degree credit standards vary with each program.

Three Strikes

  1. PROBATION: Students who fail to meet the Pace and/or GPA Standards for the first time will receive one warning semester. There is no impact on a student’s financial aid during this semester. Students must meet with their advisors to develop an academic plan and discuss options that may assist them. A SAP Appeal form is not required.
  2. SUSPENSION: Students who have had a prior warning semester are placed on suspension. All financial aid is held until the student meets with their academic advisor and completes the SAP Appeal form and academic plan. The appeal is then submitted to the Financial Aid Office for evaluation. Students whose appeals are approved will be placed on Probation for one semester. If the appeal is denied, the student will be placed on SELFPAY and will be ineligible for aid.
  3. SELFPAY: Students who have failed to meet SAP standards for a third consecutive semester will be ineligible to receive further financial aid until they meet all SAP standards on their own financial terms. This includes state, federal, and institutional loans, scholarships, and grants.

The SAP Appeal is a degree audit and should include:

  1. Restricted enrollment for each subsequent semester (indicating any courses to be repeated)
  2. Cumulative GPA for each semester
  3. Anticipated graduation date.

If the appeal is approved, the Academic Plan becomes the student’s new, individual SAP standards. These requirements will be more rigorous in order to help the student reach graduation with a 2.0 (3.0 for graduates). If the appeal is denied or if at any point, they fail to meet the requirements as laid out in the academic plan, they are ineligible, with no option for appeal. The student can pay out-of-pocket and regain eligibility, but will have no strikes remaining.

Course Completion Requirement

Courses must be completed with an earned grade at the end of each semester to meet financial aid requirements. Receiving more than one (1) grade of IN (incomplete) in any semester or period of enrollment will stop any subsequent financial aid disbursement(s). Any grade of IN (incomplete) must be updated before the end of the subsequent semester in order to receive any further financial aid.