midlandstech.edu
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PO Box 2408
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Columbia, SC 29202
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803.738.7792
student financial services
STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR
SAP APPEAL FORM
Federal regulations require students to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in three areas –
Cumulative GPA, Hours Earned, and Maximum Time Limit – to be eligible for financial aid. It is the student’s
responsibility to stay informed of the college’s SAP Standards and to monitor his/her own progress. MTC
evaluates each student’s progress at the end of each semester. In some cases, a student’s failure to remain
in compliance with one or more areas of SAP is due to events totally beyond the student’s control. If such
“extenuating circumstances” can be documented for the specific term(s) when the deficiencies occurred, the
student may submit a completed SAP appeal, along with all required documentation. Students will receive
notification of all appeal decisions by MyMTC email. All appeal decisions are final and will not be reviewed unless
additional documentation not included with the original appeal is submitted within 14 calendar days of the appeal
denial notification. A student may only appeal three times throughout his or her academic career at MTC.
Appeals will only be considered for extreme cases, including but not limited to:
1. A death in the student’s immediate family, such as parents, grandparents, or siblings. A copy of the
obituary, death certificate, and proof of relationship must be submitted.
2. Mitigating circumstances including, but not limited to, the student’s medical condition, hospitalization,
documented emotional distress, or other situations beyond the student’s control. A letter from the treating
physician, counselor, or therapist is required. Proof of hospitalization may be submitted in lieu of a
doctor’s statement.
3. A student missing class to care for a dependent must have missed two or more scheduled classes or
one exam and provide documentation from the treating physician that the student needed to be there
to provide care for the dependent (parent, spouse, or child).
4. Physical or mental abuse may be substantiated with documentation from a qualified third party such as a
minister, therapist, or police reports. (All documentation must be on official letterhead.)
5. A change in work hours, if the change in schedule was initiated by the employer after the term began,
and this information is substantiated by the employer on company letterhead.
Appeals may not be granted under the following circumstances:
1. Student withdrew to avoid failing the course.
2. Student withdrew or failed due to working too many hours.
3. Death or illness of friends.
4. Several semesters of low unsuccessful grades because of an on-going situation.
5. A student enrolled in a certificate, diploma, or degree program and has previously attempted the
equivalent of 180 credit hours or more.
6. Student is on an approved appeal and changes his/her program of study.
Required documentation to be provided by student – All responses should be typed on a separate sheet of
paper and attached to the appeal.
If you have failed to maintain a satisfactory grade point average (2.0) and/or meet the minimum credit hour
pace requirement (67%), please answer the following questions. Be specific and concise in your explanation
and focus your attention on the academic terms in which you did not meet the requirements for satisfactory
academic progress.
