Basics of Satisfactory Academic Progress

A full description of the regulations regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) can be found in the Academic Program pages of the Catalog, but in practical terms, the following summary may be more helpful.

The Committee on Academic Standing, a small board of faculty and deans designed to help students who encounter academic difficulties, meets periodically to identify paths forward when a student is not making satisfactory academic progress towards the degree.  The Faculty have identified three main criteria for evaluating satisfactory progress. 

• Standard of Work in the Major Subject:  Students are expected to maintain grades of 2.0 or above in all courses in their major.
• The Merit Rule:  Students are expected to earn grades of 2.0 or above in at least half of the total number of units they take each semester and cumulatively at Bryn Mawr.
• Satisfactory Progress Towards the Degree:  Students are expected to complete course work satisfactorily and meet college deadlines for making progress towards the degree.

With these criteria in mind, the Committee reviews a student’s record when the student has

• earned a grade below 2.0 (“below merit”) in the major,
• earned a failing grade (0.0 or NC) after a previous failure,
• earned grades below 2.0 (“below merit”) in more than half their class units in a given semester,
• completed fewer than 2/3 of the course units they attempted in a given semester,
• completed fewer than 3 units total in any given semester, or
• otherwise failed to make satisfactory progress towards the degree.