Writing Your Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Letter

Whoever is on this committee knows the reason you were placed on Financial Aid Suspension. They either are able to look over your records or have been given a summary of your academic history. There is no reason to hide from the truth because they already know. Briefly and clearly state why you were put on Financial Aid Suspension in your letter. This reason is different depending on the person. There are several reasons you may have gained this status, your grades dropped below the requirement, you have taken more credit hours than deemed acceptable your major, etc. (If you are not sure of the exact reason why you were placed on Financial Aid Suspension find out by talking to someone in your Financial Aid office.)

This is where you make your case to the committee. Why is it you believe you should be given another chance? What were the extenuating circumstances around your academic issues? Again this is specific to the person, and there are several situations the committee will look into. Be sure to clearly state the issue and why it kept you from keeping your “Good Academic Standing.” If you had a medical emergency you should state the circumstances which led to this medical emergency, how long you were in the hospital or incapacitated, and how this kept you from completing work, attending classes, etc. The key here is specifics, give them as many specific details as possible so they can fully understand the issues you had.

Now that you have told them why you had issues with your academics, you need to let them know how to plan to resolve those issues. At Gulf Coast (and many other colleges) you are required to have an Academic Plan signed by your advisor. This shows what you plan to do in terms of coursework, however, you need to explain what else you plan to do to get back on track. This could include meeting with a tutor once a week or even meeting with your professors to ensure you are understanding the curriculum. Whatever you believe will help you to achieve academic excellence once again state it here. This would also be a good place to state what has changed since your issues.

Documentation is required with every type of appeal letter. Anything that can prove what you have stated in your letter should be included. If you were in a medical emergency include notes from your doctor that explain your situation and have dates that coincide with what you have already stated. If you transferred schools or switched majors and now have too many credits, include transcripts from before the change that proves you are now on a different path.