State SAP
State Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Good academic standing consists of two elements: satisfactory academic progress and pursuit of program. Satisfactory progress is a measure of the student’s achievement, of earning credits toward a degree or certificate with a specified grade point average. Pursuit of program is a measure of the student’s effort to complete a program.
Satisfactory Progress
How is Satisfactory Progress measured:
Satisfactory Progress is measured by the number of credits a student has earned and their overall GPA. Students must have earned / accrued a set amount of credits and meet the minimum GPA standard to be eligible for a future payment of TAP funding.
| Before being certified for this payment: | A student must have accrued at least this many credits: | With at least this GPA: |
| 1st | 0 | 0 |
| 2nd | 6 | 1.5 |
| 3rd | 15 | 1.8 |
| 4th | 27 | 1.8 |
| 5th | 39 | 2.0 |
| 6th | 51 | 2.0 |
| 7th | 66 | 2.0 |
| 8th | 81 | 2.0 |
| Before being certified for this payment: | A student must have accrued at least this many credits: | With at least this GPA: |
| 1st | 0 | 0 |
| 2nd | 3 | 1.1 |
| 3rd | 9 | 1.2 |
| 4th | 21 | 1.3 |
| 5th | 33 | 2.0 |
| 6th | 45 | 2.0 |
| 7th | 60 | 2.0 |
| 8th | 75 | 2.0 |
| 9th** ( EOP only) | 90 | 2.0 |
| 10th** ( EOP only) | 105 | 2.0 |
**Only students in five-year programs, approved pursuant to Section 145.2.7 of the regulations, are eligible for more than eight semesters of undergraduate awards (exclusive of Supplemental TAP).
“Remedial student” is defined as a student:
(a) whose scores on a recognized college placement exam or nationally recognized standardized exam indicated the need for remediation for at least two semesters, as certified by the college and approved by the State Education Department (SED); or
(b) who was enrolled in at least six semester hours of non-credit remedial courses, as approved by SED, in the first term they received a TAP award; or
(c) who is or was enrolled in an opportunity program (HEOP, EOP, SEEK CD).
Pursuit of Program (POP)
How is POP measured?
POP measures the student’s effort to complete coursework during a semester they received a TAP payment for. This information is checked prior to TAP certification each semester.
Students must have earned passing or a percentage of credits out of the minimum fulltime credit load (12 credits) based on the TAP payment they have received. Failures, and withdrawals do not count as earned credits.
| Payment | Percentage of the minimum full-time course load (12 credits) that needs to be earned during this payment. | Credits you must earn during that semester. |
| 1st | 50% | 6 |
| 2nd | 50% | 6 |
| 3rd | 75% | 9 |
| 4th | 75% | 9 |
| 5th -8th | 100% | 12 |
| 9th-10th** (EOP only) | 100% | 12 |
**Only students in five-year programs, approved pursuant to Section 145.2.7 of the regulations, are eligible for more than eight semesters of undergraduate awards (exclusive of Supplemental TAP).
TAP Waiver for State Satisfactory Academic Progress
The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) review for TAP occurs within the first two to three weeks of each semester. A student will receive an email notification of the loss of state aid, including details of the TAP waiver process. A TAP waiver may be completed if a student has an exceptional circumstance, such as the ones listed below:
- Unforeseen medical/dental/mental health issues
- Financial difficulties (loss of income, unemployment, etc)
- Death of spouse, parent, or family member
Students applying for a waiver must complete the TAP waiver form with the Office of the Registrar and provide supporting documentation by the established deadline based on the email notification. The waivers will then be reviewed, and students will receive a final decision via their Purchase email account.
For more information on TAP Waivers, please contact the Registrar’s Office.