Test Preview: Satisfactory Academic Progress

Content Areas

To earn this credential, you will need to know the standards for satisfactory academic progress (SAP) students must meet to continue to receive federal financial aid, including quantitative and qualitative measurements of progress. You also will need to know about frequency of evaluation, financial aid warning and probation, and SAP appeals. This will help you demonstrate the ability to protect the integrity of the Title IV programs by ensuring your school’s SAP program meets all requirements of this important aspect of student eligibility.

The range of topics in this test include:

  • General Concepts of Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Evaluating Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • SAP Appeals, Probation, and Academic Plans
  • Additional SAP Policy Elements

Tests may include questions pertaining to a variety of program structures, such as credit- or clock-hour, term or nonterm, standard or nonstandard term, undergraduate or graduate/professional programs, and programs of various length (shorter than one year, two-year, four-year, certificate, etc.).

Sample Test Questions

Select to EnlargeAll tests will include a combination of multiple-choice and scenario-based questions. Some questions may involve viewing or downloading worksheets, charts, and tables. Please ensure you have a calculator available while taking a credential test.

Review the following examples, which are similar in structure and scope to the questions that will appear on the test for this topic. Check your answers by selecting the question's link.

1. A school’s SAP policy can exclude which of the following courses from a student’s SAP review?

    • Courses dropped after the add/drop period receiving a withdrawn grade
    • Courses attempted during a summer session to raise the GPA
    • Courses retaken for the third time
    • Courses transferred, but that do not count toward the student’s current program

2. A school’s SAP policy can allow different qualitative and quantitative standards for students in which one of the following scenarios?

    • Students in different grade levels
    • Students in different academic programs
    • Students who are mid-year transfers
    • Students with credit excluded due to academic amnesty

3. A school’s SAP policy may allow a student who exceeds the maximum timeframe to appeal the ineligible status in each of the following cases, EXCEPT when

    • a portion of the student’s coursework was transferred from another school and applied to the student's current program.
    • some of the student’s course grades are "withdrawn" or "incomplete."
    • the student changes majors.
    • the student had an extenuating circumstance that affected the ability to complete the program within the allotted timeframe.

4. A student who fails to meet SAP criteria may be placed on financial aid warning when a school monitors SAP

    • annually and the student can reinstate eligibility within one payment period.
    • by term and the student can reinstate eligibility within one payment period.
    • by term and the student can reinstate eligibility within one academic year.
    • annually and the student has an approved appeal.

Recommended Resources

Prepare for this test by reviewing related content in resources such as:

Return to NASFAA U Testing Center

View Desktop Version