Satisfactory Academic Progress

Bowdoin expects all students to maintain an acceptable level of academic progress, therefore this Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy applies to all matriculated students. These standards have been developed in accordance with federal, state, and institutional regulations.

The Recording/Action Committee meets twice each year to review the academic records of students who are not meeting these standards. Students are placed on academic probation, suspension, or dismissal according to the criteria below; students on academic probation or suspension are not considered to be in good academic standing.

At the close of each semester, once grades post, all students’ records will be assessed for academic and, if applicable, financial aid SAP. All students earning a cumulative or semester GPA of less than 2.000 will be reviewed, as well as those who have not met the quantitative measure outlined.    

In cases of repeated poor performance, a student may be dismissed from the College. In cases when a student’s academic standing changes, copies of correspondence with the student that outline the student’s final academic standing are sent to the student’s parent or guardian.

In cases where a student is also aided, The Office of Student Aid, the Office of the Registrar and the Office of the Dean of Students will collaborate to ensure that student communication is coordinated through any aid warning and appeal processes.

It is important to note that this policy and the College’s financial aid SAP necessarily share regulations. While these policies share details, they are implemented separately from one another to maintain the integrity of each process. For details about the financial aid components of the SAP policy, please visit the Student Aid Office's website here.

All Bowdoin course grades are included in a student’s GPA; however, for the purposes of determining academic standing (good standing, academic probation, suspension, dismissal), first semester grades may be omitted from the computation for sophomores, juniors and seniors if that omission benefits the  student. 

The registrar’s office will perform the computation to determine if this is the case using the following standard: the cumulative GPA for the student at the time will be determined with and without the first semester grades. If it is higher without the first semester grades, that calculation will be used.  This will only occur for upper class students’ GPA calculation and beyond. Students in their first semester at Bowdoin will have their first semester GPA viewed as a “semester GPA” rather than cumulative for the purposes of the academic SAP policy. 

All undergraduate students must maintain at least a semester GPA of 2.000. In addition to being subject to these standards, students receiving VA benefits must also maintain a 2.000 GPA to be eligible to continue to receive their VA benefits.  

The Office of the Dean of Students informs students of changes in academic standing according to the following schedule; students who have not met the minimum SAP requirement for aid will be notified by the Director of Student Aid. For the purposes of determining internal academic standing only, the computation of required GPA for upper class students omits first-semester grades if, and only if, this is advantageous to the student. The calculation is described above; SAP calculations for aid always includes all semesters enrolled, as required by law. 

Students are placed on academic probation, suspension, or academically dismissed according to the criteria below. The GPAs outlined below also prompt aid action when applicable.

• Academic Dismissal:
  • If the cumulative GPA is 1.000 or lower or the student meets the conditions for a second academic suspension. 
    
    • Note: if the student's GPA is 1.000 or lower at the end of their first semester at Bowdoin, they qualify for academic suspension and not dismissal.

• Academic Suspension:
  • If the cumulative GPA is 1.001 – 1.499, or the semester GPA is 1.000 or lower. 
  • If the GPA is 1.000 or lower at the end of the student's first semester at Bowdoin.

• Academic Probation:
  • If the cumulative GPA is 1.500-1.999, or the semester GPA is 1.001 – 1.999. 

• Good Standing:
  • If the cumulative GPA is greater than or equal to 2.000 and none of the other standards outlined above are met. 

• Academic Dismissal:
  • If cumulative or semester GPA is 1.000 or lower or the student meets the conditions for a second academic suspension. 

• Academic Suspension:
  • If cumulative and semester GPA are 1.001-1.999. 

• Academic Probation:
  • If cumulative or semester GPA are 1.001-1.999. 

• Good Standing:
  • If cumulative GPA is greater than or equal to 2.000 and none of the other standards outlined above are met.

Students are placed on academic probation for one semester upon returning from academic suspension. Students on academic probation will be assigned to work closely with their academic advisor and a dean from the Office of the Dean of Students.

• Students must enroll in 4 full-credits graded with letter grades while on academic probation.
• Students on academic probation normally are not eligible to study away.  

The quantitative standard or pace is equivalent to the number of credits the students has successfully completed divided by the number of credits the student attempted. 

Students are expected to make normal progress toward the degree, defined as passing the equivalent of four  full-credit courses each semester.  For purposes of the academic review at the end of each term, and counting academic terms in attendance only, medical leaves will not be taken into consideration. 

Any student who fails to register for a minimum of 3 credits and attend classes prior to the end of the first week of the term may be withdrawn from the College, and this will count towards the student’s eight semesters in their aid calculation.  Transfer credit and pre-matriculation credits count in this calculation for academic and aid pace. Please note that there is a different calculation of this standard for aid, please see their website for details. 

To comply with the satisfactory academic progress policy, each candidate in the four-year program must successfully complete the following minimum number of course and unit credits:  

Students not making normal progress may be asked to make up deficient credits in approved courses at another accredited institution of higher education.   

Students who earn academic suspension or dismissal under the SAP policy have the option to appeal to the Recording/Action Committee. Each semester, in advance of the Recording Committee’s Action Meeting, students who are up for academic suspension and dismissal will be given the opportunity to write a petition explaining any extenuating circumstances that led to their academic deficiency and reasons why they should not be placed on suspension or dismissed. The Committee will review these materials, and the decision of the Committee is final. This is a separate review from the Student Aid appeal. The Student Aid Office, the Office of the Registrar and the Dean of Students Office will ensure that students who are involved in one or both appeal processes are given clear, concise instructions. 

Notification Process 

Students not making Satisfactory Academic Progress toward their degree will receive correspondence via their Bowdoin e-mail address. This correspondence includes the appeal process instructions for both the academic and aid processes when applicable. Students will be notified of all deadlines related to the appeal processes in this communication.  

Academic Standing Appeal Procedures 

Students have the right to appeal their academic standing by submitting a petition to the Recording Committee. Petitions should include information regarding the extenuating circumstances that led to the student’s deficiency in scholarship. Details can be found on the website here and students should consult their dean when drafting a petition.