I sought help on a college project, but now the school is saying this help was unauthorized and is threatening to sanction me. Is this fair? How do I respond?

If you're accused of unauthorized collaboration, it is unfortunately a serious matter. It will depend on your school's specific policies as to what would constitute an authorized collaboration. Then also, more specifically, what these specific instructions or requirements of the assignment or course were. Did your professor, in fact, prohibit you from engaging in what they're accusing you of in terms of the collaboration, or were you actually within your rights to do so?

It will be highly fact and circumstance specific, so that certainly would have to be concerned in full in terms of whether a person actually did do something improper per the school's code, or again, was within his or her rights.

Having an experienced attorney advisor will be your best ally to help you understand the process and also to help navigate the process moving forward and to take the best steps forward in addressing the allegation.