Satisfactory Academic Progress
Eligibility of Title IV aid is based on the maintenance of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in a program of study. In order to receive aid, all financial aid recipients are required to maintain satisfactory progress towards completion of an eeligable degree, diploma, or certificate. The following standards are applicable to all Federal and State aid programs.
Grade Point Average To maintain satisfactory academic progress, students must earn a cumulative GPA according to the number of semester hours for which they have attempted as indicated in the table below:
|
Hours Attempted |
Grade Point Average (GPA) |
|
0-12 |
1.0 |
|
13-24 |
1.5 |
|
25-36 |
1.75 |
|
37 and above |
2.0 |
Completion Rate You must successfully complete 67% of the total credit hours attempted, including developmental coursework, in order to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Successful completion includes grades of A, B, C, D, CE, and P (passing). All other grades are not considered a successful completion of course work. Students failing to maintain satisfactory progress are ineligible for aid.
Incompletes, Withdrawals, Repeated Coursework and Transfer Credit Withdrawals(W) and Incompletes(I) are not included in GPA computation. According to institutional policy, incomplete grades not removed by the student by the end of the following semester (excluding summer session) will revert to an “F”. Grades “W” and “I” are considered in determining completion rate and count toward the maximum time frame for completing a program of study.
You are permitted to repeat courses and only the most recent course grade is counted in the GPA calculation. All repeated hours are counted as attempted. However, completed hours are counted only once as completed, unless the program requirements make retaking a previously passed course mandatory. (Example: an outdated computer course.)
Transfer credits from other post-secondary institutions will be used to determine quantitative satisfactory academic progress for both completion rate and maximum time frame.
Maximum Time Frame Limitation The maximum number of credit hours eligable for financial aid is one and one-half times the number of program credit hours as outlined in the catalog of record. If the program attempted has not been completed within the maximum allowable time, then satisfactory progress is not being maintained and financial aid will be terminated. The time frame begins when you first attend the college and continues until you successfully complete a program of study regardless of the number of years that may lapse between enrollment periods. Since the time frame is cumulative; you may lose financial aid eligibility by switching programs before successfully completing a program of study.
Credit hours for course incompletes, withdrawals after the 10% point of the semester, or repeated courses will be counted as hours attempted towards the time frame. Credit for developmental coursework by placement testing is not counted toward the maximum time frame.
Once you complete a program successfully, you become eligible for a new time frame if you plan to pursue a second certificate, diploma, or degree. Transferable credit hours from the completed program are counted toward the new time frame for a new course of study.
Financial Aid Academic Warning At the end of each semester the Financial Aid Office will determine whether students receiving financial aid are making satisfactory academic progress. Grade point average and rate of completion are used to determine satisfactory academic progress. Students failing to make satisfactory academic progress will receive a Financial Aid Academic Warning and be notified.
Financial aid recipients on academic warning will be granted a one semester period, following their first semester of financial aid academic warning, to regain satisfactory progress. During this warning period, you can continue to receive financial aid, provided you are otherwise eligible.
To regain aid eligibility, you must achieve the minimum required standards during the warning period: the minimum required cumulative grade point average as listed in Grade Point Average section, and a 67% overall completion rate. If at the end of the financial aid warning period, you are able to re-establish satisfactory academic progress, the warning is lifted. Students who fail to regain satisfactory progress during the warning semester are ineligible for aid until their progress is again satisfactory.
Academic Appeals and Probation Students with mitigating circumstances are encouraged to use the appeals process. The circumstances being appealed must be properly documented and submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
The Financial Aid Office will notify you via email of your failure to achieve satisfactory academic progress. If you desire to appeal the termination of financial aid an appeal package must be submitted to the financial aid office prior to the first day of the term for which you are seeking reinstatement of financial aid assistance.
You must give the reasons why you did not make satisfactory progress and why financial aid should not be terminated (examples: extended illness, hospitalization, accident, death of immediate family member). Documentation to support the appeal is required.
The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will review all appeals to determine if the reinstatement of aid is justified. Students who successfully appeal are placed on probation and are eligible for financial aid during the probationary period. If more than one semester is required for the student to achieve the minimum qualitative and quantitative policy standards, the student must meet with a Counselor and develop an academic success plan. A copy of the plan must be included in the Appeal package submitted to the Office of Financial Aid.
All appeal decisions are final.
Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility Should you have your financial aid eligibility terminated for failing to meet the satisfactory academic progress definition, termination will continue until you meet the criteria for satisfactory academic progress. Once the satisfactory academic progress definition is met illegibility is reinstated for the sequential academic term. In addition, financial aid eligibility will immediately be reinstated for all appeals upheld. Retroactive payments of financial aid for terms when students were on suspension are prohibited by federal regulations.