Policies
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
In accordance with federal and state regulations, 推荐正规买球平台's Financial Aid Office is required to evaluate a student's satisfactory academic progress at the end of each term (fall, spring, summer), to determine financial aid eligibility for the following term. Satisfactory academic progress evaluations will include all periods of enrollment whether students received or did not receive financial aid for periods of enrollment and include credit hours earned at other institutions and transferred into the student's program of study at 推荐正规买球平台.
In order to be eligible for federal, state, and institutional aid, students must meet both quantitative (time-based) and qualitative (grade-based) standards.
Grade-Based Standard (GPA)
Grade Point: Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
Time-Based Standard (PACE)
Completion Rate: Complete 67% percent of the total cumulative credit hours attempted. For example, if a student has attempted 100 credits, the student must complete 67 credits to meet the completion rate requirement.
Maximum Timeframe: Complete the requirements for an eligible program of study within a timeframe not to exceed 150% of the published program length. For example, if an academic program length is 60 credit hours, the maximum credit hours that is eligible for financial aid is 90 (60 * 150% = 90). Students may only receive financial aid for two programs at 推荐正规买球平台.
Note: Remedial coursework will be included in the time-based standard and is limited to 30 credit hours.
Treatment Of Selected Grades
Withdrawals/Drops: Credit hours in which a student receives a grade of "W" or "WF" are included in the number of attempted hours, but do not count toward successfully completed hours. Excessive withdrawals may affect your ability to meet satisfactory academic progress standards.
Incompletes: Credit hours in which a student receives a grade of "I" are included in the number of attempted hours, but do not count toward successfully completed hours. Grades of "I" are treated as a "F", which negatively affects GPA.
Fails: Credit hours in which a student receives a grade of "F", "WF", "R" are included in the number of attempted hours, but do not count toward successfully completed hours. In addition, these grades negatively affect GPA. Students with failed grades may have difficulty meeting the satisfactory academic progress standards.
Audit and Never Attend: An audit "AU" or never attended "NA" grade is not considered attempted coursework. It is not included in the students' GPA or completion rate evaluation. A student cannot receive financial aid for courses that he/she audits or never attends.
Repeat Courses: Per federal regulations, a student may repeat a previously passed course (grade of "D" or better) on additional time. Repeat courses are included in total attempted earned hours.
Credit by Exam: Credit hours in which a student receives a "CE" is included in attempted and completed hours for the time-based standards of completion rate and maximum time frame. A student cannot receive financial aid for a "CE" credit.
Transfer Credit: All hours transferred and accepted from other institutions are included in the number of hours attempted and completed. In addition, a student's maximum time to receive financial aid will be reduced by the equivalent transfer of credit hours towards his/her degree.
Eligibility Status
Satisfactory: Students who meet the minimum requirements (cumulative 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate) of satisfactory academic progress standards are placed on this status.
Warning: Students who do not meet the minimum requirements (cumulative 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate) after an official evaluation at the end of a semester will be placed on WARNING for the following semester. Students may continue to receive financial aid during the warning period.
Suspension: Students on Warning status who fail to meet the minimum requirements (cumulative 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate) or have not met the minimum requirements for two consecutive terms will no longer be eligible for financial aid.
Maximum Time Frame: Students who have reached the maximum credit hours allowed for his/her program of study will be placed on this status. Attempted credits from all enrollment periods at the College plus all applicable transfer credits are counted; whether or not the student received financial aid for those terms is of no consequence.
Probation: Students who have successfully appealed financial aid suspension are placed in Probation Status. Students in Probation Status are eligible to receive financial aid for one (1) semester, after which they MUST be in satisfactory status and/or meeting the requirements outlined in their SAP Appeal Decision Letter as determined by the Financial Aid Office.
Termination: Students on probation status who do not adhere to the Success plan that he/she was given will be placed on Financial Aid Termination. Students who have been terminated are no longer eligible for financial aid until the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards are met.
Regaining Eligibility For Financial Aid
Students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress standards will be immediately ineligible for financial aid. In order to regain financial aid eligibility, students must meet the minimum requirements of 推荐正规买球平台's Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards by enrolling for classes at his/her own expense.
Students with documented extenuating circumstances that are beyond their control may submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office. If the appeal is approved, financial aid eligibility will be reinstated on a probationary status.
SAP Evaluations And Notifications Of Eligibility Status
Returning students are evaluated on a continuous basis from the first enrollment at 推荐正规买球平台 unless a mitigating circumstance is considered. Returning students who were previously enrolled under an academic progress policy other than the current academic progress policy will be required to meet the standards of the current policy at the end of the returning semester.
The Office of Student Financial Aid will send correspondence of eligibility status to students receiving federal and/or state aid when SAP is evaluated at the end of the semester.
Appeals Of Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
Students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress standards have the right to appeal their eligibility status to the Office of Student Financial Aid. Students with documented extenuating circumstances that are beyond their control may have their financial aid reinstated if their appeal is approved.
A student may submit written documentation to the Financial Aid Office:
- Submit the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request form
- A personal statement explaining the circumstances that have affected academic performance AND what has changed that will allow him/her to make Satisfactory Academic Progress in a reasonable period of time prior to program graduation.
- Supporting documentation must be presented.
Extenuating circumstances that may be considered include death in the family, accident, illness, military deployment, or other serious personal problems that were beyond the control of the student and can be supported with proper documentation from involved third party sources.
Appeal Evaluation
Only complete appeal submissions, with documentation, will be evaluated by the Financial Aid Office. The decision is final. Depending on the circumstances, the student could be required to complete additional requirements (i.e., see a career counselor or another type of counselor, limit enrollment, etc.) before an appeal is granted. The goal is to help the student get back on track for graduation. The reasonableness of the student's ability for improvement to again meet SAP standards and complete the student's program of study will be carefully considered. Appeals will be approved or denied. Students who have appeals approved will be in probationary status for the coming terms until full Satisfactory Academic Progress standards are met. During probationary status, all terms, conditions, and any additional requirements of probation must be met, or the student will return to suspension. If an academic progress plan has been pre-approved by financial aid, continuing to meet the requirements of that plan will put the student back into good standing.