Students receiving Title IV HEA federal financial aid are required to be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward their program completion. These standards only apply to federal financial aid as defined below.
Federal financial aid programs at the College subject to these Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards include the Federal Pell Grant (Pell), Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, Federal Work Study (FWS), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Loans, and Federal Parent (PLUS) Loans.
The College is required to evaluate the progress of all students receiving federal financial aid. If a student fails to meet the College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, they are considered ineligible for all federal student aid. To be considered eligible for federal financial aid, students must meet:
- A cumulative qualitative measure (cumulative GPA)
- A cumulative quantitative measure (percentage of credits completed toward program completion)
- Complete their program within a maximum timeframe (150% of academic program length)
Grade Point Average (Qualitative Measure)
- Undergraduate students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
- Students receiving the Federal TEACH grant may need to maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA.
- Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Pace of Progress (Quantitative Measure)
All undergraduate and graduate students must have successfully completed at least 67% of the cumulative credits they have attempted, as determined at the end of each semester.
Grades
Only credit hours successfully completed with a passing grade count as completed credit hours. Grades of “I”, “W”, and “E” are considered attempted but not completed. Students may ask the Financial Aid Office to reconsider eligibility if a grade is changed.
Repeated Courses
All repeated courses are considered attempted hours, even if the grade is not included in the cumulative GPA. Federal aid is only available one time for repeating a previously passed course.
Transfer Credits
Accepted transfer credits, AP credit, and CLEP credit are counted as both attempted and completed in SAP pace and maximum timeframe measures. Only grades earned at the College count toward GPA.
Maximum Timeframe
Federal aid is limited to 150% of the required credits for program completion. For most undergraduates, this means a maximum of 183 attempted credit hours. Graduate students are also held to the 150% rule. Students mathematically unable to complete within the timeframe are ineligible.
Maximum Pell Semesters
As of July 1, 2012, students are limited to 12 full-time semesters (or equivalent) of Pell Grant awards. View lifetime eligibility at www.studentaid.gov.
Maximum Subsidized Loan Semesters
As of July 1, 2013, students are limited to 12 full-time semesters (or equivalent) of Federal Direct Subsidized Loan eligibility. View details at www.studentaid.gov.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Review Process
Academic records are reviewed at the end of each term. All College academic records are evaluated, including transfer credits. Students not meeting GPA or pace requirements are placed on Financial Aid Warning. Those who exceed maximum time or are mathematically ineligible are placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Notifications include reasons and appeal instructions.
Financial Aid Warning
If a student fails GPA or pace requirements for two consecutive semesters, they are placed on Financial Aid Suspension. This does not apply to students exceeding the maximum timeframe.
Re-establishing Federal Financial Aid Eligibility
Eligibility may be re-established through an appeal or by improving academic performance to meet SAP standards.
Appeal Process
Students placed on Financial Aid Suspension may petition for reinstatement by documenting mitigating circumstances and explaining how conditions have changed to allow academic success. This is separate from the College’s Academic Division appeal process.
Mitigating Circumstances
Examples include:
- Medical Problems: Physician or counselor statement indicating illness duration and ability to attend school
- Accident/Injury: Police/medical report showing date, effects, and school-readiness
- Death of Family Member: Obituary, death certificate, or announcement
- Military Service: Orders and discharge papers
- Other Circumstances: E.g., divorce, separation, homelessness; requires documentation (e.g., police reports, court papers, counselor letters)
Filing an appeal does not guarantee reinstatement. The appeal decision is final.
Financial Aid Probation
Students may be placed on Financial Aid Probation after a successful appeal. They must meet SAP in the next semester or follow an academic plan approved by the Academic Dean’s Office. Failure results in Financial Aid Suspension.