SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS
The United States Department of Education mandates that students maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward completion of their degrees within a reasonable period of time to be eligible for Title IV financial aid programs, including Pell, Federal SEOG, Federal Work Study, and Federal Direct Student Loans.
Below is a list of requirements to maintain SAP:
- Grade point average (GPA)- Achieving and maintaining at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average
- Pace of progression- Passing a required number of hours (67% of all hours attempted)
- Maximum time-frame- Total overall hours must not exceed 150% of the published length of a student’s degree program.
The SAP Review Process
Satisfactory academic progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester by the college’s Financial Aid Department for all students, and students who received aid the previous semester (payment period) will be notified of their updated status, in writing, via email.
Status Codes
1. NEW - student is attending college for the first time, this includes students who received credit:
- Before earning a high school diploma (or equivalent),
- For completing tests or assessments, or
- For life experience or military service
2. TRANS- student is enrolling in the college for the first time and has previously attended another postsecondary institution.
3. GOOD - student meets all three standards and is eligible to receive federal financial aid
4. WARN - student failed to meet at least one of the standards at the end of the previous payment period and the student was in "good” or "new” standing during that previous payment period
5. APLAN – student failed to meet SAP, was granted an appeal, is placed on an Academic Plan
6. BAD- student is not meeting SAP and is not eligible to receive federal financial aid for the next payment period of enrollment
Appeals
Students who do not meet SAP standards have the right to submit an appeal to the college’s Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Appeals are typically based upon mitigating circumstances such as prolonged illness, accidents that required hospitalization of the student or a close family member, death of an immediate family member, or other extreme documented incidents. All appeals must include documentation that:
- Substantiates claims being made in the appeal and
- Demonstrates a change in current circumstances, making academic success likely if the appeal is granted. Appeals can only be made once per semester. If an appeal is approved, the student will be placed on an Academic Plan.
Academic Plan
An Academic Plan is specifically designed for a student who does not meet at least one of the standards at the end of the previous semester and who’s Financial Aid Appeal has been granted. The requirements within the Academic Plan must be met to regain eligibility. Students will need to meet the standards of the Academic Plan each payment period until meeting the SAP standards. Not enrolling in college for a period of time then re-enrolling will not bring the student into compliance with the SAP policy and may require the student’s academic plan to be re- adjusted.
At minimum, the Academic Plan will require that the student do the following:
- Earn a GPA of 2.25 in all courses taken each semester.
- Pass all courses taken each semester with a grade of C or higher and no W’s or I’s.
Students may be required to meet additional requirements, such as taking specific courses and/or meeting with academic advisors.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Can I Check the Status of my SAP?
- Log onto your LOLA account and select the financial aid tab
- Select Financial Aid Status
How long will it take for my appeal to be reviewed?
Please allow 2 weeks for the committee to review your appeal and make a final decision.
What If I received a failing grade for a course?
A student who has received a failing grade in a required course at the college may repeat the course, pursuant to the college’s policy on repeating courses. For the purposes of SAP, required courses that are failed and repeated multiple times will count toward a student’s hours attempted, hours completed, and grades received. Also pursuant to federal regulations, a student may only receive federal financial aid for one repetition (repeat) of any previously passed course. All repeated courses will be included in the total attempted hours for SAP evaluation.
What if I change my major?
Students who change their major are still expected to complete the coursework for the new major within the maximum allowable hours. All attempted hours from a prior major will be included in the total attempted hours. If a change in major results in a student not meeting SAP, the student may submit a SAP appeal that, if granted, will allow the student to continue receiving aid while under an academic plan.