Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

 The Higher Education Act mandates that institutions of higher education establish minimum standards of “satisfactory academic progress” (SAP) for students receiving financial aid. To receive financial aid at the College of Coastal, a student must maintain a satisfactory Grade Point Average (GPA) and be making satisfactory progress as outlined below. These requirements apply to any grants, loans or scholarships that contain any federal or state funds.

At the end of every Spring Semester, the Financial Aid Office is required to monitor all financial aid recipients for SAP. For the 2007-2008 academic year, the SAP requirements are changing. Below are the old requirements versus the new requirements.

GPA

Completion Percentage (%):

• Students must maintain a 2.0 or above cumulative grade point average. All classes (excluding the first 30 credit hours of Learning support classes)are included in the GPA calculation for financial aid purposes. Transfer work that is accepted for credit is also counted.
• Students must complete at least 67% of courses attempted. The system does not "round-up" completed hours. If a student attempts 12 hours but only completes 8, the completion rate is 66.6%. That student would not be meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. Grades of W, IP, and F do not count as completions. The first 30 Learning support classes are excluded in the completion ratio calculation for financial aid purposes.
• Students must complete their program of study in a reasonable time frame. The maximum time frame allowed for a student to complete his or her program of study is 150% of the total credit hours required for the program.

What does this mean? In short, you must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in order to meet SAP requirements. Also, you must complete 67% of the classes that you attempt.

For example,

GPA requirement:

Cumulative GPA at the end of Spring = 1.82

The above student would not meet the minimum GPA requirement at the end of spring semester and would not be eligible to receive financial aid.

Completion percentage requirement:

Cumulative Completion percentage at the end of Spring = 53% (9 credit hours completed divided by 17 credit hours attempted)

The above student would not meet the completion percentage requirement at the end of spring semester – and would not be eligible to receive financial aid.

Appeal Process

If there are extenuating circumstances that prevented a student from meeting the SAP policy, a written financial aid appeal can be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. Appeals can be submitted in person, or by mail. Students should submit their written appeals to the Financial Aid Office and must address both of the following items:

1. The reason(s) why you have not met the minimum academic requirements to receive Financial Aid.
2. The step(s) that you are taking to obtain the minimum requirements to receive Financial Aid.

All appeals are reviewed at the end of semester after final grades are posted. It can take up to 7 business days after grades are posted for an appeal to be reviewed. During peak times such as registration and the first week of classes, the process can take longer than the normal 7 days. Once the review is complete, the student will be notified by mail.

How do I avoid SAP problems?

Below are some tips to help you avoid SAP problems:

What should I do before I drop a class? Always speak with your instructor to see if there are any other alternatives to dropping the class. You should do everything possible to avoid dropping a class because your financial aid may be affected.

What if my job changes my hours? Before you decide to take a class, verify with your employer that your work schedule will allow you to attend and study and prepare for class. Always discuss your class schedule with your employer before you sign up for class.

Are you planning to have surgery? When planning your class schedule, keep in mind any activities (trips out of town, surgery, job duties) scheduled for that semester that may hinder your ability to successfully complete your class. If a planned activity will interfere with your ability to complete your class you may need to skip a semester and return when you can study with no distractions.

Are you taking a tough combination of classes? Make sure that the combination of classes that you are taking is not too demanding. Taking several demanding courses during the same semester is a recipe for disaster. Plan ahead and balance your class load.

Are you over-extending yourself? Often, new students will take more classes than they are able to handle. Make sure you do not take more classes than you can successfully handle in one semester.

What about family responsibilities? Before you decide to take a class, make sure your family responsibilities are able to be met while you are enrolled. Childcare, activities with family members, and transportation issues should be resolved before you enroll.

Are you dedicated? College is not easy. Before you enroll, you must determine if you are willing to put forth the time and effort needed to be a successful student.