Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
About Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Federal regulations, HEA Sec. 484(c), §668.16, 668.34, require all schools participating in Title IV Federal Financial Aid programs to have a Satisfactory
Academic Progress (SAP) policy that conforms to the requirements detailed below. These requirements apply to all students as one determinant of eligibility for financial aid.
- Your SAP status is based on your entire academic record, at all schools attended (includes all transferable hours), regardless of whether you received financial aid.
- SAP is calculated each semester after grades have been posted to academic history by the Registrar’s Office.
- If after the first term of attendance you are not making SAP, you will be put on a Warning status and allowed to keep aid for one term. Your continued eligibility will be determined after the next term check point.
- If your SAP status is Failure after your WARNING semester, you will not qualify for financial aid for the following term.
- If your SAP status is Failure, documented extenuating circumstances may allow continued eligibility on a case-by-case basis and will require an academic plan.
- A student may appeal their SAP Failure status only once a semester during their academic career at Calhoun Community College.
Quantitative & Qualitative Requirements
Quantitative Requirement
The quantitative requirement has two parts:
- A maximum time frame
- A required completion ratio
Maximum Time Frame (Maximum Attempted Credit Hours)
You must earn your degree before reaching 96 attempted credit hours, which includes transferable credits attempted at any school prior to and while enrolled at Calhoun Community College (CCC). A maximum of 20 semester credit hours of remedial courses will be excluded from the 96 semester credit hour determination. Students who are seeking a second degree different from their first degree may be granted additional hours to complete the second degree requirements.
Once you reach the maximum attempted credit hours, you are no longer eligible for financial aid. Federal regulations stipulate that the maximum time frame for a student cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the academic program.
Is there extended eligibility for a 2nd degree?
Completion Ratio (Measure of Progress)
| Hours Attempted | % of Hours to be Completed | Cumulative GPA |
|---|---|---|
|
Hours Attempted:
1-21
|
% of Hours to be Completed:
58%
|
Cumulative GPA:
1.50
|
|
Hours Attempted:
22-32
|
% of Hours to be Completed:
62%
|
Cumulative GPA:
1.75
|
|
Hours Attempted:
33 and above
|
% of Hours to be Completed:
67%
|
Cumulative GPA:
2.00
|
When is SAP determined?
- Initial Review – You are considered to be meeting SAP during your first CCC term.
- End of Every Semester Review – Your SAP status is calculated at the end of each semester, after grades are posted to your academic history by the Registrar’s Office.
What happens when you do not meet the requirements?
You lose eligibility for financial aid.
- You are no longer eligible for financial aid – including work, loans, grants or scholarships. If on a Warning Status, eligibility may continue (note below).
- Because you do not qualify for financial aid, you must pay your tuition and fees by the payment deadline or your registration will be cancelled by the Business Office.
Is there extended eligibility for a 2nd degree?
Low Completion Ratio
There are three statuses for low completion ratio before your eligibility for financial aid is cancelled.
Warning Status
Failure Status
Probation Status
An objective committee determines whether the appeal is approved or denied. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final and cannot be appealed further.
Appeal Denials or Non-appeals
No Progress
* NOTE:
Academic Circumstances That Affect Your Status
-
Changes in majorsmay cause you to reach your maximum attempted hours and lose your eligibility before earning a degree.
-
Incomplete grades, missing grades, failing grades, course withdrawalsall reduce your completion ratio, because they are counted as attempted, but not earned credits. They also count against your maximum attempted hours.
-
Only two consecutive attempts of the same courseis allowable within an academic year.
-
Repeated courses
count as attempted credit hours each time you register for them. They also count against the allowed maximum. This can also reduce your completion ratio because repeated credits count as earned credits only once.
*NOTE: The U. S. Dept. of Education allows only one retake for Title IV credit.
-
Academic Bankruptcy
counts against your maximum attempted credits, and also lowers your completion ratio because the credits count as attempted but not earned.
-
Transfer credits
count toward your maximum attempted credits and your completion ratio.
*NOTE: All Transcripts must be received by the Registrar before you may receive any financial aid award.
-
Remedial courses
factored into the G.P.A., completion rate and maximum timeframe calculations.
-
Late posted grades or grade changes
will require that you submit a written request to have your SAP recalculated after you have confirmed with the Registrar’s Office that the grade change has been posted to your academic record.
-
Dismissal and Return
students who are suspended academically or choose not to attend because of SAP Failure will not be automatically eligible for financial aid upon their return. Student must meet both qualitative and quantitative standards of SAP. If below standards, a student must appeal or use means (cash, private loan or credit card) other than financial aid for educational expenses. Absence does not restore eligibility for financial aid.
-
Summer Term Courses
all hours attempted and completed in the summer terms are treated as any other semester hours in determining SAP status. SAP will be checked following the summer term as well.
-
Audit Courses
students are not eligible to receive financial aid for audit courses. Audited courses are not included in hours attempted or earned for SAP determination.