• Completion Rate. Financial aid recipients are required to complete at least 75% of the credit hours attempted during the award year. The completion rate is derived by dividing the cumulative hours earned by the cumulative hours attempted. The following grades are used in computing the percentage of course work completed: A, B, C, D, F, FX, U and I.   Grades of AU, W, WF and WP are not used in computing the percentage of coursework completed. Course incompletes will impact the quantitative standard of satisfactory academic progress and should be completed as soon as possible.
  
• Grade Point Average.  The minimum required Cumulative GPA for each benchmark is as follows:

The following grades are used in computing a cumulative GPA: A, B, C, D, and F. Grades of AU, W, WF and WP will not impact the cumulative GPA. Course incompletes will not impact the qualitative standard of satisfactory academic progress and should be completed as soon as possible.  

• Length of Eligibility.  Financial aid recipients must complete their program of study without having attempted more than 150 percent of the credit hours required to complete their curriculum.  For example, the maximum time frame that a full-time student has for completing a bachelors degree is six years. The maximum time frame that a full-time student has for completing an associates degree is three years. 

Failure to Meet Minimum StandardsFinancial aid recipients who fail to meet the minimum standards (have not completed 75% of their cumulative attempted hours and/or have not achieved a required cumulative GPA) will be placed on financial aid suspension. The financial aid recipient who fails to meet the minimum Satisfactory Progress Standards for the award year will become ineligible for financial aid beginning the fall semester of the next academic year. Students who are attending summer school prior to the ineligibility period will be allowed to receive financial aid. The student is ineligible to receive financial aid until the student achieves satisfactory academic progress. This means the student will have to bear the full cost of attendance without financial aid until the student achieves satisfactory academic progress. If academic difficulties were the results of extreme and unusual circumstances, the student may appeal to have their financial aid reinstated. 

Appeals Procedures If a student failed to meet the requirements for the grade point average and/or percentage completion rate, he or she must provide a personal statement that

• Outlines the circumstance that prevented meeting the Standards of
  Satisfactory Academic Progress  (SAP);
• States why it is possible to improve upon past academic performance;
• Explains the corrective action taken; and
• Includes attached documents that verify the statement. All documentation
  must include the student’s name and ID number, and relate to the specific
  period during which the student’s academic performance was affected.

Examples of acceptable documentation include

• Birth/death certificates, obituaries, funeral programs of immediate family members (i.e. parents, grandparents, spouses, children, brothers, sisters)
• Medical records on physician’s or hospital’s letter head with the appropriate signatures that confirm illness and length of recuperation
• Court documents
• Statements from physicians, counselors, clergy or social workers on company letterhead, with the appropriate signatures

If a student has exceeded the maximum attempted hours (150 percent rule),
he or she must

• Provide a personal statement explaining why accumulated attempted hours exceed current degree requirements
• Attach documents that verify statement (see above for acceptable documentation)
• Obtain a Degree Audit from the Registrar’s Office listing the remaining requirements for current degree program and a projected completion date.

Timeliness of degree audit requests is essential for appeal. Last minute requests for degree audits could delay and jeopardize an appeal. It is strongly recommended that students obtain and review a copy of their unofficial transcript before submitting an appeal.

 The inclusion of supporting documentation as outlined above does not guarantee that an appeal will be granted. Each case will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Appeal letters submitted without supporting documentation will not be considered.

The need for more than one appeal generally indicates a serious problem. Only one appeal will be accepted per Academic Year. The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will review the appeal. The student will be advised in writing of the final decision generally within 15 working days of receipt of the appeal.

During the appeals process, no telephone calls or e-mails concerning an individual financial aid appeal will be accepted.
 
Returning student’s academic record — The federal government requires the Office of Financial Aid to track a student’s academic progress from the first date of enrollment, whether or not financial aid was received.  Students returning to college after a break in enrollment should consult the Office of Financial Aid on how their college history will affect their eligibility for financial aid.