Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Approved by Academic Policies and Curriculum Committee 12/12/19
Approved by Faculty Senate 1/8/20
Adopted by President’s Cabinet 1/10/20; Updated 4/2/24

Federal regulations require that all federal financial aid recipients be enrolled in a degree-seeking program, be taking courses required for that program, and maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward their degree to maintain eligibility.

Schools participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs are required to establish, publish, and apply standards to monitor progress toward completion of degree. Students receiving federal, state and or/institutional financial aid must be in good academic standing and making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as outlined in the requirements below. Good Academic Standing means that a student is not on academic exclusion or learning support dismissal. Satisfactory Academic Progress is the advancement of the student toward his or her degree objective in a manner consistent with the prescribed policies of East Georgia State College.

• • SAP status is based on the student’s entire academic record, at all schools attended, regardless of whether the student received financial aid.
  • SAP status is calculated at the end of each semester, after the Registrar’s Office has posted grades to the student’s academic history.
  • Students are considered to be making SAP during their first term at EGSC, unless the student’s latest Academic Standing at a former institution is one that would have prohibited their return to the institution.

East Georgia State College complies with federal requirements by monitoring each student’s academic progress against three standards: Qualitative (cumulative grade point average-GPA), Quantitative (completion rate-pace), and Maximum Time Frame for completion of degree.

Qualitative (GPA)

To maintain the qualitative measure for SAP for financial aid purposes a student must:

• • • • Have a cumulative GPA of 1.5 or greater for 1-18 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative GPA of 1.7 or greater for 19-33 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative GPA of 1.8 or greater for 34-48 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative GPA of 1.9 or greater for 49-63 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater for 64 or more attempted hours.

When calculating GPA, EGSC will round up to the nearest tenth of a point.

Quantitative: (Pace)

To maintain the quantitative measure for SAP for financial aid purposes a student must:

• • • • Have a cumulative Pace of 50% or greater for 1–18 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative Pace of 55% or greater for 19–33 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative Pace of 60% or greater for 34–48 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative Pace of 65% or greater for 49–63 attempted hours,
      • Have a cumulative Pace of 67% or greater for 64+ attempted hours.

When calculating Pace, EGSC will round up the percentage to the nearest whole number.

Maximum Time Frame

Students are allowed to attempt up to 150% of the hours required for their degree level. At the associate degree level, students may attempt a maximum of 93 semester hours before becoming ineligible for financial aid based on maximum time frame. At the bachelor’s degree level, students may attempt a maximum of 183 semester hours before becoming ineligible for financial aid based on maximum time frame.

Completion of the cumulative credit hours attempted, including transfer hours accepted by the college, will be evaluated at the end of each term to determine successful completion Grades of F, I, IP, NR, SU, U, W, WF, and WM do not indicate successfully completed courses.

Levels of Notification

Students who are not making Satisfactory Academic Progress will receive a written notice from the Office of Financial Aid, sent to the student’s EGSC email account.

• • First Notification – FA WARNING.
    • Students who are not meeting SAP because of completion ratio and/or cumulative GPA are allowed to receive financial aid for one term with a status of FA WARNING.
    • Students are notified by email when they are placed in an FA WARNING status and no appeal is necessary to receive aid for this status.
    • Students must meet the SAP requirements at the end of their next term of enrollment or lose financial aid eligibility.
    • Students may only be placed on Warning if they were meeting the SAP standards for their last term of attendance. 
  • Second Notification – FA SUSPENSION. 
    • After two consecutive terms of not meeting the academic progress standard all federal, state, and institutional financial aid eligibility is suspended.
    • A student has the right to submit an appeal to regain financial aid eligibility.
    • Students submitting a successful appeal will be placed on an Academic Plan and be required to meet their approved plan each term or be placed back on FA Suspension.

If at any time a student’s progress demonstrates that it is mathematically impossible to achieve a GPA and rate of progress sufficient to complete their program of study, all financial aid will be suspended, and the student is ineligible for appeal.

Students who are placed on Suspension and have had their appeal for continued eligibility denied, or have failed to meet the conditions of the Academic Plan, are ineligible to receive any additional financial aid until they can meet the minimum standards as published. Exceptions to financial aid suspensions due to extenuating circumstance will be considered on a case-by-case basis, by appeal

Appeals:

Any financial aid recipient has the right to appeal the suspension of financial aid funds on the basis of his/her injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances.

The procedure will be as follows:

• • Appeals must be submitted online using the Academic and Financial Aid Appeal Application form. 
  • Students should meet with their student success coach for assistance with completing the appeal application.
  • Supporting documentation is required.

• • • In cases involving injury, illness, death of relative, supporting documentation is requested from a medical doctor, clergy, professional, etc.
    • In cases involving extenuating/special circumstances, the type of documentation will depend on the circumstances. A statement describing the circumstances is required.

• • In all cases, students should include a statement outlining what has changed in the student’s situation that will help progression towards meeting SAP in the following semester.
  • Appeals submitted without documentation of special circumstances are unlikely to be successful and will be considered solely based on GPA and pace rate.
  • The appeal must be submitted by the published deadline for the term the student wishes to receive financial aid.
  • Appeals will be reviewed by the Academic and Financial Aid Committee.
  • Students will be notified of the Committee’s decision via EGSC Student Email account.

Reinstatement of Aid

• • If a student’s appeal is successful, they may receive financial aid for one additional payment period. This will be considered a probationary period.
  • At the end of the probation period, students must meet the requirements of the Academic Plan or the student’s financial aid will be suspended until such time they can meet the minimum standards or successfully appeal the decision based on current circumstances.

Academic Plans

East Georgia State College has instituted an academic plan program to allow students who do not meet the financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards to continue their aid eligibility if they meet certain requirements. Academic plan requirements are more stringent than the published standard.

The conditions for students who are granted aid continuation based on academic plans are:

Academic Plan for Grade Point Average and/or Completion Rate (APLAN)

While on an Academic Plan (APLAN), a student must maintain a 2.0 semester GPA and complete 60% of attempted hours each semester until the student’s cumulative GPA meets the published standard and overall completion rate meets or exceed the required benchmark.

Academic Plan for Failed Maximum Timeframe (APMAX)

While on an Academic Plan (APMAX), students must maintain a 2.25 semester GPA and complete 75% of attempted hours each semester.

Automatic Academic Plan (APLAN)

Students who do not meet SAP after one semester on FA warning will be placed on an Academic Plan without the need to submit an appeal if they completed the FA Warning semester with a 2.0 semester GPA. If the semester GPA is less than 2.0 the student will need to submit an appeal.

Academic Circumstances that Affect Your Status

• • Incomplete Grades, IPs, missing grades, Failing Grades, course Withdrawals: All reduce your completion ratio because they are counted as attempted, but not earned, credits. They also count against your maximum attempted hours.
  • Repeated Courses: Count as attempted hours each time you register for them. Count against the maximum time frame allowed. Reduce your completion ratio because repeated credits count as earned credits only once.
  • Learning Support Courses: Students who are required to enroll in learning support coursework may attempt up to 30 credit hours in learning support courses (per federal regulations). The 30 credit hours in learning support courses will be counted as attempted hours in the maximum time frame for the students’ program of study. These hours also count in the qualitative measure for Satisfactory Academic Progress but not in the quantitative (pace) measure. 
  • Transfer Credits, Credits Taken While in Transient Study, and credits taken while enrolled in Study Abroad: Count toward your maximum attempted credits and your completion ratio. NOTE: Credits count as attempted, but not earned, until your official transcript is reviewed and processed by the EGSC Registrar’s Office.
  • Late Posted Grades or Grade Changes: May have an effect on the student’s current SAP standing. The EGSC Registrar’s Office will notify the Office of Financial Aid that a grade change has been posted to the student’s academic record. The Office of Financial Aid will re-evaluate the student’s current FA SAP standing. The student will be notified if FA SAP standing changes. The student may be required to repay any awards that have already been disbursed for the term if financial aid is suspended.
  • Dismissal and Return: Students who are suspended academically or choose not to attend because of Financial Aid Suspension will not be automatically eligible for financial aid upon their return. Students must meet both the qualitative and quantitative standards for FA SAP. Students must use means other than financial aid for their educational expenses. It is the responsibility of the student to be knowledgeable of their SAP standing when returning to school after dismissal or choosing not to return because of SAP suspension.
  • Summer Term Courses: All hours attempted and completed in the summer term are treated as any other semester hours in determining SAP status. SAP is checked following the summer term as well.
  • Audit Courses: Students are not eligible to receive financial aid assistance for audit courses. Audited courses are not included in hours attempted or earned for SAP determination.