Satisfactory Academic Progress

Policy for Financial Aid Recipients

All financial aid recipients are required to meet satisfactory academic progress guidelines established by SC4, pursuant to Federal regulations. This policy applies to all students receiving assistance from any financial aid program we administer.
Federal regulations require that the policy include reviewing enrollment periods in which the student did not receive aid, as well as the semesters they did receive aid. This policy is separate from the College’s general probation policy and is monitored each semester the student receives aid.

To receive financial aid, the student must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate at SC4. The following guidelines describe the requirements necessary to maintain financial aid eligibility at SC4:

Eligibility Requirements – Each semester, a student must meet all 3 of the following:

1. Receive a passing grade in at least 67% of their overall credit hours attempted on a cumulative basis, including transfer credits or be a first-time student at SC4, and
2. Maintain a cumulative SC4 grade point average of at least 2.00, and
3. Along with transfer credits, not have attempted (whether or not earned) more than 150% of the student’s official SC4 academic program requirements.
   • Pace Requirement (Completion Rate):
     Students must complete with a passing grade a minimum of 67% of the credit hours attempted as well as the transfer credits accepted by SC4. Attempted credits are defined as credits you are enrolled in at the end of the drop and add period.
     • Consequences of failure to meet this requirement: Students who fail to complete 67% percent of their attempted/transferred in courses in a semester will be placed on warning for one semester. Failure to complete 67% in the next enrolled semester will result in aid denial until the completion rate is brought above 67%. Semesters of nonattendance are not counted in this calculation. Incompletes, withdrawals and courses in which the student receives a failing grade are considered unsatisfactory when determining the 67% completion rate.
   • GPA Requirements
     Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00.
     • Consequences of failure to meet this requirement: Students with a cumulative GPA below the standard will be placed on warning. If the cumulative GPA is still below a 2.0 at the end of the next semester of enrollment, the student is denied financial aid until he or she regains the required cumulative minimum GPA.
   • Maximum Time Frame Requirement
     Any student who has attempted 150% of the published (see SC4 catalog) length of their specific program (as measured in credit hours) is not considered to be making academic progress, and therefore, is ineligible for financial aid funds. Transfer credit hours are counted toward the maximum eligibility. (Example: Liberal Arts = 62 credit hours x 150% =
     93 credit hours).

Evaluation of Eligibility

Eligibility is determined at the time a student applies for financial aid and is reviewed at the end of each semester. To establish initial eligibility for financial aid as a current SC4 student, it is required that the past SC4 academic record be reviewed even if
the student paid for the classes out of his/her own resources. Written notification will be sent to students placed on Financial Aid Warning, Financial Aid Probation, Financial Aid Termination and Financial Aid Reinstatement if making SAP status.

Financial Aid Eligibility Status

For Completion Rate and GPA measures, students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress standards in one semester will receive one additional semester of aid while on Financial Aid Warning status. At the end of the warning period, a student who still has not met the standards is changed to a Financial Aid termination* status. The student’s federal aid is terminated at this point and is not reinstated unless the student subsequently meets the required standards.

For Maximum Time Frame measures, students who attempt 150% of the published length of their specific program will be placed in Financial Aid Termination* status.

If the student files an appeal that is approved, the status will be changed to Financial Aid Probation if the student can meet all of the SAP requirements at the end of that semester. If the student cannot mathematically achieve SAP standards in one semester then the student will be placed on a Financial Aid Academic Plan. The student will be monitored at the end of each semester within the appeal period. If the student meets the requirements of the academic plan, the Financial Aid Academic Plan status will continue until the appeal period ends. Students on a Financial Aid Academic Plan will have their aid eligibility reinstated and can continue to receive aid as long as all conditions of the plan are met. If the student does not follow the stated academic plan, the status will revert to Financial Aid Termination*.

Appeals

A student who does not meet the eligibility requirements due to extraordinary circumstances may appeal in writing to the SAP Appeals Committee. All appeals must be completed using the form that may be found on the website (sc4.edu/forms) and must include appropriate documentation. In order for your appeal to be complete:

• All questions must be completed on the appeal form or it will be returned to the student.
• As part of the appeal, information regarding why the student failed to make SAP and what has changed in the student’s
  situation that will allow the student to demonstrate SAP at the next evaluation must be included.
• Extenuating circumstances considered for appeals include documented personal illness or accident, serious illness or
  death within an immediate family, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student. Students in
  extended credit hour programs and/or second-degree programs may submit appeals.

Acceptable documentation includes letters from a physician, attorney, social service agency, parole officer, or a copy of a death certificate, divorce decree, and/or academic records. An appeal reviewed by the Committee does not guarantee reinstatement of financial aid. The student will be notified of the appeal results in writing. All appeal decisions are final.

Reinstatement

Students may regain eligibility by successfully achieving an overall completion rate of 67%, achieving a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, or through a granted SAP appeal. Credits transferred in from institutions other than SC4 will be taken into
consideration. Grades from other institutions will not be taken into consideration.

Students may be awarded using one of the following options:

• Financial Aid Probation – Student must have the ability to earn a 2.0 cumulative GPA and a 67% completion rate.
• Financial Aid Academic Plan (FAAP) – Student is actively on an academic plan and continues as long as he/she has earned a 2.0 GPA and a 75% completion rate.
• Financial Aid Academic Plan Maximum (FAAP-Max) – Students must enroll for only the classes listed on the plan. Any classes for which you register that are not listed on the plan will result in financial aid being cancelled for all classes. Student must earn a 2.0 GPA and a 75% completion rate for that semester.

Grades/ Successful Completion/Repeats

Credit hours attempted include all grades recorded on the transcript of A, B, C, D, E, I, W, R, S, U, Z and transfer credits. Repeated courses are identified on the transcript and are considered as credit hours attempted.

Successful grades are: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- and S.

Unsuccessful grades are: E, I, W, R, U and Z. Unsuccessful grades are considered attempted and not passed for purposes of determining satisfactory academic progress.

Financial aid is limited to one repeat of a previously passed course in which a grade of D- or better was earned.

Audits and Credit by Exam

Classes taken for audit (with a grade of “X”) or credits earned by exam are not considered when determining financial aid eligibility.

*Financial Aid Termination means the same as Financial Aid Denial for Title IV financial aid purposes.