Financial Aid HomeSatisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
Purpose
All financial aid recipients are required to meet satisfactory academic progress according to federal regulations and policies set by Randolph Community College. The intent of these policies is to ensure that students who are receiving financial aid are making measurable progress toward completion of an approved degree, diploma, or certificate program in a reasonable period of time and within a reasonable number of credit hours attempted in their program of study.
Scope
Regulations require a student’s progress for financial aid purposes to be measured both quantitatively and qualitatively. In addition to a student’s cumulative grade point average, students are also required to pass a percentage of all attempted coursework, and to complete their program of study within the maximum timeframe established by the institution. To reasonably measure a student’s academic progress for financial aid, the student’s academic record will be evaluated including credit hours earned at other post-secondary institutions and transferred into the student’s program of study at RCC. This requirement applies to all students who apply for financial assistance from federal, state and institutional aid.
Standards of Progress
To receive financial aid, the student must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward an eligible program of study. There are two standards in the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs, standards of progress that students receiving financial aid must meet in order to maintain satisfactory academic progress:
Qualitative Standard
The minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) requirement the student must maintain to receive and/or continue receiving financial aid assistance is 2.0. This includes all degree, diploma and certificate programs.
Quantitative Standard - 67% Completion Rate and 150% Maximum Time Frame
The student must maintain the minimums as listed below:
Completion Rate Requirement - The student must successfully complete 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted to meet the minimum requirement. Example: if the student attempts 60 credit hours during enrollment, the student must successfully complete 40 credit hours (60 hours attempted x 67% = 40 hours). Successful completion is defined as receiving a grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” or “D.”
Maximum Time Frame - The maximum timeframe for a student to complete a program is 150% of the published length of the program. Example: if 75 credit hours are required to complete a degree, the student may attempt a maximum of 113 credit hours before the student exceeds his eligibility for financial aid (75 credit hour program x 150% = 113). One academic year of credit (30 credit hours) may be added for required remedial coursework.
If a student is pursuing more than one program of study, maximum timeframe standards of 150% will be applied, toward each program, for all attempted hours. Students may only receive financial assistance for two programs of study while attending RCC. If the student should need additional periods of enrollment to complete the additional program(s) or if the student has a valid reason for pursuing an additional program of study, appeal procedures noted within this Satisfactory Academic Progress policy may be applied.
Treatment of Selected Grades:
Withdrawals - Credit hours in which a student receives a grade of “W,” “WF,” “FW,” or “AW” are included in the number of attempted hours, but do not count toward successfully completed hours. A grade of “WF” or “FW” also affects a student’s GPA. This is considered an unofficial withdrawal. Students who withdraw may have difficulty meeting the satisfactory academic progress requirements.
Incompletes and Failing Grades - Credit hours in which a student receives a grade of “I” or “F” are included in the number of attempted hours, but do not count toward successfully completed hours. In addition, grades of “F” negatively affect GPA. Students with “incompletes” may have difficulty meeting the satisfactory academic progress requirements at the time of evaluation, but may request reevaluation upon completion.
Transfer Credit - Students transferring from another college will be considered making satisfactory progress at the time of enrollment at Randolph Community College. In addition to being factored into the completion rate requirement as attempted and completed credits, a student’s maximum time to receive financial aid will also be reduced by the equivalent transfer of credit hours towards his/her degree.
Audit and No Show - Grades for audit “Y” or no show “NS” are not considered attempted coursework. Neither of these are included in the grade point average or completion rate determinations. A student cannot receive financial aid for courses that he or she audits or is considered a no show (Y or NS).
Proficiency (Credit by Exam) - While a credit by exam “X” is not included in the enrollment hours for purposes of awarding financial aid, the attempted and completed credits are counted in each component of the quantitative standard.
Repeat Courses - For financial aid purposes, all hours attempted will continue to be counted in each component of the student’s academic progress.
Developmental Courses - Courses numbered less than 100 (i.e. ENG 085, MAT 060, RED 090, etc.) are included in GPA calculations, as well as when calculating the 67 % Completion Rate. One academic year of credit (30 credit hours) may be added for required developmental coursework when calculating the 150% Maximum Timeframe.
Summer Session
Credit hours attempted during a summer session will be included in the calculation of satisfactory academic progress, just as any other enrollment period.
Clock Hour Programs
Students enrolled in clock hour programs (e.g. Cosmetology and BLET) will have SAP evaluated at the end of each payment period. At the time of review, students must have successfully completed both the clock hours and weeks of instructional time required for the payment period. Maximum Timeframe is measured in cumulative clock hours required to complete the program and expressed in calendar time. (Note that a student in a clock hour program cannot receive aid for hours beyond those in the program; the maximum timeframe applies to the amount of calendar time the student takes to complete those hours.) For example, if the program is 1200 clock hours and meets 30 clock hours per week, that means the program is 40 weeks in length. 150% of 40 weeks is 60 weeks. A student may receive aid while enrolled in this program for up to 60 weeks to complete the 1200 clock hours required for graduation.
Complete Academic Record
In order to measure a student’s satisfactory progress toward degree, diploma, or certificate requirements, the student’s total academic record at RCC must be evaluated whether or not the student received financial aid for the entire time of enrollment. This includes, but is not limited to, courses taken through dual enrollment, the Huskins program, and the RCC Early College High School. When students complete course work for more than one program, college and financial aid academic progress standards must be met for all programs to receive financial aid.
Returning Students
Returning students are evaluated on a continuing basis from the first enrollment at RCC unless an extenuating circumstance is considered. Returning students who are previously enrolled under an academic progress policy other than the current academic progress policy will be required to meet the standards of the current policy upon returning.
Eligibility Status
Satisfactory: Satisfactory status is achieved when all criteria explained above are met.
Warning: Students (who are not currently on Warning status) who do not have the required cumulative grade point average and/or have not successfully completed 67% of their cumulative attempted credit hours, will be placed on Warning status for the following semester. Satisfactory progress will be monitored at the end of the semester to determine if the student met the standards of progress and eligible to continue to receive financial aid.
Suspension: Students on financial aid Warning status who have not attained at least a cumulative 67% completion rate and/or earned the minimum required cumulative grade point average listed above will have their financial aid suspended at the conclusion of the Warning period.
Probation: If a status of Suspension is appealed and approved, a status of Probation is assigned. This status requires students to maintain both a term GPA greater than or equal to 2.00 and a term completion rate equal to 100%. In order to achieve a completion rate equal to 100%, a student must successfully complete each course enrolled for the term. If a student withdraws or fails a course during a term dropping the term completion rate below 100%, or does not maintain a term GPA greater than or equal to 2.00, the appeal is terminated and the student will return to a financial aid Suspension status.
Warning Near Maximum Time Frame: Students who have attempted approximately 100% of the maximum allowable credit hours for their program of study will receive a courtesy notification status of Warning Near Maximum Timeframe. Students receiving this status will continue to receive financial aid until they reach 150% of their program of study, at which time they will have their financial aid suspended and be assigned a status of Maximum Timeframe.
Maximum Time Frame: Students who have attempted the maximum allowable credit hours, 150%, of their program of study will have their financial aid suspended.
Notification of Financial Aid Warning, Suspension, Probation, Warning Near Maximum Time Frame or Maximum Time Frame: The Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs will send correspondence to any student who is placed on financial aid Warning, Suspension, Probation, Warning Near Maximum Timeframe or Maximum Timeframe.
Regaining Eligibility: Students who attend RCC (without federal financial aid) may regain financial aid eligibility by achieving a 67% completion rate and earning the required GPA based on hours attempted. A student may request reconsideration of eligibility for financial aid by submitting a written request to the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs once all requirements are met.
Students who exceed the maximum allowable timeframe to complete a program of study must appeal and provide the documentation required on the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request form. If the appeal is approved, the student may receive financial aid on probation for one or more semesters until the degree is completed.
Appeal of Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards: Students who have been suspended from receiving financial aid may appeal to the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs to waive the academic progress requirements only where there are extenuating circumstances. A student may submit written documentation to the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs by completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request form that explains the extenuating circumstances that have affected academic performance and what has changed that will allow him/her to make Satisfactory Academic Progress. Supporting documentation must be presented. Circumstances may include, but are not limited to: illness or injury, the death of a family member, or other extenuating circumstances.
If a status of Suspension is appealed and approved, a status of Probation is assigned. This status requires students to maintain both a term GPA greater than or equal to 3.00 and a term completion rate equal to 100%. In order to achieve a completion rate equal to 100%, a student must successfully complete each course enrolled for the term. If a student withdraws or fails a course during a term dropping the term completion rate below 100%, or does not maintain a term GPA greater than or equal to 3.00, the appeal is terminated and the student will return to a Suspension status.
If a status of Maximum Timeframe is appealed and approved, a status of Warning Near Maximum Timeframe is assigned and remaining eligibility is determined. A plan of action must be established and students must submit a program evaluation signed by the program advisor for the program of study.
The process for appeal is as follows:
- A student may appeal in writing to the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs using the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request form explaining why satisfactory academic progress requirements were not met and what has changed that will allow him/her to make Satisfactory Academic Progress. Documentation of extenuating circumstances is required and specified according to the student's situation on the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request form. The appeal form can be found online through our Important Forms page or in the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs.
- If a student disagrees with the determination by the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs, the Standard Grievance Procedure in the College Catalog must be followed.
Policy last revised: November 1, 2011
