Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid Eligibility

Federal regulations (CFR 668.32(f) and 668.34) require a student to move toward the completion of a degree or certificate within an eligible program when receiving financial aid. Specific requirements for academic progress for financial aid recipients are applied differently from Scholastic Standards. Federal regulations state that Academic Progress Standards must include a review of all periods of enrollment, regardless of whether or not aid was received. Students will be evaluated using the standards described below. Failure to meet any of these minimum standards will result in loss of Title IV, HEA program (federal financial aid) eligibility.

To remain eligible for federal and state aid programs, students must meet ALL of MCCCD - GateWay Community College Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards regardless of whether a student has received financial aid in the past or not. These standards apply to a student’s entire academic record at GateWay Community College, including transfer credit hours accepted by the college.

Definitions and Terminology Pertaining to this Policy

A. Summer: Enrollment in the summer semester includes all courses scheduled within the summer enrollment period, with all coursework counted in the SAP evaluation.

B. Non-Standard Session / Clock Hour: Sessions that do not follow the traditional start and end dates for the semester.

C. Attempted Credit: Any credit for which a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, IP, N, P, W, Y, or Z is received, and courses not yet graded.

D. CGPA [Cumulative Grade Point Average]: The MCCCD grading policy is published in the administrative regulations at 2.3.3. The CGPA does not include credits accepted in transfer.

E. Financial Aid Warning: status assigned to an eligible payment period for the next enrolled semester after failing SAP GPA (2.0) and/or Completion Pace (⅔). Students not meeting the maximum timeframe evaluation are not eligible for a warning period.

F. Appeal: A process by which a student who is not meeting the institution’s satisfactory academic progress standards is eligible to appeal to the institution for reconsideration of the student’s eligibility for Title IV, HEA program assistance based on extenuating circumstances.

G. Extenuating Circumstance: A one-time(not on-going) circumstance that is beyond the reasonable control of the student. Examples of extenuating circumstances may include, but are not limited to:

• Documented medical condition or serious illness that prevented you from performing certain life tasks
• Documented illness of a family member that required your presence for a significant amount of time
• The death of an immediate family member that impacted you significantly enough to affect participation in your courses
• Involuntary call to active military duty
• Documented an involuntary change in employment conditions that prevented you from attending classes
• Any other extraordinary/emergency circumstances, such as a natural disaster

H. Financial Aid Probation: A status assigned by an institution to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress and who has appealed and has had eligibility for aid reinstated. A student in this status may not receive Title IV, HEA program funds for the subsequent payment period unless the student makes satisfactory academic progress or the institution determines that the student has met the requirements specified by the institution in the academic plan for the student.

I. Academic Plan –A plan developed through the SAP Appeal Process, which will lead a student to qualify for further Title IV, HEA program funds and complete the program within 150% of the published program length.

J. Financial Aid Suspension –The status assigned upon failing to meet the minimum SAP standards or the terms of probationary status. Students in this status are not eligible to receive Title IV, HEA assistance.

K. Federal regulations (CFR 668.32(f) and 668.34) require institutions of higher education to evaluate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) using qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (pace of progression) standards.

L. Qualitative and quantitative measures of SAP are required to ensure students receiving Federal Student Aid are progressing towards the completion of a degree or certificate within an eligible program.

M. Specific requirements for academic progress for Federal Student Aid recipients are applied differently from Scholastic Standards. Federal regulations state that SAP Standards must include a review of all periods of enrollment, regardless of whether or not aid was received. Standards are applicable for all enrolled payment periods, including all levels of enrollment (full-time or part-time enrollment). Students will be evaluated using the standards described below.

N. Failure to meet any of the minimum standards outlined below will result in a student’s loss of HEA, Title IV Federal Student Aid.

Evaluation Period

A. Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be evaluated at the end of each payment period. For credit hour programs, a payment period is a semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer). The SAP evaluation will occur at the end of each payment period(s) before the next disbursement can occur.

B. Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) are evaluated based on qualitative (GPA), quantitative (pace of progression-for credit students only), and maximum timeframe. Failure to meet any of these standards may result in the loss of eligibility for financial aid. Grades of F, I, N, W, Y, Z, and courses not yet graded are considered attempted, but not successfully completed in evaluating SAP. Late grades will be recalculated and may change eligibility.

• Grade Point Average Qualitative Measurement: Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average in order to meet SAP GPA requirements.
• Pace of Progression Quantitative Measurement: For credit hour programs, students must successfully complete 2/3 (66.67%) of all attempted coursework.
• Maximum Time Frame Measurement:
  • Credit hour students must be able to complete their program within 150% of the published program length. Once students have attempted 150% of the published program length, they are no longer eligible for Federal Student Aid. For example, a 16-credit certificate program will allow up to 24 credit hours to complete the program. A 60-credit Associate’s degree will allow up to 90 credit hours to complete the program.

C. Courses included in SAP evaluation: a. All attempted coursework, regardless of enrollment status

• Courses funded through a Consortium Agreement
• All attempted remedial credits, including English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.
• Repeated coursework
• All transferred coursework
• Grades attempted, but not completed (F, I, N, W, Y, Z)

D. Coursework included in the Maximum Time Frame evaluation:

• All of those included in the Pace of Progression evaluation
• Any Bachelor’s degree (or higher) earned will be considered to have exhausted the maximum timeframe eligibility
• All coursework forgiven through the Academic Renewal Process

E. Coursework not included in SAP evaluation:

• Audited courses
• Non-credit courses
• Credit by examination
• Credit for prior learning option (as outlined in the college general catalog)

Notification

Students who have applied for Federal Student Aid, but are not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, will be notified via email of their FA Warning or ineligibility for financial aid. The notification will direct students to information regarding available college resources during the Warning Period and the appeal process in cases of extenuating circumstances.

Financial Aid Warning

Students are allowed a warning period upon failing Qualitative and/or Quantitative SAP standards. The warning period allows one (1) payment period (semester) of Federal Student Aid eligibility upon failing SAP. The warning period will follow the semester for which SAP was not met, meaning the next semester for which the student registers for classes. In order to receive the Warning period, students must be meeting the Maximum Time Frame requirements.

SAP Appeal

Any student who has lost federal student aid eligibility must meet with the No Opportunity Wasted (N.O.W.) program committee. The N.O.W. committee is a retention-focused committee that matches institutional resources with student needs in an effort to rehabilitate their academic progress. In order to initiate the appeal, the student must complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form and meet with the N.O.W. committee. The SAP Appeal form must address the following:

• What caused the student’s work to fall below acceptable standards--specific explanations must be provided, including any supporting documentation,
• Each incomplete/failed course,
• How the extenuating circumstance has been resolved, and
• How the student will maintain good academic standards and progress toward the degree if the appeal is granted.

The outcome of the appeal will depend upon:

• The nature of the extenuating circumstances (if the stated circumstance qualifies as such),
• The quality of the documentation provided, and
• How well the student has demonstrated the ability to progress towards degree completion within a reasonable time period.

All documentation submitted is confidential. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed. For assistance in completing the SAP appeal paperwork, including examples of supporting documentation, contact the GateWay Financial Aid Office.

Students will be notified of the results of their appeal within ten (10) days of filing the appeal. The notification will include any restrictions or conditions pertaining to their appeal. The outcome of an appeal may include a probationary period. Appeals granted longer than one (1) payment period must include an academic plan, which must be followed. Failure to follow an approved academic plan will result in immediate suspension of Federal Student Aid. Students are responsible for any and all debt incurred as a result of this adjustment to financial aid.

Failure to successfully complete all conditions during the probationary period (as defined in the academic plan) will result in loss of future financial aid eligibility.

Regaining Eligibility

A student who has lost financial aid eligibility may only regain eligibility by meeting the minimum SAP standards. Transfer coursework taken at other colleges will be considered for reinstatement purposes.

In accordance with federal regulations (34 CFR 668.32(f) and 668.34), students receiving financial aid must demonstrate measurable progress toward the completion of a degree or certificate in an eligible program. As part of this requirement, GateWay Community College mandates that all financial aid recipients maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as defined by both qualitative (e.g., GPA) and quantitative (e.g., pace of completion) standards.
These standards have been established by the College in compliance with federal guidelines and are applied consistently by the Financial Aid Office. To remain eligible for financial aid, students must be enrolled in a financial aid-eligible program and meet all SAP requirements as they progress toward completing their degree or certificate.

A. Qualitative (GPA): This is determined through a student’s ability to demonstrate competency in the course or subject matter. Program or course syllabi provide the student with information regarding the predefined measure for determining successful course completion per the college’s Student Grading and Performance Policy. Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average to meet SAP GPA requirements. 

B. Maximum Time Frame: Students are expected to complete their certificate within the scheduled time frame of the program. However, a maximum time frame in terms of program completion for Financial Aid students is equal to 1-1/2 times the length of the overall program (otherwise known as time and a half). For example, if a program is 900 hours, the student may be allowed to take up to 1350 hours to complete the program. In this example, the student does not receive additional funding for the extra 450 hours. Students who cannot complete within the time and half allotment will be dropped from the program and lose Financial Aid eligibility. Student-completed credit hours will not be converted to Clock hours for this SAP measurement.

C. Repeated Courses: Students are expected to pass all courses within a certificate program and are responsible for paying all charges related to repeated courses.

D. Transferred Coursework: Coursework transferred in by a student will be counted towards the maximum timeframe. The maximum time frame is reduced for transfer students based on the remaining program length for which they are enrolled. For example, if a student transfers 200 hours towards a 900-hour program and is enrolled for 12 hours a week, the student will be required to complete the remaining 700 hours in approximately 58 weeks (700/12 hours per week = approximately 58 weeks). This example's maximum time frame is 58 weeks * 1.5 = an 87-week maximum time frame to complete the 700 initial requirements.

E. Period of Evaluation: Qualitative (GPA) progress is evaluated at the end of each payment period. Maximum Time Frame progress is evaluated before the student’s file is reviewed for an award. Students fail the maximum timeframe measure when it is determined that they cannot complete their program within the maximum timeframe, not when they reach the maximum timeframe.

F. Financial Aid Warning: Students who do not meet the Qualitative (GPA) measurement of satisfactory academic progress as defined by this policy are immediately placed on Financial Aid Warning but are still eligible to receive financial aid for the next payment period. Students under Financial Aid Warning must meet with the N.O.W. program to develop an academic plan. A copy of the signed plan will be electronically filed in the student’s financial aid record. 

G. Suspension: Students with a financial aid warning status who do not make satisfactory academic progress toward their academic plan will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students on financial aid suspension are not eligible for financial aid for their next payment period. Students placed on suspension are notified via email through their official Maricopa Student email. Students are allowed to continue enrollment without the benefit of financial aid until they meet the requirements of this policy. The student is responsible for paying all charges incurred during the period of financial aid suspension.

• Maximum Time Frame: Students who reach their 150% program hour length will no longer be eligible for financial aid. Students are allowed to continue enrollment without the benefit of financial aid. The student is responsible for paying all charges incurred during the period of financial aid suspension.
• Inability to Meet Program Requirements within Maximum Time Frame: If the financial aid office determines that students cannot meet the program's qualitative requirement within the maximum time frame, they will no longer be eligible for financial aid. Students are allowed to continue enrollment without the benefit of financial aid. The student is responsible for paying all charges incurred during the period of financial aid suspension. 

H. Disbursement of Financial Aid Funds for Students in Warning Status: Students in warning status will receive their financial aid disbursement within the standard 14-day disbursement period.

I. Appeal Process: A student who is placed on financial aid suspension has the right to submit an appeal to the N.O.W. program. Financial Aid appeals may be submitted for extenuating circumstances such as the death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other extenuating circumstances. The form and any supporting documentation are forwarded to the N.O.W. program. The N.O.W. Program Committee will review the appeals and supporting documentation, and students will be notified of the committee’s decision through their official Maricopa Email. The committee’s decision is final.

J. Re-entry upon Acceptance of an Appeal: Students who re-enter based on an accepted appeal are awarded financial aid for their next enrollment period, placed on financial aid probation for that payment period, and required to meet with the N.O.W. program to develop an academic plan. A copy of the signed plan will be electronically filed in the student’s financial aid record.

N.O.W. Program
(602) 286-8250
[email protected]