Satisfactory Academic Progress Status: Students who meet or exceed the minimum cumulative qualitative and quantitative requirements will be considered to be maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Status: Students who measure below the minimum cumulative qualitative and/or quantitative requirements will be placed on Financial Aid warning for one semester with the benefit of aid.
|
Overall Attempted Credit Hours |
Percentage of Overall Credits Earned |
Minimum GPA Required |
|---|---|---|
|
1-20 |
0% |
1.0 |
|
21-35 |
30% |
1.50 |
|
36-50 |
40% |
1.90 |
|
51-60 |
50% |
2.0 |
|
61-75 |
60% |
2.0 |
|
76-85 |
70% |
2.0 |
|
86-100 |
75% |
2.0 |
Timing of Evaluations and Evaluation Process
The college will measure academic progress at the end of each term in which Title IV aid is awarded to students (i.e., fall, spring, summer). Academic progress will be measured for all students, both matriculated and non-matriculated, who are registered in the term being reviewed. Evaluation of progress will occur shortly after final grades are posted by the Records & Registration Office. Notices of ineligibility will be sent to students from the college. At the time of evaluation, grades listed as I (incomplete), F (failure), W (withdrawal), IP (in progress) will be considered attempted and unearned. If a student’s academic record is changed after the evaluation, the student must submit a written request to the director of financial aid for re- evaluation of the ineligibility determination.
The most common situation leading to such a request is the successful resolution of “incomplete” or “late” grades. For a grade change or course completion to be considered in the academic progress calculation, the coursework leading to the grade change must be completed prior to the first day of classes in the effective term.
Additionally, the maximum timeframe evaluation will be completed at the end of each term. If at the time of evaluation, the student has attempted less than 150 percent of the course work required for his/her program, the student will be considered eligible under the maximum time frame standard for Title IV aid for the following term. If, however, the student has exceeded the maximum number of attempted credit hours for his/her program, the student will no longer be eligible for federal financial aid programs (grants or loans) for any future term in the program.
Appeal for Maximum Timeframe (150 Percent Waiver) - A student may appeal their ineligibility for federal Title IV aid due to reaching the 150% maximum timeframe. Appeals must be made in writing to the director of financial aid by noon on the first day of classes in the effective term.
Appeal of Federal Aid Ineligibility Decision
Appeal for Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Status - A determination of ineligibility for federal student aid may be appealed based on mitigating circumstances which occurred in the reviewed term. A mitigating circumstance is defined as an exceptional or unusual event beyond the student's direct control, which contributed to or caused the academic difficulty. Examples of mitigating circumstances may include a student becoming very ill or seriously injured, or a death in the student's immediate family. An appeal of the ineligibility decision may be made through the college's financial aid waiver process, which begins in the Financial Aid Office, located in the Main Building. Complete documentation of the circumstances that led to the academic difficulty must be submitted as part of the appeal process. Appeals are due by noon on the first day of classes in the effective term. Students receiving a waiver of academic standing requirements and students in good academic standing who receive a waiver of academic progress requirements will be placed in satisfactory academic progress for the effective term only. This is considered the student's financial aid probationary period. Students will then be required to meet academic standing and academic progress requirements at the end of the effective term and in all subsequent terms.
Regaining Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
A student who loses eligibility for federal student aid due to unsatisfactory academic progress may regain eligibility by successfully completing credit courses such that the student meets the requirements of the satisfactory academic progress policy standards. Such courses taken at C-GCC must be funded without benefit of Title IV student aid and under no circumstances will aid be paid retroactively for those courses once eligibility has been re-established. If these courses are completed at C-GCC during the fall, spring or summer term, the student's academic progress will automatically be measured at the end of the term.
Enrollment Intensity and Repeat Coursework
A student must be enrolled at least half-time to receive aid from Federal Direct and PLUS loan programs and Federal Work Study (FWS). The Pell Grant does not require half- time enrollment; however, enrollment status does affect the amount of Pell Grant a student receives. Half-time enrollment is defined as being enrolled in at least 6 credit hours per semester. Full-time enrollment is defined as being enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester.
Enrollment intensity can include repetition of a previously passed course one time only. The repetition cannot be due to the student failing other coursework. For this purpose, passed means any grade higher than an “F”, regardless of any school or program policy requiring a higher qualitative grade or measure to have been considered to have passed the course. Below are two scenarios in which a student can receive federal aid for repeat coursework:
- If a student receives an F or W grade, they can repeat the course with the benefit of federal aid until the course is passed with a grade of D or better.
- If a student passes a course with an A, B, C or D grade, they can repeat that course ONE time only.
Please note: Satisfactory Academic Progress and 150% rules apply. The highest grade is calculated in Grade Point Average. Withdrawals do not count as a retake for the course. College policy states a student can only repeat a course two times, unless an exception is approved by the student’s academic department.
Important: A student CANNOT receive federal aid for repeating a previously passed course due to the student failing other coursework. Example: Student is taking a series of courses (this is common in Health Science programs). Student passes a course(s) early in the series but then fails a subsequent course. Student may choose (or be required by the academic department) to repeat the previously passed course(s) in the series. The repeat of the previously passed course(s), will NOT count in enrollment status for federal student aid.
Unusual Enrollment History
Students identified by the U.S. Department of Education as having unusual enrollment history must be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office to determine federal aid eligibility. The Financial Aid Office must determine if there were valid reasons for the unusual enrollment history by reviewing enrollment, college transcripts and financial aid history. Additional documentation from the student regarding failure to earn academic credit will be required. The Financial Aid Office must document the approval or denial of continued federal aid eligibility. The decision is final and cannot be appealed to the Department of Education. Students who are identified with unusual enrollment history must also complete an Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose.
Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose
Certain federal aid applicants are now required to verify their identities and resubmit a Statement of Education Purpose, as was originally provided as part of the FAFSA submission.
The student must appear in person at C-GCC to verify his or her identity by presenting valid government-issued photo identification (ID), such as, but not limited to, a driver’s license, other state-issued ID, or passport. The college will maintain a copy of the student’s photo ID that is annotated with the date it was received and the name of the official at the college authorized to collect the student’s ID. Students may also provide this statement via postal mail with an original notarized signature and a copy of valid government- issued photo identification.
Return of Title IV Aid: Under the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, Federal student aid (Pell, FSEOG, and Federal Student Loans) must be recalculated for students who withdraw from or stop attending all their courses before completing at least 60% of the term. This calculation is required under the Return of Title IV Aid regulation. Class attendance is monitored throughout each term.
Official Withdrawals: If a student officially withdraws from all courses before completing at least 60% of the term, federal financial aid will be recalculated based on the student’s withdrawal date.
The student’s recalculated aid will be based on the percentage of time completed in the term.
Unofficial Withdrawals: If a student does not formally withdraw from all courses but stops attending before completing at least 60% of the term, the student is considered unofficially withdrawn from the College and the aid will be recalculated under the Return of Title IV Aid regulation.
In the case of an unofficial withdrawal, the effective date of withdrawal will be the last date of documented attendance. If a student officially or unofficially withdraws after the end of the college’s refund period, the student is liable for all tuition and fees, even if the student’s financial aid is decreased. If the student’s financial aid previously covered the bill, but no longer covers it after the Return of Title IV Aid calculation, the student will be expected to pay the outstanding tuition and fees. Further, if the student receives a disbursement of financial aid, and the Return of Title IV Aid calculation shows that the student was not entitled to the funds, the student will be billed for the funds, and the overpayment information will be forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education. It will be the student’s responsibility to repay the funds before being eligible to receive any further federal student aid, even if the student attends another college. This overpayment will appear on the FAFSA Submission Summary until the overpayment is repaid.
Curriculum Changes and Second Degrees
If a student changes curriculum or graduates and requests a second degree, the transcript will be evaluated to determine what portion of the requirements for that curriculum has been satisfied.
After a graduation check has been completed, a new count of credits attempted will be determined based on the credits completed that satisfy requirements in the new curriculum. For example, if a student has attempted 60 credits but only 30 earned credits will satisfy requirements in the new curriculum, the count of the attempted credits will be reset from 60 to 30. The student will have a new maximum of 60 additional credits to complete the new curriculum.
Withdraw/Drop
Financial aid recipients who decide to withdraw or drop from a course should first speak to their academic advisors, the Financial Aid Office, and Records and Registration Office.