What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?
Students who receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid must progress toward their degree at a rate that meets both college standards and federal guidelines. Success in meeting these requirements is called Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). In the simplest terms, in order to receive financial aid, students must not only be financially eligible, but also academically eligible. SAP is evaluated at the conclusion of every semester. The full SAP policy can be found on CCV’s policies and procedures page.
SAP tests three standards:
- Qualitative Standard—Grade Point Average
- Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better (1.75 GPA with fewer than 30 attempted credits). Federal SAP regulations do not allow for the recalculation of GPA under the College’s Academic Forgiveness Policy.
- Quantitative Standard—Pace and Progression
- Students in a degree program who have attempted less than 30 credits must earn 53% of all attempted credits. After attempting 30 credits students must earn 67% of all attempted credits. Students in a certificate program must earn 67% of all attempted credits by the midpoint of their program.
- Maximum Time Frame
- The maximum time frame for students to complete their academic program may not exceed 150% of the published length of the program, measured in credits. For example, if an associate degree program requires 60 credits, the maximum time frame allowed to complete the program is 90 credits (60 credits x 150% = 90 credits).
Grades and Credits:
- Attempted credits include all credits registered for at the end of the add/drop period. Grades of A, B, C, D, and P count as earned credit. Grades of F, W, I, and NP do not count as earned credit. Courses with a notation of AU (audit) do not count as attempted or earned credit.
- Repeated credits are included in the total number of credits attempted, but only the most recent grade received in the course will be included in the calculation of GPA and pace/progression.
- For students who have been approved for an additional degree, previously earned CCV credit affects GPA, but only those credits that apply to a student’s new academic program will count as both attempted and earned when measuring pace/progression.
- Credit taken at other VSC institutions affects GPA, but only those credits that apply to a student’s academic program will count as both attempted and earned when measuring pace/progression.
- Transfer credit applied to a student’s program are counted as both attempted and earned when measuring pace/progression, and do not affect GPA.
- When students change academic programs prior to completing their CCV degree, all attempted credit will be counted towards the maximum time frame and pace/progression.
SAP Statuses:
- Financial Aid Warning
- The status assigned to a student who is failing to make SAP. Financial aid eligibility is reinstated for one semester. Students are placed on warning without an appeal or any other action by the student. This status is not available to students who cannot complete their program within the maximum time frame.
- Financial Aid Suspension
- The status assigned to a student who is not able to complete their program within the maximum time frame or who has failed to meet SAP standards the semester after being on financial aid warning.
- Financial Aid Probation
- The status assigned to a student who is failing to meet SAP standards and who successfully appeals. Financial aid eligibility is reinstated for one semester.
- Financial Aid Academic Plan
- The status assigned to a student who successfully appeals and who requires more than one semester to meet SAP standards.
Appeals
Students whose financial aid eligibility is suspended may appeal to have it reinstated by submitting an appeal to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeals Board. The SAP Appeals Board will consider the appeal based on evidence submitted in the full SAP appeal packet. The SAP Appeals Board generally reaches decisions to approve or deny appeals within two weeks of being received by the Financial Aid Office.
Students who successfully appeal their financial aid suspension are placed on probation for one semester. Once the probationary period has concluded students may reestablish their eligibility for financial aid by meeting SAP standards. If at the time of appeal students who are not able to meet SAP standards after a probationary period are placed on an academic plan designed to enable them to meet SAP standards by a specific point in time or take them to successful program completion. Students who successfully appeal the maximum timeframe will be placed on an academic plan. Students will continue to be eligible for financial aid as long as they continue to meet the requirements of their academic plan. Students must appeal to change their plan.
Multiple appeals may be accepted by the SAP Appeals board, with special consideration given to the circumstances in which their financial aid has been suspended.
SAP Appeal forms can be found on the Financial Aid Forms page.