Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is based on three components: completion rate, time frame and grade point average (GPA).

1. Completion Rate

A student must complete 67% of all hours attempted for financial aid eligibility. This is determined by dividing the total hours attempted by the total hours earned. Attempted hours will include grades of F, NC, I, and W. Yet, these grades will NOT count as earned hours. Additional guidelines are as follows:

  • Repeating courses will add to the total number of attempted hours but will only count once as earned hours.
  • A student may receive federal financial aid for repeated courses only one time.

 

2. Timeframe

A student can only receive financial aid for a maximum of 1.5 times the total credit hours required for his/her degree program. For any major that requires 120 credit hours for graduation, this equals a maximum of 180 attempted hours. Any hours attempted, but not completed, will count.

  • The calculation includes transfer credit hours that transfer into the current degree program in the maximum (e.g., 180, for a 120-hour program).
  • Repeated courses, failed courses, and withdrawals will also count towards the maximum.
  • An appeal must be submitted by any student who has exceeded their maximum timeframe allowed due to transfer hours or change of major. Student Financial Services will review the credits attempted that apply towards the student’s program of study in order to determine future financial aid eligibility. An academic plan signed by the vice president of academic affairs will be required.
  • If a student changes majors and/or degrees, the satisfactory academic progress time frame for financial aid eligibility will be re-evaluated on a case-by-case basis through the appeal process.

 

3. GPA

Students must achieve a cumulative GPA equaling or exceeding the minimums detailed in the table below:

 

Successfully Completed Hours                 Minimum GPA

1 – 12                                                             1.5

13 – 24                                                           1.6

25 – 36                                                           1.7

37 – 48                                                           1.8

49 – 59                                                           1.9

60 or more                                                    2.0

SAP Review

After each semester/payment period, Student Financial Services will review the completion rate, timeframe, and GPA for each student enrolled in that semester/payment period. Depending on the student’s status relative to these factors, the student’s progress for financial aid purposes will be determined as follows:

  1. Satisfactory Progress applies to students who passed the appropriate number of earned hours to attempted hours, who have not exceeded the maximum total attempted hours allowed for their program, and whose GPA meets the SAP requirements listed above.
  2. Financial Aid Warning applies to any students who fail to meet the requirements for completion, timeframe, and GPA for the semester. A warning letter will be sent at the end of the semester to students to indicate why they are receiving a warning and what must be done within the next semester to be back in compliance with SAP requirements. If the students fail to meet these requirements, their federal, state and institutional financial aid will be suspended for future semesters unless they appeal, and the college grants the appeal. Students must bring their hours and GPA back into good standing or submit an appeal to regain financial aid eligibility. A student cannot have two consecutive semesters on warning.
  3. Financial Aid Probation applies only to a student who has failed to meet the SAP requirements listed above and has had an appeal approved by the VPAA. A student may be on probation for one semester only. If students have not met the SAP requirements listed above by the end of the probationary semester, they should work with the VPAA or a student financial advisor to understand what options exist to regain eligibility.
  4. Unsatisfactory Progress applies to students who have not met the requirements for completion rate, attempted hours, and GPA after their warning period, and are neither on financial aid probation nor have an approved appeal. These students are not eligible for federal, state, or institutional financial aid until they meet the requirements in each of these three areas.
  5. Academic Plan applies to students who have submitted an academic plan as part of an SAP appeal and have completed the goals for that semester as outlined by the plan. The student continues to remain eligible for federal and state financial aid but does not meet the definition of an SAP-eligible student.

 

SAP Appeal Process

  1. Students who wish to appeal their unsatisfactory academic progress determination must submit a SAP Appeal Form to the VPAA. SAP appeals are reviewed based on extenuating circumstances, such as serious injury or illness involving the student, death of an immediate family member, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control that prevented the student from achieving satisfactory progress. Each student’s appeal is reviewed on an individual basis. Students appealing may also be required to submit an academic plan that indicates exactly what steps the student must take to finish the academic program and details in what time frame this can be accomplished.
  2. The VPAA will review the appeal and determine whether the financial aid termination is justified. The student will be advised in writing and by KCC e-mail of the decision and may be asked to meet with a student financial advisor to plan for future semesters/payment periods.
  3. A student wishing to appeal the decision of the VPAA may do so in writing to the KCC President.

Summary

Students are encouraged to review these standards and be aware of their individual academic progress. The college recognizes that a wide variety of circumstances and conditions regarding these standards (e.g. changing majors, changing career objectives, other personal reasons, etc.) may require the discretionary judgment of the vice president of academic affairs and the Student Financial Aid Office. Students with questions or concerns regarding their satisfactory academic progress as it relates to their financial assistance should contact the financial aid director.