Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Statement of Satisfactory Academic Progress

The federal government requires that the Financial Aid Office of John Wood Community College (JWCC) monitor the academic progress of all applicants for student financial aid. This regulation requires that the College establish a Satisfactory Academic Progress policy that includes both a pace (quantitative) and a qualitative measure of progress. In compliance with these regulations, the College has adopted the following policy in regard to all state and federal financial aid eligibility. Satisfactory academic progress is evaluated at the end of each structured semester.

Pace (Quantitative) Measures

Consistent progress toward the degree or certificate shall require that no less than 67% of all attempted coursework be successfully completed. This is a cumulative requirement and will be checked at the end of every term of enrollment. Students failing to meet this 67% cumulative threshold will be placed on financial aid warning. If student is already on warning then they will be placed on suspension.

EXAMPLE: To meet the minimum completion rate of 67%, a student who has attempted 28 cumulative credit hours at JWCC must have successfully completed (earned) a minimum of 19 of those 28 hours (all calculations are rounded up).

Qualitative Measure

All students are required to meet a minimum cumulative grade point average as determined by the following chart:

Up to 19.5 hours of coursework attempted………..1.51
20.0 – 29.5 hours of coursework attempted……….1.60
30.0 – 39.5 hours of coursework attempted……….1.75
40.0 – 49.5 hours of coursework attempted……….1.85
50.0 or more hours of coursework attempted……..2.00

The maximum attempted hours for which a student may be aid eligible is 150% of the credits required in his/her program. In determining credit hour limits, it is important to note the following:

Credit hours transferred from other schools that are accepted toward completion of your JWCC program count as hours attempted and hours completed. However, transfer credit hours are not included in the calculation of your grade point average;

If you change majors, the credit hours taken under all majors will be included in the calculation of the attempted credit hours total, the GPA calculation and the maximum timeframe for degree completion.

Pace and Qualitative Considerations

Attempted credit hours include the following whether or not paid for with financial aid:

Earned Hours (Grades of A-D), Withdrawal (W, WI, WA, WB), Failure (not a passing grade)(F), Incomplete (I, RD), and Pass/Fail (P/F).

Withdrawal from Courses – If you withdraw (“W/WI” “WA/WB”) from a course during the semester, after the census date, the course credit hours will be added to your attempted credit hours total.

Incomplete Courses – Credit hours for incomplete courses (“I” (incomplete), “RD” (in progress)) are included in the calculation of your attempted credit hours total, but not in the calculation of your GPA. Until updated with grade change they count as 0 points in GPA. When a grade change is submitted through the Registrar’s Office the GPA calculation is updated.

Pass/Fail Courses – Credit hours for pass/fail courses are included in the calculation of your attempted credit hours total, but not in the calculation of your GPA.

Remedial Coursework – Credit hours for remedial classes are counted as attempted hours in determining pace. Remedial courses are included in the calculation of GPA. Non-credit remedial courses are considered transferred in and are counted in attempted hours;

Repeat Coursework – A student who has received a grade of less than a “C” in a course and is repeating that course will have those hours added to the attempted credit hours total. However, for GPA purposes if the second grade is higher than first then the first is excluded in GPA calculation and the second replaces. Additional repeats are counted in attempted hours and GPA calculations;

If a student fails to earn any credit for the term, he or she will be placed on financial aid warning. When the student next enrolls, if he or she once again fails to earn any credits for the term, he or she will be placed on financial aid suspension.

Evaluation of Academic Records

Evaluation of academic records will take place at the end of each structured semester. Any student not meeting the minimum satisfactory academic progress standards at that time will be placed on financial aid warning. A student is eligible for qualified funding while on warning. If minimum standards of satisfactory progress are not met by the end of the warning term, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension and no further federal or state student assistance will be available.

A student placed on financial aid suspension is expected to provide for their own educational expenses. Any student placed on financial aid suspension may appeal to the Director of Financial Aid if any of the following apply: death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstances. All appeals must be put in writing on the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal form. These forms are available in the Financial Aid Office or online here.

Suspension appeals approved in which a student may potentially meet SAP standard the following term of attendance will result in the student being placed on financial aid probation for the subsequent semester. Probation is for one term only and the student is eligible for qualified financial aid. At the end of the probationary term the student must meet SAP requirements or go back to suspension status.

Suspension appeals approved in which a student will not meet SAP standard the following term of attendance will have an individual academic plan developed. An academic plan will require the student to fulfill certain terms and conditions. He /she will be eligible for qualified funding for that term/semester. He/she will retain eligibility for funding as long as the academic plan is followed. Specific academic advising for all students is provided by the Advising Office. Any changes to the academic plan must be approved in advance by the Director of Financial Aid.

If an exception is not granted under the appeal process, a student may request reconsideration of financial aid eligibility after the student has taken (at his or her own expense) no less than six credit hours and passed all attempted credit hours with a grade of “C” or better. If the student attempts more than six hours, the student will be evaluated on all attempted credit hours within that term. All coursework involved in the reconsideration request must be taken at John Wood Community College.

Exceptions to the SAP policy will be considered by the Director of Financial Aid on an as-needed basis. The decision of the Director is final.