Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is used to define the successful completion of coursework toward an eligible degree or certificate program to maintain eligibility for financial aid. Federal regulations require the Office of Student Financial Aid to monitor the progress of students applying for Title IV financial aid, including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work Study (FWS), Federal Direct Student Loans (Stafford Subsidized, Stafford Unsubsidized, and Parent PLUS), and any state-funded financial aid. Students who fail to meet these standards are placed on Financial Aid Warning or Suspension.
 

SAP is reviewed for all students (regardless of enrollment or program and regardless of whether they are currently receiving or have previously received financial aid) at the end of each semester to determine financial aid eligibility for the upcoming semester. SAP is evaluated on students’ previous enrollment and their entire academic history, regardless of whether or not they received financial aid in the past. Students, even those who have never received financial aid, may be placed on Financial Aid Warning, Academic Plan, or Suspension based on having a transfer GPA below 2.0, exceeding the 150% maximum timeframe rule, or having a credit completion rate of less than 66.67%. Students who drop or withdraw from all courses for a semester or receive any combination of F’s, W’s, I’s, and U’s with no passed courses are automatically placed on Financial Aid Suspension.
 

All transfer students are required to submit official academic transcripts from regionally accredited higher education institutions⁴ that they have previously attended, regardless of whether they received financial aid at that institution or whether they completed courses at the institution. Transfer students who fail to turn in their official academic transcripts from any previously attended regionally accredited higher education institutions⁴ are ineligible for financial aid at CCC.  Once the CCC Registrar evaluates official academic transcripts, the student's SAP status will be calculated and financial aid eligibility determined.
 

New transfer students¹ are required to have a transfer grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. Official academic transcripts from all previously attended regionally accredited higher education institutions⁴ must be submitted to Registration and Enrollment Services to determine a transfer GPA. Unofficial academic transcripts are not accepted. Classes that are in progress (not complete) on a transcript at another institution will delay the processing of financial aid until the final official academic transcript is received and reviewed.

New transfer students¹ who have attended only one other institution and transfer to CCC with a cumulative transfer GPA of 2.0 or greater will be placed on Good SAP status. New transfer students¹ who have attended only one other institution and transfer to CCC with a cumulative transfer GPA that is less than  2.0 will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. 
 

New transfer students¹ who have attended more than one institution⁴ prior to CCC and have multiple transfer GPAs of less than 2.0 are placed on Financial Aid Suspension at CCC and may not receive financial aid. Transfer students who fail to turn in their official academic transcripts from all previously attended regionally accredited higher education institutions⁴ are ineligible for financial aid at CCC.  Once all academic transcripts are turned in, SAP status will be calculated, and financial aid eligibility will be determined.

Returning transfer students² who left CCC on a suspension status continue on a suspension status upon return to CCC, regardless of the grades at the other institution they attended. Returning transfer students who left CCC on a Good, Warning, or Probation status will have their transcripts evaluated from institutions that were attended after CCC, and SAP will be calculated based on an average of the CCC SAP standing and the grade point average at the other institutions. For example, if a student leaves CCC on Warning status and then attains a 3.0 GPA at another institution, the student's SAP status will be calculated as Good when the student returns to CCC. If a student leaves CCC on a Warning status with a CCC GPA below 2.0 and attains a 1.95 GPA at another institution⁴, the student's SAP status will be calculated as Suspension when they return to CCC. Transfer students who fail to turn in their official academic transcripts from any previously attended regionally accredited higher education institutions⁴ are ineligible for financial aid at CCC.  Once academic transcripts are turned in, SAP status will be calculated, and financial aid eligibility will be determined.

Concurrently enrolled college students³ are required to submit their official academic transcripts from the concurrent institution in the semester immediately after attendance at that institution. Concurrently enrolled students who fail to turn in their official academic transcripts from any previously attended regionally accredited higher education institutions⁴ are ineligible for financial aid at CCC.  Once academic transcripts are turned in, SAP status will be calculated, and financial aid eligibility will be determined.

Definitions:

¹. New Transfer Students: Any student who has attended another college or university for at least one day but has never attended CCC.

². Returning Transfer Student: Any student who has previously attended CCC, then attended another college or university for at least one day, and is now returning to CCC.

^3. Concurrently enrolled student: Any student who is attending both CCC and another college or university within the same semester.  

^4. CCC Financial Aid requires official academic transcripts from all regionally accredited higher education institutions because credits from those institutions potentially transfer to CCC.

The regional accreditors are: 

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools  
• New England Commision of Higher Education (NECHE)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools  
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools  
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges  
• Northwest Committee on colleges and Universities 

Good: The student is eligible for financial aid funding if all other financial aid criteria are met.

Warning: The student is eligible for financial aid funding, but additional requirements are in place. The additional requirements are outlined in the communication sent to the student and in the Application of SAP Requirements table below. Failure to abide by the Warning requirements will result in Financial Aid Suspension at the end of the next semester.

Probation: The student was suspended from financial aid, but has appealed and is now eligible for financial aid funding. Restrictions and/or requirements are in place and have been outlined in the communication sent to the student and in the Application of SAP Requirements table below. Failure to abide by the Probation requirements will result in Financial Aid Suspension at the end of the next semester of enrollment.

Academic Plan: The student is eligible for either full or partial financial aid funding but has restrictions and/or requirements in place that were created by an Academic Advisor and the financial aid office. Academic Plans are designed to ensure students will be able to meet SAP standards by a specific point in time. Failure to follow the Academic Plan will result in Financial Aid Suspension at the end of the semester. Students seeking a second degree are required to complete a SAP appeal and will be assigned an Academic Plan. Students who have been suspended and have been required to meet with an Academic Advisor may be assigned to an Academic Plan. Students approaching the maximum amount of credit hours allowed for receiving financial aid may also be placed on an Academic Plan. Financial aid may be prorated for students on an Academic Plan if the Academic Advisor and/or financial aid office believes it is in the student’s best interest.

Suspension: The student is not eligible to receive financial aid. Students on suspension must fund their education using their own resources without the assistance of financial aid.

SAP is measured by three standards: GPA, Pace of Progression, and maximum timeframe. Students who meet all three of the standards are eligible for further federal and state financial aid consideration for the following semester. Students are encouraged to meet with an Academic Advisor to ensure they are meeting certificate/degree requirements.
 

1. Qualitative Standard- Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA):
 

Financial Aid students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0. Grades for repeated courses that are excluded in the GPA calculation are also excluded in the cumulative GPA calculation for SAP. Grades in remedial courses are included in the cumulative GPA calculation.
 

2. Quantitative Standard: Greater than 66.67% Pace of Progression:
 

Financial Aid students must complete at least 66.67% of the credit hours attempted at CCC. Details are outlined in the Application of SAP Requirements chart.

• Pace of Progression is calculated by dividing the number of completed credits by the number of attempted credits.
• Letter grades of F, I, U, W, AU, NR, and IP do not count toward the minimum credit completion requirement.
• Students who fail or withdraw from a class may repeat the class and receive financial funding again if they have not been suspended due to Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• Students may only retake a passed class (a class with an earned grade of A, B, C, D, or S) one time with financial aid funding. If a student attempts to take a passed class for the third time, they will be denied financial aid funding for it.
• Remedial courses are counted in the pace of progression at CCC.
• It is important to minimize the number of times you repeat a course so that you are not suspended for falling below a 66.67% pace of progression.

Below are examples of the minimum pace of progression necessary to maintain a Good SAP status:

3. Maximum timeframe to complete a degree or certificate (150% Rule):

The maximum timeframe to complete a degree or certificate is measured by the total number of credit hours a student has attempted at CCC plus all transfer credits accepted from other institutions⁴.

• The maximum number of credit hours cannot exceed 150% of the credit hours required for that program, according to the College Catalog.  Once 150% of credit hours are reached, or when it becomes mathematically impossible for a student to obtain their degree within 150% of the credit hours required for the program, students are suspended from further financial aid at CCC.
• Credit hours that have been attempted at CCC but not completed (classes with letter grades of F, I, U, W, AU, NR, IP) are always counted in the maximum time frame.
• All credit hours are included in the maximum timeframe calculation regardless of whether or not financial aid was received during the time the credits were taken.
• Credit hours for repeated courses are always counted in the 150% rule.
• Students may request to have up to 30 hours of remedial courses (courses that are less than college level, usually numbered below 100) excluded from the 150% calculation on a case-by-case basis by submitting a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal.
• Students should work with an Academic Advisor to ensure that they are on track for a degree or certificate and should avoid repeating courses. Changing degree programs can cause students to take more classes than originally anticipated, which can lead to a 150% rule suspension.

Financial Aid for a second degree can only be awarded for the specific courses required to complete the second degree as determined by a CCC Academic Advisor and documented in the CCC Degreeworks Degree Audit System. We require students to work with a CCC Academic Advisor in planning their second degree. Before meeting with an Academic Advisor, students must submit all official academic transcripts from all previously attended institutions to  Registration and Enrollment Services for evaluation.

• Students seeking a second degree will be placed on a “Restricted Hours- Academic Plan” SAP standing.
• Per Federal regulations, students who have already acquired a Bachelor’s degree may be eligible for Federal student loans but will not qualify for Pell Grant funds.
• Financial aid can’t be used for classes that duplicate general education requirements that were already met in the student’s previous degree.
• Once a student has been approved and funded towards a second degree, they may not change their degree plan to receive additional funding.
• Students who do not follow their second degree Academic Plan will have their financial aid suspended.
• Students who are seeking a third degree are not eligible for financial aid unless the second degree is a CCC prerequisite to the third degree. Students seeking a third degree are encouraged to pursue it at a 4-year university.
• Students who have a combination of two or more degrees, ranging from an Associates to a Doctoral degree do not qualify for financial aid at CCC except as noted in the exception above.

Remedial credit hours (typically classes numbered below 100) are counted towards a student’s 66.67% pace of progression.  Up to 30 hours of remedial courses may be excluded from the 150% maximum timeframe calculation upon submission and approval of a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal.

If a student has an approved consortium agreement between CCC and another institution in which CCC is the parent institution, credits earned at the other institution count as though they were taken at CCC. Students who are approved for consortium agreements are required to have official academic transcripts sent to CCC from the other institution immediately at the end of the term of the consortium agreement.  

Below are the criteria the CCC uses to set a student’s SAP standing:

• Students who drop or withdraw from all courses for a semester or who receive any letter grade combination of F’s, W’s, I’s, and U’s with no passed courses are automatically placed on Financial Aid Suspension and may be required to return all or a portion of the financial aid they received.
• Students who are placed on Academic Suspension are automatically on Financial Aid Suspension.
• In circumstances where the student withdrew from all courses after the start of the semester but within the 100% tuition refund period, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and must submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal to be considered for future financial aid.
• Students who have reached the maximum number of credit hours (per the 150% maximum timeframe rule) are placed on Financial Aid Suspension. The 150% maximum timeframe rule is evaluated on students’ previous enrollment, regardless of whether or not they received financial aid. Once 150% of credit hours are reached, or it becomes mathematically impossible for a student to obtain their degree by the 150% rule, students are suspended from further financial aid at CCC.
• SAP is reviewed at the end of each semester to determine financial aid eligibility for the upcoming semester. SAP is evaluated on students’ previous enrollment, regardless of whether or not they received financial aid during that enrollment. A student's entire academic history is considered when evaluating SAP standing. Students who have never received financial aid may be placed on Financial Aid Warning, Academic Plan, or Suspension based on a cumulative GPA below 2.0, exceeding the 150% rule, or having a completion rate below 66.67%.  

Students who are suspended from financial aid have two ways to repair their status:

1. Complete the following requirements to get off Financial Aid Suspension:

• Successfully complete a minimum of six credit hours during a single semester at CCC without using Federal Student Aid AND
• Achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better AND
• Achieve a Pace of Progression of 66.67% or higher.
  
  

2. How to Appeal SAP Suspension Status

SAP appeals are available at the Office of Student Financial Aid or on the Financial Aid Forms webpage.

Appealable reasons include:

• Significant Illness or Injury
• Death of an Immediate Family Member
• Completed Requirements
• Review Remedial Courses
• High School Coursework
• Drop-100% Refund Period

Per the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form, students must submit a statement regarding their situation and how that situation has been resolved. In addition to their statement, they must also submit the listed required documentation pertinent to their reason for appeal.  These requirements are outlined on the Appeal form. Appeals are reviewed within 10 business days of receipt, and the student is notified of the decision through their CCC student email account.

Students may appeal their suspension status within two years (730 days) of the original suspension determination. Students who fail to appeal their suspension within two years of determination forfeit their right to appeal. Appeals are evaluated within 10 working days of submission, and the decision is sent electronically to the student’s CCC email address. Approval of an appeal does not remove outstanding charges to CCC.

Denied appeals may be re-appealed by submitting a written request to the Financial Aid Director, who may review it or assign it to a new counselor. The secondary decision of the appeal is final. Students who believe they have had their rights violated during the SAP appeal process may utilize Procedure 503-05 Student Complaints.

Students are expected to monitor their SAP and contact the Office of Student Financial Aid when there are questions or concerns. Students who receive a SAP status of Warning; Probation; Academic Plan or Suspension at the end of the semester are notified via their CCC student email account.  Students who have reached or exceeded the 150% maximum timeframe must complete their degree or certificate at CCC without further financial aid funding. Students must check their CCC student email regularly. Failing to monitor SAP standing, not understanding SAP, or not being verbally advised on SAP will not be considered grounds for an appeal.

The Office of Student Financial Aid maintains the Satisfactory Academic Progress page. Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal forms can be found by going to the  Financial Aid Forms page. SAP policies, procedures, and appeal forms will be printed out for students upon request.