Approved by Academic Policies and Curriculum Committee 12/12/19
Approved by Faculty Senate 1/8/20
Adopted by President’s Cabinet 1/10/20

Federal regulations require that all federal financial aid recipients be enrolled in a degree-seeking program, be taking courses required for that program, and maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward their degree to maintain eligibility. Schools participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs are required to establish, publish, and apply standards to monitor progress toward completion of degree. Students receiving federal, state and or institutional financial aid must be in good academic standing and making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as outlined in the requirements below. Good Academic Standing means that a student is not on academic exclusion or learning support dismissal. Satisfactory Academic Progress is the advancement of the student toward his or her degree objective in a manner consistent with the prescribed policies of East Georgia College.

    • SAP status is based on the student’s entire academic record, at all schools attended, regardless of whether the student received financial aid
    • SAP status is calculated at the end of each semester, after the Registrar’s Office has posted grades to the student’s academic history
    • Students are considered to be making SAP during their first term at EGSC, unless the student’s latest Academic Standing at a former institution is one that would have prohibited there return to the institution.

East Georgia State College complies with federal requirements by monitoring each student’s academic progress against three standards: cumulative grade point average (GPA), completion rate, and maximum time frame for completion of degree.

Qualitative (GPA)

A student is in violation of maintaining SAP for financial aid purposes if he/she:

    • Has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.5 for 1-15 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.7 for 16-30 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.8 for 31-45 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.9 for 46-59 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 for 60 or more attempted hours
Quantitative: (PACE)

A student is in violation of maintaining SAP for financial aid purposes if he/she is not meeting the qualitative measure and/or the quantitative measure for SAP.

Pace Measures
    • Has a cumulative PACE RATE less than 40 percent for 1 – 15 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative PACE RATE less than 50 percent for 16 – 30 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative PACE RATE less than 55 percent for 31 – 45 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative PACE RATE less than 65 percent for 46 – 59 attempted hours
    • Has a cumulative PACE RATE less than 67 percent for 60+ attempted hours

The quantitative requirement has two parts:

      • A required completion ratio
      • A maximum timeframe

Completion of the cumulative credit hours attempted, including transfer hours accepted by the college, will be evaluated at the end of each term to determine successful completion Grades of F, I, IP, NR, SU, U, W, WF, and WM do not indicate successfully completed courses.

Maximum Time Frame - Students are allowed to attempt up to 150% of the hours required for their degree level. Example: If Associate Degree Level student,may attempt a maximum of 99 semester hours before becoming ineligible for financial aid based on maximum time frame. If Bachelor Degree level student, may attempt a maximum of 189 semester hours before becoming ineligible for financial aid based on maximum time frame.

Levels of Notification

Students will receive the following levels of notification once the Office of Financial Aid has determined that they are not maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.

    • First Notification – WARNING Students who are not meeting SAP because of completion ratio and/or cumulative GPA are allowed to receive financial aid for one term with a status of WARNING. Students are notified by email when they are placed in a WARNING status and no appeal is necessary to receive aid for this status. Students must meet the SAP requirements at the end of their next term of enrollment or lose financial aid eligibility. Students may only be placed on Warning if they were meeting the SAP standards for their last term of attendance. 
    • Second Notification – Suspension – Student has a right to submit an appeal to be placed on probation. Students placed on Academic Plan will be required to meet their approved plan each term or be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.

If determined based on the appeal, that the student should be able to meet SAP standards by the end of the subsequent payment period, the student may be placed on Probation without an academic plan.

Academic Plans

East Georgia State College has instituted an academic plan program to allow students who violate the financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards to continue their aid eligibility if they meet certain requirements. Academic plan requirements are more stringent than the published standard. The conditions for students who are granted aid continuation based on academic plans are:

Academic Plan for Grade Point Average (APGPA)

Students who violate the Satisfactory Academic Progress guideline due to cumulative GPA agree to maintain a 2.0 semester GPA for each semester they are on the academic plan until such a time that the student’s cumulative GPA meets the published standard.

Academic Plan for Completion Rate (APHRS)

Students who violate the Satisfactory Academic Progress guideline due to not successfully completing the required pace rate based on hours attempted agree to complete 67% of all attempted hours for each semester they are on the academic plan until such a time that they meet the required PACE rate for attempted hours.

Academic Plan for Grade Point Average and Completion Rate (APBTH)

Students who violate the Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines due to not maintaining the required cumulative GPA and not successfully completing at the required PACE rate of all attempted hours agree to maintain a 2.0 GPA and complete 67% of attempted hours each semester they are on the academic plan until such a time that the student’s cumulative GPA meets the published standard and overall completion rate meets or exceed the required benchmark.

Academic Plan for Failed Maximum Timeframe (APMAX)

Students who violate the satisfactory academic progress guideline due to exceeding the maximum timeframe for their declared program of study agree to successfully complete 75% of all attempted hours AND maintain a 2.25 GPA for each semester they are on the academic plan.

Students who are not making Satisfactory Academic Progress will receive a written notice from the Office of Financial Aid to the student’s EGSC email account.

Students who are placed on Suspension and their appeal to be placed on probation is denied or they failed to meet the conditions of the Academic Plan are ineligible to receive any additional financial aid until they can meet the minimum standards as published. Exceptions of extenuating circumstance will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Appeals:

Any financial aid recipient has the right to appeal the suspension of financial aid funds. The procedure will be as follows:

    • Appeals should be submitted to the Academic and Financial Aid Appeal committee by submitting the Letter of Appeal Form. When a student loses FSA eligibility because he/she failed to make satisfactory progress, he/she may appeal that result on the basis of: his/her injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances.
    • In cases involving injury, illness, death of relative, supporting documentation is requested from a medical doctor, clergy, professional, etc. In cases involving extenuating/special circumstances, supporting documentation requested where applicable.
    • Demonstrate what has changed in the student’s situation that will facilitate progression towards meeting SAP.
    • Appeals submitted without documentation of special circumstances will be considered based on GPA, pace rate, and amount of loans received per earned credit hour.
    • The appeal must be submitted to the Academic and Financial Aid Committee by the published deadline for the term the student wishes to receive financial aid.
    • Appeals will be reviewed by the Academic and Financial Aid Committee. Students will be notified of the Committee’s decision via EGSC Student Email account by 12 noon of the business day following the day of the appeal meeting.
    • If you are currently in good standing and have reached maximum time frame, you have the right to appeal your max time frame.

Reinstatement of Aid

    • If student successfully appeals their status, they may receive financial aid for one additional payment period.
    • At the end of the probation period, students must meet requirements of the academic plan or the student’s financial aid will be suspended until such time they can meet the minimum standards.

Academic Circumstances that Affect Your Status

    • Incomplete Grades, IPs, Missing grades, Failing Grades, course Withdrawals: All reduce your completion ratio because they are counted as attempted, but not earned, credits. They also count against your maximum attempted hours.
    • Repeated Courses: Count as attempted hours each time you register for them. Count against the maximum time frame allowed. Reduce your completion ratio because repeated credits count as earned credits only once.
    • Learning Support Courses: Students who are required to enroll in learning support coursework may attempt up to 30 credit hours in learning support courses (per federal regulations). The 30 credit hours in learning support courses will be counted as attempted hours in the maximum time frame for the students’ program of study. These hours also count in the qualitative measure for Satisfactory Academic Progress but not in the quantitative (pace) measure. 
    • Transfer Credits, Credits Taken While in Transient Study, and credits taken while enrolled in Study Abroad: Count toward your maximum attempted credits and your completion ratio. NOTE: Credits count as attempted, but not earned, until your official transcript is reviewed and processed by the EGSC Registrar’s Office.
    • Late Posted Grades or Grade Changes: May have an effect on the student’s current SAP standing. The EGSC Registrar’s Office will notify the Office of Financial Aid that agrade change has been posted to the student’s academic record. The Office of Financial Aid will re-evaluate the student’s current FA SAP standing. The student will be notified if FA SAP standing changes. The student ay be required to repay any awards that have already been disbursed for the term if financial aid is suspended.
    • Dismissal and Return: Students who are suspended academically or choose not to attend because of Financial Aid Suspension will not be automatically eligible for financial aid upon their return. Students must meet both the qualitative and quantitative standards for FA SAP. Student must use means other than financial aid for their educational expenses. It is the responsibility of the student to be knowledgeable of their SAP standing when returning to school after dismissal or choosing not to return because of SAP suspension.
    • Summer Term Courses: All hours attempted and completed in the summer term are treated as any other semester hours in determining SAP status. SAP is checked following the summer term as well.
    • Audit Courses: Students are not eligible to receive financial aid assistance for audit courses. Audited courses are not included in hours attempted or earned for SAP determination.