SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

Students receiving financial aid from federal, state, and Legacy Scholars must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) at Kellogg Community College. Students shall be monitored for SAP at the end of each semester (fall, spring, and summer) for which they enroll and receive financial aid. Each semester evaluation will consider all past, current, and transfer credits attempted as a part of the final SAP determination status. Credits forgiven as part of Fresh Start or Academic Forgiveness will be considered during the semesterly SAP evaluation.

There are three components that all students must be able to meet when evaluated: pace of progression, GPA, and maximum timeframe measures. These standards are established to ensure that students’ progress towards an educational objective and complete an educational credential whether a certificate or a degree within a reasonable timeframe. If the standards are not met, students will become ineligible for any future aid.

Students are notified of their SAP status through their KCC email account (students who are meeting the SAP requirements will not receive notification) and can review their SAP status via the Bruin Portal’s Financial Aid Self-Service area within the “Satisfactory Academic Progress” section.

The Standards of SAP

Components evaluated to determine Satisfactory Academic Progress has been met include the following:

· Pace of Progression Measure: Students must complete 67% of their cumulative attempted credits. This percentage is based on the total number of credits attempted. To figure a cumulative completion rate, divide the overall number of completed credit hours by the overall number of attempted credit hours.

· GPA Measure: Maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade-point average.

· Maximum Timeframe: Complete less than 150% total cumulative credits required for the program degree of record, including all transfer credits.

Impact of Grades & Attendance

All F, W, I and N grades will be considered as credits attempted, but not completed. Transfer, remedial, ESL and repeated courses will be counted in both attempted and completed credits. Credit hours taken for an audit grade of X are not included in determining enrollment status for financial aid disbursement or satisfactory academic progress. All credit hours are included even if financial aid was not used.

Incomplete Grades

Courses with “I” (Incomplete) will be considered as credit hours attempted and not completed. An “I” grade means the student has agreed via an Incomplete Contract with their professor(s) to complete the course(s) by the end of a full year without re-enrolling for the class. Students who have arranged with the instructor to complete required coursework are not required to re-register for the same class during a subsequent semester to complete the work. Any course carried forward to the next semester for completion will not be counted as part of the new semester enrollment status. If the incomplete grade was instrumental in placing a student on financial aid probation or suspension, once completed, the student may request for a re-evaluation by submitting the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form.

Withdrawal

Adjustments to registration made after the “add/drop period” prior to 7/8ths of the duration of the class. If a student drops the course during the class withdrawal period it will result in a “W” grade, which will be factored in when calculating as credits attempted but not completed, affecting the student’s pace of progression requirement. *See Registrar’s Office for specific dates

Consequences of Complete Withdrawals or Unsuccessful Completion of All Courses in a Semester

-Students not passing at least one course in a semester (receiving all grades consisting of F, W, I, and N) will require that a calculation be done to determine how much of the aid received was earned. This is referred to as a Return of Title IV funds (R2T4) calculation*. This may result in money owed back depending on the time frame. Once the calculation is done additional resources will be provided to students and the consequences of not meeting SAP will also be provided in an email. *See Title IV Return of Funds for more information

Cumulative Credit Hours Attempted

Credit hours attempted at Kellogg Community College, and all credit hours transferred from other institutions. Attempted credits include courses with grades of A through F, W, I, P, G, N, and NR. Repeated courses will be counted as hours attempted and toward the 93 maximum credits allowable for financial aid.

Cumulative Credit Hours Completed

Credit hours completed are defined as grades A through D, P, and G. Credit hours not successfully completed are defined as F, W, I, NR, and N.

Results of SAP

Results are determined at the end of each semester for students who are enrolled and receiving federal, state, and/or Legacy scholar awards. Students can locate their SAP status within the Bruin Portal- Financial Aid Self-Service area under “Satisfactory Academic Progress.” All results for individual semesters and cumulative results can be found here.

Satisfactory Status

• Students maintaining SAP standards will receive a “Satisfactory Status” and will continue to receive federal financial aid if the student is successfully completing their courses for each semester.

SAP Warning Status

• Students with a prior Satisfactory Status who are not making Satisfactory Academic Progress after one semester will be placed for the following semester on a status of “warning.” During this time, a student may continue to receive all financial aid. A student who is not making SAP after a semester on warning status will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will not be eligible to receive specified financial aid. A student with a warning status is encouraged to seek additional on-campus services if they are facing barriers related to their academics. Students who experience personal issues that result in their inability to meet SAP are encouraged to talk with an Academic Advisor and/or meet with a representative from the Center for Student Success so they may continue to receive aid and avoid Financial Aid Suspension.Max Credits Warning Status –
  A student who has attempted more than the number of credits needed to earn the certificate or degree that they are seeking will be placed on a Maximum Credits Warning Status. Students who have attempted between 100% -149% will receive a warning status. During this time, a student may continue to receive all financial aid. This status is meant to alert a student that they are in jeopardy of losing eligibility once they reach the 150% threshold.

Suspension Status

• Students who are not meeting SAP standards including Pace of Progression, cumulative GPA or Maximum Timeframe for their certificate or degree program are placed on suspension and not eligible to receive financial aid.

Max Credits Suspension Status

• Students who have accumulated credit hours over the required amount for their current program of study including transfer credits, change in program of study, or credits for a second degree, are place on suspension and not eligible to receive financial aid.

Appeal Process

Students have the right to appeal for continued eligibility if they have not met the SAP Standards and have an extenuating circumstance beyond their control.

Reinstatement of all aid is subject to professional judgment, submission of proper documentation of the student’s circumstances, and availability of funds. The following circumstances will be considered when processing an appeal:

• A significant medical illness or injury that directly affected a student’s ability to meet the academic standards.
• The death of a close relative during the period that directly affected the student’s ability to meet the academic standards.
• The student attended school more than two years before the current year and experienced difficulties at that time that directly affected the student’s ability to meet the academic standards.
• The student received a change of grade from a previous semester and is requesting that Satisfactory Academic Progress be re-evaluated.
• The student has completed the maximum credits allowable for financial aid at KCC, including transfer credits, and the current program of study requires additional credits for completion.
• The student has completed six credit hours, paid out-of-pocket, and is requesting that Satisfactory Academic Progress be re-evaluated.
• The student experienced a significant personal tragedy or event that affected the student’s ability to meet the academic standards.
• Other significant situations that affected the student’s ability to meet academic standards.

Appeal forms are available on the KCC Website and require a student to provide (1) an explanation of the circumstances beyond their control that contributed to the inability to meet the minimum SAP standards and (2) what corrective action has been taken to prohibit this from happening in the future. Student must complete forms with their Academic Advisor or with an Admissions Enrollment and Outreach Coach to determine their required classes, and credit hours remaining for program completion and for Maximum Timeframe expected graduation date.

Students may be granted up to 3 approvals for Satisfactory Academic Progress appeals.

Appeals will be accepted and processed on a rolling basis. If an appeal is received after the appeal processing deadline, it will be considered for the next semester. Students are notified of the appeal decision through their Kellogg Community College email account.

Appeal Processing Deadlines

• Fall: Nov. 5
• Spring: March 29
• Summer: June 28

Probation Statuses

A student whose appeal has been granted will be placed on a probationary status based on the estimated length of time needed to complete and/or meet the SAP requirements.

• Probation 1 -Student is close to meeting the minimal standards and may only need one semester to do so. They will be re-evaluated after 1 semester of probation.
• Probation 2-6 Academic Plan Probation – Students who need more than one semester to reach   satisfactory academic progress as determined when meeting with an Academic Advisor or an Admission Enrollment and Outreach Coach to develop an academic plan as part of the appeal process. This plan is outlined on an Academic Contract completed and signed by both the student and KCC Staff, then submitted to the Financial Aid Office for monitoring. If the student is meeting the terms of their academic plan by enrolling in classes required for their program of study, completing 100% of their attempted credits, and meeting the required 2.00 GPA each semester, the aid eligibility will continue until the student either graduates or reaches SAP.

Students must meet all terms of their individualized Academic Contract. Failure to meet the terms of the academic contract will result in removal from Probation.

How to Re-establish Eligibility

Students may re-establish their eligibility in the following ways:

• Successfully appealing and being placed on financial aid probation and meeting SAP Standards at the end of that probation period.
• Successfully appealing and being placed on an academic plan, and either meeting the terms of that academic plan each semester and/or meeting general SAP standards of a cumulative 2.00 GPA and a 67% passing ratio.
• Attending classes within the active program of study, without receiving federal student aid, and earning sufficient grades and/or credit in those classes to meet the cumulative SAP standards of a 2.00 GPA and 67% passing ratio on their own.