SAP Satisfactory Academic Progress

Victor Valley College Financial Aid Office

2014-2015

Attention

There will be an quiz at the end of this presentation that must be passed in order to receive the link to the Appeal’s / Petitions form.

Satisfactory Academic Policy

• Federal regulations require that all Financial Aid recipients meet satisfactory academic progress and remain in good academic standing.

• All students will be assessed on criteria including minimum GPA, completion rate, and completion of a degree/certificate within the maximum time frame (150%) of the student program.

• These standards will apply to all VVC Financial Aid recipients.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is reviewed for every student, once a year after the Spring semester grades are posted.

• If you fail to meet these SAP requirements, you will be dismissed from further financial aid: Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Cal Grants & Federal Work Study. However, you still may be eligible to receive the Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver (BOGFW) without filing an appeal.

Standards

Qualitative Standard

All students at VVC must maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average

(GPA) of 2.0 or higher. (No rounding of G.P.A.)

Includes all grades and units attempted at Victor Valley College and may include units from other colleges. All grades are part of your academic history record.

StandardsExample:

100 units attempted divided into 60 units completedgives you 60% completion ratio

“with this scenario STUDENT IS NOT MEETING SAP and would need to appeal”

Quantitative StandardAll students must have completed at least 67% of the cumulative units attempted in an

eligible program.

STANDARDS

Educational Objective•Students must also complete their educational objective (degree, transfer , or certificate) by the time they have attempted 90 units (including applicable units from all schools attended).

Published Length of the Program•A student can only receive financial assistance for a maximum of 150% of the published length of the program.

Example:• For an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts -- 90 attempted units is the maximum for which a student can receive financial assistance (60 units X 150% = 90 units).

STANDARDS

Ineligibility •A student is ineligible when it becomes mathematically impossible for them to complete their program within the 150% of the length of a program, except for BOGFW.

Major Change •Students are allowed one change of major.

New Major •Students who change their major must take only classes that will apply to that new major. Any deviation will result in Suspension/Denial of any further financial aid.

EVALUATION

Spring Term Evaluation

• All Financial Aid students will be evaluated at the end of the Spring term to determine if they are meeting the maximum timeframe, qualitative and quantitative standards.

Probationary Students Evaluation

• Financial Aid Probationary students will be evaluated after Fall and Spring semesters.

Financial Aid Dismissal

If you have not met one of the above standards, have graduated, completed a certificate program, or are exceeding 90 units, you are on financial aid dismissal.

Dismissal

By following the guidelines on the following slides you may appeal this decision, but only if there is an extenuating circumstance.

Extenuating

Circumstance

SAP APPEAL

Extenuating CircumstancesA student may complete an appeal form if he or she has an

extenuating circumstance, such as:

The death of a close relative of the

student;An injury or illness

of the student;

Other special circumstances that the student had no

control over.

Documents must be provided to substantiate your extenuating circumstance.

SAP APPEAL

Maximum Time Standard

• A student may also appeal the maximum time standard if they have attempted over 90 units, or if they have a higher unit required major such as; Nursing, Respiratory Therapy and high unit transfer majors such as: engineering or biology. Also, a change in major will allow additional units.

Basic Skills Classes

• Up to 30 units of basic skills classes that are non-degree applicable will not be included in the total.

SAP APPEAL

• A student who does not have an extenuating circumstance must:

• Wait until he, or she is meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.Example: Student has a 1.5 GPA and was dismissed. However,

student completes 2 successful semesters (of at least 12 units), and has a 2.0 GPA. Student may now appeal for reinstatement.

A successful semester is one where there are no D’s, W’s, FW’s ,or F’s.

SAP APPEAL

Only one appeal per academic year may be submitted by a student.

Please complete all the general information on the upper portion of the form. If the form is incomplete, it will be delayed. Make sure to follow the format listed on the next several slides.

The Appeals form can be found atthe end of the quiz.

THE APPEALS FORM

EXAMPLE

I am appealing my academic dismissal because of a low GPA for the following reason:

I was in a car accident during the final exam period and was hospitalized in the fall semester; this caused me to fail my

finals and my GPA to go below 2.0. Attached is the medical documentation.

I have made a complete recovery, and I am ready to attend school again.

APPEAL REQUESTUnsatisfactory Ac

ademic Progre

ss

• Briefly explain the reason for UNSATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS in an attached typed written statement.

Supportin

g Documents

• Attach supporting documents such as medical forms, statements etc.

• There must be supporting documents attached.

• If there is no supporting documentation, your appeal will be denied.

Educational Pla

n an

d Transcrip

ts

• A copy of your current educational plan must be on file, and all transcripts from all schools should be evaluated by a counselor and must be on file at the Admissions and Records Office.

• If they are not, your appeal will be denied.

SAP APPEAL

THE DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE IS FINAL.

The decision cannot be overturned by the Director of Financial Aid, nor by any other individual.

CHECKING FINANCIAL AID STATUS

REMEMBER

Failure to turn in all the required documentation will result in suspension of all financial aid, but the BOGFW.

Include all the following in your petition package:

Documentation to substantiate your extenuating

circumstance.VVC Transcripts

Transcripts from all other

schools attended

Petition/Appeal FormStudent Educational Plan

Submission of Appe

al For

m

Please remember that the submission of the Appeals Form does not mean that your appeal will be granted. If it is granted, you will be placed on probation and progress will be monitored each semester for adherence to your educational plan.

In addition, you may not receive any D’s, W’s, FW’s or F’s, or your financial aid will cease immediately.

Further

Questions

If you have any further questions concerning the appeals process, check the VVC Financial Aid office website at:

http://www.vvc.edu/offices/financial-aid/sap.shtml