Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require the university to establish Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), involving both qualitative (cumulative grade point average) and quantitative (hours earned compared to hours attempted), and a maximum length of study. This requirement applies to all applicants for any federal assistance, including Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loan, the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program, which includes the Federal Stafford and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans for students, and Federal PLUS Loans for parents of undergraduate students. The same standards may apply to all assistance from the State of North Carolina. 

In order to receive financial aid a student must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP). If the minimum requirements are not met a student could lose his eligibility for financial aid.

Student academic progress is measured at the end of each semester against the following standards: cumulative grade point average (GPA), completion percentage rate (hours earned), and maximum time frame (length of study for degree program).

Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA):

Completion Percentage Rate (hours earned):  At least 67% of all credit hours attempted must have successfully passing grades. The pace of progress is calculated by multiplying cumulative hours attempted by 67%.

Example-

• A student must receive a grade of A, B, C, or D. All other grades, including F, I,  or W  do not earn hours. 

• Classes from which a student withdraws after the drop/add period count as attempted but not earned hours. Therefore, withdrawing from classes after the drop/add period will negatively affect students' ability to satisfy the hours earned standard. 

• When a student repeats a course, the total attempted hours will increase with each repeat, but the student may only earn hours for a successfully completed course once. Therefore, repeating courses may negatively affect students' ability to satisfy the hours earned standard. 

• Accepted transfer credit will count as both attempted and earned hours. 

Maximum Time Frame (length of study):  Students must complete a degree program in no more than 150% of the average published length of the program in credit hours.

Example- A student in a degree program that requires 127 credit hours will no longer make SAP after attempting more than 191 credit hours.

Johnson C. Smith University evaluates a student’s academic progress at the conclusion of each term.  Students who do not demonstrate satisfactory academic progress, or who fail to meet the provisional status requirement will be place in a warning semester status.  A student will be ineligible for financial aid in subsequent semesters until satisfactory progress has been achieved.

If a student is not meeting SAP standards, he will be placed in a warning semester status.  During the warning semester, he may receive aid, but must improve the academic progress by the end of that semester.

For example, if is a student is not meeting SAP standards at the end of the Fall 2012 semester he will placed in a warning status for Spring 2013.  If you are not meeting SAP standards after the end of the Spring 2013 semester you will be ineligible for financial aid for the Fall 2013. 

You may file a Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal indicating the reasons you were unable to meet the terms. 

Note:  If you have earned over 150% of the credit hours required for your program, you are no longer eligible for financial aid and must file a SAP appeal for reconsideration. There is no warning period for students who have exceeded 150% of program requirements.

Federal regulations allow for certain cases in which the school may waive the standards. Specifically, if a student's failure to be in compliance with one or more areas of satisfactory academic progress is due to events beyond the student's control.  This may include a student's extended illness, serious illness or death in the immediate family, or other significant trauma, and if such mitigating circumstances can be appropriately documented for the specific term(s) in which the deficiency occurred, the student may appeal to the Office of Financial Aid.  Eligibility may be regained by appeal.  Not everyone who files an appeal will be approved.   

The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal can be found on the forms page of our website at http://www.jcsu.edu/admissions/financial_aid/forms-resources.

If your appeal is approved you will be placed on probation and given an academic plan.  If we can determine that you are following your academic plan, you will be eligible for aid in the subsequent semester.

• If we determine you are not following your academic plan, you will be denied financial aid. You may file a new appeal if you wish to be considered for aid eligibility.
• If we cannot determine you are following your academic plan, we may request additional information from you.