To receive federal and state financial aid students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. The following quantitative and qualitative standards are used to measure satisfactory progress for financial aid eligibility at the end of each academic term and meet the minimum criteria set forth by the Federal Government’s Office of Education.

QUANTITATIVE MEASURES
To receive financial aid, students must select and declare an approved program of study, and are responsible for selecting the correct courses to make progress toward graduation from their declared program.  Each program of study has a required number of credits and courses that must be completed for graduation.  The required credits and courses needed for graduation make up a program length and students may receive financial aid for up to 150% of their program length.

Example:  At Olympic College most degree programs are 90 quarter credits in length, 150% of 90 quarter credits is 135 quarter credits.  Thus the maximum time frame for a student to complete an AS, AAS or ATA degree would be 135 attempted credits.  For certificate programs the college uses an average program length of 50 quarter credits and the maximum time frame for certificate programs would be 75 attempted credits.

ALL credits attempted count toward a student’s program length.  This includes courses for which financial aid was not received, or courses in which credits were attempted but not earned, and transfer credits accepted by Olympic College.  This is a federal requirement and cannot be waived.

QUALITATIVE MEASURES
To remain eligible for financial aid, students at Olympic College must complete a minimum number of credits each term and attain a required grade point average.  The following chart indicates the required standards and the financial aid status for each term.  These standards apply to all terms of enrollment regardless if the student did or did not receive financial aid.

CUMULATIVE GPA REQUIREMENT
A student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 after attempting 45 credit hours or their financial aid status will be cancellation.

WHAT THE FINANCIAL AID STATUSES MEAN

• Good standing means that you are eligible and any financial aid awarded will continue into the following term unless you have exceeded the quantitative limit. 
• Probation means that any financial aid awarded will carry to the next term of enrollment, but your status at the end of the next term must be good standing or your financial aid will be cancelled. 
• Cancelled means that you are not eligible for further financial aid until you reinstate yourself by completing at least six credits in a single term and finishing the term in “good standing”, or appealing the cancellation and having the appeal approved.  Once you have been cancelled you will lose any financial aid that has been applied to your tuition for the next term, you will have to pay the tuition from your own funds or your registration would be voided.

NOTE:  If you receive more than 2 cancelations you must reinstate your eligibility at your own expense.

CREDITS EARNED
Credits earned are credits assigned a decimal value of 0.7 or better or a “P” grade. Credits assigned grades of F, I, N, W, NC, WP, WF, V, or Y are not completed credits and may adversely affect your financial aid eligibility.

PRIOR DEGREES
If you have already received a college degree (Associate, Bachelor, or Graduate) you are not eligible for financial aid at Olympic College unless you establish additional financial aid eligibility by petitioning and being approved for Financial Aid Beyond the Normal Limits.

DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES
Students are limited to 45 quarter credit hours of required developmental courses for which they may receive financial aid. Developmental courses are those courses beginning with a “0” as the first character in the course number (such as Math 094 or English 090). Adult Basic Education (ABE) courses are not approved for financial aid.

LOSS OF ELIGIBILITY AND REINSTATEMENT PROCESS
Financial aid recipients that do not meet Olympic College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress standards may appeal the loss of their eligibility by completing the appropriate petition form available in the financial aid office, or on the financial aid webpage.  Petitions require that students furnish documentation to support their petition and verify any circumstances beyond their control that caused them not to meet the required standards.  Petition forms are available on the Financial Aid Forms webpage.

If a petition is not approved students may reinstate themselves by registering at their own expense for at least 6 credits at an accredited post-secondary institution in a subsequent term and complete the subsequent term in a “good standing” status, or may appeal their petition denial to the Olympic College Financial Aid Appeals Committee.  The decision of the Financial Aid Appeals Committee is final.

REPAYING FINANCIAL AID
If students receiving federal or state financial assistance withdraw or discontinue attendance from ALL classes prior to completing 60% of the academic term, they are required to repay their financial aid. Repayment may be all or part of their financial aid award amount.  Awards will also be recalculated for students that do not begin attendance in any class that affects their financial aid enrollment status.  All repayments must be paid in full before any future aid can be disbursed.  Repayments are required by federal regulation and cannot be waived.

BEST STRATEGY
To avoid any problems with your aid you should:

• Enroll for only the courses you need to complete your program,

• Attend and complete all classes with grades of 2.0 or better, and 
• Do not over extend yourself. If you are working, consider your hours at work and the time needed for each class (including the homework for each class).  If you have dependent children, consider the time required to meet your family’s needs.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Financial Aid Recipients 2005/2006 and 2006/007