Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

INTRODUCTION

As required by the Department of Education, to receive federal, state, and institutional aid at Olympic College OC, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). There are qualitative and quantitative standards students must meet. The qualitative standard is measured by grade point average (GPA). The quantitative standards are measured by 1) pace of progression (pace) and 2) near to/exceeds maximum time frame (MTF) or has a prior degree. SAP is monitored quarterly after term end. Based on a student’s SAP measure they are in good standing, warning, or suspended. There are additional rules and an appeal process for students who do not meet SAP. It is the student’s responsibility to know and abide by the SAP policy, which is provided to all FAFSA/WASFA applicants. Rules are applied uniformly to all financial aid applicants, whether or not the applicant has received aid in the past. Repayment calculation is based on federal methodology and state grant repayment policy for federal and/or state aid, respectively, and OC institutional tuition refund policy.

SAP MEASURES

Qualitative standards

When a term has ended, students awarded financial aid must achieve a 2.0 term and cumulative GPA to be in good standing. Credits assigned grades of F, I, N, W, NC, WP, WF, V, or Y are not completed credits and affect eligibility. Credits earned are credits assigned a decimal value or 0.7 or better or a P grade. Students who earn less than 2.0 term or cumulative GPA are placed into SAP warning. Two warnings in a row results in SAP suspension. (See SAP MEASURE CHART- EXHIBIT A).

Quantitative standards

Pace of progression: Pace is measured by the number of credits completed in a term. Two consecutive warnings will result in suspension, this includes any lapse in enrollment. (See SAP MEASURE CHART- EXHIBIT A).

In order for a student to complete their program on time, students must have completed/passed 67% of the credits they attempted after completing the first year of their program. If a student cannot mathematically complete their program on time, they may be required to petition for extension in order to be considered for financial aid for the remainder of their program. 

SAP MEASURE CHART – GPA and Pace (EXHIBIT A)

  Good Standing Warning Suspended
Enrollment Status Attempted Credits Completed 2.0 min. GPA Completed 1.60-1.99 GPA Completed under a 1.60 GPA
Fulltime = 12+ 12 or more At least 12 11 - 6

less than 6

3/4 Time 9 - 11 9 5 - 8 less than 5
1/2 Time 6 - 8 6 3 - 5 less than 3
< 1/2 Time 5 or less All credits have to be complete N/A (no warning available)  2.0 GPA required  

Maximum Time Frame: Students must make timely progress towards completion of declared programs of study. Students who exceed program length by 150% (attempted credits), or who have completed a prior degree must petition for extension:

  • 75 credits for eligible certificate program* (unless certificate is fewer than 50 credits) 
  • 135 credits for Associates degree 
  • 270 credits for Applied Bachelors degree
  • Prior degree** (students pursuing a second associate's degree or certificate) 

*Certificate programs must be at least 24 credits in length in order to be eligible for financial aid if they are stand-alone. 

**Students pursuing a first bachelor's degree are not required to petition for extension. Students who have already earned a bachelor's degree that are pursuing a degree-seeking OC program are not required to petition for extension because they are only eligible for loans and work study (depending on demonstrated unmet need).  

Transfer Credits: Credits from other institutions that are recognized by the OC Registrar will count towards MTF for a student’s degree or eligible certificate. Consortium credits on the OC transcript will count as attempted and the student’s performance will count toward quarterly pace of progression.

Developmental Coursework: Will count in the calculation of GPA and pace (090 level coursework). 

Repeat Coursework: Will count as attempted credits and, if passed will be considered earned. Earned coursework may be repeated one time, with financial aid. 

Federal/State Aid Limits: Students who exhaust their Pell Grant eligibility (6 years) AND their Washington College Grant eligibility (5 years) are ineligible for all need-based financial aid. Students cannot appeal this. These students are considered loan-only and have to seek alternative sources of funding/pay out-of-pocket.

WHAT THE TERMS MEAN

Good standing: Student is eligible for financial aid.

Provisional Financial Aid Status: This status is for students that do not meet the cumulative GPA/cumulative attempted credit rate but meet all of the term GPA/term attempted credit rate SAP requirements. Students are required to sign the “Provisional FA Status” form in order to be awarded financial aid for one quarter while in this status. This status is only renewable if the student continues to meet the term GPA/term attempted credit SAP requirements. Students that get back into good standing from the Provisional FA Status are not required to renew the status. 

Warning: Any financial aid packaged will carry to the next term of enrollment. However, two consecutive warnings will result in suspension, this includes any lapse in enrollment.

Suspended: The student loses financial aid eligibility until action is taken by student. Students can petition for reinstatement, or self-reinstate to get back into good standing (see below for how to self-reinstate). 

PETITIONS, APPEALS, SELF-REINSTATEMENT

Students who do not meet SAP may petition the loss of their eligibility by petitioning for either reinstatement (if suspended) or extension (if exceed maximum time frame). With petitions for reinstatement, students must include steps they plan to take or have taken to maintain acceptable academic progress in the future. Extenuating circumstances may include serious illness or injury to student, death or serious injury of a family member, reporting for active duty, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control. Supporting documentation is required.

Students who fail to meet SAP for 2 quarters in a row and/or not meeting SAP for 3 out of 5 quarters of enrollment at OC will be automatically denied for reinstatement, as this is considered ineligible academic history to be granted reinstatement.

Petitions for extension must include a faculty approved academic plan listing only the remaining classes required to complete the program as well as a letter explaining what caused a student to be unable to complete their program within the given timeframe.

For approved petitions of reinstatement or extension, financial aid will continue to be awarded. Approval is not guaranteed.

Petitions Denied by Financial Aid: Students may appeal decisions ONE time (one time for reinstatement and/or one time for extension). All decisions made by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee (FAAC) are final; there is no higher level of appeal. Exceptions may be made if an academic plan requires revision due to changes in class schedule, but not for changes to a program that may require the student to attend for multiple terms beyond the original end term approved by the Appeals Committee.

SELF-REINSTATEMENT:

Students may self-reinstate their financial aid eligibility by completing a minimum of 6 college level credits at OC (paid for by other means) in a single, subsequent term with a minimum 2.0 term and cumulative GPA.

Students can only self-reinstate using classes that are required for their program of study. Classes taken that are not required will not count towards self-reinstatement.  

NOTE: For completion rate requirements, students attempting to self-reinstate that register for more than 6 credits must complete all attempted credits in order to successfully self-reinstate.

NOTE: If the cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 following a self-reinstatement, the student will be placed on warning status for no more than two consecutive terms of continuous enrollment following their self-reinstatement. For students returning from a lapse in enrollment, the regular SAP policy will apply.