Standards of Academic Progress (SAP)
To remain eligible for federal Title IV aid, students must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) towards completion of their degree. Satisfactory academic progress is measured by a qualitative standard and a quantitative standard. Monroe College monitors SAP at the end of each semester.
Qualitative Standard
Students are expected to earn a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). GPA's are manually reviewed at the end of each semester. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 are dismissed. Students whose cumulative GPA falls between 2.00 and 2.99 are manually placed on Graduate SAP Warning status. These students are eligible for Title IV funding; however, they must achieve the required 3.0 cumulative GPA by the end of the next payment period to continue their Title IV eligibility.
Quantitative Standard
The quantitative standard requires that students complete a minimum of 67% of their attempted courses each semester. Students who fail to achieve this standard are manually placed on Federal SAP Warning status. For the purposes of this calculation, percentages are rounded up. Students on Federal SAP Warning status are eligible for Title IV funding; however, they must achieve the required standard by the end of the next payment period to continue their eligibility for Title IV aid. For students who change their program of study, the quantitative standard, is calculated from the time of the program change and includes only the attempted credits applicable to their new program of study.
Determination of Credits Attempted and Effect on GPA
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An official withdrawal (initiated by the student) is considered a course attempted but does not count towards a student's GPA. The grade on the transcript will be W.
- An unofficial withdrawal will be considered as a course attempted and will not count towards a student's GPA. The grade on the transcript will be UW.
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An administrative withdrawal (initiated by the College on a case by case basis) is considered a course attempted and counts as an 'F' in a student's GPA.
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Repeated courses are considered course attempts. The passing grade of the second attempt replaces the first earned grade. Students may only attempt a course twice.
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All transfer, proficiency, and prior learning credits count as attempted credits and credits earned but do not count toward the student's GPA.
Loss of Title IV Federal Aid Eligibility *
A student who falls into one of the following categories is subject to the loss of Title IV federal financial aid eligibility:
- Students who fail to achieve the required qualitative standard (cumulative GPA of 3.0) following their Graduate SAP Warning Status;
- Students who fail to achieve the required quantitative standard following their Federal SAP Warning status, or
- Students who attempt more than 150% of the credits required for the completion of their program. (For example, a student may not attempt more than 54 credits to earn a degree that requires 36 credits.)
* Federal Unsubsidized Loans are considered to be Title IV Federal Aid.
SAP Appeals
Students who have lost Title IV eligibility because they did not meet the quantitative standard or they exceeded the 150% credit cap have the right to appeal if mitigating circumstances prevented them from achieving the required standard. Proof of such circumstances is required. Appeals must be submitted to the Director of Financial Aid Compliance in the Student Financial Services Office or appropriate administrator of the King Graduate School. Both offices must approve the appeal.