Satisfactory Academic Progress will be measured at the end of each semester of enrollment at Gadsden State Community College. Students are required under federal regulations to maintain certain standards of progress depending on the number of hours attempted in college. It is the student’s responsibility to read and understand all policies associated with financial aid funding.
Qualitative – Grade Point Average (GPA)
GPA requirements for long-term certificate and degree-seeking students
- If the student has attempted 0-21 hours, he/she must maintain a 1.5 GPA.
- If the student has attempted 22-32 hours, he/she must maintain a 1.75 GPA.
- If the student has attempted 33 or more hours, he/she must maintain a 2.0 GPA.
GPA requirements for short-term certificate (24-29 credit hours) students
- If the student has attempted 0-12 hours, he/she must maintain a 1.5 GPA.
- If the student has attempted 13 or more hours, he/she must maintain a 2.0 GPA.
Quantitative – Pace of Progression (Pace, completion rate/percentage)
Completion rate requirements for long-term certificate and degree-seeking students
- If the student has attempted 0-21 hours, he/she must maintain a 58% pace.
- If the student has attempted 22-32 hours, he/she must maintain a 62% pace.
- If the student has attempted 33 or more hours, he/she must maintain a 67% pace.
Completion rate requirements for short-term certificate (24-29 credit hours) students
- If the student has attempted 0-12 hours, he/she must maintain a 58% pace.
- If the student has attempted 13 or more hours, he/she must maintain a 67% pace.
Note: Pace = Cumulative Hours Passed
Cumulative Hours Attempted
Additional Regulations
- The maximum timeframe for the completion of an undergraduate degree program is defined as no more than 150 percent of the normal timeframe required to complete the degree program. For example, a degree-seeking student can attend Gadsden State for three years, which is 150% of a two-year major. Failure to complete within this allotted timeframe will result in loss of FA eligibility. All courses attempted (including transfer courses accepted by the institution) are included in the maximum timeframe calculation. A change in major or academic program does not reset the 150% timeframe.
- If a student fails to meet the Qualitative Standard – Grade Point Average (GPA) and/or the Quantitative Standard – Pace of Progression (Pace) for Satisfactory Academic Progress, he/she is given one warning semester in which he/she will be eligible to receive aid.
- If a student fails to regain good standing, satisfying both the Qualitative Standard – Grade Point Average (GPA) and/or the Quantitative Standard – Pace of Progression (Pace), during his/her warning semester, he/she is placed into a Failing SAP Status and will be ineligible for continued aid.
- There is no warning semester for maximum timeframe.
- If a student has lost eligibility, he/she may appeal – given the student has mitigating circumstances that caused unsuccessful coursework. An appeal cannot be approved for a prior term.
- Additional information follows in regard to the treatment of repeated, incomplete, withdrawn, bankrupted, forgiven, and transitional (remedial) courses, as well as transfer credit, grade changes, and clock-hour programs. All college hours taken and accepted count in SAP as follows:
- Repeated courses are factored into the GPA, Pace, and maximum timeframe calculations. In addition, a student can only repeat a successfully-passed course using federal aid once. Only one passed course counts toward graduation; therefore, the course is counted in passed hours only once, which may affect the Pace.
- Incompletes (which are initially calculated as an F in the GPA) are factored into the GPA, Pace, and maximum timeframe calculations.
- Withdrawals will not be factored into the GPA calculation but are included in the Pace and maximum timeframe calculations.
- Transfer credits accepted by the institution will not be factored into the GPA calculation but all accepted credits are included in the Pace and maximum timeframe calculations.
- Following acceptance of transfer credits, an official review of these credits is completed at the end of the next semester of enrollment at GSCC.
- Periods where Academic Bankruptcy was applied are factored into the GPA, Pace, and maximum timeframe calculations.
- Forgiven courses are factored into the GPA, Pace, and maximum timeframe calculations.
- Transitional (developmental/remedial) courses are factored into the GPA, Pace, and maximum timeframe calculations. There is a 30-hour limit on transitional courses.
- After a grade change (except an Incomplete) has been instituted for a prior term, SAP is recalculated at that time. When an Incomplete grade is updated to a final grade, it is factored into the SAP calculation at the time of the next formal evaluation.
- Dual enrollment courses are factored into the GPA, Pace, and maximum timeframe calculations.
- ESL and Job Corp coursework will not be factored into the GPA, Pace, or maximum timeframe calculations because these courses are not counted toward graduation.
- Dropped courses during the add/drop period are not factored into GPA, Pace, or maximum timeframe calculations.
- Each payment period, clock hours and instructional weeks must be successfully completed to maintain good SAP in a Clock-Hour program.
- The final Pace result will be rounded based on traditional rounding rules (e.g. 66.5% = 67%)
It is possible for a student who is not meeting SAP to regain eligibility for Title IV aid. Options may include a) paying for courses or b) successfully appealing.
Financial Aid Appeal
A student may submit a Financial Aid Appeal if he/she can provide documented proof of mitigating circumstances. Mitigating circumstances are those that are beyond the student’s control. If a student files an appeal due to the maximum timeframe, he/she must be meeting the other two components (GPA and Pace). An appeal cannot be approved for a prior term.
A student should submit the appeal and all documentation pertaining to the appeal in time to ensure aid can be awarded by the end of the drop/add period. Submitting a Financial Aid Appeal is NOT an automatic approval.
The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will meet each semester to consider completed appeals. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final. Only one appeal will be considered per semester.
A student will be notified of the decision made by the Committee by e-mail. Students should check OneACCS Self-Service Banner for statuses.
A student must follow the terms of his/her appeal if approved or lose financial aid eligibility.
An Academic Plan may be instituted for a student as an opportunity to restore the student to proper Satisfactory Academic Progress at a specified future point in time. The Plan can be voided if the student has changed majors or the student doesn’t follow the prescribed academic plan. GSCC does not allow a plan to exceed maximum timeframe.
A student who is on an Academic Plan, receives an Incomplete grade, and does not meet plan requirements, will be placed into a Failing SAP Status.
At the request of the student, a plan can be reevaluated if/when the Incomplete grade has been changed to a passing grade. No plan will be reevaluated without a request from the student.
Failure to comply with these requirements, as listed on the Terms available via OneACCS Self-Service Banner, may result in loss of eligibility and/or an outstanding balance with the College or Department of Education.
Policy Effective Fall 2020