Standards for Satisfactory Academic progress

Grade Point Average

Course Completion Rate

Maximum Timeframe

Satisfactory Academic Progress Reviews

Appeal Deadlines

1.  Grade Point Average (GPA)- The minimum GPA for financial aid recipients is governed by Dalton State academic performance standards.  In order to retain financial aid eligibility, the student must maintain the following cumulative GPAs based on Dalton State GPA hours.

          1-14 GPA hours - 1.0 cumulative GPA

          15-29 GPA hours - 1.6 cumulative GPA

          30-44 GPA - 1.8 cumulative GPA

          45+ GPA hours - 2.0 cumulative GPA

Financial aid is automatically suspended after a term where all grades are F, U, WF and/or WU, or you are withdrawn from classes for non-attendance.

2. Course Completion Rate- Financial aid recipients must pass at least 67% of all hours attempted.  Semester hours attempted include all hours on a transcript since high school graduations except audit and credit-by-exam hours.   Only grades of A, B, C, D, S and IP are considered satisfactory and passing for financial aid purposes.

The following are considered when evaluating a student's satisfactory academic progress:

• Withdrawals (W, WF, WU), incompletes (I), failures (F) and unsatisfactory (U) grades are considered attempted, but not earned hours.
• Repeated courses and courses for which the student has been granted academic renewal are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned hours.  Refer to the appropriate catalog for an explanation of how course repeats affect GPA.
• Audited courses are not considered in credits attempted or earned.
• Learning Support and ESL courses are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned hours for Course Completion Rate.  Financial aid will not pay for learning support classes in excess of 30 attempted hours. 
• Transfer credits, including those earned during transient study, do not count in the calculation of your Dalton State GPA, but are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned hours.

3. Maximum Time Frame- Eligible students may receive financial aid for up to 150% of the number of hours required to earn a degree or certificate.  Attempted hours include both Dalton State and transfer hours, no matter when the classes were taken.  Learning Support and ESL courses will not count as attempted hours in the Maximum Time Frame calculation.  Attempted hours for maximum time frame are calculated in the following way:

Students with no prior certificates or degrees- all attempted hours (both DSC and transfer) count towards the maximum time frame.

Students with prior certificates or degrees- Students with prior certificates or degrees are given additional time to pursue additional educational goals; however, the following limits will be applied:

• A maximum of two degrees or certificates at the same level will be allowed.
• The overall maximum timeframe, based on the student's highest degree level is:

Certificate - 120 hours;  Associate degree - 175 hours;  Bachelor's degree - 225 hours

Maximum timeframe charts based on degree type can be viewed by clicking the links below:

Bachelor degree majors timeframe chart

Associate degree majors timeframe chart

Certificate majors timeframe chart

Students may be required to appeal to document certificates/degrees earned at other institutions.

Probation - Students who do not meet the minimum GPA and/or course completion rate standards are placed on financial aid probation.  During the semester of probation, the student is eligible to receive financial assistance.

• GPA - one term of probation is allowed for students whose cumulative GPA falls below the minimum standards listed above.  Exception: financial aid is automatically suspended after a term where all grades are F and/or U.
• Course Completion Rate - one term of probation is allowed for students whose cumulative course completion rate is below 67%.
• There is no probationary period for maximum timeframe.

At the end of the probationary period, the student is placed on financial aid suspension.  Eligibility may be regained by meeting all three financial aid satisfactory academic progress standards, or aid may be reinstated by an approved appeal.  Students who violate the Maximum Timeframe rule are automatically placed on financial aid suspension.

Students on financial aid suspension may appeal in writing to the Director of Financial Aid, Pope Student Center, Room 15, 650 College Drive, Dalton, GA 30720, phone # (706) 272-2458.  Appeals must be in writing, using the DSC authorized appeal form, and should include documentation of mitigating circumstances, which may include medical problems, illness or death in the family, relocation or employment changes.  You may be referred to on-campus support services based on information provided on your appeal. Referral and/or documentation may be required before your appeal is reviewed. Subsequent appeals based on the same factor will require documentation that you followed through with any plan of action developed through Academic Resources. The Director's decision may be appealed to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee.  If an appeal is approved, the Director or the Committee may set specific terms for reinstatement of financial aid, which must be met in order for the student to receive aid.  Appeal forms are available in the Forms section of the website or in the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Appeals must be received in the Office of Student Financial Aid at least one week before the beginning of a term in order to have an appeal decision before the term begins.  Deadlines for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 academic years are:

Summer semester 2008 A&B sessions - May 6, 2008

Summer semester 2008 C session - June 5, 2008

Fall semester 2008 A&B sessions - August 11, 2008

Fall semester 2008 C session - October 7, 2008

Spring semester 2009 A&B sessions - December 31, 2008

Spring semester 2009 C session - March 4, 2009

Summer semester 2009 A&B sessions - May 12, 2009

Summer semester C session - June 11, 2009

Appeals will be reviewed on an on-going basis by the director.  The SAP Appeals Committee will meet within one week after the deadline dates published above.  Appeal decisions will be mailed within one week of review.