Policy Statement
Dalton State College requires students who receive federal, state, or institutional financial aid to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward the completion of their educational program. SAP standards ensure that students are successfully progressing toward degree or certificate completion and remain eligible for financial assistance. This policy is established in accordance with federal financial aid regulations under the Higher Education Act.
Policy Scope
This policy applies to all students who apply for or receive federal, state, or institutional financial aid at Dalton State College. SAP evaluations include all coursework attempted at Dalton State College and all transfer credits accepted toward a student’s program of study.
Definitions
Academic Plan: A structured agreement that establishes specific academic requirements that a student must meet to keep or regain financial aid eligibility after a successful appeal.
Attempted Hours: Credit hours in which a student enrolls, including completed courses (regardless of the grade earned in the course), withdrawals, incompletes, repeated coursework, accepted transfer credits, and applicable learning support coursework.
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA): GPA is the average value of all grade points earned in GPA-bearing coursework and serves as a measure of academic
achievement. It is calculated by dividing the total grade points earned by the total GPA credit hours attempted, in accordance with the College’s grading scale and academic policies.
Earned Hours: Credit hours successfully completed and earned toward a student’s academic program.
Financial Aid Warning: A one semester status that allows a student to continue receiving financial aid while attempting to comply with SAP standards.
Financial Aid Suspension: A status that results in the loss of financial aid eligibility due to failure to meet SAP standards.
Maximum Timeframe: The maximum number of attempted credit hours permitted for completion of an academic program (typically 150% of the program length)
Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
Students must meet all of the following standards to remain eligible for financial aid:
Cumulative G.P.A Standard
- Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Courses where a student has earned a grade of A,B,C,D,F, and WF are included in the cumulative GPA calculation. Repeated courses are calculated according to our institutional academic repeat policy.
Pace of Completion
- Students must successfully complete coursework in a maximum timeframe
- that supports timely completion of their academic program, which is 150% of the published length.
- Pace is calculated as Earned Credit Hours/Attempted Credit Hours
- Example: A 60-credit program must be completed within 90 attempted hours.
- Students must successfully complete at least 66.67% of all attempted coursework, which is calculated as the Course Completion Rate (CCR)
- Earned Hours ÷ Attempted Hours = Course Completion Rate
- Example: A student with 60 attempted credit hours must earn a minimum of 40 credit hours to continue meeting SAP standards.
Maximum Timeframe Standard
- Students must complete their program within 150% of the published program length.
- A program that is 60 credit hours would have a maximum timeframe of 90 attempted credit hours
- Students who exceed the maximum timeframe are ineligible for financial aid even if not placed on Financial Aid Warning status.
Financial Aid Eligibility Statuses
Financial Aid Warning
Students who fail to meet the GPA and/or pace requirement may be placed on Financial Aid Warning for one semester. During the warning semester, students remain eligible to receive financial aid.
Financial Aid Suspension
Students who do not regain compliance with SAP standards following a warning semester lose eligibility for financial aid. Students who exceed the maximum timeframe also lose eligibility without a warning semester.
Student Appeals
Students may appeal a loss of financial aid eligibility when documented extenuating circumstances affect academic performance. The process is outlined here via Dynamic Form. Examples may include, but are not limited to:
• Serious Illness
• Injury
• Family Emergency
• Other significant documented circumstances beyond a student’s control
Students with approved appeals may be placed on Academic Plan and must comply with all requirements established by the College.
Treatment of Coursework
The College will consider transfer credits, repeated coursework, withdrawals, incompletes, and learning support coursework when evaluating SAP according to applicable federal, USG, and institutional requirements. Specific administrative procedures governing these calculations are available, upon request, by the Financial Aid Office.
Related Policies
Higher Education Act (Section 484)