Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid

Overview

Federal regulations require all students to be making satisfactory progress toward the completion of a degree or certificate to continue to receive Title IV funds. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a measurement of a student’s successful academic performance and the Standards of Academic Progress apply to all recipients of federal (Title IV) funds. SAP policies are federally standardized but vary at the college level. The following document outlines the current SAP financial aid policy at Franklin Pierce University.

Academic progress is measured using standards that are both Qualitative; review of cumulative grade point average; CGPA and Quantitative(pace); the percentage of credits earned versus attempted within the specified period, and overall; maximum time frame of 150% of the program’s length as measured in attempted credits. To comply with current regulations, the Office of Student Financial Services at Franklin Pierce University will evaluate our students’ academic performance at the conclusion of every semester/term.

The federal regulations governing SAP policies are as follows: 34 CFR 668.16(e), 34 CFR 668.32(f), 34 CFR 668.34

Financial aid programs subject to Franklin Pierce University’s SAP policy include:

• Federal Pell & Supplemental Educational Opportunity (SEOG) Grants
• Federal Work-Study & Student Employment
• Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Graduate PLUS and Parent PLUS Loans
• State of New Hampshire Scholarships & Grants
• Franklin Pierce University Scholarships & Grants

Academic Performance as Measured by Grade Point Average; Qualitative Standard

• To satisfy this requirement, a student must meet and maintain the minimum required academic performance levels as listed here below. Please note that while a student may choose to change majors before completing their original degree program it will not change the formula for calculating compliance. 
• Transferred credit hours do not count towards the GPA requirement. 
• Grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D and F are included in the cumulative GPA calculation.
• Undergraduate students; CGPA > 2.0 for federal aid renewal 
• Graduate & Doctoral students; CGPA > 3.0 for federal aid renewal

Academic Performance as Measured by Total Credits Earned; Quantitative Standard

• Every undergraduate and post-graduate student must successfully complete 66% of total attempted credits during their academic career at Franklin Pierce University at their current degree level.
• The percentage of earned credits is calculated by dividing completed credits by all attempted credits. Rounding does not apply (e.g., student completes 16 of 24 attempted credits. Percentage complete is 16/24=66%).
• The successful completion of a credits attempted for undergraduate students is credit for which a grade of A, B, C, D, or P is received. Withdrawals, Incompletes, and F grades represent unsatisfactory completion of a course.
• Any student who receives an Incomplete (I) grade in any course must confirm with the OSFS that the “I” has been changed into a letter grade, in order for the credits earned to count toward the quantitative standard of performance.
• Withdrawal (W) grades received after the add/drop period are not included in the GPA calculation and count as attempted but not completed credits.
• Withdrawal (W) grades received after a voluntary withdrawal count as attempted but not completed credits.
• Accepted transfer credits are included with attempted and completed credits but do not count towards the cumulative GPA calculation.
• Audit courses are not eligible for federal aid and are not included in the SAP calculation.
• Transfer credit hours and repeated courses count as attempted and completed credits.
• A grade of “D” is not considered a satisfactory completion of a course for a post-graduate student.

Academic Performance as Measured by Maximum Time for Degree Completion; Quantitative Standard

• The maximum time frame for degree-completion is 150% of the published length of the program for undergraduate students receiving federal aid. For example, a program requiring 128 credits for graduation would allow 192 credits attempted (128 x 150% = 192). If it becomes mathematically impossible for a student to complete their degree within the maximum timeframe, the student will lose eligibility for federal aid.
• Attempted credit hours are credit hours for which the student has received a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, or NG.
• Overall cumulative hours attempted, and hours earned are used when reviewing SAP, regardless of whether the student has changed majors or is pursuing a second degree at the same degree level. However, students can appeal to retain their federal aid eligibility based on these circumstances.

SAP Status Review

At the SAP checkpoint, a student who is not meeting the SAP requirements for the first time will be placed on a “Financial Aid Warning.” Students on “Financial Aid Warning” who do not meet SAP requirements for the subsequent term will lose financial aid eligibility.

To regain aid eligibility after this point, the student must appeal in accordance with the policy described below. Students whose appeals are granted will be placed on “Financial Aid Probation” for the next term. If students do not meet SAP after the “Financial Aid Probation” period, all federal financial aid eligibility will be lost.

Appeal Process

A student who loses aid eligibility due to failure to maintain SAP may appeal this status. To do so, the student must submit a Financial Aid SAP Appeal form and submit it to the OSFS for review. If the appeal is granted, a student previously receiving financial aid will regain financial aid eligibility on a financial aid probation status for one term. The student must regain SAP status by the close of the financial aid probationary term.

The student’s appeal must address the following:

1. The basis for the appeal – a description of the special circumstance and 
2. The reason why the student failed to meet the SAP standard(s) and 
3. What has changed in the student’s situation so that s/he will now be able to meet SAP standards.

Appeals will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Academic Plans

A student appealing the loss of financial aid as a result of failing to meet SAP is strongly encouraged to work with their academic advisor in the program of study and formulate an education plan with a Learning Contract; failure to do so could influence the decision on a student’s appeal.