What you need to know to keep your financial aid!
Every year that you re-apply for financial aid, and at the end of each semester, the SCC Financial Aid Office checks your transcript (record of your grades) to see if you are making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). This is something the federal and state governments require to make sure financial aid recipients are making progress toward completing their degree, diploma, or certificate. Following is an explanation of several important SAP rules, and you are encouraged to view the complete SCC SAP policy.
To make SAP:
- You have to earn a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0. Your GPA for financial aid purposes will include both passing and failing grades in developmental courses, so your GPA for financial aid may be different than the GPA on your SCC transcript.
- You also have to complete, on a cumulative basis, at least 67% of the credit hours you attempt (your Course Completion Rate) so that you won't exceed 150% of the credit hours in your academic program (the Maximum Time Frame to complete your program).
- These grades count as hours attempted and earned- A, B, C, D, P and the less common TR, AP, SP or S for courses transferred in or credited by exam.
- These grades count as hours attempted but not earned- W, WF, AW, F, I, or R.
- These grades don't count as hours attempted or earned- AU, SR or NA. See SCC Catalog for grade definitions.
- Since these measures are cumulative, that means we look at your results for all terms ever enrolled at SCC, even if you didn't receive financial aid during those terms. We also include all hours transferred to SCC in your calculations.
- If you're not passing all of these measures, you are not making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
If you’re not making SAP you may get a chance to turn things around:
- If you do not have the required GPA and Course Completion Rate, you will be notified in a letter or email from the Financial Aid Office that you are being placed on Financial Aid Warning for one semester. This is your opportunity to improve your academic results so that you will be making SAP by the conclusion of your warning term. You will continue to receive financial aid during this Warning term.
- If you do not reach a cumulative 2.0 GPA and a cumulative 67% Course Completion Rate at the end of your Financial Aid Warning term, your financial aid will be suspended. You will then be required to pay for future classes on your own.
- During your suspension period, if you believe you have regained SAP, you should notify the SCC Financial Aid Office. We will recheck your SAP to see if you can again be eligible for financial aid.
- If you have attempted more hours than the Maximum Time Frame for your academic program (150% of the credit hours in the program), you will not receive a warning term. Financial aid will automatically be suspended.
You may appeal a determination that you are not making SAP:
- After your warning term and when you receive your financial aid suspension letter, you may make a Financial Aid Appeal in order to request financial aid for an additional term or terms on a probationary status.
- You should have experienced a serious illness or injury, serious illness or death in your immediate family or other special circumstances that prevented you from attending or being successful in your classes during the semester(s) you failed to make SAP.
- If you cannot regain SAP in one additional semester on probation, you may be placed on an academic plan that will stipulate specific requirements you must meet in order to remain on probation under the appeal.
- If you are not making SAP because you have changed your academic program, you may be able to appeal if you have valid cause for withdrawing from your former academic program.
- You will be asked to provide a letter and documentation with the appeal form.
- Your request will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Director, who will notify you of the decision.
Tips to Make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
THESE TIPS WILL HELP YOU AVOID EXCESSIVE WITHDRAWAL (W) OR F GRADES:
- Only sign up for the number of classes that you can successfully pass during one semester. It's better to start off slower and add more during a later semester. Also, be sure the classes are scheduled at times you will be able to meet. Make backup arrangements for transportation and childcare.
- Be sure to make any adjustments to your class schedule each semester before the end of the Schedule Adjustment (also called Drop/Add) period. When you do this, the course is removed completely from your schedule and will not affect your SAP. For the current academic year, the last day of the Schedule Adjustment period is:
Last day of the Schedule Adjustment period
Fall 2024 - First Session - August 20, 2024
Full Session - August 23, 2024
Second Session - October 16 & 21 2024
Spring 2025 - First Session - January 14, 2025
Full Session - January 17, 2025
Second Session - March 18, 2025
Summer 2025 - Full and First Session - May 28, 2025
- If you start having trouble in a class, or if you have to miss more than one day of class in a row, take steps right away. Contact the instructor first, and if you need further help, see the Learning Assistance Center or Student Support Services about getting a tutor.
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If you must withdraw from a class, be sure to do so as soon as you stop attending and before the last day to withdraw. If you do not formally withdraw, you may receive an F or WF grade instead of a W grade. All three grades count as hours attempted but not earned for SAP purposes, but an F grade also seriously hurts your GPA. For the current academic year, the last day to withdraw for full session classes is:
Last day to Withdraw
2024-2025 Academic year
Fall 2024 - First Session - September 26, 2024
Full Session - November 5, 2024
Second Session - November 26, 2024
Spring 2025 - First Session - February 20, 2025
Full Session - April 8, 2025
Second Session - April 30, 2025
Summer 2025- First Session - June 17, 2025
Full Session - July 8, 2025
Second Session - July 17, 2025
2023-2024 Academic year
Summer 2024 - First Session - June 18, 2024
Full Session - July 9, 2024
Second Session - July 16, 2024
- See the Financial Aid Office if you are contemplating a change in your academic program. We can discuss the implications for your SAP with you.
