Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Federal regulations require all institutions of higher education that participate in Title IV student financial aid programs to establish and publish a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy. The SAP policy must apply to the student's entire academic history, whether Title IV or State funds were received or not. Students must adhere to the standards outlined within the policy in order to continue to receive financial assistance. The following updated policy is effect beginning summer 2011.

Eligibility for awards in the following federal, state and institutional programs is dependent upon a student's ability to meet the standards of satisfactory academic progress:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal College Work Study
• Georgia HOPE Scholarship
• Georgia Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Grant (LEAP)
• Georgia HERO Scholarship
• Middle Georgia College Institutional Scholarships
• William D. Ford Direct Stafford Loan
• William D. Ford Direct PLUS Loan
• Other state grants

Satisfactory academic progress is defined as the advancement of a student toward his/her degree objective in a manner consistent with the prescribed policy of the institution. Academic progress is measured both qualitatively (grade point average) and quantitatively (percentage completion and maximum time frame). Progress review is conducted at the conclusion of each semester.

Grade Point Average(Qualitative Standard)

Students enrolled at Middle Georgia College are required to maintain a minimum grade point average to maintain their eligibility for financial assistance. Thresholds have been developed in conjunction with attempted hours.

Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative financial aid grade point average (GPA). The cumulative financial aid GPA includes ALL attempted hours at MGC, including Learning Support Classes and repeated course work. This may be a different GPA than the institutional GPA.

MGC's Grade Point Average Scale:
0.0 = WF or F, 1.0 = D, 2.0 = C, 3.0 = B, 4.0 = A

Please note that academic grade point average standards are higher than those imposed by the satisfactory academic progress policy within the financial aid department. For a full account of academic requirements, please contact your academic advisor.

Percentage Completion (Quantitative Standard)

Students enrolled at Middle Georgia College are required to complete a minimum of 67% of their attempted coursework.
A student who fails to successfully complete the required percentage of credit hours will have his/her financial aid suspended. Please note that grades of W, F, WF, U, I, and IP will negatively impact a student's percentage completion rate.
Transfer, consortium, repeated, learning support, and withdrawn hours count as attempted hours.

Maximum Time Frame (150%)

Federal regulations require an institution to establish a maximum time frame in which a student receiving Title IV and State assistance is expected to complete a program of study. Middle Georgia College has set a maximum time frame standard of 150% of the hours required to complete a specific degree. Please see examples below.

Violating the SAP Policy

Students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress requirements will be initially placed in a warning status. Failure to meet the requirements after the conclusion of the warning term will result in financial aid probation. Students can appeal to the Office of Financial Aid no more than two (2) times. Note: Financial Aid SAP warning status corresponds to Academic Standards Probation status and Financial Aid SAP Probation corresponds to Academic Standards Suspension status. Financial Aid wording is required by federal regulations.

Students placed on Financial Aid Probation who have been granted an appeal are expected to be making SAP at the conclusion of their next semester by meeting the regulations noted in this SAP policy, OR must follow the academic plan outlined by the Office of Financial Aid which is designed to assist the individual's ability to progress towards SAP by a specific point in time.

If a student's failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress is due to mitigating circumstances such as illness, injury, conflict in job or death of a family member; he/she can request an appeal by completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form. This form will allow a student who is not meeting MGC's SAP policy to petition for reconsideration of Title IV and State funds. The appeal MUST include, a) Why the student has failed to make SAP, and b) what has changed that will allow the student to make SAP at the next evaluation.

SAP Appeals Procedure for Students:

Financial Aid will notify students of financial aid suspension due to inadequate satisfactory academic progress (SAP) through their MGC e-mail accounts. Students may complete the Financial Aid SAP Appeal form located at www.mgc.edu/forms and submit the form and supporting documentation to the Financial Aid office via mail, scanned to e-mail from MGC e-mail account, in person to Grace Hall or faxed by the deadline listed on the SAP Appeal form. After the deadline, students with no appeal on file or an appeal that has been denied will be dropped from their classes. Students whose SAP appeals have been denied have the opportunity to appeal to the Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee by the date listed on the SAP denial e-mail. Students must contact the committee to request re-consideration of the appeal. The Financial Aid SAP Appeals Committee will review the student’s appeal documentation and the student’s history. Students will be notified of the status of this appeal to their MGC e-mail account. Should the appeal be granted, students may re-register for classes. They are required to meet the stipulations listed in the appeal notification in order to receive financial aid for upcoming semesters.

Additional General Information

Students seeking a second degree will have to fill out a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form before eligibility can be determined.

Hours attempted at previous institutions by students who transfer to MGC will be calculated in the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculations as long as they are accepted in the current program of study. This determination is made by the Registrar’s Office.

A student who is in Warning status for SAP will only be in Warning for one semester. The student will either meet SAP regulations or violate their SAP and be placed on Probation the following semester of enrollment. Students on Probation may not receive Title IV and State funds for the subsequent semesters unless the student is now making SAP, has been granted an appeal, or the Office of Financial Aid determines the student has met the requirements specified in his/her academic plan.

The Office of Financial Aid will notify students:

• When “Warning” status has begun
• When eligibility has been lost
• When an appeal has been granted during probation
• When an appeal has been denied