WILLISTON STATE COLLEGE
Satisfactory Progress Policy

SUMMARY

*To receive federal financial aid you must be enrolled in a program leading to a degree. Once that degree is completed you are no longer eligible unless there is a change of program leading to a different degree.

*To continue receiving federal financial aid you must complete 2/3 (67.667%) of your attempted credit hours with a 2.0 institutional Grade Point Average (GPA).

*You will be placed on probation status if you do not meet the requirements during which time you will continue to receive your aid.

*You will no longer be eligible for aid if you do not improve your progress after your probation term, if you complete a term with all F’s, or leave classes but fail to officially withdraw resulting in a 0.00 GPA. Receiving all F’s in a term results in automatic suspension.

*You have the option to make an appeal to re-establish your eligibility.

*You must complete your program within a certain number of credit hours attempted.

*Inquire about your financial aid when considering a change in program.

*You should not attempt to appeal your suspension unless you are in a position to complete the next term satisfactorily.

POLICY

I. Introduction

Federal regulations require that schools participating in federal financial aid programs determine whether students are progressing through their programs of study in a satisfactory “qualitative” academic manner (Grade Point Average), and at a satisfactory “quantitative” rate (courses completed vs. courses attempted). All credits including transfer credits will be used in calculating both the Quantitative and Qualitative components of Satisfactory Academic Progress.

If you, as a student, are receiving some type of federal financial aid you are expected to meet the following guidelines in order to remain eligible for that aid. If the guidelines are not met you will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester. Under Financial Aid Probation you will continue to receive the aid for which you are eligible for that semester. If you still do not meet the guidelines at the end of the semester under probation you will then be suspended from federal financial aid eligibility.

One semester of Continued Probation will be granted in cases where you are successful in improving your progress. In this case, your GPA and credits completed for the term must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines even though the cumulative rates do not.

II. Maintaining Satisfactory Progress

A. Academic Standard/GPA Requirements (Qualitative Determination)

Following the Williston State College Academic Standards, students receiving financial aid are expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00 (C). The institutional Grade Point Average (includes WSC credits only) will be used to determine your progress through your program of study. A 2.0 Cumulative GPA (includes WSC and transfer credits) is necessary at the end of two academic years and for graduation.

B. Rate of Progress Standard/Courses Completed vs. Courses Attempted

(Quantitative Determination)

Maximum Time Frame – You must complete your program of study within the following maximum number of attempted credit hours; Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate in Applied Science, and Diploma-93 attempted credits; Certificate Programs-48 attempted credits; or the amount of credits equal to 150% of the number required to complete a program of study. Generally, if you exceed this number of attempted credit hours you will no longer be making satisfactory progress and will no longer be eligible for financial aid.

Changes in program will be considered when determining eligibility. You may be asked to provide a program evaluation when changing programs. A change in options within a program may adversely affect eligibility for federal aid as it will add to the number of attempted credits accumulated before obtaining your degree. The practice of “filling in” credits to become full-time will also result in adding to the number of attempted credits accumulated before obtaining your degree. You may meet the 150% maximum time-frame before completing your degree.

Minimum Percentage of Completed Hours: You are required to successfully complete two-thirds (66.667%) of your attempted credit hours as monitored at the end of each term.

1. Credits dropped after the 7 th instructional day of classes will be considered attempted but not completed. All repeated courses are considered attempted credits within a program.

2. Credit hours earned per term will mean those credits for classes in which a student received a passing grade of A, B, C, D or S. Grades not counting toward earned credit hours include F, I, U, W, AU. Incomplete grades will result in a delay of disbursement of future financial aid until progress can be determined after grade completion.

III. Criteria for Re-establishing Eligibility for Financial Aid

If you have been suspended from federal financial aid eligibility for not progressing in your program you may re-establish satisfactory progress and regain eligibility by satisfying one of the following conditions:

1. Complete one semester successfully without the use of federal financial aid. Two-thirds of your attempted credit hours must be completed with a minimum of a 2.00 institutional GPA for that term.

2. Complete course work to remove an “Incomplete” from the transcript if all other Satisfactory Progress requirements are met.

3. Make a successful appeal to the Director for Financial Aid due to special circumstances. A Satisfactory Progress Suspension Appeal form must be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.

If you re-establish eligibility for federal financial aid you will, again, receive aid on a probationary status. The Satisfactory Progress requirements must be met in order to remain eligible.

IV. Student Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Process

If you have been placed on Financial Aid Suspension you may appeal the decision if special circumstances are involved. The appeal must be presented to the Director for Financial Aid. The student will be notified in writing within 30 working days of the decision made. Second appeals will be considered only for situations that can be documented by a 3rd party (medical doctors, clergy, etc.).

If the outcome of the appeal to the Director for Financial Aid is not satisfactory, you may then present an appeal to the Financial Aid and Scholarship Committee.

V. Exceptions to the Above Policy

1. Any student who receives a term GPA of 0.0 (an F in all courses attempted) will automatically be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will not receive a Financial aid Probation period.

2. Any student whose enrollment is canceled administratively due to non-attendance will automatically be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.

08/04