All students receiving federal and state student financial aid must adhere to the college’s Student Financial Services Office policy on standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). The intent of this policy is to ensure that students who are receiving federal and/or state financial aid are making measurable progress toward completion of a degree or certificate program in a reasonable period of time.
This policy applies to those students applying for or receiving federal and/or state funds. To reasonably measure a student’s satisfactory academic progress toward completion of his/her degree, certificate or diploma, the student’s total academic record will be evaluated. This includes all academic work attempted at MTC and any transfer hours from other schools attended that are accepted toward the student’s current program of study at MTC. As a recipient of Federal or State financial assistance, students have certain rights and responsibilities. Students’ failure to fulfill their responsibility to make satisfactory academic progress as described may result in the cancellation of their awards, and any funds already received may have to be repaid.
At the end of each semester, the Student Financial Services office will monitor satisfactory academic progress for all students receiving federal or state financial aid to ensure that they are making satisfactory progress toward program completion. The standards defining Satisfactory Progress are outlined below.
Fresh Start: Be advised that federal regulations require that all courses taken must be included in evaluating a student’s satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes.
Course Withdrawals, Incompletes, Repetitions, Remedial or Developmental: Students who receive federal or state financial aid must be aware that repeated courses, noncredit remedial courses and grades of W, WF, I and NC will be considered in assessing progress toward completion. Students who do not satisfactorily complete at least seventy (70) percent of attempted hours will be placed on warning status. Students who have not attained 70 percent satisfactory completion by the next semester of enrollment following the warning period will no longer be eligible for federal or state assistance.
Developmental Studies And Remedial Coursework Standards of Progress: Financial aid recipients may take a maximum of 30 credit hours in Developmental Studies (DVS) and remedial course work.
Transfer Students: All transfer students will be evaluated to determine if they are making satisfactory academic progress prior to being packaged for financial assistance. The evaluation process is based on hours accepted by MTC towards their program of study.
Change of Major(s): Students who change their majors are still responsible for maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress in accordance with the procedure as outlined. A review of Satisfactory Academic Progress will be based on the student’s current program of study at the end of each term enrolled. If the student has changed majors prior to the end of the semester, eligibility will be assessed against the new program of study.
A student changing from an associate program into a diploma or certificate program of study may lose federal and state eligibility immediately upon making the change if the attempted hours are equal to or in excess of 150 percent of the hours required for the certificate or diploma program.
Length of Eligibility
The Office of Student Financial Services monitors the satisfactory academic progress of all students receiving federal and state aid. Financial aid recipients are eligible for assistance until they have attempted up to one and a half (150 percent) times the number of semester hours required for the program of study currently enrolled in. In all instances, financial assistance will be limited to the equivalent of two degrees (or its equivalent) or a maximum of 180 hours attempted, whichever is less.
Cumulative Grade Point Average
Students who fail to earn the required college GPA of 2.0 will be placed on probation during the next semester they enroll in the college. Students in all programs of study who are placed on probation will be reviewed at the end of the probationary period. Students who fail to attain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater will lose federal and state aid eligibility. Developmental coursework grades will not be calculated in the cumulative GPA requirement.
Following a review, a student who has failed to meet satisfactory academic progress, will be notified by letter or email of the resulting ineligibility for federal or state funds. Future awards will be canceled upon becoming ineligible. To receive consideration for reinstatement of federal or state assistance, a student will need to submit an appeal to the Office of Student Financial Services.
A student will be reinstated for financial aid eligibility at such time as he or she has successfully completed 70 percent of attempted hours and has a 2.0 cumulative grade point average as set forth in this policy.
An ineligible student may appeal by indicating in writing to the Student Financial Services Office reasons why minimum academic standards were not achieved and what actions have been taken or what changes have occurred to resolve the problem. Each appeal will be considered on it’s own merit. Individual cases will not be considered as precedent. Examples of extenuating circumstances may include but are not limited to the following:
Death in the student’s immediate family that has been documented.
Personal illness requiring a loss of the equivalent of more than five consecutive class days that can be supported by a letter from a physician.
Serious illness in the student’s immediate family that can be supported by at least one letter of documentation from the family member’s attending physician.
Change in job schedule/responsibilities required by the employer and documented by the employer.
Circumstances regarding approval of Academic Fresh Start, if applicable.
The appeal or the reinstatement of financial aid will be reviewed and a determination made. The student will be advised in writing of the decision.
Students must continue to meet all stipulations each semester until they have achieved a 2.0 GPA and a 70% completion rate. Students in violation of the 150% rule must continue to meet all stipulations to receive financial assistance at the college. Should the student fail to meet these stipulations, the student’s future awards will be cancelled.
Decisions on appeals are final and cannot be appealed at any other college or federal level.