Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Academic Requirements for Receiving Financial Aid

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Program Integrity regulations passed on October 29, 2010, mandates institutions of higher education to establish a standard of satisfactory academic progress for students who receive financial aid. This standard must apply to the student’s entire academic history, whether Title IV financial aid was received or not. In order to remain eligible to receive aid at Georgia College, students must meet the standards specified for acceptable academic performance and for satisfactory progress toward the completion of their program of study. The standards are established within the framework of applicable federal regulations specifically for the purpose of determining the eligibility of students to receive aid under the generally funded Title IV programs, including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study, Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship, and Federal Direct Loan Programs (Stafford, PLUS, and Grad PLUS). These standards should not be confused with Good Standing, Warning, Probation, Dismissal, or Exclusion as defined by Georgia College’s academic policies.

Components

The Georgia College definition of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for receiving financial aid includes the following components:

I. Qualitative (GPA) Standards

Georgia College uses the 4.0 grade point average and numerical code:

4.0 = A 1.0 = D

3.0 = B 0.0 = F

2.0 = C 0.0=WF

Students are expected to maintain the following overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) as indicated below:

Undergraduate Students

Graduate Students

For purposes of this policy "earned" hours are defined according to GC academic policies. Only the last repetition of institutional repeated courses are included in hours earned and GPA. Only the last repetition of transfer repeated courses are included in transfer hours earned and transfer GPA for new Transfer students who matriculated in Spring 2010 or later. All repetitions of transfer repeated courses are included in transfer GPA, but are counted only once in transfer hours earned, for Transfer students who matriculated prior to Spring 2010 (Fall 2009 and prior). Courses initially completed at another institution and then repeated at Georgia College continue to be counted in the transfer GPA and the Georgia College GPA, but hours earned are counted only once.

Quantitative (Incremental Progress) Standards

Students are expected to successfully complete 67% of all attempted coursework. This cumulative calculation includes all Georgia College and any transfer coursework attempted. Attempted hours and successful completed hours are based on all courses included on the students’ official academic history. Further, all attempts of repeated coursework and non-credit coursework are included. The formula of this calculation is:

Cumulative hours Successfully Completed = % Completed

Cumulative hours Attempted

The following will be considered as hours successfully completed:

Grades A, B, C or D

"S" (Satisfactory)

"K" (Credit by Examination)

Likewise, the following will be considered as hours not successfully completed:

"F"

"WF" (Withdrew Failing)

"W" (Withdrew)

"U" (Unsatisfactory)

"I" (Incomplete)

"IP" (In Progress)

Maximum Time Frame Standards

Students will have a maximum of 150% of the average program to complete their degree requirements while continuing to qualify for federal and state aid. The maximum time frame allowed will consist of all attempted hours inclusive of hours described in the Quantitative Standards section of this policy. Students who have Learning Support courses will have these hours excluded for the maximum time frame standard calculation. The allowable time frames at Georgia College are as follows:

Allowance for 2 Bachelor degree and Specialist degree will be made for eligible aid recipients.