Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY

The U.S. Department of Education requires that colleges monitor the academic progress of federal financial aid recipients to ensure that only those students demonstrating satisfactory academic progress towards the completion of their educational programs continue to receive financial aid. Hutchinson Community College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy monitors student progress in three areas:  completion rate, GPA, and maximum time frame. Students receiving any federal financial aid including Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Work Study, Direct Loans, and/or any other federal or state aid must meet the following standards:

• Students must earn credit for 67% of the cumulative hours they attempt
• Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA
• Students must complete their program of study within a reasonable time frame not to exceed 150% of their published program length

Each requirement is discussed in greater detail below.

Satisfactory academic progress is measured at the end of each semester and the student will be notified if they are not in compliance with the policy at that time. 

COMPLETION RATE

Cumulative completion rate is calculated by dividing the number of cumulative credit hours earned by the number of cumulative credit hours attempted.  Students must earn 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted.  A student failing to complete 67% of their attempted hours will be placed on financial aid warning for the following semester for which the student is enrolled.  A student who does not meet satisfactory academic progress standards during their warning semester will be placed on financial aid suspension at the end of that semester.  A student may appeal their financial aid suspension.  Instructions for appeal are found below.

Attempted hours include any course the student remained enrolled in past the refund period.  Earned hours include any hours for which the student earned an A, B, C, D, P, or CR.  Failures, withdrawals, audits, and incompletes are considered as attempted hours, but not earned hours.    Failing grades in pass/fail courses are considered attempted, but not earned.  Repeated and remedial courses are included in the calculation of attempted and earned hours. 

A student must contact the Financial Aid Office to resolve any discrepancies related to classes with grades posting after the review period.

CUMULATIVE GPA

A student must also maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA).  A student failing to meet the cumulative GPA standard will be placed on financial aid warning for the following semester of enrollment.  A student who does not meet satisfactory academic progress standards during their warning semester will be placed on financial aid suspension at the end of that semester.  A student may appeal their financial aid suspension.  Instructions for appeal are found below.

MAXIMUM TIME FRAME

Federal regulations require that a student complete their degree or certificate in a reasonable time frame not to exceed 150% of the published program length.  All program-applicable credit hours attempted at HutchCC and program-applicable transfer credit hours posted to the HutchCC transcript are counted towards the maximum time frame regardless of whether or not aid was received for those credit hours.  A student will be placed on financial aid suspension as soon as it is determined that they cannot complete their stated degree or certificate within the 150% maximum time frame.  A student may appeal their financial aid suspension.  Instructions for appeal are found below.

Transfer Hours

All program-applicable transfer hours accepted by HutchCC and posted to the student’s HutchCC transcript are included when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress status of transfer students.  Transfer hours will be evaluated for SAP at the next evaluation period after which they were received.  Students will be notified of their SAP status at that time. 

Financial Aid Warning

At the conclusion of each semester, all students receiving Title IV aid will be evaluated to determine whether or not they are maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP). If a student is failing to meet SAP standards, they will be placed on financial aid warning for the following semester for which they are enrolled.  Warning status will not prevent the student from receiving financial aid.  If the student fails to meet SAP standards while on financial aid warning, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension.

Financial Aid Suspension

A student not meeting SAP standards for two consecutive semesters will be suspended from receiving any federal financial aid until they reach the required completion rate or grade point average to meet SAP policy requirements. Students on financial aid suspension are not eligible for financial aid of any kind, including Federal Direct student loans. 

Reinstatement

A student who has been placed on financial aid warning or suspension may request that their status be adjusted if a subsequent semester brings them into compliance with SAP policy.  Students may request a re-evaluation of their SAP status in writing to the Financial Aid Office.

Appeal

A student on financial aid suspension may also appeal to have their eligibility reinstated.  Appeal forms are assigned to students who are placed on financial aid suspension in the student aid portal.  Paper appeals are available upon request.  Appeals will be accepted through November 1 for the fall term, April 1 for the spring term, and July 1 for the summer term.  The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to review appeals after the deadline dates, if warranted.  Complete appeals will be reviewed within 10 business days of the date they were received by the Financial Aid Office.

The Financial Aid Office will consider each petition individually.  Only extenuating circumstances will be considered for appeal.  Extenuating circumstances must be unexpected circumstances that are beyond the student’s control.  Typical adjustments to college life such as underestimating the time required for studying, failing to manage one’s time wisely, or failing to attend class on a regular basis without documented hardship will not be considered as extenuating circumstances.  Extenuating circumstances must be adequately documented and the documentation must be included with the appeal.  Documentation may include supporting statements from doctors, teachers, counselors, etc.  The student will be notified of the decision within ten days of the appeal review. 

A student whose appeal has been denied who wishes to appeal the decision further may file another appeal if they can provide additional information or documentation that was not included in their initial appeal.