To remain eligible for Title IV aid, students must make satisfactory academic progress towards completion of their degree. Satisfactory academic progress is measured by a qualitative standard (students must maintain a minimum GPA) and a quantitative standard (students must earn a percentage of credits attempted.)  Monroe College monitors SAP at the end of each semester. 

Students must maintain a specific cumulative GPA by the completion of each semester of study. No student will be graduated with a cumulative GPA below 2.0. By the end of each semester, students must have achieved the following cumulative GPAs:

       Semester*            Cumulative GPA

              1                        0.75

              2                        1.25

              3                        1.50

              4                        1.75

            5-12                     2.00 

Students are also expected to make satisfactory progress toward the completion of their degree. Therefore, students are required to earn a certain percentage of all their attempted credits. To demonstrate satisfactory progress, students must meet the following requirements:

        Semester    % Earned of attempted credits*

            1 -3                    50%

            4-12                   67%

 * Percentages will be rounded up to a whole number. 

A student who falls into one of the following categories will be subject to loss of Title IV eligibility: 

1. Students who fail to achieve the qualitative (cumulative GPA) standards previously cited.
2. Students who fail to achieve the quantitative standards following their financial aid warning status.
3. Students who attempt more than 150% of the credits required for the completion of their program.

   Maximum Number Of Attempted Credits

   Students receiving federal aid must complete their degrees within 150% of the normal time for completion. For example, students may not attempt more than 90-credits to earn the 60-credits needed for the Associate degree or 180-credits to earn the 120-credits needed for the Bachelor’s degree or 225 credits to earn the 150 credits needed for the 5-year Bachelor’s degree.

4. Students who attempt a remedial course three times or complete a remedial course twice without earning a passing grade.    

A student who fails to achieve required quantitative standards is placed in a financial aid warning status. and remains eligible for Title IV Federal aid. Such a student must achieve SAP standards after one payment period. Failure to do so will result in the loss of Title IV aid.

Students who fail to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) or will fail to complete their degree within the maximum timeframe may appeal the loss of their Title IV eligibility. If the appeal is granted, the student will be placed on probation or an academic plan. The student remains eligible for Title IV aid during the probationary period or as long as the academic plan is successfully followed.

Students can initiate appeals at the appropriate Office of Student Services or Office of Student Financial Services on their respective campus. SAP appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis where extenuating circumstances prevented the student from meeting SAP requirements.  Documentation of the circumstances  and an explanation of how the student’s circumstances have changed to now enable him/her to meet SAP requirements after one probationary period or by following a customized academic plan is required.

During semesters which are non-matriculated or in which the student does not receive any Title IV assistance, all appropriate courses taken will count as courses attempted for the cumulative quantitative and qualitative analysis.

1. Transfer Students
   For the purpose of satisfactory academic progress, transfer credits will be accepted toward the degree as both credits attempted and credits earned. Because the college does not transfer letter grades, students who transfer from another institution will be placed on the SAP chart according to the semester that corresponds to the number of accepted credits. Students who transfer in 15 or more credits and do not meet the required GPA at the end of their first semester will be placed  on  a "warning" status and remain eligible for Title IV aid. They must achieve the required GPA by the end of the following payment period.
2. Second Degree Students
   Students pursuing a second degree shall measure satisfactory academic progress by counting the credits accepted toward the second degree as both credits attempted and credits earned. (Please note that students attempting a second bachelor’s degree are eligible for loans only.)
3. Change of Major/Change of Degree
   Students who change majors will calculate their standards of progress from the time of the change of major and include all credits attempted and earned that are applicable to the new major.

Withdrawals will be considered course attempts but will not count towards a student’s grade point average.

Administrative Withdrawals will be considered course attempts and will count towards a student’s grade point average, with the grade equivalent of an F.

Repeated courses will be considered course attempts.  The highest passing grade will replace the lowest grade.

Incompletes will be considered course attempts and prior to any grade change, will be calculated as an F.

Noncredit remedial courses will not be considered course attempts and will not count towards a student’s grade point average. 

All transfer or test-based credits earned will count as credits attempted and credits earned but will not count towards a student’s grade point average.