Satisfactory academic progress

Definitions

Metropolitan Community College (MCC) provides the following definitions related to the satisfactory academic progress of financial aid recipients (recipients).

1. Eligible academic programs are approved degree or certificate programs offered by MCC and approved as eligible for financial aid by the Department of Education.
2. Semesters include fall, spring and summer.
3. Academic program changes are approved by the campus designee after a student has earned 24 credit hours.
4. Visiting students are enrolled at another college or institution as degree-seeking students and are attending MCC for one (1) semester before returning to their home institutions.
5. Transfer students are those who last attended or received credit from a college or university other than Metropolitan Community College.
6. Dual credit is college credit earned while in high school.
7. Remedial/developmental courses are those with a catalog number less than 100. Recipients may receive financial aid for no more than thirty (30) attempted credit hours.
8. Cumulative grade point average is calculated using all courses in which recipients have earned grades of A, B, C, D and F. Only the final attempt of a repeated course is counted in grade point average calculation.
9. Attempted credit hours include the hours for those courses in which recipients are officially enrolled during any semester. Repeat credit hours are counted as attempted.
10. Courses successfully completed and earned include those in which recipients have received grades of A, B, C, D, P, S and CR. Only the final successful attempt of a repeated course is counted as earned.
11. Courses not successfully completed or earned include those in which recipients have received grades of F, W, U, I and AU. Only the final successful attempt of a repeated course is counted as earned.
12. Grades changed after the end of the semester will be reviewed to determine the impact on satisfactory academic progress calculations.
13. Failed courses may be repeated and are eligible for financial aid until successful completion. Once successfully completed and earned, a course may be repeated and is eligible for financial aid only once.
14. Audited courses are not eligible for financial aid. These courses are included in the calculation of completion rate and maximum time frame but not included in the calculation of grade point average.
15. Rejected transfer credit hours are excluded from the satisfactory academic progress calculations.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to receive federal Title IV financial aid or veterans benefits, you must be making satisfactory academic progress. Student veterans can view the procedure for satisfactory academic progress for VA benefits.

Students awarded other aid must complete all of the following.

1. Satisfy all admission requirements to be admitted as a regular student.
   • Visiting students are not eligible to receive financial aid.
   • Students still attending high school are not eligible to receive financial aid.
2. Send the college official, academic transcripts from all other post-secondary schools, colleges and universities attended.
3. Declare and pursue an eligible academic program.
4. Course enrollment must contribute in at least one (1) of the following ways to the recipients' declared academic program. Courses must be:
   • required for the academic program;
   • designated in the college catalog as prerequisite to courses required for the academic program; and/or
   • remedial/developmental courses.
5. Recipients may receive financial aid for no more than thirty (30) attempted credit hours.

Satisfactory academic progress standard

In order to retain eligibility for financial aid, recipients must make satisfactory academic progress toward their academic program each semester. Academic exemption, amnesty or forgiveness is not allowed. The following will be reviewed at the end of each semester.

1. Recipients must earn and maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Grade point averages will be calculated according to college policy.
2. Recipients must also maintain a cumulative successful completion rate of a minimum of sixty-seven percent (67%) of courses attempted.
3. Recipients must complete their academic program within a time frame of no more than one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the number of credit hours required to finish their program without the repetition of any course.
4. Recipients' entire academic history will be evaluated when determining the credit hours that apply toward the maximum time frame eligible for financial aid.
   • Courses attempted and/or completed toward the student's current program are included when determining the maximum time frame. A student is allowed to change their academic program and reset their maximum time frame one time with approval.
   • The maximum time frame eligible for financial aid will be adjusted for approved academic program changes and for remedial/developmental coursework.
   • Rejected transfer hours are excluded from this calculation.

Financial aid warning

Recipients in their first semester of their program at MCC or who were previously in good standing who fail to meet the academic progress standard will be allowed one (1) semester of warning, occurring the next semester the student attends. Students are notified of warning status through MCC student email.

1. During the warning semester, recipients will be encouraged and may be required to work closely with Student Success Advisors, counselors or other academic support services staff to improve their academic performance.
2. If the recipients do not meet the standard at the end of the warning semester their financial aid eligibility will be terminated. Students are notified of termination through MCC student email.
3. If recipients fail to meet the academic progress standard at the end of the warning semester because of mitigating circumstances, such as illness, incapacitating injury or death of an immediate family member, recipients may submit a written appeal form with documentation to the financial aid office.

Appealing failure to meet financial aid satisfactory Academic progress

Download Financial Aid Appeal Form (PDF)

This form is also available at any MCC campus financial aid office.

Recipients who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standard due to mitigating circumstances beyond their control may be granted a one-time approved appeal.

1. Recipients may appeal their failure to meet any or all of the following satisfactory academic progress standards:
   • cumulative grade point average;
   • cumulative successful completion rate; and/or
   • completion of the academic program within the maximum one hundred fifty percent (150%) time frame.
     • If appealing maximum time frame, recipients must meet with a Student Success Advisor to prepare a list of specific courses still needed to complete their academic program. If the appeal is granted, financial aid will only pay for these courses.
2. Appeals must be submitted to the recipients' campus financial aid office and received before the close of business of the last day of the one hundred percent (100%) refund period in order to be considered. Appeals received after that dated will be considered for the following semester.
3. Appeals may include only mitigating circumstances experienced during the semester in which recipients failed to meet the satisfactory academic progress standard.
4. Examples of mitigating circumstances that may be considered include, but are not limited to:
   • Personal illness or injury. A doctor's written statement or hospital records must be submitted with the appeal form.
   • Serious illness or death of a grandparent, parent, spouse, sibling or child. A death certificate, obituary notice or statement from a doctor must be submitted with the appeal form.
5. Examples of appeal circumstances that may be denied or not considered include, but are not limited to:
   • Poor choices of classes
   • Employment obligations
   • Financial difficulties
   • Loss of transportation
   • Personal or relationship problems
   • Relocating
   • Childcare difficulties
   • Incarceration and/or
   • Internet access.
6. Recipients are responsible for payment of their tuition, fees and books until a decision has been made regarding the appeal.

Approved appeals

If recipients are successful in appealing their lack of academic progress, their academic program will be reviewed to make one of the following determinations.

1. Financial Aid Termination - it is not possible for recipients to complete their academic program within the maximum one hundred fifty percent (150%) time frame
   • Financial aid eligibility is terminated.
2. Financial Aid Probation - it is possible for recipient to meet the academic progress standard within one (1) semester.
   • Financial aid eligibility continues for one (1) final semester of probation. If the recipient does not meet satisfactory academic progress at the end of the semester, financial aid eligibility will be terminated.
3. Academic Plan - it is not possible for the recipient to meet the academic progress standard within one (1) semester, but it is possible to meet the standard within one hundred fifty percent (150%) time-frame
   • The recipient is placed on an individualized academic plan that must be followed. Progress will be strictly monitored.
   • Financial aid eligibility continues as long as the recipient follows their academic plan.
   • If the recipient does not meet the terms of their academic plan in any semester, their financial aid eligibility will be terminated.
   • The recipient may submit one (1) appeal request to change their academic plan due to a new mitigating circumstance. The recipient must explain what has happened to make the change necessary and how they will be able to make academic progress. Failure to meet the terms of their academic plan a second time will result in financial aid eligibility termination with no further opportunity for appeal.

Denied Appeals

If the appeal does not meet the criteria to be considered or is considered, then denied, the recipients financial aid eligibility remains terminated and they are responsible for the current semester charges.

Reestablishment of Eligibility

Once financial aid has been terminated, recipients may complete coursework at the own expense without financial aid until eligibility is reestablished and the satisfactory academic progress standard is met. At that point, application may be made by recipients for financial aid.