Satisfactory Academic Progress
According to U.S. Department of Education financial aid guidelines, PJC requires students who receive financial and state aid to maintain the following standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). These measurements shall be used to determine eligibility for all federal Title IV aid and for other need-based financial assistance, unless the terms of a particular grant or funding source states otherwise.
Students must meet all three (3) measurements below to maintain their eligibility for financial aid:
To continue receiving financial aid payments, students are expected to successfully complete all classes with good grades. Students must have at least a 2.00 cumulative overall GPA (including developmental courses) at the end of the spring semester each year, or they will be suspended from receiving your financial aid unless they file a successful appeal.
Students will receive a warning notice at the end of the Fall semester. See the section on Financial Aid probation below for more information on how Financial Aid suspension may affect a student’s ability to receive aid.
If students are awarded summer aid, their GPA will be checked again at the end of the summer. Students must have at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA at the end of the summer or financial aid will be suspended (see suspension guidelines below).
When students enroll in classes and receive financial aid, you are expected to complete those classes. If students do not successfully complete at least 67% of the credit hours that they started during the year (Fall and Spring), they will be suspended from financial aid. Except for a program that takes less than one year to complete, SAP will be calculated at the midpoint of the program. See suspension guidelines below.
Only passing grades (D or above) count as successful completions. Incomplete or other grades that do not result in earned credits will not count as completions.
Students will receive a warning letter at the end of the Fall semester and must see a Student Success Coach (advising@parisjc.edu) to establish an academic plan and monitoring system. Summer aid each year will be awarded, and at the end of Summer, student hours attempted and completed will be checked again.
How do I calculate 67%?
- Add all the hours attempted during the year (Fall, Spring). Classes dropped are counted.
- Multiply by .67
- Round any decimal up to the next whole number and that is the number of hours that must be successfully completed (grade of an A, B, C, or D).
When students receive financial aid to help pay for a program of study, they are expected to complete that program without wasting a lot of money and time. They must select a program of study before they can receive financial aid.
To make sure a program is completed in a reasonable amount of time, a limit has been placed on the number of hours that a student can attempt in order to complete the program. That limit is 150% of the minimum number of hours required to complete the program. Once a student reaches the 150% limit for their program, they will no longer be eligible to receive additional federal financial aid for that program. The lifetime maximum Pell Grant can only be received for 12 full-time semesters combining all schools attended.
There are a lot of variables that go into calculating that limit, including, but not limited to:
- All attempted credit hours are counted regardless of whether or not a student received aid to pay for them.
- Any transfer hours that are accepted from other colleges toward completion of a student’s program are counted.
If a student is a transfer student, they must submit transcripts from all previous colleges before the end of their first semester or second semester aid will be canceled.
PJC allows the repeat of courses with the highest grade considered as the official grade. Only the highest grade will be calculated in the cumulative GPA, although all attempts will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
If a student withdraws from a course, it is still counted as an attempt.
NOTE: If a student cannot complete their program within the 150% limit, they will be placed on financial aid suspension when that determination is made.
If a student is a transfer student, they must submit transcripts from all previous colleges before the end of their first semester or second semester aid will be canceled
All applicants who have attended other colleges and/or universities during the same academic year are required to add Paris Junior College’s school code (003601) to the application (FAFSA). The amount of aid awarded at the other school must be verified before an award can be processed.
Summer Enrollment and SAP
When calculating the SAP status, summer hours attempted will be counted toward the
150 percent maximum, and summer grade points earned will be calculated as part of
the cumulative grade point average.
Financial Aid Suspension
If a student fails to meet any one of the SAP measurements described above, they will
be placed on financial aid suspension for at least one award year, unless they file
a successful appeal. (Once a student exceeds the 150% limit, they cannot regain satisfactory
progress. However, in extreme circumstances, a student may appeal to extend their
eligibility to complete a program.) During the period of suspension, a student will
not be eligible to receive financial aid.
To regain financial aid eligibility, the student must pay the expenses related to at least half-time enrollment (six hours) and satisfy all SAP requirements.
Unusual Circumstances and Appeals
If unusual circumstances contribute to students’ lack of academic progress, those
students may regain Title IV eligibility through direct appeals to the Financial Aid
Office. Financial aid administrators review appeals and make exceptions to SAP policies
on a case-by-case basis using professional judgment. Federal regulations offer sample
situations of unusual circumstances.
According to federal guidelines, unusual circumstances include, but are not limited to:
- Illness
- Injury
- Personal crisis
- Death in the family
- Other unusual circumstances that reasonably could contribute to a lack of academic progress
If a student is placed on financial aid suspension, the student may petition the Financial Aid Office to consider mitigating (special) circumstances that resulted in their inability to meet the SAP requirements. The Appeal Form must be completed and must include supporting documentation (if applicable) regarding the circumstances (i.e., medical statements, divorce documents, letters of unemployment, etc.).
The student will be notified by the Financial Aid Office within five days after a decision has been made regarding the appeal. If the appeal is approved, the student will be put on financial aid probation for a period of no less than one semester. The student will be required to meet with a Student Success Coach to evaluate their educational goals and program of study. They must abide by all probationary requirements as designed by the Student Success Coach and the Financial Aid Office.
If the Financial Aid Office denies the petition, the student may follow the same written procedure to appeal to the college Financial Aid Committee for review.
Financial Aid Probation
Students who are awarded aid on financial aid probation will be monitored throughout
the semester. When a student successfully raises their Cumulative Overall GPA to a
2.0 and completes enough hours to meet the 67% of attempted hours, they will be released
from probation.
Related Policies:
FEA – Financing Education: Financial Aid and Scholarships (Legal)
FEA – Financing Education: Financial Aid and Scholarships (Local)
Sulphur Springs Center
Paris Campus
Greenville Center