Policy
Federal Financial Aid regulations require that Quincy College establishes, publishes, and applies reasonable standards for measuring students’ satisfactory academic progress in their educational programs. The qualitative and quantitative standard used to monitor academic progress must be cumulative and must include all periods of the student’s enrollment including periods for which the student did not receive financial aid.
Satisfactory progress is measured twice a year, at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Fall SAP measurement is used to determine standing/eligibility for the subsequent spring team. Spring SAP measurement is used to determine standing/eligibility for the subsequent fall term (summer term eligibility remains the same as that of the most recent spring term).
Quincy College assesses the following qualitative and quantitative information for all students at the end of each fall and spring term:
- Cumulative GPA (Minimum GPA of 2.0)
In order to meet SAP standards for financial aid, students must have a 2.0 GPA. Transfer students must meet the minimum cumulative/term GPA requirement for all terms enrolled at Quincy College. Students enrolled for the purpose of earning a second Associate’s Degree or a Certificate must maintain a cumulative/term GPA of 2.0 for all terms of enrollment.
- Number of credits attempted (cannot exceed 150% of the expected length of program; maximum allowable for Associate’s Degree students is 90 credits)
Federal regulations allow students to receive aid for 150% of the published length of an undergraduate program. Quincy College publishes in its catalog that students can earn the AA/AS degree by completing 60 credits (other than Nursing and Health Sciences, and Bachelor’s Degree programs). AA/AS students at Quincy College, therefore, may receive aid for a maximum of 90 credits. Once a student has attempted 150% of their program’s credit hours at Quincy College (including transfer credits), they are no longer eligible to receive financial aid and this standing may not be appealed.
- Rate of completion (2/3 credits attempted must be completed successfully)
In order to maintain satisfactory academic progress a student must complete 66.67% of the courses they attempt. This measurement is taken cumulatively to include all courses attempted at Quincy College. Transfer credits that are accepted by Quincy College are not included in the rate of completion but are counted towards maximum credits.
Policies Regarding Course Work:
Incomplete Grades
Students who receive a grade of “Incomplete” may not meet the minimum GPA requirements. Students are advised to contact the Financial Aid Office to find out if it is appropriate to file an appeal. They should also contact the Financial Aid Office when the grade of “Incomplete” has been replaced by a letter grade. If the course work to resolve the grade of “Incomplete” is not adequately completed in one semester, the grade changes to an “F” and is included in the calculation of GPA.
Dropped Credits
Students who drop classes after the end of the Add/Drop period of any semester may encounter difficulties in meeting SAP standards. Students considering dropping classes after this refund period should consult with the Financial Aid Office to review the impact of dropping a course on their future eligibility for financial aid.
Withdrawal from All Course Work
Students who withdraw from all courses should consider its impact on their Financial Aid award and their SAP status and discuss this with the Financial Aid Office.
Repeated Course Work
There is no limit to the number of times that a student may repeat a course. Credits for repeated courses count only once as credits earned and only once in a student’s GPA; however, all credits are counted as attempted credits. The highest grade in a repeated course is used in calculating the GPA.
Remedial Course Work
Remedial courses are considered the same as credit courses for tuition, full-time academic standing and for SAP. Although these courses do not count towards degree completion, these courses are included in the calculations of the 2/3 completion requirement and in the maximum limit of 90 credits attempted. Financial aid may be paid for up to 30 non-degree credits.
II. Procedure
Notification of Loss of Eligibility:
If the student fails to meet the conditions for Satisfactory Academic Progress, they will be given one semester of Financial Aid Warning. The student should work with the Student Success team on a plan to improve academic performance. If the student does not achieve SAP during the semester of Financial Aid Warning, the student will be placed on one final semester of Financial Aid Probation. If the student fails to meet SAP after the probationary period, they will lose financial aid eligibility. In order to regain eligibility, a student must attend classes at Quincy College at least half-time until they meet the required standards.
The student has the right to appeal the denial of financial aid (appeals will not be reviewed for any student who is not a FAFSA filer and is seeking a loan from a private lender). The appeal should be submitted no later than the midpoint of the semester for which the student is enrolled or it may be denied. Appeals submitted in the last month of the semester will not be reviewed.
The SAP committee will review your appeal for reinstatement of aid. Their decision will be based on the strength of your appeal, the documentation submitted, and your academic record. If your appeal is approved, you will be notified by e-mail. The SAP review Committee is chaired Director of Financial Aid.
If the appeal is not approved, the student will not receive financial aid until SAP requirements are met. All decisions of the SAP committee are final.
Original: October 1999
Revised: July 2009; July 2021’ July 2023
Updated for Gender Inclusivity: Spring 2023