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Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Appeal Deadlines:

What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

Students must be making measurable academic progress towards completion of an eligible degree to receive financial aid — federal, state, or institutional. Federal regulations require an evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative academic progress, as well as maximum time frame to completion of degree objective not exceeding 150%. All semesters of enrollment will be included in the measurement of satisfactory academic progress, including semesters in which the student did not receive financial aid. Additionally, transfer work on the Shepherd University academic record is also included.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards are the same for all categories of students, including those students registered with Accessibility Services. Students registered with Accessibility Services should take advantage of suggested accommodations in order to meet SAP standards. Failure to register with Accessibility Services will not exempt a student from the ramifications of the SAP Policy.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is evaluated at the end of each spring semester. Students are not eligible for a warning or probation period. For any student not meeting one of the SAP measurements, financial aid eligibility is suspended immediately, and the student is notified via email and paper mail. If the student has had documentable extenuating circumstances, they have the right to initiate an appeal if those circumstances caused the student to be unsuccessful in school.

It is important to note that you may meet the minimum academic standards with the Office of the Registrar to enroll, but not meet the SAP standards for financial aid eligibility; likewise, you may meet the SAP standards to be eligible for financial aid, but not meet the minimum academic standards to enroll.

Qualitative

Students must meet a qualitative standard of academic progress measured through cumulative grade point average.

Undergraduate students must maintain BOTH a minimum 2.0 Shepherd University GPA AND a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA (including coursework attempted at other institutions).

Graduate students must maintain BOTH a minimum 3.0 Shepherd University GPA AND a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (including coursework attempted at other institutions).

Students whose GPA falls below these standards do not meet the qualitative measurement and are ineligible for financial aid effective immediately; however, he/she has the right to initiate an appeal.

GPA Calculator

Quantitative

Students must meet a quantitative standard of academic progress measured by a percentage completion rate. Undergraduate students must successfully complete 70% of all attempted credit hours. Graduate students must successfully complete 75% of all attempted credit hours.

Attempted hours for courses with a grade of failure (F), incomplete (I), incomplete/failure (IF), withdrawal (W), or repeat (R) are counted as hours attempted and combined with all passing grades in determining progress.

Students who do not meet the quantitative measurement are ineligible for financial aid effective immediately; however, he/she has the right to initiate an appeal.

Maximum Time Frame

Students must obtain degree objective within 150% of the time frame for degree completion.

Degree Attempted Credit Hours
Bachelor’s degree, requiring 120 credit hours 180
Master’s degree, requiring 36 credit hours 54

Changing majors does not begin a new maximum time frame calculation. All credits attempted regardless of major are included in the maximum time frame. Transfer credit that is not degree-applicable will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis via appeal.

Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree must obtain the second degree within 90 attempted credit hours. The attempted hours limitation for a second degree is measured from the point at which the student earned the initial degree.

Students who exceed the maximum time frame are ineligible for financial aid effective immediately; however, he/she has the right to initiate an appeal.

General Guidelines

Transfer students will not have SAP calculated upon admission, but rather at the end of each spring semester during the standard annual calculation.

Students readmitted on academic probation or suspension are not eligible for financial aid unless they meet the SAP policy. Students who are readmitted on a contract do not automatically have their financial aid eligibility reinstated.

Students granted academic forgiveness are not automatically eligible for financial aid unless they meet the SAP policy; however, they have the right to initiate an appeal.

Probation (for financial aid purposes)

“Probation” is the status assigned to a student who fails to meet SAP standards and who has appealed and had eligibility for financial aid reinstated for no more than one semester. At the conclusion of the semester of “probation,” the student must have achieved compliance with the SAP policy or must have strictly adhered to his/her academic plan in order to continue eligibility. The status assigned to a student who continues eligibility based on meeting the academic plan will be “Academic Progress.” A probationary student who neither achieves SAP compliance nor adherence to the academic plan devised in the earlier appeal has the right to initiate a Level 2 appeal.

The decision made by the Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee regarding your Level 2 appeal is final. If your Level 2 appeal is denied, you will not be eligible for any further financial aid until you are compliant with the SAP policy, or you may attempt your Level 2 appeal again at the end of the next semester.

Appeal Deadlines:

Forms: