Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) denotes a student’s successful completion of coursework toward their LSSC degree. Federal regulations require the Lake-Sumter State College Financial Aid Office to monitor the student’s progress toward their degree completion at LSSC. Students who fall behind in their coursework, fail to take classes in their designated program at LSSC, fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average, or fail to complete classes in a maximum timeframe may lose their eligibility for all types of federal and state aid at Lake-Sumter State College.
SAP Requirements
The minimum CGPA for undergraduate students is 2.0. GPA requirements for scholarships may be higher. The student’s GPA will be reviewed each semester, after the posting of semester grades.
This will be reviewed at the end of each semester after the posting of semester grades. The aggregate percentage of coursework attempted and passed must equal 67% or greater at each review. For example, an undergraduate student who enrolls for 12 hours and completes only 7 hours has completed 58% of attempted hours and therefore, does not meet standards.
For example, the average number of hours it should take to complete an AA degree is 60 hours. Using that average, 150% equals 90 hours. For students who are enrolled in the BAS-OM program, it should take no more than 120 hours to complete. Using that average, 150% equals 180 hours, which is the maximum number for which a student could receive financial aid (assuming CGPA and Completion Ratio are also met).
Frequent Student Situations
The number of transfer hours accepted at the point of admission will be used to calculate the student’s remaining eligibility under the 150% calculation and will be included in the quantitative calculation, which includes the number of hours attempted and completed. In order to meet GPA component, the student must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Transfer students whose cumulative GPA and/or completion ratio is below the minimum standards for more than one semester will be placed on suspension. The student has the option to appeal the suspension if they believe they have mitigating circumstances.
A student, who has already earned a degree and is pursuing a second degree, will be given 150% of the stated hours required for the second-degree program and will include hours taken previously that will apply to the second degree.
Audited classes are not considered “financial aid eligible”; therefore, they do not count as hours attempted or hours completed.
Remedial coursework hours are considered “financial aid eligible”; therefore, they are counted as attempted hours. A maximum of 30 remedial hours excluding ESL courses may be funded.
Consortium coursework is considered to be courses taken at other approved institutions for credit towards a degree at a student’s home institution. All hours accepted for credit towards a student’s declared program will be considered for GPA, timeframe, and hours attempted.
Enrollment in any or all summer sessions within the same calendar year will be considered one term. All hours attempted will be calculated in the completion percentage and GPA, and maximum timeframe.
Withdrawals will be counted as hours attempted, but not factored into cumulative GPA.
Incompletes will be treated as hours attempted, but not factored into the cumulative GPA.
Financial aid will pay for a student to retake any previously passed course one-time only. Financial aid will pay for failed repeat courses as long as other SAP standards are met.
Notification of Students Not Meeting SAP
The CGPA, Completion Ratio, and the time-frame percentage (150%) for SAP are evaluated at the end of each term (fall, spring, summer). Students not meeting SAP requirements will fall into two categories.
GPA and/or Completion Ratio – The first time a student does not meet the cumulative GPA and/or completion ratio percentage requirement(s), they will be placed on WARNING and notified accordingly. Students remain on warning until the next time SAP is reviewed. During the warning period, students remain eligible for Federal Financial Aid.
- GPA and/or Completion Ratio – If a student on “warning” does not improve the GPA and/or Completion Ratio Percentage the next term of enrollment, the student will be placed on suspension. During the suspension period, the student will be ineligible for any federal financial aid.
- Maximum Time Frame – A student will be placed on suspension if he/she has reached or exceeded 150% of the normal timeframe required to complete a degree program (includes both LSSC and transfer hours). Student is ineligible for federal financial aid and notified accordingly.
Students may submit an SAP appeal for consideration of reinstatement of Federal Financial Aid eligibility. In the appeal the student will provide documentation of mitigating circumstances, a written statement explaining what happened and what has changed. Academic reinstatement by the Registrar’s Office or the Advising Office does not constitute reinstatement of financial aid eligibility.
All appeals will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. The committee’s decision is final. Students will be notified through the Lakehawk email of the decision. If an appeal is approved, the student must sign the SAP Academic Plan Agreement which outlines the terms of approval.