SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY: STUDENTS RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID

Federal regulations, HEA Sec. 484(c), 668.16, 668.34, require all schools participating in the Title IV Federal Financial Aid Programs to have a satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy that conforms to the requirements detailed below.

• Your SAP status is based on your entire academic record at all schools attended (includes all transferable hours), regardless of whether you receive financial aid.
• SAP is calculated each semester after grades have been posted to your academic history by the Registrar’s Office.
• If after the first module of attendance you are not making SAP, you will be put on a Warning Status, the second module probation, and dismissal after the summer term.
• A student may appeal his or her SAP Non Satisfactory Progress, Pace (quantitative) and Grade Point Average (qualitative) Requirements.
• Pace (quantitative) Requirements-The Pace (quantitative) requirement has two parts:
• A maximum time frame,
• A required completion ratio

Maximum Time Frame- To determine the Maximum Time Frame, multiply the total hours required for the degree by 150%. As an example, if the program required 124 hrs x 150%, a student will be able to attempt a maximum of 186 hours before his or her financial aid eligibility is exhausted. This includes credits attempted at any school prior to and while enrolled at Rust College.

Completion Ratio- You must earn at least 67% of all attempted credit hours.

Below is a description of the qualitative and quantitative requirements of Rust College Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards.

                                                                                        Cumulative GPA Required           
Hours Attempted                                                       (including transfer credits accepted)      

            0-29                                                                                         1.50
            30-59                                                                                       1.85
           60-75                                                                                        2.00
           76 and above                                                                            2.00

Academic Circumstances that Affect Your Status 

• Changes in major, double major or minors-May cause you to reach your maximum attempted hours, and loose your eligibility before earning a degree.
• Incomplete grades, missing grades, failing grades, course withdrawals-all reduce your completion ratio, because they are counted as attempted, but not earned credits.
• Repeated courses-count as attempted credit hours each time you register for them. They also count against the allowed maximum attempted hours. This can also reduce your completion ratio because repeated credits count as earned credits.
• Remedial Courses-These courses count as attempted and/or earned credits
• Summer Term Courses-all hours attempted and completed in the summer terms are treated as any other semester hours in determining SAP status.
• Audit Courses-Students are not eligible to receive financial aid for audit courses, and they are not included in hours attempted or earned for SAP determination.
• Late posted grades or grade changes-will require that you submit a written statement from the Registrar’s Office.
• Dismissal and Return-Students who are suspended academically or choose not to attend because of SAP Failure will not be automatically eligible for financial aid upon their return. Student must meet both qualitative and quantitative standards of SAP. Absence does not restore eligibility for Financial Aid.

 Repeat Course Policy for Financial Aid

Effective July 1, 2011, due to changes in federal regulations, the Financial Aid Office is required to monitor and adjust a student’s enrollment level for Title IV Federal aid if or when the repeat course work for credit that they have already earned. Students can retake courses and receive federal aid if they had previously failed a course, but can only receive financial aid twice for a course that has been previously passed. A passing grade is defined as “C” or better on competency level for work accepted in a major area of study, ASP Writing, ASP Math, ASP Reading, ENGL 134 and ENGL 136. For all other courses, a passing grade is defined as a “D” or better.

The policy allows a student to receive Title IV financial aid under the following situations:

• To repeat any failed course until a passing grade is received.
• To repeat one time any course in which you previously received a passing grade.

Please note: Regardless of the outcome, courses are not eligible to be covered by financial aid after a 2nd attempt has been made for a course that has at anytime earned a passing grade