Enrollment Management Electronic Newsletter

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy--Amended, as Required

Students must be making measurable academic progress toward 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 percent. The measurement of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is made at the end of each spring semester.

Beginning with the fall 2011 semester, there have been some changes to the policy as required by the Department of Education. The most important changes are as follows:

Undergraduate students must maintain BOTH a minimum 2.0 Shepherd University GPA AND a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
There will not be a WARNING semester. If, at the conclusion of the spring semester, a student does not meet any one of the SAP measurements, financial aid eligibility is suspended immediately; however, he/she has the right to initiate an appeal.
The appeal process is more comprehensive:
- Students must be able to explain and document why they failed to meet the policy and what steps/action have been taken that will allow them to demonstrate SAP.
- Advisors, as part of the appeal process, must assist the student in completing the Advisor's Academic Plan for Progress which will document which courses, grades, GPA, anticipation graduation date, etc. are needed to become compliant.

Please review the entire policy at www.shepherd.edu/faoweb/sat_acad_progress. If you have any questions, let us know!

http://www.shepherd.edu/faoweb/