Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) – Academic and Financial Aid Standing
Purpose
To outline how Minnesota State Community and Technical College determines if a student is meeting the academic and/or financial aid requirements for good academic standing.
Definitions
Academic Plan
A student who successfully appeals for reinstatement will be required to complete, during their probationary period, specific requirements contained in the academic plan developed for that student. At a minimum, the academic plan will require a student to achieve a minimum of a 2.15 GPA during their probationary term and a 75 percent or greater completion rate during their probationary term, depending upon the deficiency.
Academic Suspension
A student on suspension status is not eligible to register for courses or receive financial aid. Students who have been suspended may regain eligibility through the College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal process or returning after the suspension period.
Good Academic Standing
Students must meet the following standards to be considered in good academic standing at Minnesota State Community and Technical College:
6-23 credits attempted: Minimum 1.75 GPA and 58 percent completion
24 or more credits attempted: Minimum 2.0 GPA and 66.6 percent completion
Cumulative GPA
The total grade point average of all courses taken at M State.
Maximum Time Frame
The maximum time frame is the total number of credits, including transfer credits, a student may attempt while remaining eligible for financial aid. Maximum timeframe is calculated as 150 percent of the published degree length measured in credits (ex. 90 credits attempted is 150 percent of a 60-credit degree).
Probation Status
The status of a student who:
A) Returns after an academic suspension period;
B) Has successfully appealed a satisfactory academic progress suspension;
C) Transfers to Minnesota State Community and Technical College after an academic suspension period at another Minnesota State system institution.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal
A form completed by the student requesting to be reinstated as a student in probationary status after having been placed on academic suspension. The link to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form can be found at www.minnesota.edu/forms.
Suspension Period
The College has a suspension period of one academic term (excluding summer).
Qualitative Measure
The Grade Point Average (GPA) a student must maintain in order to retain academic and financial aid eligibility.
Quantitative Measure (completion rate)
The pace at which a student must progress through a program in order to retain academic and financial aid eligibility. This is a percentage of cumulative attempted credits that a student must successfully complete.
Academic Warning Status
A student who has not met the conditions for good academic standing in a academic semester will be placed on academic warning status. Student are eligible to register and receive financial aid for one evaluation period while on academic warning status.
Policy
Minnesota State Community and Technical College, the Minnesota State system, and federal and state law require that a student make satisfactory academic progress towards a degree, diploma or certificate to attend the College and remain eligible for financial aid. The standards defined below are cumulative and include all periods of enrollment, whether or not a student received financial aid. Students bear primary responsibility for their own academic progress and for seeking assistance when experiencing academic difficulty. Academic advising, counseling, tutoring, mentoring and outside referral are all available to students. Please contact student services if you have questions about how to access support services.
Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress
Qualitative Measure
Grade Point Average (GPA)
All students are required to meet the minimum cumulative GPA as shown below. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required to graduate.
Cumulative Registered Credits Minimum Required GPA
0 - 5 0.00
6 - 23 1.75
24 or more 2.00
Quantitative Measure
Completion Percentage
Completion percentage is calculated by taking total number of credits earned (passed credits including grades A, B, C, D, CR, P) divided by total number of credits registered. Grades of F, FN, FW, I, NC, W, and Z (or blank/missing) are treated as registered credits but NOT earned (passed) credits and thus negatively impact the percentage of completion.
Formula: Completion percentage = Cumulative earned (passed) credits divided by the cumulative registered credits.
Cumulative Attempted Credits Minimum Required Completion
0 - 5 0%
6 - 23 58%
24 or more 66.6%
Evaluation Period
The College will evaluate satisfactory academic progress after each term which includes fall, spring and summer semesters. All students with registered credits during a term will be evaluated at the end of that term.
Failure to Meet Standards
Warning Status
If at the end of the evaluation period a student has not met either the College’s GPA or completion percentage standard, the student will be placed on warning status for one evaluation period. Students on warning status are eligible to register and receive financial aid. If at the end of that term the student is either reinstated to good academic standing or academically suspended and may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal.
Reinstatement to Good Standing of Students on Warning Status
If at the end of the academic warning period a student who has been on warning status has met both the cumulative GPA and cumulative completion percentage standards, the student returns to good academic standing.
Suspension of Students on Warning Status
If at the end of the warning period a student who has been on warning status has not met both the College’s cumulative GPA and completion percentage standards, the student is placed on academic and financial aid suspension. Students on academic suspension are not eligible to register or receive financial aid. Students may appeal their suspension for reinstatement to probation status (see below). Without a successful appeal, the suspension period is for one-semester (excluding summer). Students seeking to return after the one-semester (excluding summer) suspension period must still appeal for potential financial aid reinstatement.
If, at the end of that evaluation period, a student on academic probation status:
- Has met the College’s cumulative GPA and completion percentage standards, the student shall be returned to good standing.
- Has not met the College’s cumulative GPA and completion percentage standards for good academic standing, but has met the conditions specified in their academic plan (minimum 2.15 term GPA and 75 percent term completion), the student shall retain their probationary status for a subsequent evaluation period.
- Has not met the College’s cumulative GPA and completion percentage standards for good academic standing and has also not met the conditions specified in their academic plan (minimum 2.15 term GPA and 75 percent term completion), the student shall be re-suspended immediately upon completion of the evaluation period.
The College follows the Minnesota State system 2.9.1 Academic Standing and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedure to consider appeals for reinstatement and to consider admittance for students on suspension from other Minnesota State system institutions. To submit an appeal, visit www.minnesota.edu/forms and click on Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal.
Associated Policies and Procedures
Revisions
| Date | Description of Change |
|---|---|
|
|
Academic suspension was changed from one year to one semester (excluding summer); Minimum term GPA of 2.15 and 75 percent completion rate for students to continue on probation (was 2.25 GPA). |
