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Standards of Satisfactory Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedures – Effective Academic Year 2018-2019

To comply with current federal regulations, the Daytona State College Office of Financial Aid Services will monitor the academic progress toward a certificate or degree completion. Students who fail to maintain the required cumulative grade point average, successfully complete at least 67% of all course attempts, and do not complete their certificate or degree requirements within the prescribed length of time will no longer be eligible for future student financial assistance from federal, state, or college funds.

Daytona State College (DSC) believes that a Program-Based Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy provides an equitable assessment of academic performance (for both native and transfer students).

Satisfactory Academic Progress will be measured at the end of each semester, including summer sessions.

Students must meet the requirements in components 1, 2 & 3 below in each semester to maintain eligibility for financial assistance. These three SAP measures will be based on all coursework that is applicable to the student's current degree or certificate program of study. If the student doesn't meet all three of the requirements each semester (not just the previous semester or academic year), the student will not be eligible for financial aid. (Students are disbursed aid only for classes applicable to their degree program.)

The guidelines below apply to all periods of enrollment, whether or not the student received aid for those periods.  If a course is repeated, each attempt is included in the Completion Ratio (Pace) and Maximum Time Frame calculations. Developmental coursework is not included in the Maximum Time Frame calculations.

        1. Qualitative Component: Students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (Cum GPA) of 2.0., including the grades in any developmental/remedial classes. (Developmental/remedial classes are not counted as part of the overall college GPA.) Grades of A, B, C, D, F, FN, I, P, SP, and WF are included in the Financial Aid Program GPA. Grades of W, W1, and X are not included in the Financial Aid Program GPA.

        2. Quantitative Component (Pace): Students must successfully complete at least of 67% of all courses attempted. For example, students who have attempted 9 credits, must earn 7 credits to maintain a 67% completion rate. Students who have attempted 24 credits cumulatively, must earn 17 credits cumulatively.

        3. 150% of Program Length: The students must complete their program of study within 150% of the timeframe allowed. For example, students enrolled in a 60 credit degree program must complete their program before exceeding 90 attempted credits. For students who change majors, only coursework attempted and earned that is applicable to the new program of study is counted in the maximum timeframe. Developmental and remedial classes are excluded from the 150% calculation. Throughout enrollment, as soon as it can be determined that a student is not on target to graduate within 150% of the standard program length, financial aid will be suspended.

Students may be identified and suspended as they reach the 150% time limit, but the college understands there are situations such as enrollment for a 2nd or subsequent degree, a change of major, or the non-applicability of transfer credit the could result in a student needing a reset of the PACE requirements.

        4. Transfer Students: The Records Office evaluates and posts transcripts from prior institutions that are submitted to the college. All posted transfer credit hours that are applicable to the student's current degree or certificate program of study are subject to being counted for SAP purposes (minimum cumulative Financial Aid GPA, Completion Ratio (Pace), and Maximum Time Frame calculations).

        5. Warning Status: If a student fails to meet the Qualitative and Quantitative components (#1 and #2 above), the student may be granted a "warning" semester during which time aid can be received. At the conclusion of the warning period, the student must be in compliance with the SAP policy. If at the end of the warning period the student still does not meet the cumulative SAP measures, the student will become ineligible for financial aid for the next semester, and placed on financial aid suspension. NOTE: There is no "warning" semester if a student fails to complete his/her degree or certificate program within 150% of the program length.

        6. Suspension: A student will become ineligible to receive financial aid and placed on financial aid suspension if not meeting SAP requirements following any warning or a probationary period (See #9 below.), or if the student fails to complete his/her degree or certificate program within 150% of the program length (or it is determined mathematically not possible to complete within 150% of the program length). This will result in the ineligibility for all federal, state and institutional financial aid. Students who do not meet the standards of satisfactory progress requirements will be notified via email shortly after the semester that their progress falls below the standards. Students may also view their current SAP status on the MYDAYTONASTATE portal.

        7. Return to Good Standing: Once placed on financial aid suspension, a student may regain financial aid eligibility by completing future class work and returning to good standing. Students are responsible for covering the costs of these classes.

        8. Appeals: When a student becomes ineligible, they have a right to appeal the suspension of their financial aid based on extenuating circumstances beyond their control that prevented them from satisfying the SAP requirements. Students must state in their written appeal what has changed to enable their success during the upcoming semester.

All appeals must be submitted in writing and documentation must be provided. Appeal forms are online at the Financial Aid Services web site, or in any of the financial aid offices. SAP appeal decisions are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Extenuating circumstances beyond a student's control include, but are not limited to:

  • Serious illness or medical emergencies of the student or their immediate family;
  • Death of an immediate family member or caregiver;
  • Domestic violence;
  • Involuntary call to active military duty, including National Guard and first responders in disaster situation;
  • Other extraordinary/emergency situations and life changing events.

The following situations are not considered extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control:

  • Incarceration;
  • Voluntary pause, lapse, or termination of employment;
  • Voluntary overtime;
  • Being irresponsible or not understanding the SAP requirements.

An appeal should be submitted by the priority deadline for the applicable semester as indicated on the appeal form. Appeals without supporting documentation will not be approved. Students will be notified of the final decision of the appeal through the Daytona State email address within 2 weeks. A student whose appeal has been approved for Probation (see below) will sign an Academic Plan, and return a signed copy to the Financial Aid Services Office. While on an approved appeal, the student must maintain good standing. An appeal approval may need to extend the PACE limitations so that the Academic Plan can be completed.

         9. Probation: The Office of Financial Aid may grant the student who failed to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements a "probationary" semester based on the extenuating/mitigating circumstances and reinstate financial aid eligibility for one additional semester.

Probation is given for the next period of enrollment for a one final opportunity to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress. As part of the probation process, the student is required to agree to a required Academic Plan. Students can continue to receive financial aid while on probation and an academic plan, even though they are not in good standing. If upon review, at the end of the probation semester, the student has not returned to good standing, but has met the requirements of the Academic Plan, the student will continue on probation and the academic plan for the subsequent semester of enrollment.

Upon appeal, if approved for additional credits to graduate from the student's current program, all classes must be successfully completed or the student will no longer be eligible for financial aid. If the student changes to another major, degree, or certificate program and has not completed the degree or certificate program for which the appeal was approved, the student will no longer be eligible for financial aid and will not be considered for another appeal for maximum credit.

The requirements of the Academic Plan will vary depending on the student's specific academic history. In general, students who are approved for Probation will be required to successfully complete 100% of all attempted credits and earn at least a 2.0 term GPA in each subsequent semester of enrollment until they return to Good Standing (some students may be required to earn a higher term GPA if their cum GPA is below 2.0).

The Academic Plan must be signed and returned by the student prior to the reinstatement of financial aid. Student's should sign and return the Academic Plan within 10 days of receipt to ensure aid is available for the upcoming semester.

Students will not be allowed to change majors while on an Academic Plan. Therefore, if a change of major is contemplated, it must be done in conjunction with the signing of the original Academic Plan.

When a student fails to meet the requirements of Probation and the Academic Plan, the student has the right to appeal again if there was a significant one-time unanticipated life changing event while on the Academic Plan causing the student to withdraw or fail classes during a probationary semester.

        10. Reinstatement from Suspension: Students who fail to maintain successful completion rate and/or cumulative GPA as outlined on their Academic Plan will be suspended from future financial aid and must return to good standing prior to regaining eligibility to receive financial aid in a future semester. Based upon the number of credits attempted and grades received, this could mean a student suspended would have to pay for a year or more of classes before the student may become eligible for financial aid again. (Please note: Reinstatement does not usually pertain to the suspension for exceeding the maximum credit review. However, if a student who was ineligible for financial aid due to maximum credit timeframe graduates and enters a new degree program, the student could regain eligibility for financial aid if he/she has not exceeded the maximum credit timeframe for the new degree.)

        11. Repeated Courses: When repeating a course, students may receive financial aid for a course if the previous grade was an F or W. [Please note: For vocational (clock hour) courses, a student may not receive financial aid for repeated courses unless 180 days have passed.] In addition, students may also receive financial aid for a repeated course if the initial grade earned does not meet the requirements for the program or meet the prerequisite requirement for the next course in the sequence. Students may only receive financial aid for a repeated course one additional time once they have passed the class (received a grade of D or above).

        12. Non-Credit Courses: These courses are not eligible for Title IV assistance and do not satisfy requirements of any Title IV eligible academic programs. Therefore, they are not considered in the determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress.

        13. Prior Baccalaureate Degree: Students who have completed a baccalaureate or professional degree from an institution, regardless of whether the institution is unaccredited or a foreign school, are not eligible for federal or state grant funds. It does not matter whether the degree is accepted or recognized by Daytona State College.

        14. Developmental Courses and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes: A student may receive financial aid for a maximum of 30 attempted developmental credits. After the student has attempted 30 developmental/remedial credits, any additional developmental/remedial credits taken by the student will not be included in determining the enrollment status of the student for financial aid.

The first 30 credits of a student's developmental coursework do not count toward the 150% limit, however developmental credits attempted and grades earned in these courses are counted in the qualitative and quantitative academic progress measures. There are two exceptions: EAP 1500 (Advanced Listening/Speaking) and EAP 1695 (Advanced English as a Second Language II) are included in the Completion Ratio (Pace) and Maximum Time Frame calculations.

All courses withdrawn from are considered credits attempted, but not earned.

In addition, the following select college-level courses are also included:

  • MAT 1033
  • MAT 1033L
  • MAT 1100
  • SLS 1101
  • SLS 1126
  • EAP 1500
  • EAP 1695

Note that the following required prerequisites - MAT 1033, MAT 1033L, and MAT 1100 - can be paid with financial aid and are treated as developmental courses when considering the 30-credit hour limit described above; however, unlike the typical developmental courses, these courses WILL be counted when calculating Completion Ratio and Maximum Time Frame for SAP purposes.

        15. Academic Grade Forgiveness: All courses attempted that are applicable to a student's current degree or certificate program of study are included in all SAP calculations, regardless of the college Academic Grade Forgiveness.

        16. Treatment of Waivers, Exemptions, Course Substitutions and Milestones: There are instances where individual courses or an entire requirement group (group of courses) in an academic program are designated as completed based on previous coursework, specific accomplishments, and/or previous degree completion. Such designations are referred to as waivers, exemptions, course substitutions, and/or milestones. In such cases, the designated amount of credit hour(s) will be counted in your Completion Ratio (Pace) and Maximum Time Frame calculations as both attempted and completed credit hours. In the case of course substitutions, that course would count instead of the typically required course.

Example: A student with a prior AA degree or higher comes to DSC or re-enrolls at DSC in a bachelor's program. The 36 credit hours of general education requirements are designated as completed. In this case, those 36 credit hours are counted as both attempted and completed for Completion Ratio and Maximum Time Frame calculations.

        17. Requirements met for graduation: If a student has already taken and completed the coursework required to graduate from a specific degree or certificate program of study, he/she is no longer eligible to be considered for future financial aid as long as you remain in that specific program of study, whether or not "official" graduation has been granted.

        18. Items to remember: The Financial Aid Services Office is not notified when grades are changed after the final grading period. It is the responsibility of the student to request a re-evaluation of their eligibility.

Students who attended DSC in the past and re-enroll, will be reviewed for SAP for financial aid purposes on all previously attempted courses and transfer credit hours that are applicable to the student's current degree or certificate program of study, regardless of how long ago the student attended DSC.

Students may modify their initial course schedule up to the last day to drop with a refund. Classes that are dropped during this time period are not counted as part of the SAP evaluation process. If a student withdraws after the Last Day to Drop with a Refund, it will negatively affect the Completion Ratio (Pace) and Maximum Time Frame requirements.

If a student graduates, or changes degree or certificate program, their SAP calculation will reset to only count those credit hours that are applicable to their new program of study. Courses that do not count toward the new program of study will NOT be included in the SAP calculation.