Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress Policy

The U.S. Department of Education Student Financial Aid regulations require that MCC establish and maintain a policy to measure whether students applying for financial aid are making satisfactory academic progress toward degree completion. MCC has implemented the following Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards necessary to evaluate a financial aid recipient’s continued eligibility for funds.

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Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Minimum Academic Standard Requirements:

The following standards apply to students receiving federal or state financial assistance, including grants, loans, scholarships, and federal work-study.

  1. Grade point average (GPA) Standard

    You must achieve and maintain at least a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in all credit courses attempted throughout your entire enrollment at MCC; whether or not financial aid was received.

  2. Cumulative Completion Rate Standard

    You must complete at least 67% of the credit courses attempted throughout your entire enrollment at MCC; whether or not you received financial aid. The percentage is found by dividing the successfully completed credit hours by the number of credit hours you attempted.

  3. Maximum Time Frame Standard

    You must complete the program of study within 150 percent of attempted credit hours relative to credit hours required to complete the program.  For example, if you are enrolled in an educational program that requires 60 credit hours, you cannot receive financial assistance after 90 attempted credit hours. If during the SAP review it becomes clear you cannot mathematically complete the program within the maximum time frame, you will become ineligible for financial assistance.

Important Notes:

For the purposes of financial aid SAP only, the following grades count as ATTEMPTED but NOT COMPLETED: F, W, AW, L, K, NC, I, U, T and P.

All attempted credit hours at MCC will be counted toward Cumulative Completion Rate Standard and the Maximum Time Frame Standard requirement including:

A grade of Incomplete (I) and courses still in session (i.e. late starting telecourses) will require instructor confirmation in writing that you are making successful progress and are on schedule for course completion.

You can only receive financial assistance for up to 30 credit hours of developmental courses.

You may be paid one time only for retaking previously passed coursework (i.e. repeating a course because you need to meet an academic standard for that particular course, such as a minimum grade).  If you repeat a course, only the higher grade is used in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.

Review of Academic Progress Standards

The Financial Aid Office determines compliance with the academic standards for financial aid recipients by reviewing your cumulative academic record at the conclusion of every semester: fall, spring and summer.  For those of you, who have an academic record, including accepted transfer credits, at the College will be evaluated according to the Minimum Academic Standard Requirements and placed in the appropriate status. 

Appeal Procedures

If you are placed in Suspension or Maximum Time Frame status because of failure to meet Minimum Academic Standard Requirements have a right to appeal.  All appeals must be complete, provide detailed information and supporting documentation about mitigating circumstances, and must be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Office.  Mitigating circumstances include, but are not limited to, injury or illness of the student or death of an immediate family member.  You should not assume that appeals will be approved.

Submit the following three items as part of the appeal process:

  1. A Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form
  2. A signed and dated typed letter of explanation

    Explain why you failed to meet Minimum Academic Progress Requirements and what has changed in your situation that would allow you to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress, describe your educational objectives, and provide a schedule to achieve these objectives.

  3. Documentation

    4. Submit third party documentation supporting the reason(s) why you failed to meet Minimum Academic Progress Requirements, e.g., a letter from a counselor or police officer, medical or legal documentation, death certificate, etc.

    Note: You may be required to complete an Academic Plan at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office.

    Students in Suspension or Maximum Time Frame status who have not returned an appeal or required documentation by the tuition due date of the subsequent semester will have all their federal aid removed!  If a student fails to appeal or has had their appeal denied they may regain eligibility for future semesters by meeting MCC’s Minimum Academic Standard Requirements set forth in this policy.

Notification of Status
The Financial Aid Office will notify you when you are in placed in Warning, Suspension, Maximum Time Frame and Probation statuses.  Students will also be notified when their appeal has been approved or denied.  However, it is the student’s responsibility to know their academic progress status and how it affects financial aid eligibility.

Notice
The MCC Adult Reentry Grade Forgiveness Policy does not impact the Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress Policy.  The College’s SAP policy is subject to change without notice to comply with federal or state regulations, or MCC Board of Trustee policy or action. The Illinois Veterans Grant and Illinois National Guard grant programs and all GI Bill programs are subject to GPA standards only.