Policy 6.11 - Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP)
Date: November 20, 2023, Resolution #23-138
Supersedes:
April 19, 2021, Resolution #21-33
Purpose
Per Federal Student Aid regulations, each college must have a policy to determine if a student is making academic progress towards completing their degree or certificate. The policy must measure students' Grade Point Average (GPA) and percentage of successfully completed courses (aka pursuit of program). Below is the criteria SUNY Schenectady uses to determine if students are making Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP). This policy is for determining financial aid eligibility only, and does not affect a student’s academic standing or matriculation status.
The total credit hours attempted, the number of credit hours completed, and cumulative grade point averages determine the standards of Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP). Each student’s FASAP status will be determined at the end of each semester. The student’s FASAP status will be indicated in the financial aid section of their records and registration account.
Policy
A student is considered to be making Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP) at the end of a semester and for the subsequent semester if the student meets the criteria for Grade Point Average Progress and Pursuit of Program. These standards are cumulative and include all terms of the student’s enrollment even if financial aid was not received for all terms.
Grade Point Average (GPA) Progress (Qualitative Component)
A student is considered to be making GPA Progress if they maintain a cumulative GPA at or above the level defined in the table below.
| Total Credit Hours Attempted | Cumulative GPA |
|---|---|
| 0-11 | 0.00 |
| 12-23 | 1.00 |
| 24-35 | 1.50 |
| 36-47 | 1.80 |
| 48 and above | 2.00 |
Total Credit Hours Attempted includes all credit hours attempted in residence at SUNY
Schenectady County Community College. In addition, accepted transfer credits are included
in the Total Credit Hours Attempted, but they are not included in the calculation
of the GPA.
Pursuit of Program (Quantitative Component)
A student is considered to be in pursuit of program if they have successfully completed the specified number of credit hours within each category as indicated in the table below. These are the credits at which the student must progress through their program to ensure that they will graduate within the maximum time frame. Successful completion is defined as receiving a grade of A, B, C, D, I (incomplete), or P (pass) for any course taken in residence (including the corresponding plus/minus grades). A grade of F (fail) or W (withdrawn) count as attempted credit hours but are not considered to be successfully completed.
| Total Credit Hours Attempted | Minimum Number of Credit Hours Required to be Successfully Completed |
|---|---|
| 0-22 | 0 |
| 23-35 | 12 |
| 36-47 | 21 |
| 48-59 | 30 |
| 60-71 | 42 |
| 72-83 | 54 |
| 84 and above | 66 |
A student who meets both the GPA Progress and Pursuit of Program requirements at the
end of a semester will be in Good Financial Aid Standing as it relates to federal
financial aid eligibility. If a student does not meet the FASAP requirements, they
are in jeopardy of losing federal financial aid eligibility.
Financial Aid Warning
A student who was in Good Financial Aid Standing and does not meet the FASAP requirements at the end of a semester will be on Financial Aid Warning during the subsequent semester for which they are enrolled. A student on Financial Aid Warning remains eligible for financial aid during the warning period. A student who does not meet the FASAP standards after the warning semester will be placed on Financial Aid Dismissal.
Financial Aid Dismissal
A student who does not meet the FASAP standards after the warning semester will be placed on Financial Aid Dismissal and becomes ineligible for federal financial aid. A student on Financial Aid Dismissal can regain their federal financial aid eligibility if they successfully appeal the determination or return to Good Financial Aid Standing after taking classes without using federal financial aid.
Financial Aid SAP Appeal Process
A student who fails to make FASAP, and is placed on Financial Aid Dismissal, may file an appeal based on injury, illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain why they failed to make FASAP and what has changed in their situation that will allow them to make FASAP at the next evaluation. The committee reviewing the appeal has the right to request supporting documentation.
Financial Aid Academic Progress Appeals are submitted to the Financial Aid Office and will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Committee. A record of the appeal and the final determination will be maintained in the student’s financial aid file. If an appeal is approved, the student will be given the status of Financial Aid Probation and will regain federal financial aid eligibility.
In order for an appeal to be approved it must be mathematically possible for a student to return to Good Financial Aid Standing. The committee can grant a student more than one term of probation in order to allow them to return to Good Financial Aid Standing. If a student will need more than one semester to return to Good Financial Aid Standing an academic plan is required. The academic plan must be developed with the assistance of an academic advisor and will specify the point in time the student is expected to return to Good Financial Aid Standing, though an academic plan could instead take the student to successful program completion. As long as the student meets the requirements of the approved academic plan, they will remain eligible for federal financial aid during the probationary period. The student’s academic plan will be evaluated at the end of each semester. If the student fails to meet the terms of the academic plan the student will again be placed on Financial Aid Dismissal and will lose federal financial aid eligibility. If a student wishes to change their academic plan, they must submit a new appeal to the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee.
If an appeal is not approved the student will be notified in writing. They may attend classes without the use of federal financial aid. If by taking classes without the use of federal financial aid the student returns to Good Financial Aid Standing, they will regain federal financial aid eligibility for the subsequent semester.
Financial Aid Probation
A student who successfully appeals their Financial Aid Dismissal will be placed on Financial Aid Probation. A student on Financial Aid Probation is eligible for federal financial aid during the probationary period. The student must return to Good Financial Aid Standing within one semester and/or meet the terms of their academic plan.
If the student fails to return to Good Financial Aid Standing, or to meet the conditions outlined in the academic plan at the end of the semester in which they were placed on Financial Aid Probation, the student will return to a status of Financial Aid Dismissal and lose federal financial aid eligibility. A student in this situation may submit a new appeal but it cannot be for the same reason as the previous appeal.
Required “C” Average After Second Year:
Federal regulations require that a student have a “C” average after their second academic year. The student must have a GPA of at least 2.0 or have academic standing consistent with the College’s graduation requirements. Second academic year status is defined as a student having attempted 48 credits or more.
Maximum Time Frame for Completion
Federal regulations require a maximum time frame for completion of a degree or certificate program not to exceed 150% of the normal requirements of that program. For example, if a program is 62 credits in length the maximum time frame for completion would be 93 credits (i.e. 62 x 1.5 = 93).
The College will review each student’s eligibility at the end of each semester. If due to withdrawals, failed courses, repeated courses, or transfer credit evaluation the student has exceeded the maximum number of attempted credits they will no longer be eligible for federal financial aid programs at SUNY Schenectady unless an appeal of the maximum time frame has been approved. A student is considered to be progressing through their program(s) within the maximum allowable timeframe if they meet one of the following criteria:
- A student who has successfully completed at least 66.67% of their attempted credits will be on track to complete their program(s) within the maximum timeframe, or
- A student whose unsuccessful credits are less than 50% of their program length will be considered on track to complete their program within the maximum timeframe. If a student is seeking multiple degrees or certificates simultaneously this criterion will be based off of the longest program.
Student Appeal of Maximum Time Frame
A student who has exceeded the maximum time frame may appeal that status if they believe there are special circumstances. Examples of special circumstances would be injury, illness, death of a relative, prior completed degree or certificate at SUNY Schenectady, or other special circumstances. A student may submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office will notify the student of the outcome of the appeal and if they will be eligible for additional semesters of financial aid eligibility.
General Guidelines for FASAP & Maximum Time Frame Evaluation
Repeated Courses
A student may repeat a previously failed or withdrawn class in accordance with the SUNY Schenectady Academic Code (Repeating a Course) and receive federal financial aid and New York State financial aid for each attempt up to the point that the course has been successfully completed. Once a course has been successfully completed, a student may receive federal financial aid to repeat the passed course once per course as long as a better grade is possible. If a previously passed course is repeated, the student will not receive New York State financial aid for that course. Repeated coursework will count as attempted credits for GPA progress, pursuit of program, and maximum time frame each time the course was taken whether or not there was a passing grade.
Courses Dropped in a Refund Period
If a student drops courses in the 100 percent, 75 percent or 50 percent refund periods, those courses are removed from the transcript and they will not be included in the count of credits attempted.
Withdrawn Courses
Withdrawn courses count as attempted credits, but not as successfully completed credits, for GPA Progress, pursuit of program, and maximum time frame. Withdrawn courses do not count in the GPA calculation.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credits counts as both attempted and successfully completed for both pursuit of program and maximum timeframe. Transfer credits count as credits attempted for GPA progress evaluation but do not count in the actual GPA calculation.
Developmental Courses
Developmental courses count as attempted credits for GPA progress, pursuit of program, and maximum timeframe. Remedial courses do not affect the actual GPA calculation. If a student receives a grade of P (passing), the course will count as successfully completed for both pursuit of program and maximum time frame.
Grade Changes
FASAP will be evaluated one time per semester once all grades are submitted. A student’s FASAP status will be based on the grades available at that time. A grade change will be taken into account once FASAP is run for the student’s subsequent semester of enrollment.
Minimum Eligibility Standards for New York State TAP Awards Standards for New York
State TAP Awards
This table illustrates the minimum standards for pursuit of program and satisfactory progress for purposes of determining eligibility for New York State financial aid. To be eligible for state awards, both standards must be satisfied. In addition, the student must be matriculated and in good academic standing as defined by the College. If a student is repeating a course that was previously completed with a passing grade, that course cannot be counted for purposes of New York state awards.
Chart 1.
TAP Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for 2015-16. Applies to non-developmental
Associate’s degree students who first received TAP or other NYS
Aid in 2010-11 and thereafter.
| Before being certified for this payment | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pursuit: Minimum earned credits since last state-aid payment. (measured in percentage of prior payment enrollment load) |
0% | 50% | 50% | 75% | 75% | 100% |
| Progress: Minimum cumulative credits earned | 0 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 39 | 51 |
| Progress: Minimum cumulative grade point average | 0 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
Chart 2.
TAP Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Associate’s degree students first receiving TAP in 2007-08 through and including 2009-10 and remedial students first receiving TAP or other NYS Aid in 2007-08 and thereafter**
| Before being certified for this payment | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pursuit: Minimum earned credits since last state-aid payment. (measured in percentage of prior payment enrollment load) |
0 | 50% | 50% | 75% | 75% | 100% |
| Progress: Minimum cumulative credits earned | 0 | 3 | 9 | 18 | 30 | 45 |
| Progress: Minimum cumulative grade point average | 0 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
- A grade equivalent of a withdrawn course does not constitute credit completed. The requirements above are for full-time students and would be pro-rated for part-time students eligible for APTS or part time TAP.
- Under certain circumstances, students may qualify for the TAP Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress # 2 if they meet the criteria to be considered a “developmental student.”
- A “remedial student” is defined as a student:
- whose scores on a recognized college placement exam or nationally recognized standardized exam indicated the need for remediation for at least two semesters, as certified by the College and approved by the State Education Department (SED); or
- who was enrolled in at least six semester hours of non-credit developmental courses, as approved by SED, in the first term they received a TAP award; or
- who is or was enrolled in an opportunity program (EOP, HEOP, SEEK). Students who meet the definition of “developmental student” will need to meet the academic standards in chart 2.
Waiver
Provisions have been made for students who do not meet the requirement for program pursuit and/or academic progress to apply for a one-time only waiver. According to SED waiver guidelines, a student may ask for and receive a one-time waiver if the student can document that extraordinary or unusual circumstances prevented him/her from achieving the above described minimum standards. Waiver requests are available in the Financial Aid Office.