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BEAUFORT COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
FINANCIAL AID SATISFACTORY PROGRESS STANDARDS POLICY
 

To initially receive or to continue to receive aid, all financial aid recipients are required to maintain satisfactory progress toward completing a degree, diploma, or certificate.  Eligibility for financial aid is not affected by whether or not the student previously received such aid.  The following standards are applicable to all financial aid programs including the federally sponsored Title IV programs.  

1. Qualitative Standard (Grade Point Average) - Students must maintain the required cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in order to be eligible to receive assistance. 

2.  Quantitative Standard (Completion Rate) - Students must earn 67 percent of the total cumulative credit hours attempted.  The number of hours attempted is defined as the number of hours for which the student is enrolled at the 10% point of the semester.  Hours earned are those for which the student received a grade of A, B, C, D, P (passing), and CE (credit by exam). Grades of F, W (withdrawal), I (incomplete), AU (audit), R (re-enroll) and IP (in progress) are not considered a successful completion of coursework.  

3. Maximum Time Frame – Students must complete a program of study within a maximum time frame not to exceed 150% of the published length of the program.  For example, if your degree requires 64 credit hours to graduate, you are eligible to receive financial assistance until you have attempted 98 credit hours.  Additional time needed to complete the degree beyond the maximum stipulated must be entirely at the student’s expense.

Special Notes

The maximum time frame begins when the student first attends the college and continues until that student successfully completes a program of study regardless of the number of years that may elapse between enrollment periods. Since the time frame is cumulative, students may loose financial aid eligibility by switching programs before successfully completing the initial program. Once a student completes a program successfully, the student becomes eligible for a new time frame if he/she plans to pursue a second certificate, diploma, or degree.  The hours attempted for the completed program are counted toward the time frame for a new course of study.  

Course withdrawals and grades of “Incomplete,” will be counted as hours attempted.  The student is responsible for planning class schedules carefully with the guidance of the student’s academic advisor.  Registering for more courses than a student is capable of completing, having to withdraw from classes, taking courses in error, etc., all impact the time frame and could result in losing financial aid eligibility before completing a program of study. 

Students are permitted to repeat courses and only the most recent course grade is counted in the GPA calculation.  However, the previous hours attempted and earned will continue to be counted in the total hours attempted and earned. 

Developmental education courses are not counted toward the maximum time frame. However, developmental coursework is included in calculating the qualitative and quantitative standards.  Developmental credits in excess of 30 semester hours cannot be counted toward enrollment status for federal and state based aid. 

Review Process
The student is responsible for maintaining awareness of his/her academic progress status.
  To determine eligibility for financial aid, the student’s academic record will be evaluated at the end of each semester, including summer. 

Financial aid recipients will be granted a one semester probationary period following their first semester of failure to make satisfactory progress.  During the probationary period, students can continue to receive financial aid provided they are otherwise eligible.  Students have this period to re-establish satisfactory academic progress.  If, at the end of the financial aid probation period, the student is able to re-establish satisfactory academic progress, the probation is lifted. A probationary period of one semester may also be granted to Huskins Bill and dual enrolled students.   

A student who does not meet the academic requirements for aid eligibility at the end of the probationary period may attend the next semester(s) without financial aid in order to make up the deficiencies (2.0 grade-point average and 67% completion rate).  

(NOTE: In order to implement this policy with the new computer system adopted by the NC Community College System, a probationary status must be assigned to all students who failed to show satisfactory academic progress at the end of the Spring 2007 semester.) 

Appeal Process

Students with mitigating circumstances are encouraged to use the appeals process.  The circumstances being appealed must be properly documented and will be evaluated by the Director of Financial Aid.  The Director of Financial Aid shall inform the student in writing of financial aid termination. 

If the student desires to appeal the termination of financial aid, a written request must be submitted to the Director of Financial Aid within ten (10) school days of the date of the letter informing the student of the termination.  The student must give the reasons why he/she did not make satisfactory progress and why financial aid should not be terminated (examples:  extended illness, hospitalization, accident, death of immediate family member).  Documentation to support the appeal is required. 

A student wishing to appeal the decision of the Director of Financial Aid may do so by writing to the Financial Aid Committee, c/o the Financial Aid Office within five school days of receipt of the decision.  Subsequent appeals may be made to the Dean of Student Services and finally through the Student Due Process Procedure.


 

Beaufort County Community College    252-946-6194