Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

• Grade Point Average: Undergraduate students pursuing a Bachelor's, Associate's, or authorized Certificate Program are required to maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 on all hours attempted.

There are two components of the quantitative standard:

• Completion Rate: The quantitative measure requires undergraduate students maintain a cumulative completion rate of 67% of the attempted coursework (Including Developmental, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Dual Enrollment and/or Transfer hours accepted by Laredo College towards their program of study). This percentage is determined by dividing the number of hours completed by the total number of hours attempted.
• Maximum Time Frame: This measure limits the number of credit hours attempted in the pursuit of a degree or certificate program. The maximum attempted hours are 150% of the credits required to complete the students’ program of study. Federal regulations stipulate that a student must complete his or her program of study within 150 percent (program length multiplied by 1.5) of the permitted time.
  • Using the example of a 60-credit-hour associate degree, a student with this major must complete the program within 90 (60 x 1.5) credit hours. This Includes dual enrollment and/or transfer coursework accepted towards the program of study. Developmental and ESOL coursework will NOT be included when assessing the student’s progression toward the maximum time frame.

Financial Aid Warning

– Students will be placed on financial aid warning if Satisfactory Academic Progress is not achieved as defined above. Students may still receive financial aid while on financial aid warning, which allows the student to receive financial aid for one additional semester.

• A warning notice is issued to inform the student that their financial aid will be suspended if their academic progress does not improve by the end of the warning semester, when SAP is reviewed. If a student fails to achieve any of the mentioned SAP requirements, their financial assistance eligibility will be suspended.
• Moreover, if the SAP standards are met (2.0 GPA and completion of 67% of attempted coursework), students will be removed from financial aid warning and placed in good standing at the end of the next semester enrolled.

Financial Aid Suspension

- Students who fail to meet SAP requirements (GPA, Completion Rate, and/or reached the Maximum Time Frame for their program of study) after receiving a Financial Aid Warning are placed on Financial Aid Suspension and are ineligible for Federal or State financial aid unless they regain eligibility by meeting all SAP evaluated measures or through a successful appeal.

• A suspension notification will be sent to LC students via email informing them students that their financial aid will be suspended for failing to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Requirements.
• Taking a semester off without enrolling or paying for courses without financial aid will not restore eligibility for financial aid. Students may regain good standing status if they are able to raise their overall GPA and completion rate to the minimum acceptable standards or higher.
• Students may continue attend LC if they are qualified to re-enroll based on academic standing, but they must do so at their own expense until they meet the SAP standards to receive financial aid help again. Students who do not satisfy the minimal SAP standards will have their financial aid suspended.
• A suspended student has the right to appeal his or her suspension to the Financial Aid SAP committee. No additional funding will be given; however, students' eligibility may be reinstated on a probationary basis upon the approval of a successful financial aid SAP appeal.

If the student does not choose to appeal, he or she must meet SAP standards before aid eligibility can be restored.

A student who chooses to appeal the financial aid suspension must request the SAP appeal application via email (finaid@laredo.edu) or by visiting the Office of financial Aid located at Fort McIntosh Campus - Lerma Peña Building Room 143 or South Campus - Billy Hall One Stop Shop Room 109. SAP appeals are available to students during (Fall, Spring and Summer) semesters.

SAP appeals must be submitted by the required deadline to be considered for the current semester. No appeals will be allowed after the Census date/Official Reporting day (12th class day). The Office of Financial Aid will review the appeal within four to six weeks of its receipt and determine if financial aid eligibility can be reinstated. Students will be notified of the appeal decision via their Laredo College student email address. If the SAP appeal is granted, the student will be placed on financial aid probation.

SAP Appeal Criteria:

• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal application.
• Typed personal statement (Personal statement should address What happened, why weren't SAP standards met? What has Changed? And what are the student’s success strategies and how will this ensure success?).
• Copy of your Academic Plan which is provided by Advising Center.
• Submit together with sufficient supporting documents that demonstrates such extenuating circumstances that caused the student to fall below the minimum SAP standards. Examples extenuating circumstances:
  • Personal or family critical illness (both physical and mental)
  • Natural disaster affecting the student's or family's home
  • Accidents
  • Military orders of deployment or leave
  • Divorce or Separation
  • Death in the family

Supporting documentation may include bills, death certificates, obituaries, police reports, divorced decree, court reports, a letter/statement from a doctor or counselor, judge, clergy, military liaison, homeless shelter director, academic advisor or faculty/staff member, or other relevant third party. If no supporting documentation is provided, the SAP Appeal will be automatically denied.

The submission of a SAP appeal does not guarantee its approval, nor does it relieve the student of the obligation to pay tuition and fees to the college by the payment deadlines. While the appeal is being processed and the student is determined to be eligible for financial aid, students must pay their own expenses or make payment arrangements at the Bursar's Office.  

The following are NOT considered extenuating circumstances:

• Incarceration resulting from a guilty verdict
• Voluntary pause, lapse or termination of employment
• Voluntary overtime
• Young and irresponsible
• Changing majors due to being undecided

Student appeals for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility are reviewed by SAP Appeals Committee. The student does not meet with the SAP Appeals Committee. All correspondence with the student is conducted via e-mail. The SAP Appeals Committee is the final authority in determining whether financial aid is extended or denied.

If the SAP appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and will be required to follow an Academic Improvement Plan outlined by an Academic Advisor. Once placed on probation, the student will become eligible for Title IV funds (Financial Aid) once again. The student must continue to advance toward the successful completion of his or her degree or certificate program.

Each semester that a student is placed on financial aid probation, he or she must maintain a 2.0 GPA and complete 100% of all classes attempted. If a student fails to meet the SAP appeal requirements he or she loses eligibility for financial aid.

The Office of Financial Aid monitors students on financial aid probation at the end of each semester to determine if they met the GPA and Completion Rate component requirements before extending their financial aid probation for another semester.

If the student’s appeal is denied, the student will be ineligible for financial aid until the student meets the SAP requirements (2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate overall).

Students fall into MTF suspension, placed on MTF Probation if appeal is approved, will receive a plan that will indicate how many credit hours and terms under the assumption the student will graduate from their program of study in such timeframe. This plan will come from Laredo College academic advisor). Any deviation of the plan will result in Permanent Financial Aid Suspension at Laredo College.

MTF appeals will be allowed twice per student in their academic life at Laredo College. If the student does not graduate from their program of study during their MTF Probation status, the student will not be eligible for financial aid for any subsequent term, under no circumstance.  

• Laredo College will accept transfer credit hours applicable toward a program of study. This includes hours earned.
• Transfer credit course work will be calculated for the purposes of determining financial aid eligibility and academic standing.
• For the purposes of financial aid eligibility, developmental and ESL credit hours will be counted towards 67% calculation after each semester SAP requirements. Developmental and ESOL coursework will NOT be included when assessing the student’s progression toward the maximum time frame.
• Grades of “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D” will be considered credit hours attempted and earned.
• Grades of “F”, “W”, CR, NC or “I”, will be considered as credit hours attempted towards the 67% rule and MTF rule. Additionally, this will be considered as credit hours attempted for the semester, and will be calculated into the overall GPA.
• Students who withdraw from the college must still maintain financial satisfactory academic progress to meet the 67% pace of progress rule, and for the MTF rule.
• Students cannot receive financial aid for audited courses, credit hours earned through placement exams, or Continuing Education courses.
• Developmental courses will be considered to assess the financial aid student's grade point average and completion rate. Developmental courses do not count toward a student's maximum timeframe. Federal aid allows for a maximum of 30 attempted developmental hours This limit on fundable developmental hours does not apply to state and institutional aid.
• A student may receive aid for course no more than two times, at the third attempt and beyond, financial aid will not pay for the class.

“F” or a failing grade, “W” or withdrawn: no grade given but counts toward hours attempted, “I” or “IP” or incomplete: no grade given or an “NR” no record but counts toward hours attempted. It is the student’s responsibility to comply with the instructor before the end of the next Fall or Spring semester, or the “I” “Incomplete” grade will revert to “F”. All courses count toward the completion rate, whether the course is a repeated course, remedial course, or courses with the grade I, IP, F, or W as well as the maximum time allowed.

Transitional Coursework: All transitional courses will be counted as attempted hours. 

NOTE: Students are allowed a total of twenty-seven (27) attempted transitional hours, including transitional coursework taken at other institutions.

If a student graduates from Laredo College and re-enrolls at Lredo College to pursue another educational program, all developmental courses are excluded. Classes from the program the student graduated from, which do not count toward graduation for the new program, will be eliminated from the total. The review for a new degree after graduation is limited to one-degree plan review per graduation. In other words, students are allowed to do this only once after graduation or lifetime at Laredo College.

Public Law 112-74 which was amended in the Higher Education Act - section 401(c)(5) reduces the duration of a student’s eligibility to receive a Federal Pell Grant from 18 semesters (or its equivalent) to 12 semesters (or its equivalent). This provision applies to all Federal Pell Grant eligible students effective with the 2012-13 award year. The calculation of the duration of a student’s eligibility will include all years of the student’s receipt of Federal Pell Grant funding.