Satisfactory Academic Progress For Federal Grant And Loan Programs

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR FEDERAL GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAMS

You must be making satisfactory academic progress towards the completion of a degree in order to remain eligible for federal financial aid at Queens College. To be making satisfactory academic progress for federal financial aid, you must:

1. Achieve at least the GPA required for probationary status at the college; after two years of enrollment, earn at least a C average, or its equivalent, or have academic standing consistent with the requirements for graduation.
2. Attempt not more than 150 percent of the credits normally required for the degree (that is, attempt no more than 180 credits to earn 120).
3. Accumulate credits towards the degree according to either one of the following standards:
   (A) Regular standard--cumulative record of credits earned must be equal to or greater than two-thirds of the credits attempted.
   (B) For baccalaureate programs, student’s accumulated (or earned) credits mustbe equal to or greater than [(.75 x cumulative credits attempted) - 18].

Your complete academic record will be reviewed at the end of the spring term each year to see if you are meeting each of the above standards of progress. All courses that appear on your permanent academic record and all courses accepted for transfer count towards progress even if you received no federal student aid for those courses. If you fail to meet the regular standard of progress, you will be measured against the conditional standard.

Appeal/Probation
If you exceed the 150 percent cap or fall beneath the conditional standard, you may appeal to the
Counseling and Resource center in Frese Hall to retain your eligibility to receive federal student aid.

Your appeal will be evaluated for mitigating circumstances resulting from events such as personal illness, injury, personal tragedy, or changes in academic program. Also assessed will be the reasonableness of your capability for improving your academic record to again meet the standard of satisfactory progress.

If your appeal is granted, you will be given a one-year probationary period to improve your academic record to meet the standard of satisfactory progress. There is no limit on the number of times you may follow this appeals procedure.

Reinstatement
If you choose not to appeal, or if your appeal is denied, you may regain eligibility for federal financial aid by leaving Queens College for at least one year. Upon re-admittance, you may receive assistance for the terms of the academic year of re-admittance and will be measured against the standard at the end of the spring term for continued eligibility.

If you remain enrolled without receiving federal financial aid, you may request a review of your academic record after any term in which you are enrolled without such benefits to determine whether you can meet the standard of satisfactory progress. If the standard is met, you will regain eligibility for federal aid in the subsequent terms of the academic year.

Determination of Credits Attempted and Credits Earned
Credits attempted reflect the course loads maintained in your permanent enrollment record at the college. Credits earned are those credits you have actually earned toward your degree.

In measuring satisfactory academic progress, certain courses and situations will be treated in the following ways:

1. Basic Skills Courses
   Remedial or basic skills courses do not carry degree credit and are not included in the cumulative record of credits earned or attempted. The credit-bearing portion of courses classified in prior years as developmental or compensatory are included as part of the cumulative record of earned or attempted credits.
2. Withdrawals
   Withdrawals recorded on your permanent record will be counted in your cumulative record of credits attempted and will adversely affect your ability to meet the satisfactory progress standard.
   Note: Changes to your enrollment record caused by retroactive nonpunitive administrative withdrawal activity can result in your having to repay the assistance that you received that term.
3. Incomplete Grades
   Your cumulative record of credits attempted must include any course in which you receive an incomplete grade. This course cannot be counted in your earned credits until you have received a completion grade. If you fail to meet the satisfactory progress standard for credit accumulation due to an incomplete grade for a course, the recording of a successful completion grade within a term which brings your accumulated credits up to the satisfactory progress standard will restore eligibility for this and subsequent terms within the academic year.
4. Repeated Courses
   Successfully completed courses can generally be accepted toward degree requirements only once. However, each time you attempt a course, it is included as part of your cumulative record of credits attempted. Therefore, repeating a course, regardless of prior grade, reduces your ability to meet the satisfactory progress standard.

Treatment of Nonstandard Situations

1. Readmitted Students
   Upon readmission after at least a one-year period of non-reenrollment, you will receive assistance for the terms in the academic year of readmission and will be measured for continued eligibility against the satisfactory progress standard at the end of the spring term. If you are readmitted after less than one year of non-reenrollment, your academic record will be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress as the record stood at the end of the last term of attendance.
2. Transfer Students
   As a transfer student, you will have your status initialized for measuring satisfactory academic progress by counting the transfer credits accepted toward the degree as both credits attempted and credits earned.
3. Students Pursuing a Second Degree
   If you are enrolled for a second degree, you shall have your status initialized for measuring satisfactory academic progress by counting the credits accepted toward the second degree as both credits attempted and credits earned.
4. Change of Major/Change of Degree
   If you change majors within the same degree or certificate program, or if you change your educational objective and begin pursuing a different degree without having earned the first degree, you must complete your academic program within the maximum time frame allowed.

FINANCIAL AID