SAP Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?
- Why did I receive an SAP letter?
- My semester GPA was above a 2.0; why am I on Academic Warning?
- What does "67% of credit bearing courses" mean?
- How do Developmental Courses work in SAP?
- What about Withdrawals?
- What does the 150% rule mean?
- What does SAP have to do with financial aid?
- What is Academic Warning?
- What is Academic Restriction?
- How do I get off of Academic Restriction?
- How do I appeal Academic Restriction?
- What is Academic Probation?
- I don't get financial aid, does SAP still apply to me?
What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?
Monroe Community College expects students to remain in good academic standing which means that students must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) towards completing their degree. MCC reviews satisfactory academic progress by term (fall, spring, summer).
Specifically:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative SAP GPA of 2.0, including remedial and repeated courses
- Student credit completion must equal 67% of attempted credits in the current term, including withdrawals. (This means that students need to successfully pass with a D- or better at least 2/3 of their courses in the evaluated term.)
- Students must complete their educational program in no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program (An example of going over 150% would be attempting 90 credits for a 60-credit program.)
A student who falls below satisfactory academic progress standards will be placed on Academic Warning. If a student on Academic Warning fails to meet SAP expectations, it will result in the student being placed on Academic Restriction. Students on Restriction who successfully appeal may be placed on Academic Probation.
Why did I receive an SAP letter?
The College calculates academic standing at the end of fall, spring, and summer terms based upon the student’s progress towards degree completion.
A student's progress is indicated in the e-mail he or she receives. A student placed on Academic Warning or Restriction at the end of the semester is notified through MCC email by the Office of the Provost.
Evaluation for Satisfactory Academic Progress:
- Completed credits include grades of A, B, C, and D (+/-)
- Attempted credits include, but are not limited to, developmental credits, ESOL credits, and all credit-bearing courses
- All courses, including repeats and grades of F, count as attempted (except drops).
- Incomplete Grades (I) and Withdrawals (W, WI) will count as attempted hours but will not count as successful completions
- Repeated courses count as earned only once
My semester GPA was above a 2.0; why was I placed on Academic Warning?
SAP looks at your cumulative SAP grade point average (GPA), not your semester GPA. Also, be aware that your SAP GPA includes developmental courses.
What does "67% of credit bearing courses" mean?
In order to meet this standard for SAP, you must have successfully completed 2/3 of the courses you registered for, excluding developmental courses. Any course that does not carry college credit will not count toward this rate of completion.
How do Developmental Courses work in SAP?
Courses that carry imputed, but not college credits like TRS or ESOL, count in your cumulative GPA. However, they do not count in the 67% completion. This means if you have a cumulative GPA of 2.5, but in one semester you are taking three developmental courses and one course with college credit, and you withdrew from the credit bearing course, then you would not have met the 67% requirement.
What about Withdrawals?
A grade of W (withdrawn) does not count in your cumulative GPA, but it does count as an attempted credit in determining if you were successful in 67% or more of your courses. Note that withdrawing from a course can be the right option even if it places you on Academic Warning. You just need to be aware that withdrawing from courses in multiple semesters can lead to being placed on Academic Restriction.
What does the 150% rule mean?
This means that if the published length of your program is 60 credits, then you need to complete it in 90 credits.
What does SAP have to do with financial aid?
Students who have been placed on Academic Warning are allowed to continue as full-time students; however, failure to improve SAP will result in being placed on Academic Restriction which will impact financial aid. Students who are placed on Academic Restriction are restricted from full time study, are not eligible for financial aid, and are limited to eight (8) credits maximum while on academic restriction.
What is Academic Warning?
When students fail to meet SAP, they are placed on Academic Warning for a period of one semester. Students placed on Academic Warning are directed to receive academic advisement prior to registering for the next semester. Academic advisement support is documented on an academic improvement plan completed by an advisor. It is to students’ advantage to repeat a course(s) in which they received a "D" or "F" in order to raise their cumulative GPA. Graduation at MCC is based on an overall 2.0 GPA of MCC credits. After the warning semester, the warning status is removed if students successfully meet SAP. If students fail to meet SAP after the warning period, they will be placed on Academic Restriction.
What is Academic Restriction?
If a student fails to meet SAP after the warning period (or warning semester), they will be placed on Academic Restriction. Students on Academic Restriction will be limited to 8 credits, will not be eligible for financial aid, and will need to submit an appeal in order to be considered for full time study and/or financial aid.
How do I get off of Academic Restriction?
Students who have been placed on Academic Restriction have two options for continuing their studies at Monroe Community College:
- Students may "Appeal" to the Academic Appeals Committee for consideration to continue their studies without any registration restrictions. Appeals can only be made based on extraordinary circumstances that occurred during the term(s) in which the student failed to meet SAP requirements. If the appeal is approved, students will be moved to Academic Probation and allowed to continue their studies without any restrictions and with eligibility for federal financial aid.
- Students who choose not to appeal or the appeal is denied, will remain on Academic Restriction, will be notified via MCC email and will be responsible for payment of their tuition and fees at their own expense. Students are directed to seek advisement and develop an Academic Plan to continue their studies with a maximum of eight credits. The Academic Plan will be designed to support students in moving towards satisfactory academic progress. Students on Academic Restriction are not eligible to receive financial aid through the Federal Student Aid programs.
How do I appeal Academic Restriction
The online SAP Appeal Form (https://www.monroecc.edu/go/sapappealform) must be submitted for review to determine if you can regain eligibility for aid. You must include the following items in order for your appeal to be considered as complete:
- The reason(s) for unsatisfactory achievement during the past semester
- How those circumstances are now resolved
- And Plans for Improvement
What is Academic Probation?
Students who successfully appeal Academic Restriction are placed on Academic Probation. They are directed to meet with an advisor prior to registration and to create an academic improvement plan for progress. If the student fails to meet the requirements of SAP after the probation period on appeal, the student will be placed on Academic Restriction again.
I don't get financial aid, does SAP still apply to me?
Yes. All students are assessed for SAP each term. If you are not doing well, we want to be able to provide you with the resources you need to be successful.