Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

The Satisfactory Academic Progress policy applies to all students enrolled in all programs offered at Midwestern Career College. All periods of a student’s enrollment in the program of study, including those in which financial aid was not received, are used in determining Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Evaluation Points

For the purpose of determining overall satisfactory academic progress, Midwestern Career College programs are divided into evaluation periods. Evaluation period is the period between two evaluation points.

SAP is evaluated at the end of each payment period, which is equal to an academic term.
Satisfactory Academic Progress is measured by:

  1. A student’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA) – a qualitative component
  2. A student’s pace of completion (progress toward the completion of their program, completion rate) – a quantitative component

To be considered as making satisfactory academic progress, a student must achieve minimum requirements for both CGPA and pace of completion at each evaluation point according to the minimum requirements listed below:

  • At the end of the 1st term: CGPA = 1.5 and Completion rate = 50%
  • All consecutive terms: CGPA = 2.00 and Completion rate = 66.67%

SAP Evaluation Procedures

The following actions will occur at each SAP evaluation point:

  1. Each student’s CGPA is reviewed to determine if the student is meeting the minimum SAP standard
  2. Each student’s pace of completion is reviewed to determine if the student is meeting the minimum SAP standard

SAP Warning

Students who are not meeting SAP for the first time will be placed on SAP Warning status until the end of the evaluation period. Students on SAP Warning who are receiving financial aid may continue to receive financial aid until the end of the payment period. A student may not be granted consecutive SAP warning statuses.

SAP Warning status is assigned without an appeal or other action needed by the student. Students will be notified within 10 business days of being placed on SAP Warning status. Students on SAP Warning are encouraged to participate in academic advising.

Students placed on SAP Warning and still failing to meet SAP standards at the next evaluation point will be academically suspended and must appeal in order to remain in school. Students receiving financial aid will also be placed to Financial Aid Suspension and will not be eligible receive additional FSA funds unless they appeal and their appeal is approved.

Appeal Due to Mitigating Circumstances

A student may appeal academic suspension and, if receiving Financial Aid, the loss of financial aid eligibility if extenuating circumstances interfered with student’s ability to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.

The appeal letter addressed to SAP Committee must include an explanation of the circumstances that caused the student’s unsatisfactory progress, as well as what has changed in the student’s situation that would result in the improvement of progress. The student must be able to provide documentation to support mitigating circumstances.

Circumstances must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Prolonged illness, medical condition, or injury to student or an immediate family member
  • Death of an immediate family member
  • Other extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control

Documentation may include but is not limited to:

  • Physician’s letters and hospital records
  • Death certificate or obituary
  • Court or police documents
  • Letters from third-party professionals on their letterhead

The appeal may not be based upon the lack of knowledge of SAP standards, the need for financial aid assistance or the lack of knowledge that the financial aid assistance or student’s F-1 status was in jeopardy.

Appeal Process

All Academic Suspension Appeals must be submitted by the fifth business day of a term immediately following the suspension:

To appeal the student must:

  1. Submit an appeal letter addressed to SAP Committee
  2. Attach official documentation of the mitigating circumstances that affected the student’s academic performance
  3. Continue to attend regularly scheduled classes while the appeal is under review

If an appeal is not submitted by the fifth business day of a term immediately following the suspension, the student will be academically dismissed and must request readmission through standard admission procedures in addition to submitting an appeal.

All appeals will be reviewed within five business days of the appeal submission. MCC will provide notice to the student concerning the result of the student’s appeal within three business days following the decision.

If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP Probation for one evaluation period. Students receiving financial aid will regain their financial aid eligibility for one payment period.

If the appeal is denied, the student will be no longer eligible to receive financial aid. (See Procedures for Reestablishing Satisfactory Academic Progress.)

SAP Probation

SAP Probation at Midwestern Career College is a Status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress and who has successfully appealed and has had his or her enrollment reinstated for one evaluation period. Students receiving financial aid will regain their financial aid eligibility for one payment period.

Students on SAP Probation at Midwestern Career College must participate in academic advising as deemed necessary by the College as a condition of their probation. Students placed on SAP Probation who are not meeting SAP at the next evaluation point may be eligible to have their

Probation status extended for one consecutive evaluation period at a time if they are meeting the conditions of their Academic Recovery Plan.

Academic Recovery Plan

Academic Recovery Plan is an individualized plan completed by an Academic Effectiveness Manager or designee for a student placed on SAP probation in cases when it will be mathematically impossible for a student to meet SAP requirements in one term.

Academic Advising

Students on SAP Probation must participate in academic advising as deemed necessary by the school as a condition of their status.

Academic advising includes but is not limited to the following:

  1. Students must meet with their Instructor and/or Program Director and/or Academic Effectiveness Manager to complete an Academic Recovery Plan
  2. Students may have to participate in tutoring if deemed necessary by the Instructor and/or Program Director and/or Academic Effectiveness Manager to complete an Academic Recovery Plan.

Reestablishing Satisfactory Academic Progress

Procedures for Reestablishing Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students whose CGPA was meeting SAP standards at the moment of dismissal but whose pace of completion was below SAP standards may reestablish their Satisfactory Academic progress. Students receiving financial aid may also reestablish their financial aid eligibility if they earn credit hours at another institution. Credits earned at another institution must be transferrable to students’ program of study at MCC and, when applied to MCC’s Program of study, must result in a course completion rate that meets SAP standards (66.67% or higher). A student who pursues this option and whose pace of completion meets standards after the transfer credits are applied to the program of study will be eligible for readmission and can reapply for financial aid. Students who choose to pursue this option are advised to meet with the Academic Effectiveness Manager or Designee in advance of enrolling in another institution to ensure that credits can be accepted and the courses planned will apply to MCC’s program of study. the conditions of their Academic Recovery Plan.

Maximum Time Frame

Students who fail to complete the program within 150 percent of the program length will be academically dismissed from MCC due to exceeding Maximum Time Frame (MTF) unless they submit an appeal and the appeal is approved.

SAP and Repeat Grade and Grade Forgiveness Policies

All grades are considered when assessing both qualitative and quantitative components of a student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Program Changes

In the event of a program change, MCC will transfer all relevant courses successfully completed in the old program toward the new program of study. A grade of TC will be assigned to all transferred courses. Courses not accepted for transfer will not count toward CGPA or pace of completion in the new program. Students not meeting SAP at the time of the program change are allowed to change the programs and consequently “reset” SAP only one time during their continuous enrollment at MCC.

Additional Programs

If a student graduates from one program and desires to earn an additional diploma in another program, MCC will transfer all relevant courses successfully completed in the previous program of study toward the new program. A grade of TC will be assigned to all transferred courses. Courses not accepted for transfer will not count toward CGPA or pace of completion in the new program.

Incomplete

Classes with a grade of Incomplete are not calculated toward CGPA. They are calculated towards the pace of completion as attempted but not earned credits.

Transfer of Credits

Transfer Credit Hours (indicated by TC grade on student’s record) are treated as both attempted and completed hours in the determination of the student’s pace of completion. Transfer credits are not included in CGPA calculation.

Withdrawal from a Course

Course withdrawals are treated as attempted but not completed hours in the determination of the student’s pace of completion. Withdrawals are not included in CGPA calculation.

Remedial Courses, Noncredit Courses

Remedial courses or non-credit courses are not included in the calculation of a student’s CGPA and completion rate.

S/U Courses

S/U courses are not included in the calculation of a student’s CGPA, but are calculated towards student’s completion rate.

Experiential Learning, Advanced Academic Standing, Credit by Examination

No credit is given for experiential learning. MCC does not allow for testing for an advanced academic standing nor does it award credit by examination.

Financial Aid Suspension

Students on Financial Aid Suspension will not be eligible to receive further financial aid assistance unless they appeal and their appeal is approved.

Academic Dismissal

Academic dismissal is dismissal from the school due to not meeting SAP requirements as defined in the MCC’s Academic Catalog.

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