Failed to meet SAP requirements, but I didn't? Keep getting emails

[Dilord]

Looking for some help on how I can go about in addressing this issue I’ve been having with my school regarding my SAP status and the state of my financial aid.

Before we get started, I would like to layout my schools SAP requirements:

Federal Regulations on Satisfactory Academic Performance and Progress

To remain eligible for financial aid, students must demonstrate satisfactory academic performance and progress.

Satisfactory academic progress is defined as the ratio of credits completed compared to the number of credits attempted. For example:

25 credits completed divided by 50 credits attempted = 50% rate of progress. You have failed to meet satisfactory academic progress.

Satisfactory academic performance is defined as maintaining a satisfactory cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA):

If a student only has a 1.80 after taking 36 credits, they are not meeting satisfactory academic performance by maintaining a 1.90 GPA.

Satisfactory Academic Performance (Qualitative Measures) Qualitative Measure Table Credit Hours Attempted Minimum GPA 1-11 Credits No Minimum 12-23 Credits 1.70 24-35 Credits 1.80 36-47 Credits 1.90 48 or more credits 2.0

Satisfactory Academic Progress (Quantitative Measure) Quantitative “Pace” Measure Table Credit Hours Attempted Minimum GPA 1-11 Credits No Minimum 12-23 Credits 50% 24-35 Credits 60% 36-47 Credits 65% 48 or more credits 67%

Now here are my stats from my first year at college:

Fall 2015:

Introduction to Business: A Financial Accounting: B Macroeconomics: A Writing Composition I: A

Spring 2016:

Introduction to Information Technology: A Java Programming: W Communications: W Writing Composition II: A General Psychology: A College Introduction: A

Cumulative GPA: 3.875

I was taking 15 credits during my Spring 2016 semester, but I had to withdraw from my two Wednesday classes in order to take care of a family member who had just come home from the hospital. I withdrew from both classes several weeks into the semester, but I picked up General Psychology that started a month later in order to bring me back up to 12 credits so I could remain a full-time student.

About a month after the Spring semester finished, I received an ‘Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Notice’ from my schools Financial Aid office stating I did not meet the SAP requirements.

In this email, my schools Financial Aid office stated I attempted 30 credits and earned 24, which would make my Quantitative Pace 80% (60% is required for 24-35 credits), and my cumulative GPA for SAP was 3.10 (a 1.80 GPA is required for 24-35 credits). I also noted that my official cumulative GPA was 3.875, but its to my understanding that SAP counts a withdraw as a failure when calculating your GPA.

Now, that email was a bit fishy. I started school in September of 2015, yet that email was stating that my financial aid for the Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 semester was going to be taken away (I received this email on June 10th, 2016). So I contacted the Financial Aid office, told them what I just posted here and they said, “Just disregard that email for it was sent in error”.

So last night I received an email from the Financial Aid office stating that I need to hurry and send in an appeal form for SAP in order to receive financial aid and register for classes. Granted I’ve been registered for my Fall 2016 classes for over a month now, I decided to go and look and see if anything changed with my financial aid. Yep! I was offered a Pell Grant, a State Grant, a Subsidized loan and an Unsubsidized loan a few months ago to which I accepted. My Pell and State grant remained the same, but my Sub loan was reduced by $2500 and my Unsub loan was reduced for the full amount of $2700!

I quickly wrote my school an email regarding this issue, but I’ve yet to receive a reply. I’m just freaking out that I won’t be able to cover my tuition and what not because of all these financial aid mistakes regarding SAP. What should I do?

[thumper1]

Get on the phone and call them. Or if you are close enough…go in person. Take you progress reports with you as they will list all of your grades plus withdrawals.

[Dilord]

Thanks for the reply. I plan on going there on Monday.

Could the 2 withdraws have caused this? I can’t find anywhere that states that X amount of withdraws would mark you as having unsatisfactory academic progress.

[thumper1]

It’s possible. You have to complete a certain %age of the courses for which you register with satisfactory marks. Withdrawing from courses affects SAP.

Yoir school should have a SAP appeal process. I would think that with your high GPA, you would be a good candidate for an appeal. And really…you did DD. Course after you dropped one.

Talk to the school. Good luck!!

[Dilord]

Yeah, my school requires 60% for 24-35 credits, which even after withdrawing from 2 classes put me at 80% for the 2 semesters.

Its just all confusing to me. I read that if you don’t meet SAPs requirements, all financial aid would be canceled ASAP, yet only 2 of my loans were reduced while my grants remained the same. I hope someone at the Financial Aid office can fix this for me on Monday.