<p>First off, let me start by saying I accept full responsibility for my low GPA and have taken steps to resolve the issues affecting my schoolwork for future semesters. Now, the issue...</p>
<p>I was put on financial aid suspension for Fall 2010. I just found out yesterday. I plan to appeal becausse I did have medical issues affecting my academic performance.</p>
<p>My question however, is- I had no idea I would be placed on financial aid suspension so quickly, because my school's financial aid website says the following:
Financial Aid Probation Status:
A student who does not meet the SAP standards will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and sent a communication regarding their status and the ramifications. A student may be on probation for a maximum of two terms, no exceptions.</p>
<p>Financial Aid Suspension Status:
A student who has been placed on probation for two terms and then fails to meet SAP standards a third time will immediately be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Suspension means that the student is no longer eligible for federal or institutional financial aid.</p>
<p>Here is the thing- I was never placed on Financial aid probation- much less for 2 terms! Isn't this also the University's goofup because they are ignoring their own policy? Should I put that in my appeal or speak to someone high in the department about this? I know my grades are my responsbility- however- I feel it is highly unfair that I was not even given a probation period!</p>
<p>Also- just to clarify- I've only been at the University for 2 semesters, so there is no way I could have been on Financial Aid Probation for 2 terms. My GPA was JUST below 2.0, so it's not like I completely flunked everything.</p>
<p>My understanding of the policy stated is that a student must fail to meet SAP requirements after 2 terms on probation in order to be placed on suspension... in that order. IF that is in fact their policy, which as far as I can tell, it is, I feel it's very WRONG of them to go against their own policy and place me on suspension without a probation term. What are my rights? How do I correct this? Now my financial aid advisor isn't responding to emails...</p>
<p>Do you know the process to file an appeal? I would try not to get too defensive/combative with them…basically, the ball is in their court and it’s up to the school to set and follow their own SAP policies, so I’m not sure you really have any “rights”, per se. Just outline what happened last year that affected your studies, without going into too much detail on your medical information, and what has changed that will ensure it doesn’t happen again. Express a sincere desire to continue your education successfully…and wait. </p>
<p>Your FA person may not be ignoring you, so try not to take it personally. It’s summer and they may be on vacation or dealing with a lot of summer aid applications and appeals from incoming freshmen. Or they may not know the answer and have forwarded it to someone else who is backed up. If you need information on the appeal process, try their website or go in person if you’re close enough.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input. I do plan to appeal it. What are the chances of appeals being approved? I go to the University of Arizona, if that helps at all.</p>
<p>The thing that really bothers me about this whole thing is I asked my financial aid advisor months ago if my GPA didn’t quite make it to 2.0 after the Spring semester, if I would be in danger of losing my financial aid for Fall and she told me NO. Her answer, combined with the information on their policy from their website, assured me I would be okay for Fall, so I didn’t worry about my financial aid, I just began formulating a plan to improve academically.</p>
<p>And then to get the email that my financial aid WAS suspended after all even after being told by the financial aid advisor that it would not happen was just kind of like a punch in the gut. I had no backup plan prepared in the event that I didn’t get FA for Fall. I’m in my mid-twenties and putting myself through school while working, and my EFC was 0- I don’t have a trust fund or a rich bank of mom and dad that can pay tuition for me.</p>
<p>I sure hope this mess gets all worked out… otherwise, it means the end of college for me.</p>
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<p>I thought this was a federal requirement for the awarding of federally funded need based aid. If your GPA was below a 2.0, it seems that you probably didn’t pass at least one or two courses. That being the case, the federal government is not to eager to fund college for students who are not achieving minimum academic progress. </p>
<p>Perhaps someone will correct me, but this may not be something in the control of your school.</p>
<p>In the meantime, I’m sorry for your circumstances and I hope you can turn your GPA around to a more satisfactory one…for a LOT of reasons.</p>
<p>Thumper- handling SAP and probation/suspension in relation to SAP differs from school to school. Yes the SAP are federal standards, but each University sets their own policy with suspension and probation, so one school might take away financial aid the moment you go below 2.0, while other, like my school, give you a couple probation terms to get your act together (or are supposed to)</p>
<p>SAP is about GPA BUT it is also about %age of courses COMPLETED. Did you complete 67% or more of the courses you attempted? If not, I believe this in non-negotiable and is not determined by each school. So…if you dropped a number of courses and did not complete greater than 67% of the courses you attempted, you could lose your aid.</p>
<p>This may not apply to the OP, but it might apply to someone else. </p>
<p>If I’m incorrect, I’m sure someone will correct my information.</p>
<p>Yes I realize that, my percentage of courses completed was not the issue for me. My GPA was the issue.</p>
<p>Schools set their own SAP policies. We also have a probationary year, then suspend aid; other schools around us don’t have a probationary year (they go straight to suspension). The regulations require that SAP guidelines be published … you need to go online & find the current SAP policy for your school. If it changed this year & you saw old rules, you still are bound by the new rules. If the guidelines for your school do currently state that you have a probationary year, then you don’t have to appeal - you should never have been considered UNSAT to begin with. However, if you ARE really UNSAT, you will have to appeal. Your school will have a form with instructions.</p>
<p>One thing I want to point out is this: the policy you posted says “for a maximum of two terms.” If you did not achieve SAP the first term, and you were on probation the second term but still did not achieve SAP … technically, with the wording “for a maximum” they COULD suspend your aid after one UNSAT term. That may or may not be the case for you; you need to find out. Doesn’t your school have walk-in counseling hours? Can you drop in?</p>
<p>In the OP’s case, this doesn’t apply (since this student has only been at the school 2 semesters) … but for those who were on a probationary period & then were off probation … you don’t get a second probation even if it’s been a couple years. You will go straight to suspension if you don’t achieve SAP.</p>
<p>I was finally able to talk to a real person who didn’t really know what they were talking about, but it’s better than nothing. She said they were updating their SAP guidelines and they were not yet available to students yet. I plan to appeal, and hope the new SAP guidelines will be on my side. Thanks to everyone for the help- once I have my appeal statement written I plan to post it up here for feedback. I really hope they are understanding and give me another shot because I can promise you, this scared me big time and I know it won’t happen again!</p>
<p>So a question on appealing- how likely is it to have my appeal approved? I was having some medical issues- just ill a lot (i do have some visits to campus health documented that I can provide and did have my tonsils removed due to being ill all the time), and also other issues stemming from medical problems a couple years ago. I have struggled with depression on and off since I was 16 (I am 24 now) and this was a wake up call to me that the depression may be back and has gone too far with affecting my ability to perform academically, and I do plan on seeking counseling from campus health…</p>
<p>According to the UAZ website, it says you need the following documentation to prove illness:</p>
<p>“Physician’s statement, police report, or other documentation from a third party professional; hospital billing statement, etc.”</p>
<p>and to prove personal problems: </p>
<p>“Written statement from medical doctor, counselor, attorney, or other professional advisor” </p>
<p>Honestly, I have no idea what your chances are but I would accumulate all the documentation I can and give them a strong letter also mentioning that you were surprised to be placed on financial aid suspension because the published policies state and then I would quote what they state.</p>