<p>I'm in a bit of a unique situation. I graduated high school in 2000 in Atlanta. In fall 2000, I enrolled in a small college in another state. I struggled through that semester and made the mistake of returning for the spring semester. I was dealing with depression and family issues so I decided I just needed to go home in February 2001, a month into the semester. I withdrew from all of my classes and went home.</p>
<p>I intended to go back to school but things happened, I started working and suddenly it was 10 years later. I finally decided to go back to school. I enrolled in September 2011. I got an unsecured and a secured Stafford loan to pay for it. I'm attending part time while I work a full time job.</p>
<p>Last fall I met SAP with no issues. I did very well this year and ended with a 3.75 GPA. I had an issue with a two credit class in the spring semester that didn't meet untill the day after the last day to drop classes. I ended up withdrawing from that class. This was a complete anomaly that never will happen again.</p>
<p>A week ago I got a letter that I no longer meet SAP. "You did not meet the following Measure of the SAP Standard:
1) Quantitative Standard (Pace): The number of credits earned in relation to those attempted. All students are required to receive passing grades in a minimum of 67% of overall attempted credit hours."</p>
<p>Thinking this was a mistake, I called the financial aid office. I was told the federal regulations on student loans changed and now schools have to factor in credits attempted at ANY school ever attended. My school used to only count classes taken here. I was told this rule went into effect Summer 2012 and that "Congress" did it. I tried to get someone to cite me the changed law or a passed bill where this change was made and they just told me to try google.</p>
<p>I have found plenty of articles about the changes in student loans but haven't seen this mentioned. I did find plenty of other schools talking about how the formula factors in transfer credit.</p>
<p>I already filed an appeal with my school pointing out this was 11 years ago and explaining my one withdrawal last semester. I'm not really sure what else to do.</p>
<p>Is my school explaining the new rules correctly? This seems really unfair to non-traditional students. My situation was compounded by the fact that I had no idea this was coming.</p>
<p>Most schools have an appeal process. Have you looked into that at your school? It sounds like your situation would make you a prime candidate for an appeal to your school.</p>
<p>The SAP rules did get tightened. Having said that, I had always understood that they took into account all classes taken ever at any school for SAP. Makes sense as otherwise students could lose aid at one school and skirt round the rules by transferring to another school. The 2 schools I have experience with have always taken into account all credits attempted anywhere (in the last 7-8 years anyway). Some schools may have been a little more lenient in the past requiring the rules to be tightened. FWIW, one of our schools has a much stricter requirement of 75% successful completion. </p>
<p>I don’t really see how this is more of less unfair to a non trad student (I am one myself). Expecting a 67% successful completion rate to continue receiving aid is more than generous for trad and non trad students alike. Anyway it is a moot point as that is the rules the school has (and they can establish their own rules to a certain extent with the federal guidelines). It is likely the school will grant your appeal unless the rules have been tightened to disallow this. If they do, then make sure you adhere strictly to the requirements as if you do not you will lose aid until you meet SAP, and there will be no appealing it. If your appeal is not granted, you will need to take a couple of classes on your own dime in order to meet SAP.</p>
<p>Unfortunately most students have no idea about SAP so are not expecting it when they lose aid. Perhaps copies of SAP rules should be sent to all students. The requirements are really very generous, but people need to be more aware of them. I always advise people not to make any changes to their enrollment without first checking with their FA department.</p>
<p>If your school has this policy and won’t budge, then you need to take a course on your own, paying for it yourself and do well enough to bring your % up. Now you know you cannot withdraw or fail a course because of these rules. I know someone who did this with a whole term of classes and now has to bring up the percentages on his own to get aid and is doing so as cheaply as possible. FOr him it was a good thing, because he found a cheaper way to get certain courses and credits, some on line, and though it won’t save him money altogether due to the aid he lost for a period of time, he will not have lost all that much since he won’t have those loans to repay in the future.</p>
<p>Having said that, I had always understood that they took into account all classes taken ever at any school for SAP</p>
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<p>Some schools did, but not all. And some schools let students continue for years without getting a degree … all the while getting Pell, SEOG, etc. Those days are over. It is rough on the students who are getting caught up in it, but some schools will do individual plans. The student will get an academic plan that must be followed … and can get aid as long as it is being followed. Talk to your aid office, and appeal.</p>