Maintaining Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid Eligibility

Students receiving financial aid at MCC must maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with the guidelines listed below.  The federal and state governments mandate the establishment and enforcement of a satisfactory academic progress policy for institutions disbursing their financial aid funds to students. Students are in good standing for financial aid if they meet the following standards and are accepted for continued enrollment under the academic policy. All withdrawals, incompletes, repetitions, and E or U grades are evaluated into the percent completion section of the policy.

This policy is applied after a student has been enrolled two semesters and has registered for at least 12 MCC credit hours.

When measuring academic progress, all credit hours for which the student has incurred a financial obligation are considered, including the hours for which the student has personally paid.

In order to continue to receive financial aid funding, students must be progressing at a rate that would allow completion of the certificate or associate degree being pursued within a time frame which, by federal regulation, is 150% of the published credit hour requirements of the program. For example, if an associate degree program requires 60 credits, it must be completed in a maximum of 150% of 60 credits, including both attempted and completed credits. Multiply the number of credits required in the program by 1.5 to determine the maximum number of credits.

Students also must maintain a minimum grade point average and successfully complete a percentage of all credit hours attempted based on the following charts.

Each May, the Financial Aid Office reviews the progress of students. Those not making satisfactory academic progress are sent a letter stating they are no longer eligible for financial aid. Students denied financial aid because of failure to make satisfactory academic progress may appeal the denial in writing to the Financial Aid Office if there are mitigating circumstances. The appeal must describe in detail all circumstances which the student believes are relevant to his or her inability to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements. Students must submit any supporting documents. Students who attain less than a 2.0 GPA at the end of their first enrollment period are placed on academic probation.

A Satisfactory Academic Progress Review Committee will assess the appeal and determine if it will be approved. The student will be advised in writing of the committee’s decision. A student who appeals and is reinstated on a probationary status must meet all criteria in the reinstatement notification. If the appeal is approved, the student will receive an additional probational semester of aid during which he or she must meet the criteria stated in the response. At the end of the probationary semester, grades and other requirements will be reviewed to determine if the student will continue on probation until the satisfactory academic progress policy requirements are met. If a student becomes ineligible for financial aid due to a lack of satisfactory academic progress and no appeal is submitted or the appeal is denied, he or she may regain eligibility by meeting the satisfactory academic progress policy without the benefit of financial aid at MCC. To do this, the student must enroll and complete the courses which are applicable to his or her program of study, and the student must achieve the number of credit hours and the necessary grade point average to meet the satisfactory academic progress policy.