SAP

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To be eligible to receive Student Financial Aid (SFA) funds (PELL, SEOG, FWS, Loans, HOPE), students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. Ogeechee Technical College (OTC) is required by the U.S. Department of Education to establish minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) means the student is proceeding in a positive manner toward fulfilling educational requirements. Students attending OTC must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress. OTC uses the following standards to monitor student’s progress toward their diploma, degree, or certificate.

Grade Point Average Requirement

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 to remain in good standing. A student’s GPA will be monitored at the end of each term. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0 is placed on financial aid warning for their next term of attendance. This will allow the student one term to increase the cumulative GPA to the satisfactory level. If, after one term, the GPA remains below 2.0, the student will lose financial aid eligibility (placed on financial aid suspension).  Students may receive financial aid while on warning. The student will not receive financial aid while on suspension.

Maximum Time Frame

There are a maximum number of hours that students may attempt in pursuing their program of study. All students must complete their educational objective within a maximum time frame of one and one half (150 percent) times the length of the program in which they are enrolled. This means that once a student has attempted one and one half times the minimum number of credit hours necessary for completing program requirements, the student is ineligible to receive financial aid.

Completion Rate

In order for students to graduate within this maximum “time frame” of hours, at the end of each term they are expected to have cumulatively completed at least 66.6% of their credit hours attempted. A student, who, at the end of any term, has not successfully completed 66.6% of his cumulative hours attempted, will be placed on financial aid warning for their next term of attendance. This will allow the student one term to increase the cumulative completion rate to the satisfactory level.  If, after one term, the cumulative completion rate remains below 66.6% the student will lose financial aid eligibility (placed on financial aid suspension). Students may receive financial aid while on warning. The student will not receive financial aid while on suspension.

Grades

The following grades are calculated in the completion rate but do not count toward successfully completion:  IP (in progress), I (incomplete), W, WP, F, or WF.  Repeat courses will be considered as any other class and both grades will be counted in both the GPA and completion rate.  A grade of A*, B*, C*, or D* will be considered satisfactory completion of a learning support course.  A grade of F* will be considered unsatisfactory.  Grades received for learning support courses are not calculated in the GPA, but the hours are calculated in the 66.6% cumulative completion rate.

Transfer Students

Transfer students accepted by OTC, not previously enrolled at OTC, will be classified as maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress for the first term enrolled.  Only classes transferred in will be used in the completion rate calculation.  At the end of the first term, the student’s grades will be measured in accordance with the college’s Satisfactory Academic requirements.  Students who previously attended OTC, transferred to another school, then returned to OTC, will have all OTC courses and courses transferred from other institutions will be calculated in the cumulative completion rate.

Warning/Suspension

If a student fails to meet the cumulative GPA, cumulative completion rate, or the maximum time frame standards at the end of a term, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Warning.  The student will continue to receive financial aid while on financial aid warning.  However, if the student does not meet the satisfactory academic progress standards by the end of the warning period, he will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.  The student can continue taking courses while on suspension at the student’s expense.

Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension

Students have the right to appeal their suspension of financial aid if they have mitigating circumstances that prevented them from making satisfactory academic progress. A student wishing to appeal financial aid suspension must do so in writing with supportive documentation. The form may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office or the financial aid website. The SAP Appeals Reviewer will review the appeals. The SAP Appeals Reviewer will notify the student of the decision. A student can appeal two times. The Reviewer’s decision is final. A student is expected to know the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. The Financial Aid Office attempts to notify students when they are suspended from the financial aid programs, however, sometimes students do not receive notification due to circumstances beyond the control of the Financial Aid Office. If a student is not notified of the suspension, that in itself does not excuse a student from the financial aid suspension, nor does it exempt a student from appealing in a timely manner. A student's status is available at all times via Banner Web by clicking Financial Aid, My Eligibility, and Academic Progress.

SAP Status

All students that are placed on an academic plan will be reviewed after each semester to ensure that progress is being made for that semester.  A student not making progress will be placed back on suspension.

• You have 3 semesters to come into compliance with the SAP policy. The SAP policy can be found at https://www.ogeecheetech.edu/financial-aid/sap.
• You must earn all satisfactory grades.
• You must not withdraw from any class, no W’s.

All appeals will expire after 5 years.  If you do not complete your plan within this time period, you will be placed back on suspension.  There is a max of two appeals.

Contact Information

OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID
One Joseph E. Kennedy Blvd. | Statesboro, Georgia 30458
Phone: 912.681.5500 | Toll Free: 800.646.1316
Fax: 912.486.7403 | Email: fa@ogeecheetech.edu