Make the Grade, Keep Your Aid
Make the Grade, Keep Your Aid may sound simple but the reality is, there are a large number of students who lose their financial aid eligibility because they do not understand the federal policy called Satisfactory Academic Program (SAP), or in simpler terms, Make the Grade Keep Your Aid. Students who pass every course they register for each semester are generally making progress and do not run the risk of losing their financial aid eligibility. However, students who fail a course(s), change their major, withdraw, audit or repeat a course(s), run a risk of being placed on financial aid warning, and worse, suspended from financial aid. The policy is clearly outlined below, and refer to the Frequently Ask Questions to help make sound academic decisions in order to keep your federal financial aid.
The official policy for SAP is provided below. It will be very important to your academic success that you read and understand this policy. If at any time, you do not understand something, need more information or want to know if a particular action would be detrimental to your future eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact the Financial Aid Office. We are here to help you be successful and achieve your educational goals.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
The United States Department of Education mandates Chesapeake College to have an established Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for all financial aid students. The policy must be qualitative (grade point average requirement) and quantitative (maximum time frame for completion) and minimum passing of coursework. A students' entire academic record will be evaluated once they apply for financial aid. The policy must be at least as strict as the academic policy governing students not receiving financial aid. Progress will be monitored once the student attempts their 6th credit hour.
In order to have an equitable policy for both full-time and part-time students, the graduated grade point average will be utilized. Status will be checked every semester, including summer. If it is determined that a student is not making satisfactory progress, they will be placed on Financial Aid Warning the following term (including summer) and eligible for financial aid. If at the end of the following semester the student has not obtained a 2.0 cumulative grade point average or a grade point average equivalent to their earned credit hours and/or completed at least 67% of their attempted courses, they will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and ineligible for all aid. Non enrollment periods do not improve a student's status.
Graduated Qualitative Standard
Chesapeake College requires students to have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to graduate. The graduated standard for the minimum GPA throughout the academic program is as follows:
| Students with less than 30 hours |
1.5 GPA> |
| Students with 31 to 60 hours |
1.7 GPA |
| Students with 61 + |
2.0 GPA |
Quantitative Standards
Students must complete 67% of all course work attempted during each semester and cumulatively. Transfer credits will count towards attempted and earned courses. Example: Student enrolls in 12 credit hours for the Fall term and completes only 6 credit hours at the end of the term. The completion rate is as follows:
12 attempted credit hours / 6 completed credit hours = 50% completion rate
Maximum Timeframe
A student will be given a maximum time frame of 150% to complete their program of study. This will hold true for certificate and AA degree programs.
The average AA program requires 60 credit hours for program completion; the maximum time frame cannot exceed 90 attempted credit hours (60 x 150% = 90). The average certificate program requires 29 hours for program completion; the maximum time frame cannot exceed 43 attempted credit hours (29 x 150% = 43).
The Financial Aid Office will evaluate each recipient based on the number of credits required for completion based on their program of study. All courses attempted, regardless of academic program will count toward maximum time frame, therefore; students should select their program of study carefully and follow their academic program precisely.
Remedial course work up to 30 load hours (including repeated courses) will not count against the maximum time frame. Remedial course work will be monitored in order to adhere to the maximum limit set at 30 load hours. Should a student meet the 30 load hour limit, their enrollment status would exclude future remedial course work in determining eligibility for federal aid. If the student is not enrolled in credit courses, their eligibility will be suspended until credit enrollment exists.
Transfer Credits
Students who have attended another institution(s) prior to Chesapeake College must have their academic transcripts evaluated by our Registrar. All credits accepted for transfer will be counted in both attempted and earned credits in the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculation.
Minimum Passing of Coursework
Each student must pass a portion of the program for each semester enrolled. In order to maintain eligibility a student must pass AT LEAST 67 % of the semester course load. When determining the minimum passing of coursework, the Financial Aid staff will round down to the nearest credit hour.
- Final passing grades are A, B, C, and D.
- Final non-passing grades are F, L, R, W and I.
- Depending on the date of the change to audit, audit (AU) grades are not eligible for financial aid payment. However, if a student is enrolled in one class and changes to audit, the action will be treated as withdrawing from a regular program and a Return of Title IV funds calculation will be performed.
- The incomplete "I" grade may be recalculated to restore eligibility only after a passing grade is recorded and the change of grade occurs within the current academic school year. Any grade changed after the last date of enrollment will be counted for future eligibility.
- Students who withdraw from classes jeopardize their completion rate since the course(s) count in the attempted credits.
Minimum Grade Point Average
In addition to completing a minimum portion of each semester with a passing grade, student must achieve a minimum grade point average (GPA). Satisfactory academic progress is determined by examining the ratio of points to credit hours. A 2.0 cumulative GPA is required for graduation. To be considered as making satisfactory academic progress, a student must maintain:
| Credit Hours Attempted |
Minimum GPA |
| 6 - 30 |
1.5 GPA |
| 31 - 60 |
1.7 GPA |
| 61+ |
2.0 GPA |
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Contact Us
If you have any questions concerning this policy or your eligibility, refer to our “SAP FAQ webpage”, email us at finaid@chesapeake.edu or please call the Financial Aid Office at 410-822-5400, ext. 2252.