Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Qualitative Standards, Grade based

Graduate programs range from 30 to 60 credits with most master's programs at the 36-credit level, and a 3.00 cumulative average is required to complete the degree. Students are considered to be making satisfactory progress toward degree completion for financial aid purposes by adhering to the schedule outlined below.

The Office of Financial Aid determines the year of standing according to the number of credits earned. (Note: this is separate from the time-to-completion Graduate School policy which allows up to seven years to complete a degree program.) The Office of Financial Aid uses the above schedule for its financial aid purposes.

Quantitative Standards, Time Based (Also referred to as pace)

In order to maintain financial aid eligibility, the U.S. Department of Education requires a student to successfully complete 67 percent of the credits for which he/she attempted as shown in the example below:

Hood College Office of Financial Aid calculates the pace at which a student is progressing by dividing the cumulative number of credits successfully completed by the cumulative number of credits attempted. All periods of enrollment count when assessing quantitative standards, even periods in which the student did not receive aid.

Pace=Cumulative number of credits successfully completed/Cumulative number of credits attempted

The maximum time frame in which a graduate student is expected to complete their degree is 150 percent of the published length of the program measured in academic credits. Students will become ineligible for any type of financial aid if the maximum timeframe for completion is not met. For example, if a published length of a graduate academic program is 36 credit hours; the maximum period must not exceed 54 (36 × 150%) attempted credit hours. The maximum timeframe in which a student is expected to complete their additional or dual degree is 150 percent of the published length of the program measured in academic credits.

Treatment of W, INC, AU, F, S and U Grades and Repeated Coursework

• Course withdrawals (W or WX) after the drop/add period are not included in the GPA calculation but are considered a non-completion of attempted coursework.
• Incomplete (INC) grades are not included in the GPA calculation but are considered a non-completion of attempted coursework until the incomplete grade is replaced with a permanent grade and academic progress can be reevaluated.
• An audit (AU) grade is not considered attempted coursework. It is not included in the GPA calculation or completion rate determination.
• A satisfactory (S) grade is treated as attempted credits earned, but it is not included in the GPA calculation.
• An unsatisfactory (U) grade is treated as attempted credits that are not earned, but it is not included in the GPA calculation.
• A failing grade (F) is treated as attempted credits not earned; it will be included in the calculation of the GPA and the minimum completion rate.

• All grades earned for a repeated course will be recorded on the transcript and the highest grade received will be included in the GPA calculation; however, every repeated attempt will be included in the completion rate determination.
• Transfer credits and/or credits for prior learning given at the time of enrollment will be counted in the total number of credits attempted and the maximum timeframe standard.

Students can only receive financial aid for a repeated, previously passed course one additional time. If the student registers for a previously passed course the third time, the course is ineligible for financial aid.

Due to flexibility provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), attempted courses will be excluded from the qualitative component if the credits not completed was a result of the COVID-19 national emergency.