Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements for Financial Aid (SAP)

Process Overview and Responsibilities 

In accordance with the U.S. Department of Education, the Office of Financial Aid at Hood College monitors undergraduate students after the spring semester each academic year for successful completion of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards. For financial aid eligibility, terms are defined as fall, winter, spring and summer. All students are measured on qualitative (grade-based) and quantitative (time-based) standards. Students who fail to meet SAP standards are not eligible for any financial aid unless an appeal is approved. Students are not limited to one appeal.

Programs affected by the SAP standards include: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), Parent PLUS Loans, Federal SEOG, Federal Work-Study, state aid, and institutional aid, and outside/private financial assistance.

Qualitative Standards (Grade-based)

Qualitative standards measure a student’s quality of performance in terms of GPA, including basic skills courses (reading, writing, mathematics). 

Each semester a student must meet the following cumulative GPA standard:

In order to graduate, a student must have a minimum GPA of 2.0. If a student fails to meet the above GPA requirements, the student will be suspended from financial aid but will have the opportunity to submit an appeal. 

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 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 financial aid. 

Pace=  Cumulative number of credits successfully completed

               Cumulative number of credits attempted

Grades of W, F, INC, and U do not count as completed courses and are not included in the GPA but will count as attempted credits. A satisfactory grade (S) grade is treated as attempted credits earned but is not included in the GPA calculation. An audit (AU) grade is not considered attempted coursework, is not included in the GPA calculation or pace and not counted in enrollment status for financial aid eligibility.

Repeated courses are counted as attempted hours for financial aid eligibility. The highest grade received will be included in the GPA calculation. 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.

Students are eligible up to 30 attempted hours for basic skills courses (reading, writing, mathematics) which are not counted in the quantitative standards (but are counted qualitatively). If a student exceeds 30 attempted hours without successful completion, the student becomes ineligible for financial aid and must pay for those courses prior to continuing at Hood College. 

Transfer credits that count toward the student’s current program count as attempted and completed for financial aid eligibility. Transfer credits are not included in the GPA calculation.

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.

Quantitative Standards (maximum timeframe)

Students must be making progress toward a degree. To quantify academic progress, Hood College must set a maximum timeframe in which you are expected to finish a program. A student must complete their program of study within 150% of the length of the program. If a student needs additional time to complete the degree, the student may submit an appeal for financial aid. Students at Hood College are expected to complete 124 credit hours to earn an undergraduate degree. Students are eligible to receive financial aid up to 186 attempted hours at Hood College (not including 30 credit hours for basic skills courses). If additional time is needed, students can submit an appeal to the Director of Financial Aid.