Victor Valley College has updated its Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy effective Fall 2016, requiring students to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and a 67% completion ratio to remain eligible for financial aid. Students on SAP warning must meet standards within one term, or they risk disqualification from financial aid support; they may appeal under specific extenuating circumstances. The appeal process requires providing documentation of the circumstances and a typed appeal form, which must be complete to avoid denial.

1. SAP
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Victor Valley College Financial Aid Office
2017-2018

2. Attention
There will be an quiz at the end of this presentation; it
must be passed 100% in order to receive the link to
the Appeal Form.

3. Warning Status (NEW!)
• Beginning Fall 2016 Satisfactory Academic Progress
(SAP) will be ran after every enrollment period.
• Students who fail SAP will be placed on a Warning Status
for one enrollment period.
• Students that do not meet the SAP standards by the end of
the term will be disqualified from financial aid.

4. Satisfactory Academic Policy
• Federal regulations require that all Financial Aid recipients meet
satisfactory academic progress and remain in good academic standing.
Code of Federal Regulations - §668.34 Satisfactory academic progress
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is reviewed for every student,
after each enrollment period.
• All students will be assessed on criteria including minimum GPA,
completion ratio, completion of a degree/certificate and units attempted.
• These standards apply to all VVC Financial Aid recipients. Link to Policy

5. Satisfactory Academic Progress
• If you fail to meet these SAP requirements, you will be dismissed or
suspended from receiving further financial aid including: Pell Grant,
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Cal Grants,
Chafee Grant, Fulltime Student Success Grant (FTSS) & Federal
Work Study.
• New Bog Fee Waiver Regulations may affect eligibility based on
Academic and Progress Standards. Please see
www.vvc.edu/keepthebogg for more information.

6. Standards

7. Standards
Example:
36 units Completed divided by 60 units Attempted
gives you 60% completion ratio
“with this scenario
STUDENT IS NOT MEETING SAP
and would need to appeal”

8. STANDARDS
Educational Objective
• Students must also complete their educational objective
(degree, transfer , or certificate) by the time they have
attempted 90 units (from all schools attended).
Published Length of the Program
• A student can receive financial aid for a maximum of 150%
of the published length of an eligible program.
Example:
• For an Associates of Liberal Arts degree -- 90 attempted units is
the maximum for which a student can receive financial assistance
(60 units X 150% = 90 units).

9. STANDARDS
Ineligibility
• A student is ineligible when it becomes mathematically
impossible for them to complete their program within the
150% timeframe.
Major
Change
• Students are allowed one change of major. The major needs
to match the student education plan and the major listed in
WebAdvisor.
New Major
• Students who change their major must only enroll in classes
needed to complete that new major. Any deviation will result
in Suspension/Denial of any further financial aid.

10. Financial Aid Dismissal
If you have not met
the required GPA
(2.0), Completion
Ratio (67%), or have
graduated,
exceeded 90 units,
and/or completed
your program, you
are on financial aid
dismissal.
Dismissal
By following the
guidelines on the
following slides you
may appeal this
decision, but only if
there is an
extenuating
circumstance.
Extenuating
Circumstance

11. SAP APPEAL
Extenuating Circumstances
A student may complete an appeal form if he or she has an
extenuating circumstance, such as:
The death of a
close relative of the
student
An injury or illness
of the student
Other special
circumstances that
the student had no
control over
Documents must be provided to substantiate your extenuating
circumstance.

12. SAP APPEAL
Maximum Time Standard
• A student may also appeal the maximum time standard if they have
attempted over 90 units, or if they have a higher unit required major such
as; Nursing and Respiratory Therapy Programs.
Basic Skills Classes
• Basic skills classes that are non-degree applicable are not counted, up to
30 units and all ESL classes.

13. • A student who does not have an extenuating circumstance must:
• Wait until he, or she is meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Example:
Student has a 1.5 GPA and was dismissed. However, student
completes 2 successful semesters (totaling 12 units or more),
and has a 2.0 GPA. Student may now appeal for reinstatement.
A successful semester is one where there are no
W’s, NP’s, FW’s , or F’s.
SAP APPEAL

14. SAP APPEAL
If your appeal is denied in
Fall 2017, you are ineligible
to appeal again until the new
academic year (Fall 2018).
Only one appeal per
academic year may be
submitted by student.

15. Please complete all the general information on the upper portion
of the form. The form must be typed. If the form is incomplete,
it will be delayed. Make sure to follow the format listed on the
next several slides.
The Appeal Form can be found at:
The end of the quiz.
THE APPEAL FORM

16. Example Format
I am appealing my academic dismissal because
of a low GPA for the following reason:
I was in a car accident during the final exam period and was hospitalized in
the fall semester; this caused me to fail my finals and my GPA to go below
2.0. Attached is the medical documentation.
I have made a complete recovery, and I am ready to attend school again.

17. APPEAL REQUEST
UnsatisfactoryAcademicProgress
• Briefly explain the
reason for
UNSATISFACTORY
ACADEMIC
PROGRESS in an
attached written
statement.
SupportingDocuments
• Attach supporting
documents such
as medical forms,
statements etc.
• There must be
supporting
documents
attached.
• If there is no
supporting
documentation,
your appeal will
be denied.
EducationalPlanandTranscripts
• A copy of your
current educational
plan must be on file,
and all transcripts
from all schools
must be on file at
the Admissions
and Records
Office.
• If they are not, your
appeal will be
denied.

18. CHECKING FINANCIAL AID STATUS
Questions
Many financial aid questions may also be answered by clicking on “Ask the Ram
Questions” or by clicking on “Financial Aid TV.”
Checking Status
Please check your financial aid status on WebAdvisor. SAP appeal approved,
or denied status will be listed under “My Documents”.

19. REMEMBER
Failure to turn in all the required documentation will result in a denied appeal.
Include all the following in your appeal package:
Documentation to substantiate your
extenuating circumstance.
VVC Transcripts
Transcripts from
all other schools
attended must be
on file.
Typed Appeal
Form
Student
Educational Plan

20. SubmissionofAppealForm Please remember that the
submission of the typed Appeals
Form does not mean that your
appeal will be granted.
If it is granted, you will be placed
on probation and progress will
be monitored each semester for
adherence to your educational
plan and SAP standards.
In addition, you may not receive
any W’s, NP’s, FW’s or F’s, or
your financial aid will cease
immediately.
FurtherQuestions
If you have any further
questions concerning the
appeals process, check the
VVC Financial Aid office
website at:
http://www.vvc.edu/
offices/financial-
aid/sap.shtml