Graduate students are required to make satisfactory academic progress toward their degree or certificate. All withdrawals, incompletes, and repeat course work are taken into consideration when determining SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress). Incompletes and withdrawals are counted as attempted credits but not completed. Transfer credits are counted as both credits attempted and credits earned, but do not affect the cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Nontraditional awarding of credit, including credit by exam and credit for life experience is counted as both credits attempted and credits earned, but does not affect the CGPA. Standards of satisfactory academic progress applies to all students, regardless of enrollment status (full-time or 1/2 time) or program. All credit hours for which a student has incurred a financial obligation are considered.
Students are considered meeting SAP if they have at least a 3.0 (CGPA) and the percentage of credit hours successfully completed versus the hours attempted is at least at 67%. Students will be reviewed at the end of each semester for SAP. Accountability starts with the student’s entry date at the University.
Students who do not meet the required standards of SAP will receive a Warning notice. While on a Warning status, students are eligible to receive financial aid and may only remain on Warning status for one semester. Students that are still below standards for a second semester will have their aid cancelled. Students may appeal the loss of financial aid under the appeal policy outlined below.
Students are also reviewed each semester for compliance with the Academic Standards. If they are suspended from school under the academic standards policy, they will lose financial aid eligibility for that time period. If readmitted to the University, they may appeal for reinstatement of financial aid.
All students who receive financial aid must complete their program within 150 percent of the normal program length, as measured in semester credit hours. If they exceed the maximum timeframe, they are subject to the loss of financial aid, which can be appealed following the procedure outlined below.
The maximum timeframe will be adjusted on an exception basis for students who transfer in credits, change their majors or enroll in a subsequent degree.
Students who have lost financial aid eligibility for failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress will be notified in writing of the cancellation of financial aid and urged to contact the Financial Aid Office. Students with mitigating circumstances wishing to appeal the financial aid cancellation may do so, in writing, to the Financial Aid Office. Mitigating circumstances may include but are not limited to illness or injury of the student or immediate family member; death of a relative; or other special circumstance. The committee will evaluate the appeal and determine whether the student will be allowed to continue to receive financial aid on either a Probation or Academic Plan status.
If an appeal is granted and financial aid is reinstated, the student will receive aid on either a Probation or Academic Plan status. A student on Probation is required to regain SAP standing by the end of the probationary semester; the terms of the probation will be included in the notice to the student when the appeal is granted.
If a student cannot regain SAP standing by the end of one semester, the student will be placed on Academic Plan status. The terms of the Academic Plan will be included in the notice sent to the student when the appeal is granted, and may include 100% completion (no W or F grades) and a specified minimum semester GPA. The Academic Plan is structured to assist the student in regaining SAP status by a projected point in time not to exceed the Maximum Timeframe.
Student progress will be reviewed every semester while on Academic Plan; if a student fails to meet the requirements of the Academic Plan, he or she will become ineligible for financial aid.
Students will generally be limited to two appeals during the course of their education at Davenport, regardless of the reason or other circumstance. If a student regains SAP status, he or she regains the ability to submit up to two appeals. A third appeal may be permitted for students who have stopped out for a minimum of three years.
As a graduate student, you are required to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to earn your degree or certificate and to receive financial aid (if eligible). SAP is determined by considering:
Nontraditional awarding of credit, such as credit by exam, credit for life experience, transfer credits, is not considered when determining your SAP.
Nontraditional credit DOES reduce the maximum time frame you have to complete your program.
