Satisfactory Academic Progress
The Higher Education Act of 1976, as amended, requires Adrian College to develop and apply a consistent and reasonable standard of academic progress for all students. Students who fall behind in their coursework or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, risk losing their eligibility for federal and state financial aid, external scholarships/grants/loans, Adrian College scholarships and grants, and athletic eligibility.
SAP is assessed both qualitatively (by cumulative grade point average) and quantitatively (by earned credit hours). Students must also complete their degree within a Maximum Time Frame of 150% of the published program length. A student is not permitted to receive federal student aid if the attempted credit hours exceed the Maximum Time Frame of 150%. Progress is measured at the end of each term to determine a student’s academic and financial aid eligibility for future enrollment periods. Students not meeting SAP standards will be notified by the Registrar’s Office and the Office of Financial Aid (both by mail using their self-reported permanent address and through their Adrian College email account).
In order to maintain satisfactory academic progress (to be in good standing academically), a student must do two things:
1. Qualitative Measure – Maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA (undergraduate students), or a 3.0 cumulative GPA (graduate students); and
2. Quantitative Measure – Successfully complete (i.e., pass) 2/3 of the credit hours attempted.
Maximum Timeframe (150% Rule)
Students are not permitted to receive federal student aid for a period no longer than 150 percent of the published length of the program. Grade point averages are calculated by dividing total quality points by quality hours (i.e., credit hours attempted). Hours for courses for which grades of NG, NC, W, or I are excluded from the hours attempted to obtain quality hours. Hours successfully completed include all credit hours attached to course grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D and D-. Hours attempted include those successfully completed as well as those attached to courses in which grades of F, FA, I, W, XF, NG, and NC were assigned.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Warning
The first time a student does not meet SAP standards, they will be placed on Academic and Financial Aid Warning for the next semester. This means they are one term away from being able to continue their education at Adrian College. Failure to meet SAP standards in the semester in which the student is on Warning will result in Academic Suspension.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Suspension
Students who do not meet satisfactory academic progress requirements at the end of the academic warning period will be placed on academic suspension and will not be eligible for continued enrollment without appealing.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Academic Plan & Appeal Procedure
Any student placed on academic suspension due to the policy may appeal to the Academic Status and Review Committee. Instructions on how to appeal and an appeal application will be included with the SAP notification letter sent by the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs from the Registrar's Office (registrar@adrian.edu). Students wishing to appeal will be required to write a formal letter addressed to the Academic Status and Review Committee and submit it, along with the appeal application, to the Registrar's Office explaining why he or she is not currently making Satisfactory Academic Progress. The letter should also include the student's plan to sufficiently improve their academic status.
After an application for appeal is received, the student will be notified in writing of the results of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal. Reinstatement of enrollment for a subsequent period will be determined on an individual basis. The committee may not consider students for readmission if their application and/or letter is not submitted on or before the due date provided in the SAP notification letter. Students who do not meet the terms of Satisfactory Academic Progress, and who either elect not to file an appeal, or who failed to meet the terms of their academic plan will be required to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards before regaining eligibility for enrollment.
Students are limited to two (2) SAP Appeal submissions during their enrollment at Adrian College. Students are not eligible for their second appeal directly after the probationary term as they would not be making SAP for more than two consecutive semesters.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Probation
Students will be assigned this status if they fail to meet satisfactory academic progress at the end of the SAP Warning period but successfully appeal. Students will be permitted to receive financial aid for one additional term with continued eligibility to be reviewed and determined at the term’s end. Students on SAP academic probation are monitored for improvements and are required to adhere to their terms and conditions of probation.
Incompletes, Withdrawals, Failures and Repetitions
Classes graded with failure (“F”), “academic dishonesty”, “incomplete”, “no credit”, or “withdraw” will be evaluated as courses attempted, although not successfully completed. Repeated courses will count toward academic progress.
Transfer Credit, Adrian College Credit Hours and Academic Program
When determining if a student is within the requirements of Adrian College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, the Office of Academic Affairs will consider credit hours that are accepted by the Registrar’s Office as transfer credit or that were taken at Adrian College, and that are applicable to the student’s academic program. The number of transfer credit hours accepted will be used to calculate a student’s remaining eligibility according to the maximum timeframe standard (150% rule) and will be included in the quantitative calculation which includes number of credits attempted and completed. Transfer credit grades are not considered in a student’s GPA. The GPA used Academic Policies and Programs 50 Degree Index Table of Contents for Satisfactory Academic Progress policy only considers classes taken at Adrian College.
Grade Reports
Final grades are available online in the student database to students and advisors. Mid-semester grades are also available online. Students with a financial hold on their account will not be able to view posted grades.
Repeating Courses
Only courses in which a student has earned a grade of C-, D+, D, D-, F, FA, XF or NC may be repeated. When a course is repeated, both grades will appear on the permanent record, with the second grade indicated as a “repeat.” To figure a grade point average, the higher grade is selected. If the second grade is higher, the point differential between the old and the new grade is added to the cumulative points. The hours earned for the repeat are not counted a second time. Courses must be repeated at Adrian College.
