Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and Procedures

To be eligible to receive Student Financial Aid funds, which includes financial aid from federal, state and institutional programs, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. Albany Technical College (ATC) is required by the U.S. Department of Education to establish minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) means the student is proceeding in a positive manner toward fulfilling educational requirements. SAP is calculated each semester. SAP includes all periods of the student's enrollment, including periods in which the student does not receive financial aid funds.

1. Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students attending ATC must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress with a minimum GPA and completion rate in accordance with the maximum time frame, as stated below.

a. Grade Point Average Requirement (Qualitative)

Students must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). If a student's GPA falls below the required 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA, his or her eligibility to receive financial aid will be jeopardized. A student will be put on financial aid warning for the semester following the term the student fails to maintain the required 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA. The student has the next semester of attendance to earn the required 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA. The student may receive financial aid assistance while on financial aid warning.

At the end of the warning period, if the required 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA is met, the student is taken off of financial aid warning. If the required 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA is not achieved, then the student will be put on financial aid suspension during the next semester of attendance. The student will not receive financial aid assistance while on financial aid suspension.

The total cumulative earned hours consist of hours earned at ATC and accepted transfer credits. Transfer credits are not included in the computation of the cumulative GPA for financial aid unless the credit was earned while attending other schools as a Transient student (ATC student taking classes at another institution as an ATC student). Please note: When courses are repeated, all attempts at repeated courses will count in your total GPA for financial aid.

b. Completion Rate (Quantitative)

Students must earn a minimum of 66.66 percent (This number is rounded up when completing calculation) of the cumulative coursework attempted (including transferred hours). Failure to complete this minimum 66.66 percentage will result in a student being placed on financial aid warning during the next semester of attendance.

If the student regains a completion rate of 66.66 percent of the cumulative coursework attempted during the warning semester, then the student will be taken off of financial aid warning.

If the student does not regain a completion rate of 66.66 percent of the cumulative coursework attempted during the warning semester, then the student will be placed on financial aid suspension for the next attending semester. Completion rate is calculated by dividing the total number of hours successfully completed by the total number of hours attempted. Example: 33 credits completed divided by 48 credits attempted equals 66.66%. The total hours completed and attempted consist of hours earned at ATC and accepted transfer credits.

c. Maximum Time Frame

All students must complete their program of study within a maximum time frame of one-and-one-half (150 percent) times the length of the program in which they are enrolled. This means that once a student has attempted one-and-one-half times the minimum number of credit hours necessary for completing program requirements, the student will be ineligible to receive financial aid assistance.

Example of Maximum Time Frame calculation for one program:

• If a program requires 62 credits for complete

• Then, 62 X 150% = 93 attempted credits is maximum time frame.

• If a student graduates from a program and wishes to seek an additional degree or diploma then the required hours for completion of the previous program will be added to the required hours for completion of the second program plus 50 percent of the total will be used to establish maximum time frame.

• Example of Maximum Timeframe calculation for an additional program after graduation:

• If the sum of a previous program and current programs requires 116 (62 + 52) credits for completion.

• Then, 116 x 150% = 174 attempted credits is maximum timeframe.

• Attempted hours include all attempted hours at ATC and all accepted transfer credit. If the student qualifies for graduation in a particular major but makes a personal decision to remain in school and take additional classes, the student is no longer entitled to receive Federal Title IV Aid. If the time limit has been exceeded, aid eligibility ends. The student will be placed on financial aid suspension status.

2. Grades

The following grades are calculated in the completion rate but do not count towards successfully completion: IP (In Progress), I (Incomplete), Z, W, WP, F, or WF. Repeat courses will be considered as any other class and both grades will be counted in the GPA and completion rate. A grade of A*, B*; C*, or D* will be considered satisfactory completion of a learning support course. A grade of F* will be considered unsatisfactory. Grades received for learning support courses are not calculated in the GPA but the hours are calculated in the 66.6% cumulative completion rate.

A grade of Z was assigned because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This grade of Z will not count against the student's completion rate. The Z grade will also not count as an attempted hour on the student's transcript.

3. Transfer Students

Transfer students accepted by ATC, not previously enrolled at ATC, will be classified as maintaining satisfactory academic progress for their first semester. At the end of the first semester, the student's grades will be measured in accordance with the ATC's satisfactory academic progress requirements. Students who previously attended ATC, transferred to another school, then returned to ATC, will have the SAP status they earned during their last attendance at ATC. Transfer students will have all of their coursework reviewed at the end of the first semester attended.

4. Financial Aid Suspension

Once a student is on financial aid suspension, the student must pay for the next attending semester at his or her own expense. All federal, state and institutional funds are removed for the next semester. Once the student is meeting SAP requirements, the student's financial aid will be reinstated which could take more than one semester.

5. Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension

Students have the right to appeal their suspension of financial aid if they have extenuating circumstances that prevented them from making satisfactory academic progress. Extenuating circumstances are limited to:

a. death or serious illness or injury to an immediate family member,

b.extended hospitalization or medical condition of the student,

c. victimization of a violent crime or natural disaster,

d. work related difficulties, and

e. other unexpected documented situations.

Lack of transportation to school, poor class performance, and pursuit of a double or dual major are not an extenuating circumstance.

The appeal must be specific, typed, and address the student's entire previous academic performance as well as how the circumstances have changed so that the student can meet SAP. Appeals must be submitted online through ATC's Campus Logic (https://albanytech.studentforms.com) before the published appeal deadline.

The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee will meet to review appeals prior to the beginning of each semester. The Financial Aid Office will notify the student of the committee's decision via the communication preference selected by the student when they originally setup their Campus Logic account. Decision results will be available on Banner Student Web. The committee's decision is final. A student can submit a 2nd appeal for the term by providing new documentation.

If it is not mathematically possible for a student, whose appeal was approved, to make SAP by the end of the probation term, the student will be required to follow an Academic Plan to maintain financial aid eligibility.

1. Academic Plans will be signed by each applicable student noting the following: Achieve a semester GPA of at least a 2.5. A higher GPA may be necessary to reach good standing
2. “W”, “WF”, “WP”. “I”, “F”, “D”, are not acceptable grades. 100% attempted hours each semester is required. Failure to each credit in all attempted hours will result in noncompliance with SAP.

Information on an Academic Plan may include any activity or requirement that the Financial Aid Department believes will enable the student to meet SAP requirements by a specific point in time and ultimately enable the student to successfully complete his/her program of study in a timely manner.

Students on an Academic Plan are required to meet all the requirements of the Plan each term in order to receive aid for the subsequent term until they meet overall satisfactory academic progress. The Financial Aid Department will verify that all requirements of the Plan were met prior to posting aid for the subsequent term. Failure to meet all requirements of an Academic Plan will result in the student being placed on financial aid suspension and losing all financial aid eligibility. A student may appeal a financial aid suspension in this situation if there were extenuating circumstances that prevented him/her from meeting the requirements of the Plan.

Academic Plans are developed with the goal of the student successfully completing his/her current program of study in a timely manner. Should a student change his/her program of study, the Academic Plan may be repealed and the student may be placed back on financial aid suspension until he/she re-submits an appeal explaining how he/she will make SAP in the next term of enrollment with the new program of study. A financial aid hold may be placed on students on Academic Plans to prevent aid from being posted for subsequent terms until program of study, SAP status, and Academic Plan requirements have been verified by the Financial Aid Department.

A student is expected to know the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Students can review their SAP status on Banner Student Web after final grades have been processed. The Financial Aid Office attempts to notify students when they are on financial aid suspension; however, sometimes students do not receive notification due to circumstances beyond the control of the Financial Aid Office.

If a student is not notified of the financial aid suspension, that does not excuse a student from the financial aid suspension, nor does it exempt a student from appealing in a timely manner.

6. SAP STATUS

a. WARNING: Financial aid warning is a status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress at the end of the term. Students will be allowed to continue on financial aid (our old Probation-no appeal necessary).

b. SUSPENSION: Financial aid suspension is a status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress for two consecutive terms, or at the end of a probationary/AP period. The student has now lost financial aid and must pay until he/she meets the current SAP standard.

c. ARSTAT: Financial aid probation is a status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress (after a warning period) and who has appealed and has his/her Financial Aid reinstated for one term.

d. PLAN (ACADEMIC PLAN): Financial aid plan is a status assigned to a student who fails to make satisfactory academic progress (after a warning period) and who has appealed and who has completed an academic plan and has his/her Financial Aid reinstated for more than one term. The student must continue to pass at least 100% of their attempted hours each semester with at least a 2.5 GPA for each term.

Tuition Refunds

Students dropping from a course(s) by the end of the third instructional day of the semester* and no shows will receive a 100% refund of applicable tuition and applicable refundable fees, excluding the application fee. Refunds will be made directly to the student accounts for students who are paying their tuition and fees through financial aid. Students who have paid their tuition and fees through cash or credit card should allow a minimum of four weeks for the refund to be processed.

Students who withdraw from a course after the third instructional day of the semester* shall receive no refund of tuition or fees.

*The first three instructional days of the semester means: the first day of classes for the semester as listed on the ATC Academic Calendar plus the next two business days. To be eligible for drop, classes (including those that meet for the first time on the 4th day of the semester or later) must be dropped within the first 3 instructional days of the semester.

The student is solely responsible for submitting a Drop Form to the Registrar’s Office by the close of business on the third instructional day of the semester.

This “3-Day No Harm/No Foul” policy was adopted by the Technical College System of Georgia in April, 2008.

On the fourth instructional day of the semester, all courses for which a student is registered will become a permanent part of the student’s academic record and the student will be held academically and financially responsible for such courses.

Book purchase/supplies policy

Students may purchase books, utilizing their financial aid or third-party funding, beginning on the first day of the term. Books may also be purchased using cash, check, credit/debit card or money order. Students may place online orders for book purchases by accessing our website at albanytech.edu. Click on Campus Life/Bookstore/Buy Books Online, then, follow steps. Students must present some form of picture ID and a schedule when purchasing books.

Students will purchase books on a first-come, first-served basis. Students will be allowed to purchase books using financial aid. The dates for deferring books to financial aid are established each term and are posted throughout the campus and via student email. After the deferment period has ended, all students will be required to purchase books using cash, check, credit/debit card or money order.

Book/supplies return policy

Books purchased in the campus bookstore can be exchanged or returned for a refund, *if accompanied by the original receipt. The dates for the return of books coincide with the dates established for deferment and are posted throughout the campus and via student email. Books must have been purchased in the current term. Books that are to be returned may not be written in and cannot be damaged in any way. Shrink wrapped books cannot be opened. The books must be in the original wrapping in order to be returned. Returns for books purchased with a credit card must be credited back using the same credit card. Refunds for books purchased with a check or cash will be refunded with a check from the Business Office. The normal processing time for these refunds will be 7-10 business days.

Book purchase/supplies for online orders

Students may place online orders for book purchases by going to our website at albanytech.edu. Click on Campus Life/Bookstore/Buy Books Online, then, follow steps.

Students may also place online orders for pickup in the bookstore. There is a $5 processing fee for in-store pickups.

Orders will be processed within 24 hours of receipt of all required information. Books are shipped using UPS ground shipping and a $20 shipping charge is added to all orders.