1988-1989 Academic Catalog

180 Financial Information Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Recipients of Financial Aid Policy Financial aid recipients at Cedarville College are required to achieve satisfactory academic progress to be eligible to continue to receive federal financial assistance. The purpose of this policy is to define the requirements for satisfactory academic progress as it pertains to recipients of Title IV federal aid programs. Cedarville College recognizes that conditions which create the need for financial assistance may also create other educational needs which require extra time and slower progress in achieving educational goals. Students who, because of exceptional educa– tional needs, must make slower progress than outlined in the policy or who find themselves victims of unusual circumstances are encouraged to discuss their situations with their academic advisors and the financial aid office. Where legally possible, because of mitigating circumstances, exemption to this policy can be considered. When the Congress of the United States enacted the Higher Education Amendments of 1976, eligible institutions were directed to define and enforce standards of progress for students receiving federal financial assistance. The programs directly involved at Cedarville College are: (1) Pell Grant, (2) The Perkins Loan, (3) The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant– SEOG, (4) College Work Study-CWS, and (5) Guaranteed Stu– dent/Plus Loans. Full-Time Students All students are required to have a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) in order to be graduated from Cedarville College. The following academic requirements would be appropri– ate in achieving this goal and fulfilling the term "carrying to completion" the required credit hours. In order to meet academic progress standards, students must complete a minimum number of credit hours based on a percentage ofwork to be completed and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point consistent with the requirements for graduation. The following illustrates the aca– demic progress policy: Hours attempted 1-48 49-96 97-144 145-240 Completed (percent) 65% 70% 75% 80% Completed (credits/yr) 31 34 36 38 Completed (cum credits) 31 65 IOI 139 Minimum cum GPA 1.70 1.90 2.00 2.00 Satisfactory academic progress means that students must com- plete 65% or 31 credit hours the first academic year 70% or 34 credit hours (total of65 credits) the second year, 75%,or 36 credit hours (total of 101 credits) the third year, 80% or 38 credit hours (total of 139 credits) the fourth year, coupled with the appropriate cumulative grade point average. It is assumed that the majority of students will graduate in the normal time frame. However, no s~udent may co~tinue more than five years in order to complete his/her academic program. Regardless of the credit hours a full– time student attempts, he/she must complete the percentage of work (credit hours) and have the appropriate cumulative grade point as stipulated. Part-time Students Students who enroll for less than a full-time basis (12 credit hours per quarter) will receive proportionately less financial aid than a full-time student as dictated by lower school costs and federal regulations. Similar academic progress requirements for full-time apply to part-time enrollment on a proportional basis. Financial aid will not be awarded to students who enroll for less than six hours of credit per quarter (half-time). Transfer Students .Transfer students who have never attended Cedarville College will be granted one quarter of grace to establish a grade point ave.rage at Cedarville College. After completion of the grace penod (one quarter), the transfer credits plus the credits received during the quarter at Cedarville and the grade point earned during the same grace period will be the evaluating factors to determine if progress is evident, based on the current academic progress policy.