Satisfactory Academic Progress

Under current federal law, all students who receive federal or state financial aid must be making satisfactory progress as defined by the College in order to receive or continue to receive that aid. The College must consider all coursework attempted at the College and any transfer work completed in its evaluation.

The following are the requirements at McLennan Community College:

1. All recipients of financial aid must be enrolled in a program of study leading to an associate’s degree, an eligible certificate, or program that is transferable toward a baccalaureate degree.

2. Students receiving financial aid must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (a grade of “C”) on all college level credit hours attempted at MCC or transferred to MCC in order to remain eligible for financial aid.

3. Students receiving financial aid must complete 67% of all hours attempted at MCC (or transferred to MCC) regardless of whether financial aid was received for the hours.

4. Students must complete their degree within 150% of the hours required in their program. (Eligibility is lost beyond this limit). Generally this is 90 hours for an associate’s degree.

5. Satisfactory progress will be measured three times per year, at the end of each semester, fall, spring and summer 2. The evaluation will be made regardless of the number of hours attempted during the semester.

6. Course work attempted and grades earned in semesters forgiven through the State of Texas “Academic Fresh Start” program will be included in the Satisfactory Progress Calculation.

7. Grades of A, B, C, D, and CR are considered hours attempted and successfully completed (earned).

8. Grades of F, NC (non-completion), I (incomplete), and W (withdrawals and drops) are counted as hours attempted but not successfully completed (unearned).

9. Course repeats are counted as attempted hours and either earned or unearned depending upon the grade assigned for each course as noted above. Only the last grade is included for GPA purposes.

10. Only the first two attempts of a course completed with a passing grade can be paid by financial aid. The third attempt cannot be included for payment purposes.

11. Financial aid is available for only the first 30 semester hours of remedial course work attempted. Remedial course work is counted in the 67% completion rate.

12. The first time a student does not meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria they will be placed on financial aid “warning”. While on warning, the student will continue to receive financial aid for which they have qualified. The warning period is one semester.

13. Students not meeting the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria at the end of their warning period will be suspended from receiving financial aid.

14. Students placed on “suspension”, although they may continue to enroll at the College, must pay for their coursework from their own funds.

15. Financial aid eligibility will be reinstated after a student meets the Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria (listed above), both the completion rate (67%) and cumulative grade point average (2.0). Students who regain eligibility by completing required coursework must notify the Office of Financial Aid in order to have their progress reevaluated. Sitting out a semester or more does not change the calculation result.

16. A student who has been suspended from financial aid for failure to meet the satisfactory progress requirements outlined in this policy due to mitigating circumstances may appeal the decision by completing an appeal form, explaining their mitigating circumstances, and providing appropriate documentation to support their claim. Appeals without documentation will not be considered.

17. A student must be able to meet the satisfactory progress requirements within one semester or an appeal cannot be approved.

18. When a student has an appeal approved, they are placed on a probationary status for one semester. Probationary students who do not meet the satisfactory progress requirements during the probationary semester will again be suspended.

19. When the number of hours required to complete a degree plus the number of hours attempted (including transfers) exceeds 150% of the hours required for a degree, the student becomes immediately ineligible for further financial aid. (Maximum Time Frame Suspension).

20. Appeals for attempting beyond the maximum time frame require a copy of a degree plan signed by the advisor and an appeal form explaining why the additional coursework is necessary. The student must be meeting the 67% and 2.0 CGPA for all hours attempted in order for this appeal to be approved.

21. Not being prepared for college work, or the course was not what was expected, or student didn’t like the teacher and similar reasons are NOT mitigating circumstances and an appeal for these reasons will not be approved.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Students are responsible for understanding and monitoring their own satisfactory progress status. Although the Office of Financial Aid attempts to notify students of their financial aid status, failure to receive notice does not affect the calculated status and is not a reason for appeal.