Satisfactory Academic Progress
The U.S. Department of Education requires Pitzer to monitor the academic progress of all students on federal financial aid, as stated in regulation 34 CFR 668.34.
The Office of Financial Aid’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy monitors academic progress for all aid funds (federal, state and institutional). While the SAP requirements for federal, state and institutional aid are often similar, they are not identical. In addition, the SAP policy is the same regardless of the student’s enrollment status (full-time or part-time). Students should carefully review this policy and contact the Office of Financial Aid with any questions.
Our SAP policy complies with federal requirements and sets reasonable expectations to ensure students make timely progress toward their degree. Monitoring SAP is not meant to be punitive, it is meant to notify students when they may be in jeopardy and provide enough notice for them to get back on track. Monitoring SAP ensures that students remain eligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid throughout their time at Pitzer.
SAP for federal, state and institutional eligibility monitors three components: qualitative, quantitative and maximum timeframe. See requirements below.
SAP Overview
The Office of Financial Aid reviews SAP for most aid programs, but not all. Below are the aid programs subject to SAP and those not affected by SAP:
Affected by SAP | Not Affected by SAP |
---|---|
Federal Pell Grant | Veteran Benefits |
Federal SEOG Grant | Employee Tuition Benefits |
Federal Work-Study | Outside Scholarships |
Federal Direct Subsidized Loan | Alternative/Private Loans |
Federal Unsubsidized Loan | |
Federal Direct PLUS Loan | |
Cal Grant A, B, & B Stipend | |
Pitzer Need-Based Scholarships | |
Pitzer Merit Scholarships | |
Pitzer Tuition Exchange | |
Institutional Work-Study |
SAP Requirements
The qualitative component measures grade-based progress and monitors Grade Point Average (GPA). To meet this requirement, students must have a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the end of each semester and a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the end of two years of attendance.
Not Meeting SAP
The first time a student does not meet either the SAP GPA or pace requirements, the student is placed on "Financial Aid Warning." This "Warning" semester provides the student with the opportunity to regain SAP eligibility. During a "Warning" semester, students are eligible to receive federal, state and institutional funds.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of all campus resources to meet SAP. The SAP warning notice outlines all expectations required of the student during the "Warning" semester.
Frequency of Warning Semesters
Students can be placed on financial aid warning more than once during their enrollment at Pitzer. However, the warning semesters cannot be consecutive.
Appealing
Students should carefully consider the information in their appeal. Appeals must be made in writing to the Office of Financial Aid and should be typed. Acceptable formats include an email or a Word document attached to an email. Letters should be signed and dated and emails should be sent from the student’s Pitzer email address.
We highly encourage students to make an appointment with their financial aid counselor before submitting an appeal and to seek help from their academic adviser when writing their appeal.
Appeals must include the following:
- Reasons or circumstances that prevented the student from meeting GPA or pace requirements and/or completing their degree on-time
- Documentation to verify these, which may include:
- A letter from a therapist
- A letter from a doctor or physician
- Medical records with dates corresponding to the semester when the student did not meet SAP
- An email from the Office of Student Affairs confirming meetings or check-ins during the semester the student did not meet SAP
- A clarification of how those circumstances have been resolved or addressed
- An academic plan outlining courses required and steps needed to meet GPA or pace requirements and/or graduate within an additional semester
- Support/acknowledgment from an academic adviser that the academic plan will result in meeting GPA or pace requirements and/or graduating within an additional semester
Appeal Outcomes
For granted appeals, the Financial Aid Office will email students a SAP Contract outlining the terms, requirements and expectations of the appeal. The contract will detail GPA and/or coursework completion requirements during contract period. If the student needs more than one semester to regain eligibility, an academic plan will be included in the contract.
Probation Period
If the SAP Disqualified appeal is granted, the student is placed on "probation" for one semester as outlined in the SAP Contract. During the probation semester, financial aid is reinstated.
If the student does not meet SAP by the end of the "probation" semester, the student becomes ineligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid.
Academic Plans
Students who need more than one semester to regain SAP eligibility are placed on an Academic Plan as outlined in the SAP Contract. Academic plans allow the student to meet specific conditions to regain aid eligibility within a timeframe longer than one semester (typically two semesters and a summer). Academic plans may:
- Restrict the number of classes a student takes
- Set a minimum GPA requirement for one or more semesters
- Require follow-up meetings or periodic check-ins
- Require the student to seek academic counseling to ensure progress
Students placed on an academic plan are typically required to have check-ins with a member of the financial aid staff, who will monitor their progress. The financial aid staff will work with Student Affairs and/or Academic Affairs to ensure the student is making progress as outlined in the academic plan.
If a student does not meet SAP by the end of the terms of the academic plan, the student becomes ineligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid.
9th Semester Appeals
If this appeal is granted, the student receives additional semester(s) of institutional financial aid to complete their degree. If the degree is not earned within this extra time, no additional institutional financial aid is granted. Students with remaining federal or state financial aid may continue to receive those funds.