Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) while pursuing a degree in order to receive financial assistance from federal and state programs. These programs include Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Parent PLUS Loan, Federal Work Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal TEACH Grant, and the Tennessee Student Assistance Award.
SAP is reviewed at the end of each semester; fall, spring and summer. At each review, students must meet the GPA requirements applicable to their academic standing. Students must also complete at least 66.66% of all classes attempted. Finally, students must complete their degree within 150% of the published program length as stated in this Catalog. Failure to meet these requirements may result in suspension of federal and state financial aid as stated.
Note: Grades of F, I, U, or W are considered attempted but not meeting progress standards for the purposes of financial aid and are counted for SAP.
If SAP is not being met, the following process will be taken. All notifications will be sent to the student’s Maryville College email address and the student’s permanent address as noted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Financial Aid Warning – Students who fail to meet SAP for the first time (excluding students that have attempted 150% of the credits required for their degree) will be placed in a Warning Status for one term and are expected to meet SAP requirements by the end of the following term of enrollment. Students who fail to meet SAP requirements at the end of the Warning Status will be placed on financial aid suspension.
Financial Aid Suspension – Students who do not meet the terms of their academic plan, the cumulative grade point average standard, and/or Pace will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Students on Financial Aid Suspension are not eligible to receive any Title IV Aid as outlined above and all aid will be cancelled for future semesters until the student has regained SAP. Students may appeal this suspension to the Maryville College Appeals Committee.
Financial Aid Probation (appeal approved) – Students who have successfully appealed their financial aid suspension are placed on Financial Aid Probation. Students on Financial Aid Probation are eligible to receive financial aid for one semester, after which they must meet SAP or meet the requirements outlined in their academic plan as approved by the Maryville College Appeals Committee.
Federal regulations allow for certain cases in which the school may waive the standards for satisfactory academic progress. Specifically, if a student fails to be in compliance with one or more of the satisfactory academic progress components due to events beyond the student’s control, such as extended illness, serious illness or death in the immediate family, or other significant trauma, and if such mitigating circumstances can be appropriately documented for the specific term(s) in which the deficiency occurred. Appeals must be made in writing to the Maryville College Financial Aid Office and the student should include appropriate supporting documentation. The appeal should be well presented with attention to spelling and grammar, and it should outline the extenuating circumstances that contributed to the student’s inability to meet SAP standards and what has changed that will allow the student to meet SAP at the next evaluation. A student whose appeal is approved will be required to follow an Academic Plan developed by the Maryville College Financial Aid Office. Failure to successfully complete all conditions during the probationary period (as defined in the academic plan) will result in loss of financial aid eligibility.