Satisfactory Academic Progress

To maintain eligibility for financial aid and meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards at Massasoit, students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA based on the total number of credit hours attempted.

Important Notes:

• All courses with letter grades (A–F), including developmental and ESL courses, are included in the GPA calculation.
• Transfer credits are not included in GPA calculations.

A student’s completion rate, or pace, toward a degree or certificate is measured by comparing the number of earned credits to the number of attempted credits. To maintain financial aid eligibility, students must successfully complete at least 67% of their cumulative attempted credits.

• Credits Attempted: Includes all courses taken, regardless of whether they are paid for with financial aid or are part of a degree program, with some exceptions.
• Credits Earned: Includes credits for classes successfully completed with passing grades, including A, B, C, D, P, and their plus and minus variations.

To calculate your completion rate use the following equation:

Completion Rate = Credits Earned ÷ Credits Attempted

Example Calculations:

• Example 1: A student takes 6 credits in Fall and passes 3, then takes 9 credits in Spring and passes all 9.

Total Earned Credits: 3 (Fall) + 9 (Spring) = 12

Total Attempted Credits: 6 (Fall) + 9 (Spring) = 15

Completion Rate: 12 ÷ 15 = 80% – Meets the Requirement

• Example 2: A student takes 12 credits in Fall and passes 6, then takes 12 credits in Spring and passes 9.

Total Earned Credits: 6 (Fall) + 9 (Spring) = 15

Total Attempted Credits: 12 (Spring) + 12 (Spring) = 24

Completion Rate: 15 ÷ 24 = 62.5% – Does Not Meet the Requirement

• Example 3: A new student begins in the Spring semester, takes 15 credits, and passes 12.

Completion Rate: 12 ÷ 15 = 80% – Meets the Requirement

• Example 4: In Year 1, a student attempts 24 credits and earns only 12. In Year 2, they improve — taking 24 credits and passing all 24.

Total Earned Credits: 12 (Year 1) + 24 (Year 2) = 36

Total Attempted Credits: 24 (Year 1) + 24 (Year 2) = 48

Completion Rate: 36 ÷ 48 = 75% – Meets the Requirement

• Example 6: A new Spring student transfers in 12 credits and attempts 10 credits at Massasoit, but only earns 6.

Total Earned Credits: 12 (Transfer) + 6 (Massasoit) = 12

Total Attempted Credits: 12 (Transfer) + 10 (Massasoit) = 19

Completion Rate: 18 ÷ 22 = 81.82% – Meets the Requirement

Rules for Evaluating Completion Rate:

• Withdrawals (W), Incompletes (I), and Failures (F): Count as attempted but not earned.
• Pass/Fail Courses: Passing grades count as both attempted and earned credits; failing grades count as attempted only.
• Repeated Courses: Count as attempted each time. Any attempt with a passing grade counts as earned. See the Course Repeat Policy for information on how repeated courses may affect financial aid eligibility.
• Audited Courses: Not counted as either attempted or earned.
• Developmental, ESL, Transfer, Gateway to College, and Dual Enrollment Courses: Count as both attempted and earned if completed successfully.

To remain eligible for financial aid, students must complete their educational program within 150% of the published program length, measured in credit hours. All attempted courses count towards this limit, including transfer credits, regardless of whether financial aid was received, or the courses were completed successfully.

Developmental courses may be excluded from the maximum time frame credits once a student is at risk of exceeding this limit. A student becomes ineligible for financial aid after attempting 150% of the credits required for their program, or if it is determined that it is no longer mathematically possible for them to complete the program within that limit.

For example, a student enrolled in a program requiring 60 credit hours for graduation will be eligible for financial aid only during the first 90 attempted credit hours (60 credits x 150% = 90 credits). For programs with different credit hour requirements, the maximum time frame is adjusted accordingly.

To be included in a student’s financial aid enrollment status, a course must apply toward their currently declared degree or certificate program. Taking courses that do not fulfill program requirements may reduce the amount of aid a student is eligible to receive and may also accelerate progress toward the maximum time frame limit. Students should follow the appropriate Academic Map and register only for courses that count toward their declared program. For information on changing your program, please refer to the “Change of Program” section on the Academic Information page.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is reviewed annually after the Spring semester for students enrolled in degree programs. For students in certificate programs and those on Financial Aid Probation, SAP is evaluated after every payment period.

Students who do not meet SAP requirements will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and will be ineligible to receive financial assistance, including free community college and federal student loans.

Students can regain eligibility for financial aid by raising their cumulative GPA and/or satisfying credit deficiencies through additional coursework at Massasoit Community College without receiving financial aid, or by transferring in credits from other institutions. Additionally, students may appeal the decision as described below.

Students placed on Financial Aid Suspension may appeal the decision if they experienced significant extenuating circumstances that prevented them from meeting SAP standards. Acceptable reasons for appeal include, but are not limited to, serious illness or injury, the death of an immediate family member, or other documented personal hardships. Appeals may also be submitted by students who have exceeded the maximum time frame due to a change of program or who are pursuing a second degree or certificate.

To file an appeal, students must submit a completed Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form along with supporting documentation. Incomplete appeals or those lacking appropriate documentation (such as a doctor’s letter, hospital discharge summary, obituary, unemployment documentation, or legal or police records) will not be reviewed.

Appeal decisions may result in one of the following outcomes:

Students working towards a second associate degree at Massasoit Community College can use up to fifteen courses (or up to 75% of their new program) from their previous degree or a degree at another school to meet the requirements for their second degree. This rule applies to all students at Massasoit who are pursuing a second associate degree or transferring credits.

If a SAP Appeal is approved, one of two things will occur:

• The student is placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester without an academic plan. This option is limited to students who are expected to meet SAP standards by the end of the next payment period.
• The student is placed on Financial Aid Probation with an academic plan. The plan outlines specific milestones the student must meet in order to regain SAP compliance within a defined timeframe.

While on Financial Aid Probation, students may continue to receive financial aid as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements. After each probationary semester, one of the following outcomes will apply:

• The student is removed from Financial Aid Probation if they meet SAP standards.
• CThe student remains on Financial Aid Probation if they are following their academic plan but have not yet met all SAP standards.
• The student is placed back on Financial Aid Suspension if they are not meeting SAP standards and did not follow the academic plan.

If a student appeals based on a change of program, only the credits from their previous program that apply to the new program requirements, including prior attempts of those courses, are counted toward the 150 percent maximum time frame. After two program changes, all attempted credits are included in the maximum time frame calculation, regardless of whether they apply to the student’s current program.

Students pursuing a second associate degree at Massasoit may apply up to fifteen previously completed courses, or up to 75 percent of the new program, toward the second degree. This includes coursework completed at Massasoit or accepted in transfer from another institution. This policy applies to all students seeking a second associate degree or changing programs.

To ensure timely review, SAP appeals must be submitted with all required documentation by the deadlines listed below. Appeals submitted by the priority deadline are more likely to receive a decision before the semester begins; however, processing times may vary depending on volume.

Appeals submitted after the final deadline will be reviewed for the next term of enrollment.

Fall 2024

• Priority Deadline: August 2, 2024
• Final Deadline: November 1, 2024

Spring 2025

• Priority Deadline: November 15, 2024
• Final Deadline: March 14, 2025

Summer 2025

• Priority Deadline: May 2, 2025
• Final Deadline: June 27, 2025

Federal financial aid regulations do not recognize academic forgiveness policies. As a result, all coursework, including any courses excluded from a student’s GPA under Massasoit’s academic forgiveness policy, must still be included when evaluating Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid purposes. All attempted and earned credits, as well as all grades, are counted, even if they have been forgiven by the college.

Once a student has completed all academic requirements for their degree or certificate, they are no longer eligible for financial aid for that program, even if the credential has not yet been formally awarded.

Satisfactory academic progress for students enrolling in a second or subsequent degree or eligible certificate program will be based on their cumulative academic record. For measuring the maximum timeframe, only courses applicable to the student’s current major will be included. Credits earned in a prior degree or certificate program, as well as credits transferred to Massasoit that are not applicable to the new degree or certificate program, will not be included.

Courses taken through a consortium agreement or other formal written agreement (such as SACHEM) are treated as transfer credits for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) purposes. These courses count toward a student’s completion rate and maximum time frame but are not included in the cumulative grade point average (GPA) calculation.