Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is used to define successful completion of coursework to maintain eligibility for student financial aid. Federal regulations require the University to establish, publish and apply standards consistently to monitor your progress toward completion of your certificate or degree program. If you fail to meet these standards, you will be placed on financial aid warning or suspension. Your academic performance must meet the SAP standards below.

These standards include “qualitative” as well as “quantitative” components. Students must maintain a certain cumulative grade point average (qualitative) and successfully earn minimal numbers of degree credits at each evaluation (quantitative). In determining satisfactory academic progress, all course work is considered, whether or not the student received financial aid at the time the work was completed.

CONSISTENT APPLICATION
Satisfactory academic progress standards, as outlined in this policy, apply to all Federal Student Aid programs and FSA recipients. The following are defined categories of students:
Full-time graduate students
Part-time graduate students
Full-time, non-degree students

Program Directors and Assistant Directors assess students’ academic progress each term after grades are posted against the SAP calculator/GSAPP’s grading scheme in SIS. Students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards will be notified by the program via email, with a copy sent to academicaffairs@arch.columbia.edu. SAP evaluations may occur once per term but must take place at least annually and will be notified if they do not meet the requirements.

Satisfactory Academic Progress General Regulations

Represented by your grade point average (number of LP’s). Consistent with the GSAPP’s academic standing policy; you must be in good academic standing to remain eligible for aid.

All students enrolled in GSAPP are graded according to the following system: HP (High Pass), P (Pass), LP (Low Pass), and F (Fail). LP (Low Pass) is equivalent to a letter grade of C or higher for comparison.

For students in programs longer than two academic years, they must meet GSAPP’s graduation requirements by the end of their second year to maintain good academic standing.

Consistent with the general academic requirements of the Graduate School, graduate students must maintain a cumulative grade point average as per below:

This standard has two parts.

PART ONE

First, you must successfully complete a required percentage (67%) of the credits you attempt. This component is referred to as your credit completion ratio.

• The quantitative component measures the pace at which the student must progress through his/her program of study to ensure completion within the maximum timeframe allowed. Pace is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours the student successfully completed by the number of cumulative credit hours the student has attempted. The completion ratio must be 67% or greater.
• For example, a student attempted 12 credit hours in the fall semester and earned 8 credits and in the spring semester s/he attempted 14 credits and earned 11. 8 credits + 11 credits = 19 credits earned. 12 credits + 14 credits =26 credits attempted. 19/26 = 73% which is greater than the completion ratio of 67%.

PART TWO

Second, you must complete your degree or certificate program within a maximum timeframe (150%), which may vary according to your student status and program.

The maximum timeframe a student may attend and continue financial aid eligibility cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the student’s academic program measured in academic years. The length of a graduate program is based on the published length for each individual program; in no case will the graduate student’s enrollment exceed the 150% point in time. When the student’s enrollment exceeds the 150% point, the student is no longer eligible for financial aid.

In summary:

Withdrawals during the change of program period are not counted in cumulative attempted credits. All withdrawn (UW) and failed (F) courses are considered unearned hours in the calculation.

Repeated courses are included in the attempted hours and are factored into the maximum allowable hours for degree completion. Only courses where an F was received can be repeated, with a maximum of 9 points/ for studio being retaken a second time.

Courses with INC (Incomplete) grades count as attempted credits but do not count towards credits earned for degree completion because successful completion is required. Incomplete grades must be resolved by the deadline, as they will automatically convert to an F grade. Generally, Incompletes do not negatively impact students’ satisfactory academic progress evaluations. For instance, resolving INC grades with successful completion in a term meeting credit accumulation requirements restores financial aid eligibility for that term and subsequent terms in the academic year.

GSAPPs policies on transferring credit and advanced standing are determined by program. Credit hours accepted from another institution will count as both attempted and completed hours. The calculation of time to degree and satisfactory academic progress considers the proportion of transfer credits, advanced standing credits, and credits earned while enrolled at GSAPP. Students that change their major or program of study will also be reevaluated in a similar manner and will have to meet SAP as per their new program requirements.

Academic progress for GSAPP students is evaluated at the end of each semester. To be eligible for financial aid, students must meet or exceed these aforementioned standards.

Warning
Failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress qualitatively or quantitatively will result in a financial aid warning. Financial aid eligibility is automatically reinstated for one term without requiring an appeal, even if the student is not meeting satisfactory academic progress standards.

Probation
This status is assigned to students who are not meeting financial aid SAP but have successfully appealed. Their financial aid eligibility may be reinstated for one term.

Suspension
If a student fails to improve their academic performance during the warning/probation period, they will lose eligibility for assistance under the Title IV, HEA programs. This applies to students not meeting the required GPA or not progressing at the required pace.

The student may appeal for additional eligibility by completing a SAP appeal letter. As part of the appeal the student must explain:

• Why they failed to make academic progress, and
• What has changed that will allow the student to make SAP during the upcoming academic year.

All appeals are submitted to the Office of Financial Aid.

If an appeal is granted the student will be placed on a status of Financial Aid Probation and given an academic plan they must adhere to. The Probation status will last for one term. At the end of that term the student will again be evaluated to determine whether:

• The student is now making SAP; or
• The student is making progress under the specified academic plan.

If the student fails to meet the criteria established as part of the appeal, they will be placed on a financial aid suspension status and will be ineligible for financial aid until s/he meets the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements or submits a second successful appeal.

Students who are denied an appeal will be notified of their ineligible status via electronic mail from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

Students who choose to remain enrolled at the School without the receipt of Title IV funding may request a review of their academic records after any term in which they are enrolled without such benefits to determine whether the appropriate standards for the degree program(s) in which the students are enrolled have been met. If the standards are met, eligibility is regained for subsequent terms in the academic year.