The Higher Education Act (HEA) requires that a student maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in the student’s program of study in order to retain eligibility for financial aid.
Federal regulations mandate that a student’s SAP be measured at least annually. Students who do not meet certain standards lose their eligibility for financial aid. At Texas Chiropractic College, SAP is performed after each trimester of enrollment.
SAP is measured in two ways: qualitative and quantitative (pace). Qualitative measures a student’s grade point average (GPA). Quantitative, or pace, measures a student's progress through the program to ensure the student is on track to complete the degree program within the maximum time allowed.
Qualitative: Grade Point Average (GPA)
a. A student must achieve a cumulative GPA of 1.5 or better in their first term* of enrollment and a completion rate** of 50% or greater.
b. A student must achieve a cumulative GPA of 1.75 or better in their second term of enrollment and a cumulative completion rate of 50% or greater.
c. A student must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in their third term of enrollment and for all remaining terms, and a cumulative completion rate of 67% or greater for the third term and all remaining terms.
Quantitative: Maximum Time Frame or Pace
A maximum length of time to complete an academic program is 150 percent of the published length of the educational program. A student must complete (receive passing credits) each term to maintain PACE.
- Any grades counted as attempted hours on the transcript.
- Hours attempted include repeated courses.
- If a course is dropped within the designated add/drop period, it does not count.
- Hours attempted include transfer credit courses.
- Periods of enrollment for which the student does not receive financial aid are counted toward the maximum number of enrollment periods.
Length of Program
The maximum number of enrollment periods to receive financial aid in the Doctor of Chiropractic Program is 15 trimesters.
Financial Aid Warning
This is an automatically assigned status that allows a student who fails to meet SAP to continue to receive aid for one term of enrollment. During the warning period, a student must be enrolled at a minimum half-time status.
A student on warning will receive a letter from the Director of Financial Aid and is required to meet with the Director of Student Services during the warning trimester to assess academic progress and receive assistance in developing effective learning strategies.
Financial Aid Suspension
A student's financial aid is suspended if he/she has not met the standards of academic progress within one trimester immediately following a term of financial aid warning status or is unsuccessful in their financial aid probation appeal attempt.
Financial Aid Probation
A student whose financial aid has been suspended may appeal to be placed on financial aid probation. Approval of the probation status allows the student to continue to receive financial aid for one trimester. Texas Chiropractic College considers appeals within guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). DOE guidelines stipulate that the student must explain the special circumstance that caused him/her to fail to meet the minimum standards of academic progress, and the student must also explain what has changed that would enable him/her to regain good academic standing.
Appeals should be submitted to the Director of Financial Aid. The appeal will be reviewed by several administrators.
Academic Plan
Students on financial aid probation are required to follow an academic plan approved by the Director of Student Services. Students will continue on probation as long as they meet the standards of academic progress outlined in the academic plan. Students who do not meet the standards of academic progress in the academic plan will be placed on financial aid suspension and will lose financial aid eligibility until they regain satisfactory progress.
Appealing a Financial Aid Suspension
A student whose financial aid was suspended and feels there were mitigating circumstances beyond their control that resulted in failure to meet SAP requirements may appeal
Mitigating circumstances as defined by the U.S. Department of Education (34.668.34):
- Death of a relative
- Serious illness or injury to the student or
- Other special circumstances
Supporting documentation of the above must be included with the appeal letter.
- An explanation as to why the student failed to maintain SAP
- An explanation regarding what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate at either the end of the warning trimester, during, or at the end of a specified academic plan
- A statement regarding their plan to achieve SAP
Students who do not wish to appeal their financial aid suspension but continue to remain enrolled for the purpose of regaining eligibility must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours, unless approved by the registrar due to a conflict in class scheduling. They must use this time to repeat any failed or withdrawn courses.