Financial Aid

Students must meet both qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (credit completion) requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility.

Qualitative Standard

Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for total hours attempted.

Quantitative Standard

• Completion Ratio: Students Completion ratio: By 16 attempted hours for the associate degree students must successfully complete a minimum of 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted (cumulative earned hours ÷ cumulative attempted hours) during a given semester. Successful completion requires a minimum grade of D or P (Passing). Grades of W, I, AU, and F will be counted toward the number of credits attempted but not counted as passed or earned.
• Maximum Time Frame: Students are allowed to attempt up to 150% of the hours required for their degree level. The maximum timeframe is measured by the average number of credit hours required to complete a degree multiplied by 150%. This is the maximum number of credit hours a student can attempt to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Change of major does not reset the maximum timeframe.

Financial Aid status will be assigned by the CDKC Financial Aid Director after final grades are posted for the prior semester.

Good Standing

The student is enrolled in an eligible program, is in compliance with SAP, and is eligible to receive financial aid.

Warning

Students who fail to meet minimum SAP requirements at the end of the semester will be placed on a warning status. A student on warning may continue to receive assistance under the Title IV programs for one semester despite a determination that the student is not making satisfactory academic progress. If the student is not meeting SAP at the end of the warning period, they will be placed on suspension and will not be eligible for Title IV funds. However, the student may appeal the loss of their Title IV eligibility based on unusual circumstances. If a student is making SAP at the end of the warning period, the student shall be returned to good standing with no loss of Title IV eligibility.

Suspension

This is the status assigned to students who were previously on warning and have failed to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements by the end of the warning period. Students are not eligible to receive Title IV funding, but may be allowed to appeal the suspension. A student placed on suspension will be notified via e- mail to the current address on record. Suspension occurs when a student:

• Withdraws from CDKC
• Earns zero credits during a semester
• Exceeds the maximum timeframe for their program; or at any point when it becomes mathematically impossible for
  the student to complete the program within the appropriate timeframe.
• Has a cumulative GPA below 2.0
• Earns less than 67% of overall attempted credits
• Fails to meet minimum SAP standards after warning period

Probation

A student actively on probation due to a successful appeal will be reviewed for continued probation at the end of each payment period (semester) until they are making SAP. If, at the end of the payment period, the student is meeting minimum standards, they can be taken off probation status. If, at the of the payment period, the student continues to not meet minimum SAP standards but has met the terms and conditions of the appeal and is following the Academic Plan of Study, they may continue on probation. Failure to meet the terms of the appeal or follow the Academic Plan of Study will result in suspension.

A student who loses their Title IV eligibility due to their inability to make SAP has the right to appeal the suspension based on extenuating circumstances. Examples for the basis on which a student may file an appeal include (but are not limited to): injury to the student, illness of the student, death of an immediate family member (spouse, child, sibling, parent, or in a case of undue hardship). Appeal meetings are scheduled as applications are received. Students will be notified via e- mail to the current address on record.

How to Appeal

1. Obtain a SAP Appeal Form from the Financial Aid Office (or download it here)
2. Provide:
   • Completed SAP Appeal Form
   • Plan of Study signed by an advisor
   • Attach supporting documentation for the appeal that explains why the student failed to meet SAP, and how the problem has been resolved or alleviated.
3. Return the Appeal Form and all documentation to the Financial Aid Office.
4. The Financial Aid Committee will review the appeal and notify the student via email of the decision. All decisions are final.

Appeal Decision

• Approved: Students with an approved appeal are placed on probation and are eligible to receive funding on a probationary basis. Approved appeals require that certain terms and conditions be met in order to maintain financial aid eligibility. For example, a student may be required to earn 100 percent of the credits they attempt each semester with a grade of “C” or higher in each course.
• Tabled: Appeals may be tabled for additional documentation, further explanation, current or mid -term grades, receipt of transcripts from transfer colleges, or any other appropriate materials.
• Denied: Students will be informed of the reasons for the denial of their appeal and given an explanation of how they can restore Financial Aid eligibility.

The student will receive a letter from the Financial Aid Director indicating the results of their appeal within one week of the meeting in which their appeal was heard.