2008-09 POLICIES HANDBOOK - Colorado College

Financial Aid Eligibility — Satisfactory Academic Progress

The initial affordability plan at Colorado College is administered on the basis of demonstrated financial aid eligibility. We determine eligibility for financial aid by subtracting the estimated family resources from the estimated cost of attendance. Students must enroll as full-time students (at least three blocks each semester) to qualify for CC-based aid. The college expects every student to be enrolled full-time and making normal progress towards degree completion unless arrangements for an exception are made by the dean of students.

Eligibility for Colorado College financial aid extends for eight semesters or through a semester in which 32 units are completed, whichever comes first. All credits earned and accepted by the registrar’s office are used to determine aid eligibility. Advanced Placement (AP) credits, International Baccalaureate (IB) credits, credits for half-blocks and extended format courses, and adjunct credits are not used in the determination of the 32-unit limit.

All financial aid, including federal and state grants, loans and work-study, and CC grants are subject to the following satisfactory academic progress policy. Full-time students are allowed five years (10 semesters) to complete a bachelor of arts degree and receive federal financial aid, but CC aid is not available beyond eight semesters. Merit-based awards such as National Merit®, Boettcher, Barnes, athletic scholarships, etc. may have other requirements for continued eligibility.

Satisfactory academic progress is based on both a qualitative review of progress, which is the calculation of the GPA, and a quantitative review of progress, which is an analysis of the total number of units completed toward the degree versus the total units attempted. Satisfactory academic progress is determined at the end of each academic year. However, the student’s academic record is reviewed at the end of fall semester (or spring for winter starts) to determine if the student should be placed on financial aid probation. Students who receive financial aid must make satisfactory academic progress according to the table below. If a student does not meet these requirements, he or she will be placed on financial aid probation for the next semester. The student will be eligible to receive financial aid that following semester on a probationary status. Students who begin at CC in January will have their satisfactory progress determined at the end of spring semester. Failure to achieve the minimum requirements for satisfactory academic progress while on financial aid probation will result in termination of financial aid until the student has successfully achieved the necessary units and cumulative GPA. The college’s Catalog of Courses provides a detailed description of the academic warnings and suspensions possible based on unsatisfactory academic progress.

Semester (full time)                    Minimum Units                Minimum GPA (cumulative)
                  1                                         2                                                1.5
                  2                                         6                                                1.7
                  3                                         9                                                1.8
                  4                                       12                                                2.0
                  5                                       15                                                2.0
                  6                                       19                                                2.0
                  7                                       23                                                2.0
                  8                                       27                                                2.0
                  9                                       31                                                2.0
                 10                                      35                                                2.0

The calculation of GPA for satisfactory academic progress does not include grades of Incomplete, Excused, Withdraw Passing, Pass, or courses that have been repeated, but these grades are included to determine satisfactory academic progress for minimum number of units completed. The associate dean of the college or the dean of students, in consultation with the director of financial aid, may grant exceptions to the policy in the case of unusual circumstances. Exceptions are also granted upon successful appeal to the Committee on Admission and Financial Aid.