Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards

To be eligible for Title IV federal financial aid funds, a student must make Satisfactory Academic Progress. To meet Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student must meet both the qualitative and quantitative standards explained below.

The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Post University students is found in the last section of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards section of the catalog.

To evaluate Satisfactory Academic Progress and to determine eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid funds as outlined in the federal regulations, Post University has established minimum qualitative and quantitative academic standards for measuring students’ Satisfactory Academic Progress.

A review of Satisfactory Academic Progress is conducted for both Main Campus and Accelerated Degree Program (ADP) students after each payment period. A payment period consists of one semester (Main Campus) or two consecutive terms (ADP). Students who fall below the required minimum qualitative and quantitative minimum academic standards shall be placed on Warning for the next eligible payment period. Students on Warning are required to retake two failed courses during the Warning period and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress by the end of the payment period. For undergraduate-level students, this includes courses with a grade of F or UF. For graduate-level students, this includes courses with a grade of D+, D, D-, F, or UF. If the minimum standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress are not achieved by the end of the Warning period, the students’ eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid will be suspended, and they will be dismissed from Post University.

Qualitative Standards

Qualitative standards measure students’ cumulative grade point averages.

Post University uses the following escalating scale that undergraduate students must satisfy in both the Main Campus and Accelerated Degree Program programs to meet the minimum academic standards:

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Associate Programs)
Total Credits	Cumulative Grade Point Average
0-12	1.50
13-30	1.70
31-60	2.00

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Bachelor’s Programs)
Total Credits	Cumulative Grade Point Average
0-12	1.50
13-30	1.70
31-60	1.85
61+	2.00

New undergraduate students who have a cumulative grade point average of 0.00 in their first payment period, regardless of number of credits attempted, will have their eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid eligibilities suspended and will be dismissed from Post University without first being placed on Warning.

Post University uses the following requirement that graduate students must satisfy in both the Main Campus and Accelerated Degree Program programs to meet the minimum academic standards:

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Master’s Programs)
Total Credits	Cumulative Grade Point Average
0-52	3.00

In graduate programs, an earned course grade below a C- (i.e., D+, D, D- and F) is considered a failing grade. Students who receive grades lower than C- will be required to repeat the courses and obtain passing grades (i.e., C. – or better). Failure to do so will result in eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid being suspended and being dismissed from Post University. In addition, graduate students must maintain the required 3.00 cumulative grade point average to register for programs’ capstone courses. If they fall below the minimum requirement, they will need to repeat course(s) in the program(s) in which they earned lower grades to increase their cumulative grade point averages.

New graduate students who have a cumulative grade point average of 0.00 in their first payment period, regardless of number of credits attempted, will have their eligibility for Title IV federal aid suspended and will be dismissed from Post University without first being placed on Warning.

The required cumulative grade point average will vary depending on whether the certificate being pursued is undergraduate or graduate:

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Certificate Programs)
Total Credits	Cumulative Grade Point Average
0-12	1.50 or 3.00
13-30	2.00 or 3.00

Course incompletes, withdrawals, and transfers of credit from other institutions are not used as part of the qualitative calculation. Once course incompletes have been converted into earned grades, they will retroactively be used as part of the calculation.

Pace of Completion Standards

Pace of completion measures students’ progress towards completing their programs of study. Pace of completion is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours the students have successfully completed by the cumulative number of credit hours the students have attempted. The calculation is performed for both the coursework attempted at Post University as well as overall attempted coursework, including course incompletes, withdrawals, repetitions, and transfers of credit from other institutions. Transfer of credits count as credits attempted and completed in the quantitative calculation. In making this calculation, the institution does not offer remedial courses and does not transfer credits for remedial courses.

Post University uses the following escalating scale that undergraduate students must satisfy in both the Main Campus and Accelerated Degree Program programs to meet the minimum academic standards:

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Associate Programs)
Total Credits	Pace of Completion
0-12	50%
13-30	60%
31-60	67%

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Bachelor’s Programs)
Total Credits	Pace of Completion
0-12	50%
13-30	60%
31-60	67%
61+	67%

Graduate students in both the Main Campus and Accelerated Degree Program programs are required to meet the following minimum academic standards:

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Master’s Programs)
Total Credits	Pace of Completion
0-52	67%

The required pace of completion for all certificate programs is 67%:

Academic Degree Progress Standard (Certificate Programs)
Total Credits	Pace of Completion
0-12	67%
13-30	67%

150% Maximum Timeframe

Students must complete their respective degree and certificate requirements within the maximum timeframe specified by Post University, which is set at no more than 150% of the published length of time of the programs as measured in credit hours.

For example:

Certificate in Paralegal Studies = 45-49.5 credits (30-33 x 1.5)
Associate of Science in Accounting = 90 credits (60 x 1.5)
Bachelor of Science degree = 180 credits (120 x 1.5)
Graduate Certificate in Project Management = 18 credits (12 x 1.5)
Master of Business Administration = 78 credits (52 x 1.5

Warning

Students who do not meet the minimum standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress as outlined above are placed on Warning for a payment period. Students on Warning are required to retake two failed courses during the Warning period. For undergraduate-level students, this includes courses with a grade of F or UF. For graduate-level students, this includes courses with a grade of D+, D, D-, F, or UF. Students on Warning are eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid for the next eligible payment period in which they are enrolled.

Suspension/Academic Dismissal

For students who are placed on Warning, the University will conduct an evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of the Warning period. Students who do not meet the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress standards by the end of the Warning period will have their eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid suspended, be removed from any current and future courses, and be dismissed from Post University. Students may appeal this decision by following the Appeal process outlined below.

Appeal Process

Students whose eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid is suspended, are dismissed, and wish to appeal must submit their appeals in writing to their respective Dean. The Dean will review the appeal, which includes a letter of explanation of the mitigating circumstances that caused the decline in academic performance, supporting documentation of those circumstances, and a plan for improvement. Mitigating circumstances include a student’s injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstance. The appeal must also explain why the student failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress and what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to make Satisfactory Academic Progress at the next evaluation.

Main Campus students may begin submitting appeal letters one week before the end of the payment period when they expect to have their eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid suspended and be dismissed from Post University. Students must submit their appeal letters one week before the start of a payment period to be considered for return that payment period. ADP students must submit an appeal form and provide supporting documents no later than 5 pm EST on Wednesday of the first week of classes for the term they want to return.If the students’ appeals are submitted and approved before the end of the add/drop period of the payment period after they were dismissed from Post University, the students will be re-enrolled in any current and future courses and will be placed on Probation.

Probation

Students whose eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid is suspended and are dismissed from the University and wish to appeal must submit their appeals in writing to their respective Dean. Students whose appeals are approved will be placed on Probation. Students on Probation have one payment period to improve their cumulative grade point averages and/or pace of completion to meet the minimum standards outlined by the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. Students who are placed on an Academic Plan will have additional time to improve their cumulative grade point averages and/or pace of completion according to the requirements of the Academic Plan. All students placed on Probation are evaluated at the end of the payment period. Students who fail to meet the conditions of their Probation period and, if applicable, their Academic Plan, will have their eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid suspended, will be dismissed from Post University, and must wait two payment periods before submitting subsequent appeals. There is no provision for amnesty and therefore, the student must submit an appeal with a description of what mitigating circumstances caused the student not to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards ‘ and what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to make Satisfactory Academic Progress and supporting documentation cannot be the same as previously approved appeals.

Repeating Coursework

Students are permitted to repeat courses for which they have already attempted, and the highest grade is calculated into the students’ cumulative grade point average. When calculating pace of completion, attempted credits will include all courses even though prior grades are excluded when calculating the cumulative grade point average. Students may only repeat failed courses taken at Post University a total of two times. Students who wish to retake courses a third time must obtain permission from their respective Dean.

With respect to Title IV federal financial aid, the following conditions must be observed:

Undergraduate students may receive Title IV federal financial aid for one repetition of a previously passed course in which they have earned grades of D- or above, or for any failed course until it is passed.
Graduate students may receive Title IV federal financial aid for one repetition of a previously passed course in which they have earned grades C- or above, or for any failed course until it is passed.

Evaluation

Post University will review Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of each payment period. At the time of the evaluation, if the Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria are not met, students are notified of their status for the following payment period. Post University notifies students by forwarding information to the e-mail addresses maintained in the students’ files. All periods of students’ enrollments are counted in the cumulative grade point average, pace of completion calculations, and the maximum time frame, except as noted above for students who change their programs of study. If a student changes programs, the credits applied to the new program will count as credits attempted and completed and the grades from such credits will be calculated into the cumulative GPA of the new major.

Students are provided one payment period, hereafter referred to as the Financial Warning period, to meet the required minimum academic standards. If students are not able to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress by the end of the Warning period, their eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid will be suspended, and they will be dismissed from Post University. Students who fail to enroll for their Warning period will remain on Warning status should they resume their l enrollment in their next eligible payment period.

Reestablish Aid Eligibility

Students may reestablish their eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid by meeting the applicable minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. Students who regain eligibility may receive their Title IV federal financial aid funds for the payment period in which they become eligible.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Sciences

In accordance with federal regulations, American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Post University (American Sentinel College) has developed the following policy concerning Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Qualitative Standards: Students are required to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in undergraduate programs and a 3.0 in graduate programs.
Quantitative Standards: Students must successfully complete two out of every three courses attempted for a minimum 67% successful completion rate.
Maximum Time Frame Standards: Students must also complete their program of study within 150% of the published program length (measured in credit hours, not time).

American Sentinel College utilizes Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as cumulative measurements of a student’s academic performance and includes all terms and semesters of the student’s enrollment.

The SAP standards are the same, but the evaluation periods are different based on whether the student is receiving federal Title IV financial aid.

For federal Title IV financial aid recipients, American Sentinel College evaluates a student’s SAP at the completion of each 16-week semester in which the student is enrolled in either standard courses, a SIMPath^TMterm, or a competency-based term depending on the student’s program.
For non-federal Title IV financial aid recipients, American Sentinel College evaluates a student’s SAP as follows:
1. 8-week courses: upon completion of 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 American Sentinel College credit hours.
2. SIMPath credit-based courses: every semester.
3. Competency-based terms: every semester.
Any student who is failing to meet the minimum requirements for SAP standards will be notified via email.
Both quantitative and qualitative standards, including maximum time frame, are used to evaluate SAP.
Competency-based programs with the exception of SIMPath (as noted above) are graded on a pass/fail scale. Therefore, traditional grades do not apply. Only the quantitative standard is used in these programs.
RN to BSN/MSN students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 during the undergraduate portion of the degree, up to and including the 3 required MSN courses that comprise part of the RN to BSN portion of this degree. When the student enters the MSN portion of the degree, they will be measured using the graduate minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Students enrolled in a SIMPath program are required to declare the desired number of courses they wish to attempt prior to beginning the semester. The quantitative standard is measured based on the declared number of courses.
Students enrolled in a competency-based program are required to complete four competencies per semester. The quantitative standard is measured based on four competencies.
These measurements include both the periods (terms or semesters) using Title IV federal financial aid and any periods in which the student was not using Title IV federal financial aid if applicable.
Credits transferred from another college or university via an official transfer credit evaluation are factored into the quantitative calculation of completion rate and maximum timeframe, however, transfer credits do not affect a student’s qualitative cumulative GPA calculation.
Course withdrawal (W) grades received after the drop/add period affect the quantitative completion rate standard, but do not affect the student’s qualitative cumulative GPA calculation. Withdrawals during the drop/add period do not affect either standard. American Sentinel College’s grading scale does not include “Withdrew Passing (WP)” or “Withdrew Failing (WF)” grades.
Incomplete (I) grades affect the quantitative completion rate standard but do not affect the student’s qualitative cumulative GPA calculation until the grade is replaced with a permanent grade and the progress can be re-evaluated.
Failing (F) grades are considered attempted credits that were not earned and affect both the qualitative and quantitative calculations.
Students may repeat a course in accordance with American Sentinel College’s academic forgiveness policy. Credits from both course attempts will be counted as credits attempted but only the higher grade will be used in the qualitative cumulative GPA calculation.
If a student changes majors, American Sentinel College’s credits applied to the new program will count as credits attempted and the grades from such credits will be calculated into the cumulative GPA of the new major.
If a student pursues a second degree after completion of a first, SAP calculations will only apply to courses required for the second degree.

American Sentinel College does not offer non-credit remedial coursework. All courses are included in SAP evaluations.

Procedure:

American Sentinel College measures SAP at the end of each applicable measurement period. Students are placed into one of the following statuses based on their performance: (SAP measurement periods are described in Section I).

Good Standing

All students begin their program in this category.
Students meeting both the qualitative and quantitative standard for SAP will be considered to be in good standing.
There are no penalties or additional requirements for students in good standing.

First Warning Status

Students who fail to meet one or both minimum standards (qualitative and/or quantitative) of Satisfactory Academic Progress will have their status changed and they will be placed on Warning for the evaluation period. They will receive a formal warning notice via email. Students with this status will be required to develop an Academic Plan for academic improvement, approved by their Student Success Advisor and/or their program coach, and meet the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of the evaluation period.
The first warning status will remain in effect until the next SAP evaluation period.
If the student is receiving Title IV federal financial aid, the student will remain eligible and continue receiving aid for the Warning period.
If the student meets the minimum SAP standards after the end of the evaluation for the Warning period, the student is considered to be in good standing.

Please note: It is the student’s responsibility to know the standards set forth herein, and failure to receive notification does not nullify the student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress academic status.

Second Warning Status for Students Who Are Not Title IV Federal Financial Aid Recipients

If the student has already received a first warning status and then after a subsequent review of the student’s SAP the school determines that one or both standards are still not being met, the student will be moved to this category.
Students will receive a formal second warning notice letter via email.
Students will be required to develop an Academic Plan for academic improvement, approved by their Student Success Advisor and/or their program coach, and demonstrate sustained academic progress during this period.
The second warning status will remain in effect until the next SAP review period.

Title IV Federal Financial Aid Recipients

If a Title IV recipient does not meet the minimum SAP standards following the Warning period, the student will lose eligibility and will no longer be able to receive Title IV federal financial aid for the following evaluation period.
Students will be given the opportunity to appeal the financial aid denial. The process, requirements, and deadlines for appeals will be presented to the student via email.
- The student must submit a written appeal before the deadline to the Financial Aid Office. The appeal must include documentation of the circumstances that led to their not meeting SAP standards as well as a description as to how they will be able to meet SAP moving forward.
  - Circumstances which may be considered include, but are not limited to, a death of a family member, unexpected injury or illness of the student, or other circumstances as supported with documentation. The appeal must also explain why the student failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress at the next evaluation and what has changed in the student’s situation that would allow the student to meet SAP after the next evaluation.
- The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will review the appeal and notify the student via email of their decision after the Appeals Committee meets and makes its determination. Appeals will not be granted unless the student’s proposed enrollment in the upcoming semester would be adequate to reestablish their progress under the minimum standards set forth in the quantitative and qualitative standards.
- All decisions of the Financial Aid Appeals Committee are final.
- If the appeal is approved, the student will regain their Title IV federal financial aid eligibility for one additional 16-week semester and will be placed on Probation for one evaluation period.
- If the student does not appeal or the appeal is denied, no additional Title IV federal financial aid will be disbursed for the student until such time that they meet minimum SAP standards.
If the student meets the minimum SAP standards after the subsequent evaluation period, the student is placed back into good standing.

Reestablish Aid Eligibility

Students may reestablish eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid by meeting the applicable Satisfactory Academic progress requirements. Students who regain eligibility may receive their Title IV federal financial aid funds for the payment period in which they become eligible.

Please note: It is the student’s responsibility to know the standards set forth herein, and failure to receive notification does not nullify the academic status.

Dismissal

If the student has already received a first and second warning status and then after a subsequent review of the student’s SAP the school determines that the standards are still not being met, the student will be dismissed.
Upon academic dismissal, students will be given the opportunity to appeal the dismissal should they choose to do so.
- An appeal of academic dismissal must be submitted in writing to the Dean within thirty calendar days from the date of notification of dismissal.
- Once received, the Dean will act on the appeal within seven business days by engaging the academic appeals committee.
- The student will be notified of the final appeal deposition in writing within thirty days of receipt and will be given a final copy in an email.
- Should a student be reinstated after being granted an appeal, they will be reinstated on Probation after an initial Warning period and their SAP will once again be reviewed and calculated after the completion of the next evaluation period.
- Should the student not appeal within the timeframe, continue to not meet SAP after the probationary period, or the Dean and academic appeals committee choose not to grant the appeal, the student will be dismissed from the college and must wait one calendar year before reapplying to the program. There is no provision for amnesty and, therefore, any student dismissed for not meeting the minimum standards for SAP must submit an appeal for the loss of Title IV federal financial aid eligibility and dismissal.

Please note: It is the student’s responsibility to know the standards set forth herein, and failure to receive notification does not nullify the academic status.