Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Hondros College of Nursing has academic standards that a student must achieve to remain in good academic standing. Additionally, to participate in federal financial aid programs (Federal Stafford Student Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants), Hondros College of Nursing must take steps to fulfill federal requirements to implement and make public the standards for satisfactory academic progress that students must meet to be eligible to receive financial aid. These standards are for financial aid purposes and are a part of the academic policies of Hondros College of Nursing.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is based on three components:

SAP Cumulative GPA Requirement

Students must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of a 2.0 at the end of each quarter. Please refer to the repeat policy.

• Repeated courses and failed courses will also count towards the cumulative GPA.
• Students that do not meet the minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.0 for the third time will be academically dismissed from the College in accordance with the College’s academic dismissal policy, and must formally apply to be reinstated.

Pace of Progression

Students must satisfactorily complete 67% of all attempted credits to accomplish pace of progression and be considered as meeting this element of satisfactory academic progress. Pace of progression is calculated by dividing the cumulative total credit hours earned by the cumulative total credit hours attempted. Pace of progression will be evaluated at the end of each quarter. Attempted hours will include grades of F, W, I, and NP, but, these grades will not count as earned hours. Grades tracking the start of a leave of absence, “LA”, or the return from a leave of absence, “LR” will not be included in the attempted or earned hours. Transfer credit received will be included in both the attempted and earned credit hours.

• Repeating courses will add to the total number of attempted hours but will only count as earned hours when a passing grade is received.
• Students cannot repeat a course(s) they have previously passed to simply improve their cumulative grade point average (CGPA).

Maximum Timeframe

Students must be able to complete their program within the maximum timeframe in order to be considered as meeting satisfactory academic progress. Maximum timeframe is defined as graduating before accumulating 150% of the attempted credit hours required for completion. Maximum timeframe will be evaluated at the end of each quarter. Students who are identified as not meeting satisfactory academic progress due to maximum timeframe may be dismissed from the College.

By program:

• Ohio - PN Program must be completed within 72 attempted credit hours
• Ohio - ADN Program must be completed within 164 attempted credit hours
• Indiana - PN Program must be completed within 74 attempted credit hours

Transfer credit hours must be included in the maximum timeframe calculation.

Repeated courses, failed courses and withdrawals will also count towards the maximum.

Additional Credential

General education courses and advanced standing credit previously earned at Hondros College of Nursing are counted as transfer credit as applicable in the subsequent program and therefore affect the student’s pace of progression (both attempted and earned credits) and maximum timeframe calculations.

SAP Review

At the end of each quarter, the Registrar’s Office and the Student Financial Services Office review cumulative GPA, pace of progression, and maximum timeframe for each student enrolled in that quarter. Depending on the student’s status relative to these factors, the student’s progress for academic standing and financial aid purposes will be determined as follows:

Good Standing: Applies to any student who met the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement, met pace of progression (67%), and has not exceeded the maximum total attempted hours allowed for their program.

Financial Aid Warning: Applies to any student who fails to meet the requirements of pace of progression, cumulative GPA, and/or timeframe listed above for the quarter. A warning letter will be sent at the end of the quarter to the student to indicate why he or she is receiving a warning and what must be done within the next quarter to meet SAP. If the student fails to meet these requirements, his or her federal, state, and other types of financial aid will be suspended for future quarters. The student must bring his or her hours and/or cumulative GPA back into good standing to regain financial aid eligibility. A student cannot have two consecutive quarters on Financial Aid Warning.

Financial Aid Suspension: Applies to a student who has not met the requirements for cumulative GPA, pace of progression, or has reached maximum timeframe after the warning period. This student is not eligible for federal, state, and/or other types of financial aid until he/she meets the requirements in each of the three areas listed above or completes and is approved for a SAP Appeal.

Financial Aid Probation: Applies only to a student who has failed to meet SAP requirements and has had an appeal approved. A student may be on probation for one quarter only. If a student has not met the SAP requirements above, he or she should work with a Student Finance Advisor to understand what options exist to regain financial aid eligibility.

Financial Aid Academic Plan: This status applies to any student who is required to submit an academic plan as part of a SAP appeal. Student must meet all goals as outlined by the plan. The student continues to remain eligible for federal and state financial aid, but does not meet the definition of a SAP-eligible student. Students who do not meet all goals as outlined by the plan, at the least, will have their aid suspended and should work with a student finance advisor to understand what options exist to regain financial aid eligibility. Students that do not meet all goals as outlined by the plan may be academically dismissed from the college.

SAP Appeal Process

1. A student who wishes to appeal his/her unsatisfactory academic progress determination must submit a SAP Appeal Letter to his or her campus financial aid office. Guidelines for writing a successful SAP appeal and an example can be found on the Student Portal. SAP appeals are reviewed based on the extenuating circumstances such as serious injury or illness involving the student, death of an immediate family member, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control that prevented him or her from achieving satisfactory progress. Each student’s circumstance is reviewed on an individual basis. The student may be required to submit an academic plan indicating exactly what the student must take to complete their academic program, and detail the timeframe in which this can be accomplished. Academic Plans must be completed with a Campus Dean/Director of Nursing or designee and forwarded to your campus financial aid office.  
2. A Student Finance Advisor will review the appeal and determine whether the financial aid termination is justified. To receive aid in a term subsequent to receiving a “Suspension” status, student must appeal by the end of week 8 of that subsequent term. Appeals may take up to 14 days to process and students will be notified of the results of the appeal via their Hondros College of Nursing email account.

Summary

Students are encouraged to review these standards. It is important that the student have a clear understanding of his/her individual progress and financial assistance. The College recognizes that circumstances and conditions regarding these standards may require discretional judgment. Examples of such conditions include changing majors or career objectives, as well as various personal reasons. Any questions regarding SAP or these conditions should contact their campus financial aid office.