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Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards track your progress throughout your college career and help determine whether are not you continue to qualify for financial aid. Though you may want to lash out at the Financial Aid office if you no longer qualify for your financial aid award based on these standards, there is actually a federal law (The Higher Education Act of 1965), which requires Gulf Coast State College to have such standards in place to measure students progress. Your SAP is calculating based on the number of credit hours you are currently taking and is updated at the end of each semester.

If you are receiving Financial Aid it is important to check on your Satisfactory Academic Progress to make sure you continue to be eligible for your award. If you ever need to check you Satisfactory Academic Progress your status is available in your Lighthouse account. The Financial Aid office will also alert you y email if your standing ever goes down. There are 8 different statues and they can be a little confusing so here is a quick rundown of your different status options.

 

 

SAP Not Yet Reviewed

This status occurs when you have not finished any college coursework at this time, and so your progress cannot yet be reviewed. You still qualify for Financial Aid if you receive this status.

Good FA Standing

This status means you have met all the required Satisfactory Academic Progress standards and continue to qualify for Financial Aid.

FA Warning

You would receive this status if you do not meet one or more of the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. At this point, you are still eligible for Financial Aid.

Financial Aid Suspension

You would receive this status if you previously received a status of “FA Warning,” “FA Appeal Approved”, “Meeting Academic Plan” or “Financial Aid Suspension,” and continue to not meet one or more of the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. If you receive this status you will not qualify for financial aid.

FA Appeal Approved

If you previously received a status of “Needs to be Reviewed” or “Financial Aid Suspension,” and submitted an appeal which was approved, you would receive this status. You can only have this status for one semester and while you have this status you are still eligible for Financial Aid.

Meeting Academic Plan

If you had a status of “FA Appeal Approved” or “Meeting Academic Plan” and accomplished the goals set out in their appeal or academic plan, you would receive this status. If you have this status you are eligible for financial aid.

FA Appeal Denied

If you submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal and it was denied you will receive this status and do not qualify for financial aid.

Needs to be Reviewed

This status means your Satisfactory Academic Progress has not been calculated yet. There are several possibilities for why this might happen but the most common is missing transcripts. If you have this status you will not qualify for financial aid and should contact the financial aid office.

If you have any further questions about your Satisfactory Academic Progress, please contact the financial aid office at fa@gulfcoast.edu!

Sources:
https://www.gulfcoast.edu/tuition-aid/financial-aid/satisfactory-academic-progress.html

About the Author

Brookelyn Flatt

Student - Spring 2019