SAP calculations are important to know. It is important to note that all students are ultimately responsible to know and understand their Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status and how it’s calculated. This ensures that students understand SAP how it affects their financial aid eligibility.

Notification of SAP Calculation

Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated for financial aid applicants/recipients at the end of each semester (after all grades are posted). Students with a SAP status other than “MEET” will be notified via their SWIC student email account.

Transcripts and SAP Calculation

• All prior semesters of attendance are included in the evaluation of SAP, whether or not financial aid was used to pay for those previous semesters. Student SAP statuses are not evaluated until the student has completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Dual credit courses taken in high school are included in both CGPA and CCR. Suspension due to dual credit courses earned in high school can be appealed.
• Only incoming transfer credits counting toward a student’s primary program of study are included in CCR if evaluated and posted to the Southwestern Illinois College transcript prior to the SAP calculation term. Transfer credit is evaluated and posted according to Enrollment Service & Academic Records’ policy.
• Course completion is determined by the following grades:
  • Courses graded with an (A), (B), (C), (D), or (P) are considered to be successfully completed.
  • Courses graded with a (W), (F), or (I) are considered to be unsuccessfully completed.
  • Courses graded with an (I) can be upgraded to a successful grade. In this case, the student must notify the Financial Aid Office of the grade change to have their status updated.

Causes for Suspension of Financial Aid

• The following actions will eventually lead to a future financial aid suspension status:
  • Enrolling in courses outside the student’s primary program of study.
  • Withdrawing, repeating, and failing courses (this includes remedial and pass/fail graded courses).
• While there is no federal regulation against pursuing a secondary program of study, SAP is only calculated on the primary program of study at SWIC. Taking courses outside of the student’s primary program of study will negatively impact his or her maximum timeframe status.