Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a HOLD stating you are ineligible for financial aid, you should still complete the FAFSA now! If and when you regain aid eligibility, your aid will be processed faster if your FAFSA is in place.
- Why do I have a financial aid hold on my record when I don't even apply for financial aid? Will this prevent me from registering for classes?
- I've already received my award notification and I am already registered for fall semester. Why am I just now learning about the academic progress issue???
- How many credits do I need to take in order to meet the 75% completion rate standard?
- Will my transfer credits from other schools count towards my SAP status?
- Why is Max Credits not major specific and just looks at the degree program?
- Does Math 25 apply towards SAP?
- It looks like the total credits were calculated wrong. Is that possible?
- I'm a summer student, but am not receiving financial aid this summer. I have a hold on my record. How and when will that be removed?
- I need to know if I can still apply for student loans if I have a financial aid hold? I had a horrible semester. Can I still take out a student loan so I can keep going to school?
- If I do well this fall will I be able to receive financial aid in the Spring term?
- Why do I still have a HOLD on my record when I met the semester conditions established after my appeal was approved?
- My unsatisfactory academic performance is from years ago. How could I have received financial aid this last year and now have an academic performance issue? This last year I passed all of my classes. It doesn't make sense.
Why do I have a financial aid hold on my record when I don't even apply for financial aid? Will this prevent me from registering for classes?
All students are evaluated for financial aid eligibility on the basis of Satisfactory Academic Progress because 1) it is impossible to predict which students plan to apply for aid, and 2) federal regulations require the financial aid recipients be treated no differently than non-financial aid recipients. The financial aid hold only has an impact on your financial aid eligibility. If you are enrolling in classes, without the benefit of financial aid, you will see no impact what-so-ever on your access to registration, transcripts, and other business at Boise State.
I've already received my award notice and I am already registered for fall semester. Why am I just now learning about the academic progress issue?
Satisfactory Academic Progress is checked after each semester's grades become official. During spring semester, aid is being awarded for the following academic year so students can take care of business before leaving for the summer. SAP will be checked once the spring semester grades are "official." This means some students will become ineligible for the aid previously offered.
On the Accept/Decline Financial Aid screen of BroncoWeb, there is a red notice with a hyperlink to the Terms and Conditions of your awards. When you accept your aid, you agree to these Terms and Conditions. They indicate that you must meet all eligibility requirements. Students are referred to the Financial Aid Handbook which provides all of the eligibility requirements as well as the complete Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
How many credits do I need to take in order to meet the 75% Pace standard?
The Pace rate is calculated on your entire Boise State experience as an undergraduate. Grad students start with a clean record. Use the Pace Credit Completion Rate Calculation Worksheet to determine the number of credits you need to complete in order to meet or exceed the 75% mark. On BroncoWeb you can see your totals of attempted and completed credits at the end of the most recent semester. The path to this information is: Student Center > Finances > drop down box "Other Financial" > Check SAP Status. Percentages are calculated to two decimal points. Thus, if a student has a 74.8% credit completion rate, that student is below the 75% minimum Pace requirement. Also, grade exclusions for past semesters are counted as credits attempted, but NOT completed.
Will my transfer credits from other schools count towards my SAP status?
Transfer credits count towards the Comprehensive GPA, Pace, and Maximum Credit Standards.
Why is the Maximum Credit standard not specific to the major and just looks at the type of certificate or degree program?
Students frequently change majors and even academic careers (between Graduate and Undergraduate). The most consistent means to check for Maximum Credits is to check it based on the most current degree or certificate program in which each student is enrolled. Special exceptions for programs requiring more than the maximum credits listed in the policy are addressed through the appeal process which includes an Academic Advisement Report or graduation evaluation. Graduate students ARE evaluated based on their specific program because of the wide variance in credit requirements.
Does Math 25 apply towards SAP?
Math 25 does not count towards your Pace credit completion rate nor the maximum credit standard. The same is true for other developmental credits such as English 90. The developmental credits also do not count towards the Maximum Credits Standard. A list of these classes can be found in the Financial Aid Handbook. However, for students who needed to submit a SAP Appeal and had it approved, there will be conditions or an academic plan that reviews academic success each semester until the minimum standards have been met. For these students, the grade and credits for developmental credits will be included when determining whether the student met the conditions.
It looks like the total credits completed were calculated wrong. Is that possible?
Repeated courses are likely impacting your calculation. If you have repeated one or more classes in which you had already received a passing grade (such as a D), the credits are only counted as earned or completed the first time you receive a passing grade. A "D" is considered a passing grade. In addition, if you retake a class you have passed, and then fail the class, the previous passing grade no longer counts as completed. This can negatively impact the Pace Standard which requires at least a 75% completion rate calculation. Remember, repeated transfer credits also will be included in the calculations.
I'm a summer student, but I am not receiving financial aid this summer. I have a hold on my record. How and when will that be removed?
Once grades become official at the end of each term, all students enrolled in the term that just ended will go through a SAP review. Both financial aid recipients and non-financial aid recipients are reviewed. You are only evaluated for the terms in which you enroll. The HOLD will be removed once you meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards. Keep a close eye on BroncoWeb for your most current status. On BroncoWeb, you can find this information by going to: Student Center > Finances > drop down box "Other Financial" > Check SAP Status.
I need to know if I can still apply for student loans if I have a SAP Hold that says I am ineligible for aid? I had a horrible semester. Can I still take out a student loan so I can keep going to school?
At this time you are ineligible for federal Direct Loans and Perkins loans. However, you may be eligible for an "alternative student loan" from a private lender. Many, but not all, of the lenders also require that the student be meeting satisfactory academic progress. On our web site we have listed the private lenders that Boise State students have utilized in the past 5 years. From the Aid Programs/Loan link, scroll down to the section for "Alternative Student Loans" and click on the link for "Private Lenders." You may also find that the Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal process is appropriate for your circumstances. The Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal process is also described within the SAP policy.
If I do well this fall, will I be able to receive financial aid in the Spring term?
If you currently have a financial aid hold on your record, your academic progress will be checked when grades become official after each semester. The hold remains on your record until you meet all of the minimum standards. The length of time it will take for you to regain your eligibility will depend on how close you are to the minimum standards. Individuals in the Financial Aid Office can assist you in determining your Pace credit completion rate or you may use this Credit Completion Rate worksheet. Unfortunately, calculating the Comprehensive GPA is far more difficult so that is only an automated process done once at the end of each term.
Why do I still have a HOLD with academic performance conditions on my record when I already met the conditions the semester my appeal was approved?
If you met the academic performance conditions previously set for you and yet you see a Financial Aid Hold on your record, you can assume that it will take more than one semester for you to meet or exceed the satisfactory academic progress standards required for financial aid eligibility. The good news is that you continue to be eligible for financial aid as long as you continue to meet the conditions.
My unsatisfactory academic performance is from years ago. How could I have received financial aid this last year and now I have an academic performance issue? This last year I passed all of my classes. It doesn't make sense.
If you were enrolled prior to Fall semester 2003 and returned to school this past year, your past academic performance was not evaluated prior to you receiving aid. There are two reasons for this.
- When a student has taken several years off from school, the student is often in a better position to be successful academically upon their return. The aid received allows the student to improve his or her academic record before being evaluated. It would be appropriate for you to submit an Appeal for Satisfactory Academic Progress to regain your financial aid eligibility.
- Prior to your return to Boise State, your historical paper records had not been entered into the electronic system. When you reenrolled, your records were converted to the electronic records and were included in the SAP review that occurs after each semester.