Financial Aid Standards of Progress

All Central Wyoming College students who receive need-based financial aid must satisfy the following standards of progress to remain eligible for financial assistance.

Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress

Title IV Federal regulations require an institution establish a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for all students receiving federal and state funding, such as Federal Pell Grant, SEOG, TRiO, Federal Work Study, Direct Subsidized & Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Parent PLUS Loan and Veterans benefits.  Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress both prior to and while receiving federal student aid (this includes dual / concurrent credits). SAP is checked at both the beginning and the end of each semester.

Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements:

1)   Grade Point Average (GPA): Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.0.  Student grades of A, B, C, D, F are included in the GPA calculation. Grades of I (incomplete), Z (audit), W (withdrawal), or WI (withdrawal by instructor), X (incomplete), U (unsatisfactory), S (satisfactory) are not counted in the GPA.

2)   Completion Rate: Students are expected to complete two-thirds (66.67%) of all attempted credits.  Student grades of A, B, C, D, F, U, S, are counted in attempted and completed credits. Grades of F, U, and W are counted in attempted credits but 0 credits are completed. Grade of Z (audit) is not counted in attempted or completed credits. If a student has transfer equivalency (TE) credits, only the TE credits that apply toward the student’s program of study will be counted in both attempted and completed credits.

3)   Maximum Time Frame: Students must be able to complete their program of study within 150% of the published program length. For example: if a student’s published program length is 60 credits, then 60 x 150% = 90 total credits (this includes TE credits that apply to the student’s program). All CWC credits are included whether or not the student received aid when the credit hours were attempted / completed. A student is ineligible for Federal Aid when it becomes ‘mathematically impossible’ to complete their program within 150% of their published program length. This may affect students who have changed their program of study or are pursuing more than one program.

• Warning Status: If a student fails to maintain SAP (paragraphs 1 and 2 above) AND it is ‘reasonably expected’ the student can successfully reinstate by the end of the next term, then the student is placed on warning status and will be allowed one additional semester of funding to get back into good standing. If the student does not get back into good standing, all federal financial aid funding and Veterans benefits will be cancelled.
• Cancelled Status: If a student fails to maintain SAP (paragraphs 1 and 2 above) and it is ‘mathematically impossible’ for the student to successfully reinstate by the end of the next term, then the student’s eligibility is cancelled. All federal financial aid funding and Veterans benefits will be revoked since the student did not maintain SAP.
• Petition to Regain Eligibility: If a student fails to meet SAP (cancelled or maximum time frame) and they have extenuating circumstances ‘beyond the student’s control’, they may submit a written petition to regain eligibility. The petition and supporting documentation must be submitted to Rustler Central according to the deadline on the petition form.
• Changes in Degrees/Programs: Changing degrees or programs does not restart the 150% maximum time frame. CWC will count all credits attempted at CWC, as well as any credits transferred into your current/active program. Changing degrees does not affect our calculation of GPA and Completion Rate.
• Petitions: Students may petition to the Financial Aid office if the student experienced ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ that prevented the student from meeting standards. Common ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ include illness to the student, death in the family, or other significant extenuating circumstances. Petitions can be obtained from the Financial Aid office are due no later than 1 week prior to the start of the semester for which the student is petitioning to receive continued Federal Aid. Petitions received by the deadline will be reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid, as well as the Vice President of Student Affairs, and a determination will be made. This determination is final, and can not be re-petitioned. Students who received denied petitions will be unable to receive Federal funding at CWC, until (and unless) they are able to bring their GPA and/or completion rate back into standards. The student may fall under the Academic Probation policy at this time as well, and should discuss with their success coach if they are able to re-enroll the following semester (see Academic Probation policy)
• Approved Petitions: Students who received Approved Petitions will be contacted by the Financial Aid office to connect them with the Student Support office to create a Student Education Plan (SEP). Once a student is placed on a SEP, the student will remain on a SEP for the duration of their education at CWC. Failure to maintain the agreement established in the Student Education Plan will result in a cancellation of Federal funding for all subsequent semesters. This cancellation is final and may not be re-petitioned.