Financial Aid Standards of Progress

All Central Wyoming College students who receive 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).Review of SAP will take place at the end of each payment period for all enrolled degree seeking students who receive financial aid. (The institution abides by the SAP process for all degree seeking students, regardless of whether the student receives Title IV or not.)

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 credits. Student grades of A, B, C, D, and S are counted in 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, all TE credits 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. Students are highly encouraged to not change their program more than three times while at CWC, due to the negative impacts this can have on their federal financial aid eligibility.

• Warning Status: If a student fails to maintain SAP (paragraphs 1 or 2 above) AND the student can successfully make progress towards reaching satisfactory standing by the end of the next term, then the student is placed on warning status. If the student does not rehabilitate back into satisfactory standing the student will be placed in an unsatisfactory SAP status. The student is ineligible to receive all federal financial aid funding and Veterans benefits at that time. The student may appeal/petition if there were documentable mitigating circumstances that contributed to the student's inability to make satisfactory progress while in the warning status.
• Unsatisfactory Status: If a student does not meet GPA and pace of progression (or also referred to as completion rate), they are placed in an unsatisfactory SAP status. Students are no longer eligible to receive federal aid or Veterans benefits. The student may appeal/petition if there were documentable mitigating circumstances that contributed to the student's inability to make satisfactory progress while in the warning status.
• Appeal/Petition to Regain Eligibility: If a student fails to meet SAP (unsatisfactory or maximum time frame) and they have extenuating circumstances ‘beyond the student’s control’, and are able to provide documentation, they may submit a written appeal/petition to regain eligibility. The appeal/petition along with supporting documentation must be submitted to Rustler Central according to the deadline on the appeal/petition form for consideration.
• Changes in Degrees/Programs: Changing degrees or programs does not restart the 150% maximum time frame. The SAP calculation will calculate based on the largest active program when determining their Satisfactory Academic Progress at the end of each term. Students are highly encouraged to not change their program more than three times while at CWC, due to the negative impacts this can have on their federal financial aid eligibility.
• Appeals/Petitions: Students may appeal/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. Appeal/Petition forms can be obtained from the Financial Aid office are due no later than two weeks prior to the start of the semester for which the student is appealing/petitioning to receive continued Federal Aid. Appeals/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-appealed/petitioned. Students who received denied appeals/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 satisfactory standards. This means the student would need to pay for all expenses incurred at CWC either out-of-pocket or through other means than Federal Financial Aid after receipt of a denied appeal/petition. Separate of financial aid, 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 Appeals/Petitions: Students who received Approved Appeals/Petitions will be notified via phone and email by the Financial Aid office. Students will be placed on a Student Education Plan (SEP) which is a probationary term of funding. If a student meets the requirements set forth they may remain on the SEP until such time as they are back in satisfactory SAP status or have completed the program(s) as outlined, whichever occurs first. The notification will provide full guidance, next steps and expectations, as well as requirements that the student must meet while on the SEP. Failure to maintain the agreement established in the Student Education Plan will result in suspension of Federal funding for all subsequent semesters. This suspension is final and may not be re-petitioned/appealed.