SAP is measured once per year at the end of the spring semester for all active students beginning in the Fall 2024 semester or later using the factors below:
Qualitative Measurement (GPA):
The quality of a student’s academic work. All law students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 at the end of the student’s first academic year, a 2.1 for students attempting 36 credits or more, and a 2.2 for a student with 54 attempted credits or more. GPAs will be calculated to 3 decimal points and will not be rounded. Transfer credits and courses with grade of “Pass” do not factor into the grade point average. Courses with grades of “Fail” will factor into the grade point average as they are counted as 0 in the calculation. Repeated courses will be counted in GPA in addition to the original grade. Incomplete and withdrawn classes do not have an affect on the GPA.
Quantitative Measurement (Pace)
The rate of a student’s progress towards a degree. Successful completion measures credits earned, not credits attempted. Students must successfully complete 67% of the coursework attempted each academic year (Summer, Fall and Spring)
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Courses with a grade of “Pass” are counted as earned credits; courses with a grade of “Fail” are considered as attempted but not earned.
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Incomplete and withdrawn courses are counted as attempted but not earned.
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Audited credits and those that are dropped during the published add/drop periods are not considered attempted credits.
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Transfer credits are accepted as both attempted and earned.
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In Progress grades are not counted as attempted or earned.
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Repeated courses are included as attempted courses.
Regardless of your academic standing, students may not receive financial aid for more than 150% of their published program length. Each term you are enrolled in school will count towards the 150% calculation even for terms when you do not receive financial aid. For example, the JD program requires 86 credit hours x 1.5 = 129 is the maximum allowable credit hours attempted to qualify for financial aid.
Students whose performance or progress does not meet the required standards will be notified by the Director of Financial Aid via email and will be considered ineligible for aid, including federal, state, institutional and most private loans.
Please note: Both the qualitative and quantitative measurements indicate the requirements for SAP for financial aid purposes and may not reflect the law school’s required cumulative grade point average and the recommended number of credits to be taken each semester according to the academic catalog.
Implementation of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Since summer enrollment begins prior to SAP being reviewed, summer financial aid will be based on the student’s academic progress at the time of the award. If it is subsequently determined that the student was not maintaining SAP, all undisbursed aid will be cancelled. Notice regarding SAP will be given:
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At the end of June for students with a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file for the upcoming year.
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Within three weeks of a FASFA being on file for students who did not have a FAFSA on file when SAP was reviewed. Please notify the Office of Financial Aid if you file your FAFSA after the beginning of the semester.
Appeal Process
Students may appeal their loss of aid based on extenuating circumstances (death, divorce, illness, etc.). Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Director of Financial Aid and the Associate Dean of Academics and will be reviewed by the Academic Status Committee. Appeals should include documentation of the extenuating circumstances, explain what has changed and describe how the student plans to make satisfactory academic progress in the future. If the appeal includes information falling under Title IX of the Higher Education Act of 1972, the committee is required to disclose it to the University Title IX coordinator to determine eligibility for financial aid. Additional appeals will not be considered.
Review the Title IX policy
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Appeal Granted: If an appeal is granted, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for one semester and an academic plan will be prescribed for the student to follow. The student’s academic progress will be reviewed at the end of the probationary semester and they must have met the conditions of the academic plan to receive financial aid moving forward. A student who fails to meet these conditions will lose eligibility for financial aid. Additional appeals will not be considered.
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No Appeal/Appeal Denied: Students who do not appeal or whose appeal is denied will not regain financial aid eligibility until all the required SAP standards are met. Reinstatement of financial aid is not automatic and a subsequent review of a student’s progress is done only at the request of the student. Summer courses completed after SAP is determined may be considered in repairing deficiencies.
