Standards of Academic Progress

The term Standards of Academic Progress refers to the policies and procedures the College uses to define a student’s progress as he or she completes academic coursework. The Standards of Academic Progress apply to each credit student and that student’s full academic record, regardless of the date the student begin attendance at the College.

The Standards of Academic Progress are designed to help the student monitor progress and standing with regard to the GPA requirement and graduation requirements. The Standards of Academic Progress are not reflected on the student’s official transcript, except in cases of suspension and dismissal. College credit, vocational credit, and developmental credit coursework all contribute to academic progress considerations when determining the academic status of the student.

The Standards of Academic Progress administered by Student Services differ from Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP) for financial aid eligibility, which are administered by Student Financial Services. A student may qualify to continue attending college but not qualify to receive financial aid because the two are different.

The seven levels of academic standing for the Standards of Academic Progress are:

• Good Academic Standing
• Academic Warning
• Academic Probation
• Academic Suspension
• Probation After Suspension
• Academic Dismissal
• Probation After Dismissal

The College helps each student monitor standing and progress. The Student Services Department and the Student Financial Services Office evaluate Standards of Academic Progress and Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP) three times a year: at the end of the fall, spring, and summer terms. The Student Financial Services Office evaluates the student record for the purposes of federal Title IV financial aid eligibility. The Student Services Department evaluates the student record for the purposes of monitoring successful program completion.

If a student fails to maintain Good Academic Standing, he or she receives communication regarding his or her academic status, the steps required to return to Good Academic Standing, and the effects of such status on the student’s federal Title IV financial aid eligibility. Communication is sent to the student’s College email address. The email identifies whether the status refers to Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (Student Financial Services Office) or Standards of Academic Progress (Student Services Office).

Standards of Academic Progress and Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards are imposed after the first earned credit hour. A student is placed on warning for Standards of Academic Progress for not completing 50 percent of the term’s attempted credit hours or if the overall GPA falls below a 2.0.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)

To maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP) toward degree completion and for financial aid, the student must progress through program requirements at a rate that ensures educational program completion within the maximum time frame of 150 percent of the length of the program. If the student’s completion calculation equals less than 66 2/3 percent, the student is not maintaining SAP. The student’s SAP is calculated as follows:

[Cumulative number of hours (not including college Developmental Education courses) that the student successfully earned] divided by the

[Cumulative number of hours (not including college Developmental Education courses) that the student attempted.]

Developmental Education Courses: Developmental Education courses are college-preparatory courses that are not college level and do not count toward the completion of a college degree or program. Developmental Education courses do not count toward the overall cumulative GPA. They do count in the term GPA and contribute to the student’s academic status for financial aid eligibility regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards.

Transfer Students
The College welcomes transfer applicants with demonstrated success at other institutions. A student who transfers from another institution is bound by the College’s Standards of Academic Progress, and may enter the institution under one of five levels of status:

• Good Academic Standing
• Academic Warning
• Academic Probation
• Probation After Suspension
• Probation After Dismissal

A student who is on Academic Suspension at the institution from which he or she is transferring may not enroll at Polk State College in the term immediately following the term in which the suspension was incurred. A student may, however, enroll under the appropriate status in the next succeeding term (or in subsequent terms thereafter). A student who has incurred Academic Dismissal at the institution from which he or she is transferring may not enroll at Polk State College for one full year after the term of dismissal. A student may appeal these policies to the Associate Vice President for Student Services on either the Winter Haven or Lakeland Campus.

Academic Status and Standards of Progress

The Standards of Academic Progress are standards imposed by the College relating to a student’s progress toward degree completion. Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP) are imposed by the U.S. Department of Education; they relate to a student’s progress toward degree completion and affect financial aid eligibility. Standards of Academic Progress and Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP) are imposed upon the student in his or her first matriculated term. A student transferring to Polk State College has these standards applied to his or her academic record based on Polk State’s standards and the courses that are accepted during transfer.

Good Academic Standing:
A student is in Good Academic Standing when all of the following conditions are met in the last term:

Standards of Academic Progress: Good Academic Standing

The overall cumulative GPA at the end of the student’s last term is 2.00 or higher.
The student’s cumulative hours earned are at least 50 percent of the cumulative hours attempted.
The student does not fall into the academic status of Warning, Probation, Suspension, or Dismissal.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards: Good Academic Standing

The student meets Good Academic Standing criteria as defined for the published Standards of Academic Progress.
The student’s cumulative hours earned are at least 66 2/3 percent of the cumulative hours attempted.

Note: If the student’s term includes at least one Developmental Education course, the term’s GPA and the overall cumulative GPA must be 2.00 or greater for Good Academic Standing for Financial Aid.

Academic Warning:
A student is placed on Academic Warning under any of the following conditions:

Standards of Academic Progress: Academic Warning

The student’s overall cumulative GPA is less than 2.00.
The student’s term hours earned are less than 50 percent of the term hours attempted, and the student’s overall GPA is less than 2.0.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards: Academic Warning

The student falls into Academic Warning as defined by the published Standards of Academic Progress.
The student’s term includes at least one Developmental Education course, and the term GPA is less than 2.00.
The student’s cumulative hours earned are less than 66 2/3 percent of the cumulative hours attempted.

A student remains on Academic Warning status until he or she returns to Good Academic Standing or falls to Academic Probation. A student who falls to Academic Probation is not eligible for federal Title IV financial aid. The student may appeal this policy. A student on Academic Probation must seek alternate forms of assistance to pay for college if the appeal is not approved.

A student on Academic Warning status may register for subsequent terms, but upon registration, a warning is sent advising the student to meet with a student success advisor.

Academic Probation:
A student is placed on Academic Probation under any of the following conditions:

Standards of Academic Progress: Academic Probation

The student is on Academic Warning and fails to earn a term GPA of 2.00 or greater.
The student is on Academic Warning and has not earned credit for 66 2/3 percent of the attempted hours in the term.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards: Academic Probation

The student falls into Academic Probation as defined by the published Standards of Academic Progress.
The student’s term includes at least one Developmental Education course, and the term GPA is less than 2.00.
The student’s cumulative hours earned are less than 66 2/3 percent of the cumulative hours attempted.

A student may register for courses on Academic Probation only after academic advising and with specific course approval. The student remains on Academic Probation until he or she meets the requirements of Good Academic Standing. At that time, the student may be eligible for financial aid again.

Academic Suspension:
A student is placed on Academic Suspension under any of the following conditions that apply to the Standards of Academic Progress:

The student is on Academic Probation and fails to earn a term GPA of 2.00 or greater.
The student is on Academic Probation and does not earn a minimum of 66 2/3 percent of the credits attempted in the term.

Note: A student on Academic Suspension may not enroll at the College for one term following suspension.

Probation after Suspension:
A student is placed on Probation-After-Suspension status under any of the following conditions that apply to the Standards of Academic Progress. A student who:

Is on Academic Suspension and returns after not attending for one term is permitted to register for courses on Probation-After-Suspension status only after academic advising and with specific course approval. This status is approved by the Associate Vice President for Student Services.
The student must maintain the requirements for probationary status, or he or she is then placed on Academic Dismissal for one academic year from the end of the term in which he or she is dismissed.

Academic Dismissal:
The student is placed on Academic Dismissal if he or she fails to maintain the requirements for Probation-After-Suspension or Probation-After-Dismissal status.

Probation After Dismissal:
The student is placed on Probation-After-Dismissal status under either of the following conditions that apply to the Standards of Academic Progress:

The student is on Academic Dismissal, has not attended for one Academic Year, and has received an approval of his or her petition for readmission.

Note: A student on Academic Dismissal may not enroll at the College for one academic year following the end of the term in which he or she is dismissed. A student must petition for readmission. To be considered, the petition must be submitted to the Associate Vice President for Student Services at least 30 working days before the beginning of the term for which the student is seeking readmission. The student is notified in writing of the decision regarding his or her petition.
A student on Probation-After-Dismissal status is permitted to register for courses only after academic advising and with specific course approval. The student must maintain the requirements for Academic-Probation status. A student who fails to meet these requirements is again placed on Academic Dismissal and is considered for readmission only after a minimum absence of one year following the end of the term in which he or she is dismissed again.