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Academic Progress Policy
 Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy to Maintain Financial Aid Eligibility
The Higher Education Amendments of 1976 mandates institutions of higher education to establish standards of "satisfactory progress" for all students receiving financial aid. Valley Forge Christian College will make the following standards applicable to all Federal funds awarded to students.
Student Aid Programs Affected:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
- Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant
- Federal TEACH Grant
- Federal Work-Study
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Federal Direct Stafford Loan
- Federal Direct PLUS Loan
Note: The Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard does not affect the Pennsylvania State Grant Program. Pennsylvania has established its own satisfactory academic progress standards. The award notices sent from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) describe the satisfactory academic progress requirements. This Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and appeal process does not apply to VFCC scholarships. VFCC students must maintain for all VFCC scholarships a cumulative 2.0 GPA except the Trustee (3.7), President (3.6), Dean (3.5), Professor (3.4), and Virtuoso (2.0) scholarships, which require higher GPAs.
Requirments for Satisfactory Academic Progress:
Satisfactory Academic Progress for a full-time student in a four-year degree program has two components.
1. The student must complete 67% of cumulative credits attempted (including repeated credits and transfer credits). The student may attempt, including transfer credits, a maximum of 190.5 credits before financial aid eligibility will be terminated. For the Music Education Choral Track and Instrumental Track, the student may attempt, including transfer credits, a maximum of 199.5 credits before financial aid will be terminated. Students who change majors or are pursuing a double major will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for an extension of maximum credits.
2. The cumulative grade point average required for a student is as follows:
Freshman
Hours Earned: 0-29.5
Cumulative GPA: 1.6
Sophomore
Hours Earned: 30-59.5
Cumulative GPA: 1.8
Junior
Hours Earned: 60-89.5
Cumulative GPA: 2.0
Senior
Hours Earned: 90 and above
Cumulative GPA: 2.0
Types of financial aid may be limited following the fourth year. Cumulative credits attempted/earned and cumulative grade point average are checked at the end of each academic year. However, students on probation status and Trustee scholarship recipients are checked by semester.
Satisfactory Academic Progress for a full-time student in the two-year associate program has two components.
1. The student must complete 67% of cumulative credits attempted (including repeated credits and transfer credits). The student may attempt, including transfer credits, a maximum of 90 credits before financial aid eligibility will be terminated.
2. The cumulative grade point average required for a student is as follows:
Freshman
Hours Earned: 0-29.5
Cumulative GPA: 1.6
Sophomore
Hours Earned: 30-59.5
Cumulative GPA: 2.0
Cumulative credits attempted/earned and cumulative grade point average are checked at the end of each academic year. However, students on probation status are checked by semester.
Satisfactory academic progress for a full-time student in the one-year certificate program has two components.
1. The student must complete 67% of cumulative credits attempted (including repeated credits and transfer credits). The student may attempt, including transfer credits, a maximum of 45 credits before financial aid eligibility will be terminated.
2. The student must maintain a minimum grade point average of 1.8. Progress is checked after first semester.
Requirements for a Part-Time Student:
Students who are part-time (below 12 credits) must complete 67% of cumulative credits attempted (including repeated credits and transfer credits) per year in order to maintain academic progress. Cumulative grade point average requirements are the same as for the full-time students for each respective program of study.
Repeated Courses: Classes in which the student received a grade of F and is repeating will count toward determination of enrollment status and will be eligible for financial aid. Classes in which the student received a grade of D or higher will not count toward determination of enrollment status nor be eligible for financial aid UNLESS a minimum grade point average is required for a specific course of study, i.e. Elementary Education and the student is repeating a course for that purpose. If a student's completion rate is below Satisfactory level due to classes repeated to improve GPA based on requirements of their major, the classes repeated will be removed from the completion calculation. Students may repeat a course only twice and be eligible for financial aid. If a student repeats a course, only the highest of the grades received for the course will be used in the calculation of the grade point average.
Withdrawn Courses: Withdrawn courses neither earn credit nor influence grade point average. Students may retake courses from which they have withdrawn which will count toward determination of enrollment status and will be eligible for financial aid.
Incomplete Courses: Incomplete courses do not earn credit but influence grade point average as an "F" in the semester they are listed as Incomplete. Incomplete courses either turn into an "F" grade if not completed or into a different letter grade when completed.
Audit Courses: Audit courses do not earn credit nor influence grade point average. They are not eligible for financial aid.
Remedial Courses: Remedial courses will count toward determination of enrollment status and will be eligible for financial aid.
Pass/Fail Courses: Pass/Fall courses are not calculated in the cumulative grade point average but will be included in Credits Earned.
Transfer Students: The credits that are transferred to Valley Forge Christian College are calculated into the overall Credits Earned total, but are not factored into the cumulative grade point average when a student first transfers to Valley Forge Christian College. Therefore, new transfer students will come at a satisfactory academic progress level. A student's progress will be evaluated at the end of the academic year. Students who do not meet satisfactory academic progress requirements will be placed on financial aid probation for the following semester. After that semester, if the student has not achieved satisfactory academic progress or if they do not have at least a 1.8 semester grade point average (minimum half-time enrollment required) if they are a freshman or a 2.0 semester grade point average (minimum half-time enrollment required) if they are a sophomore or higher, their financial aid will be terminated.
If a transfer student falls below Valley Forge Christian College's satisfactory academic progress policy and aid could be terminated, cumulative grade point average (including transfer credit grades) as well as cumulative credits attempted and cumulative credits earned will be calculated by the Registrar's Office. If the calculation results in a qualifying GPA, the student will remain on probation for another semester. If the student does have the 1.8 or 2.0 semester grade point average, the completion rate does not affect their status and the student remains on probation.
Summer School: Summer school credits earned will be added to the previous semester's cumulative credits attempted/earned and cumulative grade point average for satisfactory academic progress evaluation.
Evaluation of Academic Progress: Students' academic progress will be evaluated at the end of each academic year. The total (cumulative) academic record at Valley Forge Christian College is considered when academic progress is evaluated (not just terms when financial aid was received). Students who are not successfully completing courses at the minimum levels as outlined and are applying for financial aid for the first time are considered to be making unsatisfactory progress and are placed on financial aid probation for the following semester.
Financial Aid Probation: Students may receive financial aid during the semester they are on probation. If they fail to meet the necessary satisfactory academic progress requirements at the end of their probation semester or if they do not have at least a 1.8 semester grade point average (minimum half-time enrollment required) if they are a freshman or a 2.0 semester grade point average (minimum half-time enrollment required) if they are a sophomore or higher, their financial aid will be terminated until they have regained satisfactory progress status. If the student does have the 1.8 or 2.0 semester grade point average, the completion rate does not affect their status and the student remains on probation. Failure to meet this stated requirement during the probation semester would result in the loss of all federal aid, including grants, loans and work-study.
When a student has been placed on financial aid probation for a semester and successfully completed that semester according to satisfactory academic progress standards, that student will then be monitored at the end of the academic year.
Financial Aid Termination: Once a student has been placed on financial aid termination for a semester (without financial aid) and successfully completes that semester and meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements, he/she is then monitored at the end of each academic year. If there is a semester where the student falls below the satisfactory academic progress level, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for the following semester. If that next semester is not successfully completed, the financial aid will be terminated.
Returning Students: If a student was on probation or terminated the semester he/she withdrew from Valley Forge Christian College, the semester he/she returns the student would be given the same status. If, however, the student were here long enough that grades were issued, the student's status would be reevaluated based on that semester.
Suspensions: If readmitted to Valley Forge Christian College, a student would be eligible for financial aid if at the time of suspension he/she were meeting the standard for satisfactory academic progress. If a student was on probation or terminated the semester he/she was suspended from Valley Forge Christian College, the semester he/she returns, the student would be given the same status. If, however, the student were here long enough that grades were issued for the suspended semester, the student's status would be reevaluated based on that semester.
Academic Amnesty: Valley Forge Christian College does not practice academic amnesty.
Amendments to Policy: This policy will be amended whenever applicable federal or state law or regulations are changed. Upon approval of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Financial Aid Advisory Committee, the Financial Aid Director is authorized to incorporate and implement changes required in this policy by federal law or regulations. The Financial Aid Advisory Committee will review other amendments to the policy, not required by changes in law or regulations, annually. The Academic Affairs Committee of the College must approve any recommended changes.
Appeal Process
Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Financial Aid Advisory Committee and will be considered only under mitigating circumstances. Students may appeal financial aid termination status in writing, on the appeal form included with this policy, to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee within 30 days of notification of termination status outlining any circumstance contributing to his/her failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Students will receive a letter from the Financial Aid Office within 30 days from receipt of the appeal stating the decision of the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.
1. Any financial aid recipient whose assistance is withdrawn for failure to meet the standards of "Satisfactory Academic Progress" has the right to appeal for reinstatement of his/her financial aid. Such appeals must be made within 30 days after the date of the letter of notification and must include appropriate documentation if requested. The appeal must be in written form, addressed to the Financial Aid Director for consideration by the Financial Aid Advisory Committee. The Financial Aid Advisory Committee reserves the right to initiate action on a student's status if they are aware of mitigating circumstances.
2. Mitigating circumstances which could be considered upon appeal as adequate reasons of reinstatement to probationary status would be:
- Medical difficulty. Documentation may be requested.
- Family difficulty. Documentation may be requested.
- Emotional difficulty. Documentation may be requested.
- Learning disability. Documentation may be requested.
- Other special, significant or unusual circumstances as approved by the Financial Aid Advisory Committee.
If you have any specific questions regarding satisfactory academic progress relating to financial aid please contact:
Linda Stein, Director of Financial Aid
(610) 917-1416
llstein@vfcc.edu
Valley Forge Christian College
1401 Charlestown Road
Phoenixville, PA 19460
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