Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (Revised 7.1.2011)

Section 688.34 of the Higher Education Act, as amended, requires that in order to receive Title IV aid, a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress in the course of study the student is pursuing.  Further a student must maintain satisfactory progress regardless of whether the student had previously received Title IV aid.  Northern Oklahoma College standards of satisfactory progress are outlined briefly below.  The NOC Financial Aid Office will evaluate satisfactory academic progress at the end of each semester including summer if applicable.

Students must maintain the following cumulative completed number of hours and GPA to remain eligible for Title IV aid.

Cumulative completed credit hours  = 67%
Cumulative attempted credit hours*
Cumulative GPA = 2.0
(including remedial class GPA)

*Please note that for financial aid, attempted hours include courses with a grade of F, AW, W, N or I recorded on the transcript even though they may not be included as attempted hours on your academic transcript.

Students are required to have a 2.0 cumulative GPA at the end of the second year of attendance to remain in good standing regardless of their enrollment status (i.e. full time, part time).

In the event that the student does not meet the above criteria, he may be offered one warning semester during which time he will continue to receive federal financial aid.  He will be expected to bring cumulative hours of completion and cumulative GPA into compliance as indicated above at the end of the warning semester.

Students who fail to meet the requirements during the warning semester will be suspended.  A student whose financial aid is suspended will be given an opportunity to appeal that decision in writing and provide pertinent documentation.  The appeal must be submitted in writing and include a description of the extenuating circumstances causing failure and what has changed to allow the student to succeed if probation is granted.  Circumstances that may warrant an appeal may be death of a family member, other emotional trauma, severe illness or injury, or other circumstances. Documentation of the circumstance must accompany the appeal.

Appeals will be evaluated by the Director of Financial Aid, her designated representative, or the campus Financial Aid Committee.  If the appeal is approved the student will be offered one semester of financial aid probation.  The committee may place certain restrictions or requirements upon the student as a condition of probation such as part time enrollment or requiring an academic plan to be completed with the help of a college advisor.  The decision of the committee is final.  At the end of the probationary semester the student must be shown to be bringing the hours completed and GPA into compliance with the requirements.  Appeals and documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office by the deadline designated in the suspension letter.

Federal regulations require that a student must complete his program of study within a maximum time frame of no more than 150% of the published length of the educational program.  At NOC this is:

For a program requiring 62 credit hours – maximum attempted hours are 93 credit hours.
For the Nursing program which requires 70 credit hours – maximum attempted hours
are 105 credit hours.

A student who exceeds these limits must explain in writing what his/her academic goal is and time frame for completion.  They must also furnish a degree plan completed by an advisor.  If approved, only required courses will be funded with federal aid.