Stay on Track
The "Stay on Track" requirement is how Lower Columbia College (LCC) checks that the classes you take are part of your degree or certificate program. If a class doesn't count toward your program, you can't get federal or state financial aid for it.
Why It Matters
If you take classes that don’t count toward your program, your financial aid might be lowered. You could even have to pay some money back. To avoid this, use your Degree Progress Requirements to help plan your classes. Meet with an advisor if you’re not sure what to take.
What You Need to Know
Full-time isn’t always required. You don’t need to be full-time for most aid. But to get federal loans or work-study, you must take at least half-time classes (6 or more credits each quarter). Some aid is still available even if you take less than that.
How to Stay on Track
- Know Your Program:
- Check the LCC Catalog or the Program Plan online to see what classes you need.
- Ask your advisor if you’re unsure.
- Review Your Degree Progress Requirements: This shows the classes you still need to graduate. You can find it in your ctcLink Student Portal.
- Understand Aid Limits:
- The Pell Grant only covers up to 6 years of full-time classes (600%). Check your limits on studentaid.gov, so you don’t run out.
- The WA College Grant covers up to 18 full time quarters.
- Check Your Aid Status Often: Log into your ctcLink Student Portal regularly to see your financial aid info and make sure your email is up to date.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
By accepting financial aid, students are expected to complete all attempted credits and maintain a minimum 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) within a maximum timeframe, which measures a student's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). As long as a student maintains SAP, they will continue to receive Financial Aid as scheduled. When these expectations are not met, students may either be put on a warning status or lose financial aid eligibility due to not maintaining SAP. Below are guidelines, outlining what will occur for students that were not meeting this expectation along with potential options to resolve the status.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Components
If your quarterly GPA or cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 at the end of the term, a Financial Aid Warning will be issued.
Quarterly GPA
A student must maintain a minimum quarterly grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, which is a "C" average in order to maintain SAP.
Cumulative GPA
A student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, which is a "C" average in order to maintain SAP.
Pace of Progression
A student must successfully complete at least two-thirds (67%) of the quarterly and overall credits they attempt throughout their academic career at the college. All attempted credits resulting in either an academic grade or administrative transcript notation will be included in the calculation.
For example, a student who has enrolled in 36 credits throughout his or her academic career at the college must pass at least 24 credits in order to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Note: Grades of “F”, “W” and “I” are all considered unsuccessful attempts.
| Credits Attempted | Satisfactory Academic Progress | Financial Aid Warning | Financial Aid Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (12+) | 12+ Credits | 6-11 Credits | 0-5 Credits |
| 3/4- time (9-11) | 9 Credits | 5-8 Credits | 0-4 Credits |
| Half-time (6-8) | 6 Credits | 3-5 Credits | 0-2 Credits |
| Less than Half-time (1-5) | All Attempted Credits | No Warning Available | Less than Attempted Credits |
Note: If your SAP status is on "Warning", you must complete 100% of the attempted credits in the next term of attendance or your aid will be suspended.
Maximum Timeframe (MTF) is a period no longer than 150% of the published length of the program as measured in credit hours. LCC must evaluate whether it is possible for a student to complete their program within the MTF. Students fail the MTF measure of SAP at the point at which it is determined that it is not possible for them to complete their program within the MTF, not at the point the student actually reaches the MTF.
A student may receive student aid for any attempted credits towards their program of study as long as those credits do not exceed 150% of the published length of the student’s program of study.
For example, a student enrolled in a program of study that requires 64 credits to earn the degree may receive student aid for a maximum of 96 credits attempted.
Note: If a student changes programs or graduates and requests a second degree, a degree audit will be completed and evaluated to determine what portion of the requirements for that curriculum has been satisfied. Only credits satisfying the new degree’s requirements will count toward that degree’s MTF.
- Your credit enrollment level for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and determining eligible financial aid awards is set on the 10th day of the term (8th day for summer quarter). This is called the Census Date.
- Grants cannot be increased after the 10th day.
- Other aid may be increased after the 10th day, if funding is available.
- If you want to add classes after the start of the term, you should enroll prior to the end of the 10th day.
- You may only pursue one program of study at LCC at a time.
- Financial aid can only pay for classes that are:
- Remedial courses are those courses needed to reach the highest level of course listed on your program of study. Example: You must take Math 099 before you can take Math 125. Therefore, Math 099 is counted as a remedial course. Both types of credits, program and remedial, are counted in SAP and MTF calculations.
- Published as required to complete your program of study as recorded in the Registration Office or remedial courses.
- You are allowed up to 45 attempted credits in remedial courses in addition to the credits required to complete your program of study.
- Courses that have a letter grade counting towards attempted credits but not an earned credits are included in SAP calculations.
- You may repeat classes that were not successfully completed that have a grade of ‘F’ or ‘W’ assigned.
- You may repeat a class - one time only - in an attempt to achieve a higher grade.
- This applies to any class that was previously passed that still counts toward your current program of study.
- If you already received a grade of ‘A’ or ‘P’ for a class, you are not eligible to repeat the class.
- Each course attempted will count toward the total attempted credits on your transcript and possibly impact future funding under the MTF calculation.
- We will notify you by email if your financial aid status is on warning, suspension, or maximum time frame. Notification is based on your transcript. LCC is required us to observe these rules even if you did not receive the notice.
- This policy is subject to change at any time due to federal and state regulations and/or requirements established by the Financial Aid Office
What happens when SAP is not maintained?
A Financial Aid Warning is issued when any of the following are true:
- A student's cumulative GPA or quarterly GPA is less than 2.0 at the end of the term.
- A student's pace of progression is below 67%.
- The minimum number of credit-hours was not completed.
If your financial aid is on Warning you are still eligible to receive financial aid for one more term of attendance without needing to appeal. If your financial aid is on Warning you must achieve SAP the next term of attendance or your financial aid will be suspended.
Note: Federal regulations do not allow the college to place your financial aid on Warning for more than one quarter in a row. Students who continue to fail to make SAP after being placed on Warning will lose their Financial Aid eligibility unless they successfully appeal Financial Aid Suspension and are placed on probation.
A Financial Aid Suspension occurs when any of the following are true:
- A student's financial aid is already on Warning and their quarterly GPA or cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 at the end of the term.
- A student's financial aid is already on Warning and 100% attempted credit-hours were not completed.
- A student fails to complete 50% or more of the attempted credit-hours.
- A student's transcript does not reflect a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the end of the 6th term of attendance or any terms attended thereafter.
- The Financial Aid office determines that a student cannot mathematically complete their program in the time remaining.
- A student has reached 150% of their program credit requirements also known as the Maximum Timeframe (MTF), or they have completed all credits to graduate from LCC. This applies even if they don’t intend to apply for graduation until a future term.
Please see Financial Aid Appeal below for help if you are on Financial Aid Suspension. If you choose not to appeal, or your appeal is not successful, please consider the Financial Aid Self-reinstatement below.
Students are eligible to appeal SAP suspension for a variety of reasons: hours completed, pace of progression, GPA, and maximum time frame.
If your financial aid has been suspended and a financial aid appeal is approved, you will be communicated terms of your SAP appeal approval via email. You will then be placed on either a one-term probation status OR a SAP Academic Plan if it is determined it will take multiple terms to bring your SAP status back into compliance.
Please contact the One-Stop Center for more information about how to fill out a Financial Aid Appeal.
Please contact the One-Stop Center for more information about how to fill out a Financial Aid Appeal. See our Financial Aid Forms page to download the form.
If your Financial Aid is suspended due to failure to maintain the GPA or Pace of Progression and Credit-Hours Completed components of SAP, you may self-reinstate your aid as long as you still meet all other eligibility requirements.
To self-reinstate, complete enough credits (minimum 5) at your own expense and achieve the following:
- Raise your Completion Rate to 67%
- Raise your quarterly GPA to a minimum of 2.0
- Raise your cumulative GPA to a minimum of 2.0
Notify the Financial Aid office to review your transcript once these requirements have been met. You can also appeal again after completing a quarter at your own expense.
Important Note: Self-reinstatement does not negate any repayment owed to Financial Aid programs or to Lower Columbia College.
A repayment of student aid funds may occur if you:
- Drop one or more credits during the first 10 days of the quarter (8 days for summer quarter).
- Failed to begin attending one or more classes, including late start classes.
- Completely withdrew or failed all classes before 60% of the term had elapsed.
- Take classes that were not required for graduation from your chosen program of study at LCC.
- Retake a course you were not eligible to repeat.
Failure to pay in full or make satisfactory repayment arrangements may lead to loss of financial aid eligibility.