Pop Quiz – How Are Forgiven Grades Treated in Satisfactory Academic Progress?

Question:

For evaluating satisfactory academic progress (SAP) of its students, a school had historically used the academic grade point average, calculated by the registrar’s office. To assist students who left the institution and want to return to complete their degree, the school recently instituted an “academic forgiveness" policy that allows students who appeal based upon extenuating circumstances to have poor grades removed. Do these forgiven grades need to be treated differently for SAP?

Answer:

Yes. The school can no longer use the academic grade point average, which may be higher for students who successfully appeal for academic forgiveness.

 Per page 1-16 of the 2018-19 FSA Handbook, “The FSA program regulations make no provision for the concept of academic amnesty or academic renewal. Therefore, a school must always include courses applicable to a student’s major (whenever taken) in evaluating a student’s satisfactory academic progress (both quantitative and qualitative components). However, a student may be able to appeal loss of eligibility due to special circumstances.”

All grades applicable to a student’s major must be used to calculate both the student’s pace and GPA (or comparable measure).

Publication Date: 10/16/2018