SubMenu
Find Us on CampusSAP
Federal regulations require Butte College to establish, publish, and apply satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards for all financial aid recipients. SAP standards apply for all federal, state and institutional grants, loans, and work-study. It is the responsibility of all financial aid recipients to understand the terms and conditions of the Butte College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy in order to maintain their eligibility to receive aid. In addition to maintaining SAP standards, a student will be eligible for financial aid ONLY if college records indicate that they are enrolled BOTH in a current ELIGIBLE Education Goal AND a current ELIGIBLE Academic Program.
Satisfactory Academic Progress:
3 Required Standards
- GPA, or required cumulative (overall) minimum Grade Point Average
- Pace, or required cumulative (overall) completion rate, computed by dividing total Units Completed by Total Units Attempted
- Timeframe, or maximum time allowed a student to reach their educational objective, set at 150% of program length.
How Standards Are Applied
Each financial aid student's academic achievement is reviewed at the end of each semester and summer term (if applicable). Students must meet all three standards for continued eligibility.
SAP Standards in Depth
Students are required to have a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA.
- The GPA will include all aided and unaided terms at Butte College
- The GPA will also include grades obtained for all courses completed at all prior institutions of higher education.
Students with fewer than 18 units (all prior coursework included) are required to have a 1.75 minimum cumulative GPA.
Included in the GPA calculation are units in Basic Skills classes in English, Math, and Reading that are below college transfer level.
GPA Calculator: Use the GPA calculator to see what you need to do to raise your GPA.
Students are required to be enrolled in BOTH a current ELIGIBLE Education Goal AND a current ELIGIBLE Academic Program leading to transfer, the completion of an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T/AS-T); a Transfer or Career and Technical Education Degree (AA/AS), or an eligible Certificate of Achievement. Pace is the rate at which a student completes requirements for their educational goal.
- Pace is calculated by dividing the number of cumulative units completed by the number of cumulative units attempted. A fixed percentage of all cumulative units attempted ('DR' grades excluded) is required.
- For 0-17.9 cumulative units attempted, 50% is the minimum needed.
- For 18+ cumulative units attempted, 66.66% is the minimum needed.
All units count as attempted units, whether they were completed with a 'W', were repeated for a better grade, or eliminated from the GPA calculation through the Academic Renewal policy. As per federal policy, units transferred from schools previously attended count as both units attempted and units completed. Also included in the Pace calculation are units in Basic Skills classes in English, Math, and Reading that are below college transfer level.
Time frame is used to determine the maximum number of units for which you may remain eligible for financial aid for your Education Goal and Academic Program. Time frame includes transfer units and all unaided terms of attendance. Not included are up to 30 units in Basic Skills classes in English, Math, and Reading that are below college transfer level.
Maximum Time Frames:
Associate Degree: 90 Attempted Units
Transfer Objective: 90 Attempted Units
Certificate Of Achievement: 45 Attempted Units
When A Student Fails To "Make Sap"
(GPA Or Pace)
Satisfactory
Status indicating student has met all SAP criteria.
Warning
Status assigned when student fails to make SAP for the 1st time. Student on Warning
Status are eligible for financial aid for ONE SEMESTER ONLY. Does not require an appeal.
Disqualification
Status assigned following Warning semester to students who did not correct cumulative
SAP status during Warning term. UNAIDED unless appeals successfully. May remain unaided and be reinstated in the future by attaining SAP standards.
Financial Aid Probation
Status assigned to students who have been disqualified and have successfully appealed,
resulting in reinstatement of aid eligibility for one semester. See Appeal section
below for appeal criteria. Approval is on a case-by-case basis and not granted automatically.
Termination
Status assigned to students denied an appeal, or who neither made SAP while on Financial
Aid Probation nor demonstrated progress toward making SAP. UNAIDED.
If a student loses their eligibility due to failure to make SAP after WARNING status,
they may file a SAP APPEAL. An appeal will be reviewed only for documented extenuating circumstances. Appeals not meeting the definition of "extenuating circumstances" will not be accepted. Submission of an appeal does NOT GUARANTEE reinstatement of a student's financial aid. Therefore, students should be prepared
to pay for their books and other school-related expenses pending the outcome of their
appeal. If an appeal is approved, the student will receive financial aid for the semester
at the soonest payment date following approval.
Examples Of Extenuating Circumstances |
Required Documentation |
|---|---|
|
Serious physical or emotional illness of student or immediate family member |
Complete checklist ITEMS 1, 2, 3 and 4. Provide medical documentation confirming onset and duration of illness or condition |
|
Death in family |
Complete checklist ITEMS 1, 2, 3 and 4. Provide copy of death certificate or obituary |
|
Accident or injury to student or immediate family member |
Complete checklist ITEMS 1, 2, 3 and 4. Provide medical and/or other documentation verifying the date and duration of the occurrence |
|
Loss or change of employment |
Complete checklist ITEMS 1, 2, 3 and 4. Provide a letter from the employer verifying the circumstances and dates of loss or change in employment |
|
Disasters affecting student's attendance such as being directly impacted by the Camp Fire. |
Complete checklist ITEMS 1, 2, 3 and 4. Provide documentation of insurance claims or other 3rd-party information verifying date and nature of disaster |
| **Student made significant improvement during warning or probation status, & completed a term of at least 6 units, with a minimum 2.0 GPA and 66.66% PACE) OR if in Terminated Status student completed ONE term unaided and passed 6 units and earned a 2.0 GPA and 100% Pace. |
Only for students who significantly improved in prior semester. Complete checklist ITEMS: 1, 2, 3 and 4. Grades for preceding semester will be verified by the Financial Aid Office. |
Reasons NOT CONSIDERED for appeal: Wrong or difficult classes, too many units in the term, bad time management, transportation
issues, not having the assigned books or course materials.
2023-2024 Appeal Deadlines
Fall 2023: November 30, 2023
Spring 2024: April 30, 2024
Appeal Process (Checklist Items)
Appeals must be fully complete and legible. Students will receive an email with specific directions on how to submit the full appeal using MyBC Financial Aid Self Service Required Documents Manage upload button. Important. When submitting a SAP Appeal, make sure that the correct Academic Year is selected and that all required SAP Appeal items are uploaded.
-
Typed, e-signed and dated personal statement explaining in full (1) the extenuating circumstances that interfered with your being able to make Satisfactory Academic Progress; and (2) what is now different about the situation, about you, and about your ability to make Satisfactory Academic Progress starting immediately.
-
Specific documentation required for your extenuating circumstances. See table, above.
-
Complete Satisfactory Academic Progress Tutorial and Quiz: Must complete “The Key Components to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Financial Aid Appeal Process” online tutorial and quiz with a 90% pass rate at http://butte.get-counseling.com/flag-session/16729. A copy of your SAP Tutorial and Quiz results must be provided with your appeal.
-
Current Student Education Plan (SEP): If you do not have a current SEP, make an appointment with a counselor to complete one. You may be considered for ONE major only. Only courses listed on your current Student Education Plan will be approved for financial aid eligibility. A copy of your SEP must be uploaded with your appeal.
-
Financial Aid Probation Contract. Please submit with your appeal; if your appeal is approved you are responsible to meet the terms and conditions initialed by you on the Probation Contract
When A Student Exceeds Maximum Timeframe (MT)
Students who exceed the maximum unit timeframe for their educational goal are no longer eligible for financial aid. Students disqualified for exceeding time frame requirements may submit an Maximum Timeframe Appeal (see Forms & Links). Appeals will be accepted only from students who meet both GPA and Pace requirements. Complete instructions are included on the appeal form.
The Financial Aid Office may determine to extend a students maximum timeframe for continued eligibility of financial aid for courses listed on an approved Maximum Timeframe appeal provided that the courses in which the student is enrolled apply to the students program of study or the courses are required for transfer. Approved appeals may not be amended unless a student has extenuating circumstances. The Financial Aid Office will review requests for an amended appeal on a case-by-case basis. The appeal will be considered nullified if the student does not meet GPA and PACE requirements.
Students Who Do Not Make SAP While On A Maximum Timeframe Appeal
Students who do not make SAP while on an Maximum Timeframe Appeal are disqualified from receiving further financial aid, including loans, and will be unaided until or unless they are able to reestablish eligibility. Reinstatement of eligibility will not be automatic, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and requires achieving SAP standards and taking courses only from the approved Maximum Timeframe Appeal:
-
Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
-
Minimum cumulative completion rate (PACE) of 66.66%.
Repeated Coursework
Classes that a student wishes to repeat may be included when determining the student's enrollment for financial aid as long as the repeat is NOT a result of:
-
More than one reappeal of a previously passed course, or
-
Any reappeal of a previously passed course due to the student failing other coursework required to be taken simultaneously, or
-
Any reappeal of a previously passed course for the sole purpose of gaining eligibility for financial aid.
Satisfactory Academic Progress And Loans
Loans are a form of financial aid that supplements other types of aid. Federal Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students to help pay for the cost of a student's college education. Repayment is required when a student graduates, drops below 6 units a semester, or withdraws from all their classes. Butte College has the right to reduce or deny loans on a case-by-case basis for students at high-risk for default, including students on Warning, Probation status or on a Maximum Timeframe Appeal. Students who do not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards are considered to be high-risk and should plan accordingly to meet their educational costs without dependence on maximum annual loan limits.
Contact Us
Butte College School Code
006972
SAS 160 Rm. 110
3536 Butte Campus Drive
Oroville, CA 95965
Operating Hours
Main Campus:
Mon-Thur 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fri: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
1st & 3rd Thursday of every month: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Chico Center:
Mon-Thur: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Fri: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Glenn County:
Tuesday or Wednesday of each week: 8:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Content Editor: