Financial Aid Policies at Colorado Mountain College
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, mandates institutions of higher education to establish a standard of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for students who receive financial aid. This standard applies to the student's entire academic history, whether Title IV aid was received or not. In order to remain eligible to receive aid at Colorado Mountain College, students must meet the standards specified for acceptable academic performance and for Satisfactory Academic Progress toward the completion of their program of study.
Appeals
Students have a right to appeal financial aid decisions, including loan denial and financial aid suspension. For assistance and the Student Financial Aid Appeal (pdf) form, the student should contact the Financial Aid Specialist at his/her campus or the OSFA at Central Services in Glenwood Springs. The typed appeal must include any substantiating documents (doctor's excuse, employment letters, etc.). Certain mitigating circumstances and occurrences beyond the student's control constitute an eligible appeal.
The Director of Student Financial Aid will respond by letter to each appellant. If the appeal is denied, the student may appeal to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Appeals must proceed in the above order.
For more detailed information on CMC's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, please see Financial Aid Facts PDF.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
- Cumulative GPA: 2.0 or above.
- Cumulative Completion Rate: 67% or above.
- Maximum Time Frame: Complete the academic program within 150% of the required number of credits needed for degree or certificate program. Transfer credits are taken into consideration for Maximum Time Frame.
Good Standing
A student in good standing is meeting all three requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress as well as the CMC academic standards. Students are eligible to receive financial aid.
Financial Aid Warning
Failure to meet the cumulative 2.0 GPA or 67% cumulative completion rate may place students on warning for the following semester of their enrollment. Students will remain eligible to receive financial aid during the warning term. Students must make satisfactory academic progress during the warning term to continue to receive financial aid; failure to do so will result in financial aid termination.
Financial Aid Notice
Students will receive a notice if he/she has completed 75% of the 150% of the published length of the program.
Financial Aid Probation
Approval of the financial aid appeal will place students on financial aid probation. Students will remain eligible to receive financial aid during the probationary term. Students who meet the Satisfactory Academic standards during probation will go back to good standing. Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic standards during probation will place a student on termination.
Financial Aid Termination
Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards two consecutive semesters, a zero completion rate for the semester or not meeting Academic standards of the College will terminate a student's eligibility to receive financial aid. Students can submit an appeal to the Director of Financial Aid to request reinstatement of eligibility. Financial aid will not automatically be reinstated if academic suspension is lifted by an academic appeals committee.
Returning Title IV Funds
When a student receives Title IV (Pell, SEOG, etc.) either directly or by credit to their account, and they terminate their enrollment prior to the end of the semester, the financial aid they received may be subject to repayment. Repayment is calculated based upon the days the student actually attended classes as a percentage of the total number of days in the term. See CMC catalog for information on the Return of Title IV calculation.
Withdrawals
Students withdrawing from some, but not all, classes after the funds have been disbursed may not have their current aid adjusted. For more information regarding this and how it affects Satisfactory Academic Progress, please see the Financial Aid Facts PDF.
Repeats
For financial aid purposes, if a student repeats a course because he/she failed it a previous semester or because the student wishes to improve a grade, the credits may be included in the total number of credits the student is taking when determining enrollment status, as long as the student is making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Remedial Courses
These courses may be required because a student has basic skill deficiencies, and are allowable for financial aid provided that the student is enrolled in an eligible major. The maximum number of remedial credits that may be funded by financial aid is 30.
Auditing a Class
A student can choose to audit a course and it will not count toward his/her enrollment status for financial aid purposes.
For more and complete information about CMC financial aid policies, please see the Financial Aid Facts PDF.
Enrollment Status and Financial Aid
Your financial aid award is based on the assumption of full-time enrollment. Financial aid may be reduced for students enrolled less than full-time. Your enrollment status must be at least half-time for student loans and full-time for state grants. The Federal Pell grant is prorated based on enrollment status. Enrollment eligibility will be captured at time of financial aid transmittal and may not be changed.
No Show Policy
A "no show" is a student who does not attend class or makes any attempt to contact his/her instructor during the first full week of the semester. Students are expected to attend class beginning the first week of the semester. It is the students responsibility to contact the instructor (as stated in the syllabus) and confirm the intent to be a student in the class if absent during the first week. Instructors of online courses may report a student as a no show if they fail to initiate contact within the time frame given on the course syllabus.
Students who attend at least one class session, communicate with the instructor, or meet with instructors during the first week of the term, but later stops attending classes are not considered no shows.
Consequences of Being Submitted as a No Show
Registration and records will withdraw no show students from the class (es) reported. Instructors may not allow these students to attend classes during the second or subsequent weeks of the academic term. The Financial Aid Office may rescind aid benefits for courses in which instructors report students as a no show. Students who withdraw or are administratively withdrawn from all classes may be required to repay all or a portion of the award received for the academic term.