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Satisfactory Progress

Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Policy and Standards 

Federal financial aid regulations require MCC to establish a Satisfactory Progress policy for students receiving aid. MCC must notify students of that policy and monitor the progress of all students receiving financial aid to ensure compliance with the policy.

 It is the responsibility of all students receiving aid to be familiar with the policy and to ensure that the standards are met by monitoring their own progress. Failure to meet the Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress standards may place students' financial aid in jeopardy. For this reason, students should regularly check their MCC student email and My Way for updates. To be considered in compliance, students must meet all three standards outlined in the Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress policy. Questions about these standards should be directed to the Financial Aid office.  

Standard 1: Percentage of attempted credit hours completed  

The percentage of attempted credit hours completed is measured by dividing the cumulative number of completed credits by the cumulative number of attempted credits. The minimum requirement is 67 percent. For financial aid purposes, a course is considered completed if a grade of A, B, C, D, P, or R is earned. Grades of F, FX, W, and I are considered unsuccessful grades and reduce the completion rate.  

Standard 2: Cumulative Grade Point Average (Cumulative GPA)

To receive/continue to receive financial aid, students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA. The cumulative GPA requirement differs based on the number of credit hours attempted.

Standard 3: Maximum Credit Limit

The maximum time frame for the completion of a degree is limited by federal regulations to 150 percent of the published number of credit hours required to complete a degree program. This includes transfer credits and all attempted credit hours including completed credits, audits, incompletes, withdrawals, CLEP, and repeated or failed classes.  

Treatment of the Following Types of Courses for Satisfactory Progress 

Audit courses

Audit courses are ineligible for financial aid funding and do not count toward the number of attempted credits or the number of earned credits; however, they do count toward the degree completion time frame.

Repeated courses

Students can only receive financial aid once for a repeated course if they have already received a grade of R, P, D, or better in the course. Credits from repeated courses count as attempted and earned credits as well as toward the maximum credit limit. In addition, grades for the first time the course is taken and all times the course is repeated count toward the Satisfactory Progress cumulative GPA. \

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP courses are ineligible for financial aid funding. The credits count as attempted and earned credits as well as toward the maximum credit limit but do not affect the Satisfactory Progress cumulative GPA.

Transfer courses

Credits transferred to MCC from another institution count as attempted and earned credits as well as toward the maximum credit limit but do not affect the Satisfactory Progress cumulative GPA.

English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) courses

Credits for ESL courses count as attempted and earned credits. Federal, state, and institutional financial aid can be received for a maximum of 100 attempted ESL credit hours. Students who lose financial aid eligibility because they exceed 100 attempted credit hours of ESL may regain aid eligibility when they start developmental classes or college-level classes.

Developmental courses

Students admitted into financial aid eligible programs are eligible to receive federal aid for up to 45 developmental credits. Developmental credits count as attempted and earned credits as well as toward the maximum credit limit. They also affect the Satisfactory Progress cumulative GPA.

Dual Enrollment courses

High school students enrolled in MCC courses that will apply toward their high school graduation requirements and earn them credits at MCC are not eligible to receive federal aid. When dual enrollment students graduate from high school, enroll in financial aid eligible programs at MCC, and apply for financial aid, credits for the MCC courses taken under a dual enrollment program count as attempted and completed credits as well as toward the maximum credit limit. These credits also affect the Satisfactory Progress cumulative GPA.  

Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Statuses

There are five Satisfactory Progress statuses. Status is determined the first time a student applies for financial aid (even if financial aid was not received for prior quarters) and at the end of every quarter.

Good Standing (GS) 

Good standing status is given to students who meet all three Satisfactory Progress standards (percentage of attempted hours completed, cumulative GPA, and maximum credit limit) or who apply for financial aid for their first quarter of attendance at MCC. To remain in good standing, students must meet all three Satisfactory Progress standards each quarter.

Warning (WRN)

Warning status is given the first time students do not meet all three Satisfactory Progress standards. Students on warning status are eligible to receive financial aid. If at the end of the warning quarter students have met all Satisfactory Progress standards, their status is changed back to good standing. If at the end of the warning quarter students have not met all Satisfactory Progress standards, their status is changed to denied. Students can only be placed on warning status for a maximum of one quarter while attending MCC.

Denied (DEN)

Denied status is given to students who either do not meet all Satisfactory Progress standards at the end of their warning quarter or who have already had a warning quarter and did not meet all Satisfactory Progress standards. Denied status can be appealed. See the Appeal Procedures section below.

Monitoring/Probation (MON)

Students on denied status who submit and secure approval of an appeal are placed on monitoring/probation status for one quarter. Students on monitoring/probation status are eligible to receive federal aid and must meet the following requirements during the monitoring/probation quarter: complete 100 percent of attempted credits, achieve a minimum quarterly GPA of 2.0 or higher, and attempt no more than 150 percent of the credits required for their program of study. While on monitoring/probation, students must follow the academic program approved in their appeal.

Extended Monitoring (MNX)

Students who have been on monitoring/probation, have completed 100 percent of attempted credits, achieve a minimum quarterly GPA of 2.0 or higher, and attempt no more than 150 percent of the credits required for their program of study remain in extended monitoring until they regain good standing.

Termination (TER)

Students who do not complete 100 percent of attempted credits or achieve a minimum quarterly GPA of 2.0 and are in a monitoring/probation or extended monitoring status may be terminated. Termination is a permanent status and cannot be appealed.  

Max Time Approved (MAX)

Students in denied status because they reached the maximum time frame, and students in denied status who will reach the maximum time frame before they complete their program, are placed in max time approved status for one quarter if they submit and secure approval of an appeal.  Students on max time approved status are eligible to receive federal aid and must meet the following requirements during the max time approved quarter:  complete 100% of their attempted credits for the quarter and achieve a minimum GPA of 2.00 or higher for the quarter. While on max time approved status, students must follow the academic program approved in their appeal and must only enroll in classes required for their academic program.  

Max Time Extended (MXE)

Students who have been on max time approved status for one quarter, completed 100% of their attempted credits for their max time approved quarter, and achieved a quarterly GPA of 2.00 or higher for their monitoring quarter will be placed in max time extended status.  The requirements students must meet while on max time extended status are the same as those for max time approved status.  

Max Time Denied (MXD)

Max time denied status is given to students whose previous status was max time approved or max time extended and who did not meet the requirements for max time approved or max time extended.  Max time denied status can be appealed.   See the Appeal Procedures section below.

Appeal Procedures

Students placed in Denied status have the right to appeal. All appeals are reviewed by the Satisfactory Progress Committee. When reviewing appeals, the committee looks for mitigating circumstances (unusual or extraordinary circumstances beyond the student's control that the student could not have planned for).

How to submit an appeal

To submit an appeal, follow these steps:

1. Print a copy of the Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Appeal Form (2 pages) and the Academic Plan Summary for Financial Aid Appeal Form (1 page) from www.mccneb.edu/fa/documents/financialaidappealinstructions.pdf.
2. Complete steps 1 through 4 on the appeal form as well as the academic plan summary. You may need to request assistance from an academic advisor or counselor if you are not able to complete the academic plan summary on your own.
3. Submit the completed appeal (appeal form, academic plan, written statement, supporting documentation) to any Financial Aid office.

Review of appeals

The Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Committee reviews appeals. Students are notified of the committee's decision on their appeal by official MCC email and in My Way. When appeals are approved, students are reinstated for the quarter in which they are currently registered or the next available quarter if not currently registered for classes. When appeals are denied or students decide not to appeal, students are responsible for payment of all educational costs, including tuition, fees, books, and supplies, for any quarters in which they are enrolled after receiving denied status from financial aid.