Many WLU students use financial aid to assist with the costs of higher education. Students must maintain a certain level of academic progress in order to retain potential eligibility for aid—including student loans, parent loans, federal work study, and grants. For many students, compliance with these minimal standards presents no problem. However, there are some students who will lose eligibility for ALL forms of financial aid because they are not demonstrating satisfactory progress toward degree completion.

Under the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, at the end of every academic year, the academic record of each student is reviewed to determine if the student is meeting the minimum standards in place to measure progress. These standards include a minimum cumulative grade point average and completion of a minimum percentage of all attempted credit hours.

Students who are NOT meeting these minimal standards will lose eligibility for aid (loans, work study, grants, etc.) until he or she can improve the overall academic record. If a student continues after this point, they must do so without federal, state, or institutional financial aid.

While there is an appeal process in place, only students who can document extenuating circumstances during an enrollment period and who have taken steps to address those circumstances should consider appealing. Appeals require that students meet with an academic advisor and must be submitted by the SAP letter’s deadline date.

Students can also view the status of their financial aid academic progress on WINS under the Financial Aid tab; click on “eligibility” and then on “academic progress.”

Last week the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculations were completed for the 2012-2013 academic year.  Letters were sent to all students that were affected by the policy.  Students’ WINS accounts were also updated with the relevant information.  Please be sure to check your WINS account as soon as possible to make sure you are still in good standing to receive your federal financial aid for the 2013-2014 academic year.  As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office.