The government sets official standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for you to receive financial aid, which is reviewed at the end of every semester. As long as you’re going to class and making your grades, you’ll be fine. But just so you know, San Jac measures your progress in the following ways:
Grade Point Average
San Jacinto College uses the 4.0 GPA system.
4.0=A
3.0=B
2.0=C
1.0=D
0.0=F
The minimum GPA required is 2.0. This is based on the aggregate hours taken at San Jacinto College, whether you change majors or are pursuing multiple degrees or certificates. It does not include transfer hours. For repeated, developmental and ESOL courses, only the highest grade is calculated in the GPA.
Pass Rate
You are expected to pass a minimum of 75 percent of all hours attempted. This includes coursework attempted at San Jacinto College and coursework transferred from other institutions. The following grades are considered successfully completed: A, B, C, D. For repeated courses, only the course with the highest grade is used to calculate the pass rate; however, these courses will still be included in your total attempted hours.
Time frame
You are expected to complete your educational objective within the first 90 hours attempted, whether you’ve changed majors or are pursuing multiple degrees or certificates. Grades of F, I, W, NG, and N, repeated, developmental and ESOL courses are counted in this total. Hours attempted include coursework attempted at San Jacinto College and coursework transferred from other institutions.
Warning
If for any reason you haven’t met the GPA or pass rate standards, you will be placed on financial aid warning. Think of it as a heads-up, a way of letting you know what you need to do. Even under warning status, you can continue to receive your financial aid.
Suspension
If you’re not in compliance by the end of your warning term or we receive transfer work while you are on a warning that does not improve your status, you will be placed on suspension and are no longer eligible to receive financial aid. But that doesn’t have to be the end of the story, there are still options for you to regain eligibility.
Maximum Time Frame
If you have attempted more than 90 hours (including transfer hours), you are no longer eligible to receive aid. There are still options for you to regain eligibility through the appeal process.
Probation
If you failed to make satisfactory academic progress and you have appealed to have your financial aid reinstated, you are placed on Probation for one term. You are required to meet the conditions stated on your appeal approval contract without exception. If you do not meet the conditions of the financial aid appeal, you will be placed on financial aid suspension.
Academic Plan
If you completed and met the conditions of the appeal during the probation term, but you still aren't making satisfactory academic progress, you will be placed on Academic Plan. While on Academic Plan, you must continue to meet the conditions of your appeal within a specific point in time as stated on your appeal packet.
Regaining eligibility
Appeals are considered for extenuating circumstances such as injury, illness, a death in the immediate family, or undue hardship. If this applies to you, you have the option to submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Office.
Appeals are considered for extenuating circumstances such as injury, illness, a death in the immediate family, or undue hardship. If this applies to you, you have the option to submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Office. Please check with the Financial Aid Office for term-specific deadlines.
To start the financial aid appeal process, please visit our office in person or set up a meeting virtually. You can set up an appointment here. Appeals require you to gather important documents that support your circumstances and possibly meet with a counselor in Academic, Career and Transfer, so please allow plenty of time to complete the process.
First time appeals are reviewed at the campus and the advisor will let you know the outcome at the end of your meeting(virtually or in person). Appeals appointments are accepted at the following times:
Appointment Times are as Follows:
Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.*
Friday, 9- 4 p.m.*
*If you need an appointment outside of this time, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
To cancel or reschedule your appointment, please contact 281.998.6150. Allow 24 hours for cancellation or rescheduling. Rescheduling or cancelling your appointment may cause a delay in your appeal processing. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, your appointment must be rescheduled. Appointments are based on a first come, first serve basis.
If it is not your first time to submit a financial aid appeal, your packet will be collected and forwarded to the appeal committee for further review. If your written appeal is denied by an advisor or the committee, you have the option to request a personal appearance with the appeal committee. If you need to request a personal appearance, only you are allowed to represent yourself to the committee. The committee meets every other week. You will be notified on their decision by email.
If you submitted an appeal for review by the committee, please use the following dates to determine when your appeal will be reviewed. Appeals must be submitted no later than one week prior to the appeal meeting date. Appeal decisions will be emailed to you before the next scheduled meeting at your SJC student address.
If you are requesting a personal appearance, please contact a financial aid office to submit the written request and obtain the location and time no later than four weeks from the end of the current term. Personal appearances are held only during the first meeting of the month.
January 11th
January 25th
February 08th
February 22th
March 08th
March 22nd
April 05th
April 19th
May 03rd
May 17th
May 31th
June 14th
June 28th
July 12th
July 26th
August 09th
Special Circumstances
The Department of Education recognizes that many families experience changes after the reviewed tax year on the FAFSA has ended. Therefore, financial aid is given the authority to modify the original information to take into account any special circumstances that occur after the the tax return was filed.
Unusual Circumstances
Federal regulations are based on the idea that dependent students and their parents have the primary responsibility of sharing the cost of the student’s postsecondary education. However, the regulations allows the financial aid office to override the parent requirement when unusual circumstances exist. Students must be able to provide documentation that demonstrates the unusual circumstances preventing the inclusion of parental information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Please visit the financial aid office to start the process of considering the change on your FAFSA application for both of the situations above.