To continue receiving aid, students must adhere to the policies below.

Satisfactory Academic Policy

Carl Albert State College has established this Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy using the guidelines required by the Federal Government (CFR 668.16).  All students receiving financial aid from the Federal Title IV Programs [Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Work-study (FWS), Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFELP--Subsidized Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans), Perkins Loans and/or the State Grant Programs (Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)] must be enrolled as a regular student and maintain satisfactory academic progress. 

NOTE:  A regular student is someone who is enrolled for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate offered by CASC (as declared in the CASC Admissions/Registrar’s Office).

 To achieve satisfactory academic progress in a degree or certificate program at CASC, a student must meet the following criteria:

Completion of Hours Attempted

Attempted enrollment is determined and based on the number of hours the student is enrolled in at the end of the drop/add period each semester (close of business on the 10^th day of class for Fall and Spring and the 5^th day of class for Summer).  All students must satisfactorily complete the number of hours for which they were paid each semester.  For financial aid purposes, grades of I, W and AW will count as attempted but not as completed.  (NOTE:  A student receiving an Incomplete (I) at the time of satisfactory academic progress evaluations will be considered as attempted, but not as completed.  After the I has been resolved, it will be taken into consideration during the next satisfactory academic progress evaluations).  Students enrolled in less than full-time will be paid on a pro-rated basis. 

NOTE:  Classification as full-time, three-quarter time, half-time and less than half-time is based on the following: 

Maximum Time Frame

Carl Albert State College offers two-year associate degrees and certificate programs.  Students have a maximum of 96 attempted and/or earned credit hours in which to complete his/her academic program.  Students must successfully complete remedial coursework within his/her first academic year of study.  Should a student change majors, no additional attempted and/or earned hours will be permitted unless mitigating circumstances require the allowance of additional time.  This is to be determined at the discretion of the Financial Aid Director through an appeal process.  Students are eligible to receive financial aid for a maximum of two associate degrees at CASC.

Academic Progress Evaluation

All students participating in the Federal Title IV Programs and/or the State Grant Programs will be evaluated at the end of each semester (summer semester included, if applicable) to determine if satisfactory academic progress is being maintained.

Financial Aid Probation and Suspension

Should a student fail to achieve the requirements for satisfactory academic progress as stated above, he/she will be placed on financial aid probation. During the probationary semester, he/she may continue to receive Federal Title IV funds (with the exception of Federal Stafford Loans) and/or State Grant Funds

The student must complete one regular semester (fall or spring) with a full-time class load (12 hours or more) with at least a  2.0 Term GPA and maintain the Cumulative GPA as previously stated for satisfactory academic progress before the probationary status will be removed.  The student must submit a written request with supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Director asking for the probationary status to be removed.  The student will be notified in writing of the Financial Aid Director’s decision.  However; if at the end of the probationary semester he/she fails to meet the minimum criteria to have the probationary status removed as well as fails to meet the requirements for satisfactory academic progress as previously stated, he/she will be placed on financial aid suspension, during which time he/she will not receive any Federal Title IV and/or State Grant funds.  The Financial Aid Director may grant an additional probationary semester if the circumstances warrant it.

A student placed on financial aid suspension may appeal the decision if there are extenuating circumstances.  Extenuating Circumstances include, but are not limited to death in the family, illness and hospitalization.  The appeal must be submitted in written form to the Director of Financial Aid within 30 days of notification explaining in detail the extenuating circumstances. The Director of Financial Aid will submit the appeal and supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.  The student is advised to provide supporting documentation and is also advised that the Appeal Committee may request additional documentation of the reasons stated in the student appeal.  The student will be notified, in writing, of the Appeal Committee’s decision. 

NOTE:  The Appeal Committee’s Decision is Final.  During the suspension semester, the student must provide his/her own financial aid assistance and complete one regular semester (fall or spring) with a full-time class load (12 hours or more) with at least a 2.0 Term GPA before they can be reconsidered for Federal Title IV and/or State Grant assistance on a probationary status.

Return to Title IV Funds

If a student receiving financial aid officially or unofficially withdraws or is expelled from CASC on or after the first day of classes or a payment period, a prorated amount of any cash received by that student from Federal Title IV and/or State Grant Programs shall be repaid by the student.  A student who completely withdraws after the 60% mark of a semester will be entitled to the full amount disbursed.

Transfer Students

Students are required to submit transfer grades to the CASC Registrar’s Office from all schools previously attended.  All transfer hours will be counted to maintain satisfactory academic progress as previously stated.