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Recipients of financial aid must meet minimum qualitative and quantitative academic progress standards. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is determined by two criteria: cumulative grade point average and completion ratio (i.e. number of credits earned versus those attempted). SAP is reviewed once per academic year, at the end of each spring semester.
To make SAP, students must earn the minimum GPA and completion ratio indicated in the table below prior to the beginning of the term in which the financial aid is to be disbursed. Graduate students' GPA and Cumulative Completion Ratio is based on their graduate level coursework only. All credits transferred into PSC and all credits attempted at PSC are included in the student’s cumulative attempted credits for the purpose of calculating the completion ratio. All credits transferred into PSC and all credits passed at PSC with grades of A, B, C, D, or P are included as credits earned for the purposes of calculating the completion ratio- although students can’t earn credits for the same class more than once (unless specifically stated in the catalog). Courses in which a failing grade, no pass grade, incomplete grade, or withdrawal is assigned are not successfully completed and will lower a student’s completion ratio. Students that received an incomplete grade that is converted to a passing grade, can notify the Financial Aid Office and request their SAP be measured again. Only coursework taken at PSC is included in the cumulative GPA; courses transferred into PSC do not impact cumulative GPA.
| Total Attempted Credits | Required Cumulative GPA | Required Cumulative Completion Ratio |
| 1-18 | 1.00 | 25% |
| 18.5-30 | 1.50 | 35% |
| 30.5-39.5 | 1.75 | 45% |
| 40-59.5 | 1.90 | 60% |
| 60+ | 2.00 | 67% |
|
All Graduate Students |
2.00 | 67% |
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) also requires students to complete their degree program before attempting more than 150% of the number of credits required for their degree program. Therefore, students enrolled in a baccalaureate program will be in violation of SAP after they attempt more than 180 credits. Associate degree students will be in violation of SAP after they attempt more than 90 credits.
Financial aid recipients failing to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) due to an extenuating circumstance such as serious injury, illness, or the death of an immediate family member can appeal in writing to the Director of Financial Aid. Students must submit documentation which confirms this circumstance. All appeals must explain why the student failed to make SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to make SAP at the next evaluation.
Students whose appeals are approved will be placed on probation and continue to have their records reviewed at the end of each semester to ensure the student is meeting the terms of their academic plan. Students will remain on SAP probation for as long as they continue to meet the terms of their academic plan, reinstate themselves under the terms of the PSC SAP policy, or graduate.
Students receiving funding from New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) must also meet additional NYS academic standing requirements. Two elements make up good academic standing: making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and pursuing the program of study.
Satisfactory Academic Progress - New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Undergraduate
Students receiving funding from New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) must also meet additional TAP satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements. Note that the criteria for TAP satisfactory academic progress differs from the federal and College satisfactory academic progress criteria listed in our SAP section. To view the number of credits and cumulative GPA required for NYS TAP eligibility, please visit the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation website.
Program Pursuit
Program pursuit is defined in NYS regulations as completing (i.e. getting a grade in) a percentage of the minimum full-time course load in each term in which an award is received. The percentage, as specified in NYS regulations, begins at 50 percent of the minimum full-time course load in each term of the first year in which an award is received, to 75 percent in each term of the second year in which an award is received, to 100 percent in each term of the third year in which an award is received and thereafter.
Pursuit is an effort or completion requirement rather than an achievement requirement, so courses in which a student receives either passing or failing grades can be used to satisfy the pursuit requirement. Thus, grades of A through F and any other grade that indicates the student completed the course and all necessary assignments are acceptable to meet the pursuit requirement. W grades or any grade which indicates the student failed to complete the course or assignments cannot be used to satisfy the pursuit requirement. Incomplete (I) grades can be used to meet the pursuit requirement since PSC policy requires the grade to be resolved to a passing or failing grade no later than the end of the subsequent term.
NYS Appeals
Students who fail to meet NYS academic standing requirements will be notified by the Financial Aid Office. NYS allows for one appeal per student’s academic career.
