Satisfactory Academic Progress

Policy Statement

NCC evaluates students’ Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) after every 12-week payment period using the quantitative and qualitative standards described below.

Percent of Program Attempted	Minimum Cumulative GPA	Minimum Rate of Completion
0 - 49.9%	1.00	50%
50 - 150%	2.00	67%

This college is the greatest. They take care of their students very well, and train them so well for the field they will be in, it is incomparable. The teachers are very dedicated. The career services department is very committed. They do amazing work and everything possible to help to get you a great job.

Stephaney Roundtree

Graduate of the 2018 Phlebotomy Technician Program

Evaluation Overview

When a student meets the applicable minimum cumulative GPA and minimum rate of completion standards after a given payment period, they are deemed to have “met SAP,” are placed in a “SAP Met” status, and no further action is required.

When a student fails to meet the applicable minimum cumulative GPA and minimum rate of completion standards after a given payment period, they are deemed to have “failed SAP” and are placed in a “Financial Aid Warning” (i.e., “FA Warning”), “Financial Aid Probation” (i.e., “FA Probation”), or “150% Violation” status based on the criteria below. Students are notified of this determination in writing. If the student graduates or voluntarily withdraws from the program at the end of the payment period, no further action is required.

Evaluation Process

If a student did not meet the SAP standards at the end of their first payment period or if the student successfully met the SAP standards during the payment period immediately preceding the payment period where they did not meet the SAP standards, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for the duration of the next payment period. Students on Financial Aid Warning will remain eligible for FSA funding. Students will receive academic advisement during this time to improve their academic performance.

NCC will then re-evaluate the student’s SAP at the end of the next payment period as part of its regularly scheduled SAP evaluation process. Students who meet the SAP standards at the end of the payment period when they were on Financial Aid Warning will be determined to have met SAP and will be placed back in good standing. Students who do not meet the SAP standards at the end of the payment period when they were on Financial Aid Warning will be notified of this determination and the fact that this makes them ineligible for FSA funding if they take no additional action.

When a student loses FSA funding due to a failure to meet SAP standards, they are given an opportunity to submit an appeal to be placed on Financial Aid Probation. Students may appeal such a determination due to injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain why the student failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in their situation that will allow the student to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation. If the appeal is accepted, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for the duration of one payment period by default.

If NCC determines, based on the appeal, that the student should be able to meet the SAP standards by the end of the subsequent payment period, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation without an academic plan. NCC will then re-evaluate the student’s SAP at the end of the next payment period as part of its regularly scheduled SAP evaluation process to determine if the student has met the SAP standards. Students who meet the SAP standards at the end of the payment period when they were on Financial Aid Probation will be determined to have met SAP and will be placed back in good standing. Students who do not meet the SAP standards at the end of the payment period when they were on Financial Aid Probation will be administratively withdrawn effective immediately.

If NCC determines, based on the appeal, that the student will require more than one payment period to meet progress standards, NCC will place the student on Financial Aid Probation and develop an academic plan for the student. NCC will then re-evaluate the student’s SAP at the end of the next payment period as part of its regularly scheduled SAP evaluation process to determine if the student has met the requirements of the academic plan. If the student is meeting the requirements of the academic plan (or the universally applicable SAP requirements, outside of any individualized academic reinstatement plan), the student is eligible to receive Title IV aid for the subsequent payment period as long as the student continues to meet those requirements and is reviewed according to the requirements specified in the plan. Students who do not meet the requirements of their academic plan will be administratively withdrawn, effective immediately. Furthermore, students who met the requirements of their academic plan when assessed but subsequently do not meet SAP standards at the end of the payment period that coincides with the end of their academic plan will be administratively withdrawn effective immediately.

In addition to assessing SAP at the end of each payment period, NCC evaluates students’ academic progress the week following each academic term to assess compliance with maximum timeframe requirements. The maximum time frame for completion of a program may not exceed 1.5 times (150%) the total number of credits in the student’s respective program as measured in credit hours attempted or weeks enrolled in the program, whichever is lesser.

If it is determined during one of these evaluations that it is impossible for a student to successfully complete the program with the minimum required GPA within the program’s maximum timeframe, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the program, effective immediately.

Program	Expected Timeframe	Maximum Timeframe
Dental Assistant Medical Assistant	56.0 Credits, 36 Weeks	84.0 Credits, 54 Weeks
Business Administrative Assistant Criminal Justice Professional IT Technician Legal Assistant Medical Administrative Assistant Medical Billing and Coding	63.0 Credits, 36 Weeks	94.5 Credits, 54 Weeks
Pharmacy Technician	65.0 Credits, 38 Weeks	97.5 Credits, 57 Weeks
Massage Therapy	51.0 Credits, 24 Weeks	76.5 Credits, 36 Weeks
Business Administration Criminal Justice Healthcare Administration Paralegal Studies	108.0 Credits, 72 Weeks	162.0 Credits, 108 Weeks
Radiography	120.0 Credits, 72 Weeks	180.0 Credits, 108 Weeks

Credit Hour Evaluation

Academic credit and transfer credit courses are counted as credits attempted and earned and will count towards the maximum timeframe and rate of completion but are not counted in the cumulative GPA.

Audit courses and Remedial courses are not offered by NCC.

Pass/fail courses are counted as credits attempted and earned and will count towards maximum timeframe, rate of completion, and cumulative GPA calculations.

Failed courses and unsuccessfully repeated courses are counted as credits attempted but not earned and will count towards the maximum timeframe and rate of completion.

Successfully repeated courses are counted as credits attempted and earned and will count towards the maximum timeframe and rate of completion. Only the final grade of the repeated course will count in cumulative GPA calculations.

School Catalog

Academic Information