./ Complete and file a Martin Luther College Financial Aid Application. This form collects needed information, including special family expenses and circumstances, which may be used to make adjustments. The FAFSA may be filed right up to the end of the second semester, and it may be possible to get financial aid from federal programs late in the year. However, in order to be considered for Martin Luther College Grant Funds, both the FAFSA and the Martin Luther College Financial Aid Application must be filed by April 15, 2009, for the fall semester for the 2009-2010 academic year (November 1 for spring semester). Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy Federal regulations require Martin Luther College to establish satisfactory academic progress standards for student financial aid recipients. Martin Luther College's standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress measure a student's performance in the following three areas: completion rate, cumulative grade point average (GPA), and maximum time frame. The Financial Aid Office is responsible for ensuring that all students who receive federal, state, and institutional financial aid are meeting these standards. Progress is reviewed at the end of each semester. The Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress apply for all financial assistance programs including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study (FWS) Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Family Education Loans (Stafford and PLUS), as well as assistance from the state and the institution. The only exceptions are Synod preparatory school tuition refunds and distance grants, which are based solely on being in attendance. 1. Cumulative GPA A student must achieve and maintain at least a minimum cumulative GPA according to the following chart in order to retain financial eligibility. • Following semester I 1.70 • Following semester II 1.BO • Following semester III 1.90 • Following semester IV 2.00 • Subsequent semesters 2.00 2. Maximum Time Frame A student is no longer eligible to receive financial aid once the student has been in full time attendance for more than 150% of the number of semesters normally required to complete the student's
program. A four-year program must be completed in twelve semesters. A five-year program must be completed in fifteen semesters. A two-year certificate program must be completed in six semesters. Students who attend less than full time will have the time of completion appropriately adjusted. 3. Completion Rate At the end of fall and spring semesters, a student's academic progress will be measured by comparing the number of attempted credit hours with the credit hours earned (i.e., received a grade of A, B, C, or D). This calculation includes any course for which the student has remained enrolled past the drop/add period. A student must earn 67 percent of credits attempted to maintain satisfactory academic progress. The following are considered in an evaluation of a student's satisfactory academic progress: • Withdrawn Courses: Under special circumstances a student may drop a course with the approval of the dean after the first two weeks of the semester and up to two weeks after midterm. The student's record then shows W for the dropped course and the dropped course is not counted in computing the student's grade point average. An unauthorized withdrawal from a class is recorded as an F. This F is counted in the grade point average. • Incomplete Courses: Incomplete grades are temporary grades given when a student doing otherwise acceptable work is unable to complete the course assignments for reasons acceptable to the instructor. A first semester incomplete must be converted to a permanent grade by mid-term of the second semester, a second semester incomplete by the end of the July summer session, and a summer session incomplete by mid-term of the first semester, or the permanent grade of F is recorded. • Pass/Fail Courses: Passing credits received for pass/fail courses are considered attempted and earned credits; failing grades in pass/fail courses are considered attempted but not earned. • Repeated Courses: Classes for failed courses that are repeated because they are required for graduation are eligible for financial aid. Repeated courses are included in the calculation of attempted and earned hours. A student is allowed to repeat a course only once. • Audit Courses: Audited courses are not considered credits attempted or earned.
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