Financial Aid Office
PICKENS TECHNICAL COLLEGE
500 Airport Boulevard
Aurora, CO 80011
303-344-4910
HOW DOES SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP)
AFFECT YOUR FINANCIAL AID?
Pickens Technical College’s Standards of Progress and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) expectations are
more fully explained in the college catalogue in the school’s website: www.pickenstech.org.
To maintain the required Standards of Progress in a program or an individual course, a student must meet the
minimum requirement of an average grade of “C” or better in all courses in their approved schedule. Failure to
meet this Standard will affect a student’s ability to successfully complete their program and receive a Certificate of
Completion. Pickens Technical College also complies with all federal and state Measured Academic Progress
(MAP) as it applies to financial aid. Under MAP, financial aid eligibility for students is limited to a maximum of one
and one-half times the required semester hours in the certificate program the student is pursuing.
As a participant in federal and state student aid programs, Pickens must meet standards for SAP in order to
received federal and state funded assistance. Students receiving financial aid must maintain satisfactory academic
progress during the semesters in which financial aid is received. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is based
upon the Standard of Progress. Students must maintain an accumulative 2.0 grade point average (GPA) during the
semester aid is received. Students who do not maintain an accumulative 2.0 GPA may jeopardize their financial aid
in the future.
What happens if a student does not maintain an accumulative 2.0 GPA when receiving financial aid?
If a student fails to earn a 2.0 GPA, a letter will be sent to the student warning them that future financial aid may be
in jeopardy if the student fails to meet the accumulative 2.0 GPA academic standard the next semester the student
enrolls. Financial aid warning status means the student is eligible for financial aid for one more period of enrollment
and must make SAP by the end of that period of enrollment or the student’s financial aid eligibility will be
suspended.
Failure to make SAP during the warning period means that a student’s financial aid for the next enrollment period
will be suspended until the student has achieved an accumulative 2.0 GPA. This suspension may be appealed. A
student may choose not to appeal and attempt to regain financial aid eligibility while paying out of pocket (without
financial aid).
SAP appeals must be in a written format and include information describing how the student’s circumstances have
or will change to allow the student to meet SAP in the up-coming semester. Appeals can include documentation the
student feels will support the appeal and all documents should be given to the financial aid office for committee
review. Appeals will not be reviewed if the appeal is received for a period of enrollment which has already begun.
If the student’s appeal is accepted, the student will meet with the appropriate Pickens Technical College staff
member(s) to create an Academic Plan. This plan will require the student’s acceptance and signature prior to the
first day of class. Upon acceptance of the Academic Plan, the student will be considered on probationary status for
the upcoming enrollment period.
If a probationary student fails to meet SAP guidelines and/or follow the required Academic Plan, the student will be
ineligible for financial aid until the student has an accumulative 2.0 GPA. Students whose appeal has been denied
will also be ineligible for financial aid.
If you have questions or need clarification, please feel free to contact the financial aid office.