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Financial Aid
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Location: Fortunoff Hall Room 105
Brookhaven Building B room 114
Phone: (631) 244-3013
Fax: (631) 244-3370
Email: finaid@dowling.edu
Office Hours:
Monday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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All students are required to maintain good academic standing (Satisfactory Academic Progress) as a condition of enrollment at Dowling College and to receive Federal aid.

What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?
It is a standard of academic performance based on a quantitative and qualitative review. In other words, we check to make sure you have achieved the minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) and we check the ratio of your attempted credits to your earned credits are within a certain percentage range.

Do withdrawals and Incompletes affect Academic Progress?
Yes, withdrawals affect your "Pursuit of Program". Pursuit of Program is the ratio
of attempted credits to earned credits. If you are not meeting the required percentage for Pursuit of Program then you will not be eligible for financial aid. In other words, too many withdrawals in your academic career can cause you to loose your financial aid for future semesters and until "incomplete" classes are completed and a grade is issued they are not considered earned credits.

Is there an appeal process to reinstate Federal Financial Aid?
There is an appeal process if you had an extenuating circumstance that caused your poor academic performance. Such as a death of a family member or other circumstances that prohibited the student from successfully completing their coursework. You would complete a Request for a Federal Waiver Form and attach documentation to support your circumstance.

Effective July 1, 2011, the federal government will pay only for one repeat course that was previously passed.

The federal guidelines used to determine Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP):

For Undergraduate Students:

Credits Attempted
1-24
25-48
49-72
73-96
97-180		 Must have earned at least
55% of attempted credits
63% of attempted credits
72% of attempted credits
80% of attempted credits
85% of attempted credits		 With a GPA of at least
1.7
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0


For Graduate Students:

Credits Attempted
1-11
12-23
24-35
36-54
 Must have earned at least
50% of attempted credits
62% of attempted credits
67% of attempted credits
75% of attempted credits
 With a GPA of at least
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0