Academic Performance and Your Financial Aid
Basic standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) apply to nearly all federal and state student aid programs. (A small number of programs have higher renewal requirements.) In order to be eligible for Financial Aid you must demonstrate a progression toward completion of your degree program within an established time frame, measured by Qualitative and Quantitative Standards.
SAP is monitored annually at the end of the first summer term. Notifications will be mailed or emailed to students by July 15 every year.
Qualitative Standards
You must achieve a cumulative GPA of 1.7 or greater as a Freshman or Sophomore (defined as 14 or fewer credits completed), 2.0 or greater as a Junior or Senior. Coursework taken outside of Bloomfield College (i.e. transfer credits) does not count towards your cumulative GPA.
Quantitative Standards
Completion Rate (Pace)
You must complete (with a passing grade) two thirds of the total course units attempted. Transfer courses Bloomfield count as completed courses.
Failure, Incomplete and Withdrawal grades count as attempted course units, but not as completed course units.
Maximum Time Frame
The maximum time frame for receiving financial aid for an Undergraduate degree is 150% of the required course units for that degree. For most full-time undergraduate students that's 6 years (or 12 semesters).
The time frame for progress towards degree completion will automatically be reevaluated if you change your major, pursue a double major or have a disability that qualifies you to keep full-time status with a reduced course load.
Basic Course Unit Requirements
Each semester, you are required to earn the minimum number of course units determined by your enrollment status (e.g. full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time) unless you're granted an exception due to a qualifying disability.
Financial Aid Suspension
If you fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards listed above you will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. You have the option to appeal the suspension. Your appeal must be based on an extenuating circumstance that seriously affected your academic performance (e.g. death of immediate family member, illness, major life event, etc.).
You will receive a notification letter to inform you that you've been placed on Financial Aid Suspension that includes instructions on how to submit your appeal to the Financial Aid Office. Appeal decisions will be mailed or emailed to you within 30 days of receipt. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee the appeal will be approved.
If the appeal is approved, you will be placed on Financial Aid Probation.
Financial Aid Probation
If your appeal is approved you'll be placed on Financial Aid Probation. The probationary period is one (1) payment period. A payment period at Bloomfield is either a Fall, Spring, or Summer term, and is the next term of enrollment regardless of whether you'll be receiving financial aid in that term or not.
At the conclusion of the payment period, the Financial Aid office will verify that you're now meeting the SAP standards. If not you'll be returned to Financial Aid Suspension status, and you'll be required to submit an Academic Plan to proceed.
Academic Plan
In consultation with your academic advisor, you'll create an Academic Plan that outlines a course of action that'll get you back into compliance with the SAP standards. You must make and adhere to an Academic Plan for each academic term and submit it to the Financial Aid office.
The Financial Aid office will monitor your progress by reviewing your Academic Plan and your degree audit. If you fail to meet the conditions outlined in your Academic Plan you will not be able to submit any further appeals or Academic Plans and you will be on permanent Financial Aid Suspension.
Contact the Financial Aid office to get a sample Academic Plan.
Re-establishing Financial Aid Eligibility without Appeal
For as long as you're allowed to attend Bloomfield academically, you may choose to continue at your own expense. If you're able to bring yourself back into compliance with the SAP you may contact the Financial Aid office to request that the office reevaluate your status (this does not happen automatically - you must request the review).
Repeat Coursework
If you repeat a course it will automatically be factored into your completion rate. If Academic Affairs approves a grade replacement it will also factor into your GPA.
In some cases you may receive financial aid for repeated coursework. If you previously passed a course and wish to retake it, you are only eligible for aid on the second attempt. If you fail the course after a passing grade you cannot repeat for a third time.