Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal and state regulations require that the College establish and implement a policy to measure satisfactory academic progress toward the baccalaureate degree in nursing. All students must be making satisfactory academic progress to remain in attendance at the College. All courses attempted in a specific semester or comparable time frame will be used to measure academic progress. Course withdrawals may affect academic progress if the hours earned do not meet the criteria for quantitative and/or qualitative measures for satisfactory progress. Not meeting satisfactory academic progress will have an adverse effect on student aid eligibility.

Note: All students are required to meet the same minimum Standards regardless of eligibility for Title IV funding.

Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for all LCN Students (includes Financial Aid Recipients)

Lakeview College of Nursing (LCN) Office of Financial Aid is required by Federal regulation (HEA Subpart B, 34 CFR 668.16(e), Subpart C, CFR 668.32, 668.34, 668.42, 668.43) to monitor academic progress toward a degree for all degree-seeking aid applicants.  As a result, the Office of Financial Aid receives from the Records office the academic history of all attempted credit hours of all applicants prior to the awarding of Title IV Federal Student Aid and/or Illinois State Student Aid. These standards must-have components of a Quantitative Measure (the Pace at which the student must be completing their Program of Study) and a Qualitative Measure (the grades a student must be obtained in their coursework) and be reviewed at stated intervals. SAP is reviewed at the end of each enrollment period for all students.

The Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) apply to the following programs:

• Federal Title IV Programs: Pell Grant, Direct Loan Program, and the Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students
• Illinois Student Assistance Commission Programs: Monetary Award Program
• Veteran’s Educational Benefits: All Chapters and Post 9/11 Benefits

Completion Rate and Grade Point Average Requirement

Completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours credit with at least 60 semester hours in general education courses and 60 semester hours in nursing courses in accordance with the curriculum plan is required.  All grades earned in courses taken while a student is enrolled at the College will be used as the criteria for determining academic standards.

The student is required to meet the standards listed below, or otherwise, eligibility to receive student financial aid will be placed in a Academic Probation/Financial Aid WARNING status (the first time the minimum SAP is not met) or an Academic Dismissal/Financial Aid SUSPENSION status or a Financial Aid PROBATION status (if a formal Appeal is approved and the student is readmitted).
To be in SAP “GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING” a student must meet the minimum standards each enrollment period by having and maintaining a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5 and not exceed the permitted number of withdrawals and/or failures to avoid academic dismissal/financial aid suspension and complete their program of study within the published time frames formatted in credit hours.  

PACE- Minimum Credit hour Completion
(Quantitative Measure)

Cumulatively a student must successfully complete a minimum percentage of all credit hours attempted to stay on pace for completing their program before reaching the maximum time frame allowed.  Attempted credit hours include any credit hours in which the student was enrolled in after the refund period is over.

If the student accepted Federal Title IV aid for days attended during the refund period (tuition and fee charges are canceled) but then totally withdrew from all credit hours the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. However, this action will not result in Academic Dismissal but the student would need to reapply for admission to the college and submit in writing a SAP Appeal that has Committee approval to be reinstated for student aid eligibility.

Maximum Timeframe for Completion of Degree
Once a student enrolls in a course at Lakeview College of Nursing, the degree requirements must be completed within three consecutive academic years for a fulltime student and six consecutive academic years for a part-time student. Completion time may vary for students changing from full-time status to any other status, and/or withdrawing from courses. A student will never have more than six years to complete the BSN degree requirements.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Minimum Standards

Minimum Percentage - A student is expected to complete all credit hours attempted to be on pace for completion of program. The first time a student fails to complete progression standards, they must be placed on Academic Probation/Financial Aid WARNING for the next term of enrollment.

Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement (Quantitative Measure) - The student is required to earn and maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

All LCN grades and all semester hours count on the student’s grade point average in determining scholastic eligibility to remain in the College. Students must successfully complete each course. Successful completion of a class is a 77% in all classes, except an 85% in N311 Foundations of Professional Practice.

Academic Probation/ Financial Aid Warning

Academic Probation/Financial Aid Warning status occurs the first time a student fails to meet the minimum standard in any one of the components.  If a student is placed on Academic Probation/Financial Aid Warning, they will still be eligible to receive Student Financial Aid for one more term without appealing the circumstances.  All grades earned within the nursing curriculum while a student is enrolled at the College will be used as the criteria for determining academic probation.

Any student placed on Academic Probation/Financial Aid Warning for unsuccessfully completing a course MUST take the failed course in the next semester it is offered (summers excluded). Although an effort will be made to meet the needs of students who retake courses, enrollment is dependent on the number of students who can be reasonably accommodated by the available facilities. A student required to repeat a course must do so at LCN.  Courses taken at another college or university may not be used to repeat LCN courses unless specific approval from the Dean of Nursing and Course Coordinator is obtained and placed in writing in the student's file.

Repeating a course does not remove the failing grade from the transcript. The second grade earned is calculated into the GPA.

Academic Warning

Failure to receive a 2.5 semester GPA at the end of a semester will place a student on academic warning.
Academic warning does not reflect on a transcript but the student will be required to participate in the “remediation program”. At the end of the following semester, if the student’s semester GPA is above a 2.5 and the student is not placed on probation, they are no longer required to participate in the “remediation program”.

Academic Dismissal/ Financial Aid Suspension

Failure to complete the minimum cumulative standards of either component while on Academic Probation/Financial Aid Warning or Financial Aid Probation will result in the Academic Dismissal/Financial Aid Suspension of a student’s future aid eligibility.

The following is the criteria for an academic dismissal from the College:

1. A student on academic probation/financial aid warning (below a 2.5 cumulative GPA) who does not show progression by raising the student's LCN semester GPA the next semester enrolled.
2. A student who was unsuccessful in a nursing course and fails it again.
3. A student who fails two different nursing courses.
4. A student who has withdrawn from two different courses.

If, upon the end of the student’s next period of enrollment, they have not met the minimum standards they will be in an Academic Dismissal/Financial Aid Suspension status. A student placed on Academic Dismissal/Financial Aid Suspension is NOT eligible for Federal and/or State student aid at Lakeview College of Nursing.  Financial aid can be reinstated if a student is successfully readmitted through the appeal process (see readmission).

Also, total withdrawal from all courses (a “grade” of “W” posted to transcript) or total failure from all courses will result in Academic Dismissal/Financial Aid Suspension. This includes the refund period if Title IV was accepted for the days the student was in attendance (regardless if tuition/fees were cancelled).