Suffolk Law Student Handbook

130

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

POLICY

[Revised in summer 2017 with Effective Date 9/2017]

Law School Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require students demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in their

educational program in order to maintain eligibility for financial aid. SAP is established and

reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Services and is evaluated independently from the

Law School academic policies set forth in the Law School’s Rules and Regulations. Because

there are two separate standards involved, it is possible for a student to be making satisfactory

academic progress as determined under this policy, but fail to be in good academic standing. It

is also possible for a student to be in good academic standing under the Law School’s Rules and

Regulations, but not be making SAP as determined by Student Financial Services. Students who

are dismissed from the Law School do not retain eligibility for financial assistance.

Standards for SAP

Students must meet the following standards to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress.

These standards will be evaluated at the end of each academic term, including summer term, if

applicable. Students will be notified if the SAP evaluation affects his or her financial aid

eligibility.

Qualitative Standards

Law School students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.330. Transfer

credits will not be factored into the GPA at Suffolk University Law School. In addition, Law

School students earning two or more unsatisfactory grades (C- or below) in a given term will not

be considered to be making SAP.

Quantitative Standards

Students must successfully complete at least 67% of cumulative attempted credits at the time of

each SAP evaluation. The evaluation of completed credits is calculated by dividing the number

of hours a student has earned by the cumulative number of hours the student has attempted.

Grades of F, I, NC, W, WI, NG, U and X will be counted as attempted credits, but will not be

considered as earned credits. All other grades will be counted as both attempted and earned.

Transfer credits accepted towards a Law School degree will be treated as both credit hours

attempted and credit hours earned. Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence from the

Law School at any time after classes have begun will be subject to the SAP policy. Courses

dropped during the add/drop period will not be evaluated under the SAP policy, unless a student

drops all courses for the term.

Maximum Time Frame

Financial aid eligibility is limited to 150% of the published minimum credit requirement of the

student’s academic program. Refer to the academic catalog for specific program lengths.

Suffolk University Law School measures a student’s timeframe in attempted credits. A student

will not be considered to be making SAP if his or her enrollment exceeds the 150% timeframe.