Financial Aid

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP)

Recipients of financial aid must meet minimum qualitative and quantitative academic progress standards. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is determined by two criteria: cumulative grade point average and completion ratio (i.e. number of credits earned versus those attempted). SAP is reviewed once per academic year, at the end of each spring semester.

To make SAP, an undergraduate student must earn the minimum GPA and completion ratio indicated in the table below prior to the beginning of the term in which the financial aid is to be disbursed. Graduate students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.0 and have a completion ratio of at least 67%. All credits transferred into PSC and all credits attempted at PSC are included in the student’s cumulative attempted credits for the purpose of calculating the completion ratio. All credits transferred into PSC and all credits passed at PSC with grades of A, B, C, D, or P are included as credits earned for the purposes of calculating the completion ratio- although students can’t earn credits for the same class more than once (unless specifically stated in the catalog). Courses in which a failing grade, no pass grade, incomplete grade, or withdrawal is assigned are not successfully completed and will lower a student’s completion ratio. Students that received an incomplete grade that is converted to a passing grade can notify the Financial Aid Office and request their SAP be measured again. Only coursework taken at PSC is included in the cumulative GPA; courses transferred into PSC do not impact cumulative GPA.

	Required Cumulative GPA	Required Cumulative Completion Ratio
All Undergraduate Certificate Students	2.0	67%
Associate and Baccalaureate Students (by Total Undergraduate Attempted Credits)
1-18	1.0	25%
18.5-30	1.5	35%
30.5-39.5	1.75	45%
40-59.5	1.90	60%
60+	2.00	67%
All Graduate Students	3.00	67%

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Financial Aid Portal

Info for NY Residents

New York State Residents: “TAP” into Additional Aid"

If you’re a resident of New York state and are or will be an undergraduate student, you MAY be eligible for Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) awards. After filing your FAFSA, you will be able to link directly to the TAP application from the FAFSA confirmation page. You must include Paul Smith’s school codes or you will not be eligible for TAP. TAP codes 2140 (2 year program) and 6140 (4 year program). To remain eligible for state and/or federal financial aid, you must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

The “Enhanced TAP” program created by New York state in 2017 is not currently available through Paul Smith’s College. We are strongly committed to college affordability and continuously seek favorable funding opportunities for our students and their families. Enhanced TAP in its current form has a number of restrictions that place a significant burden on the students and colleges that participate. We are monitoring the effectiveness of this program in its first year and may participate in the future once more information is known. Please contact our financial aid office if you have questions or would like to discuss the details and your individual financial aid award.

Contact Us »

Office of Financial Aid

Paul Smith's College
Phelps Smith Admin Building
Room 103
PO Box 265
Paul Smiths, NY 12970-0265

FinancialAid@paulsmiths.edu
(518) 327-6248
(800) 421-2605
(518) 327-6055: fax

Hours: M-F, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Required Minimum Successful Completion Ratio

All credits transferred into PSC and all credits attempted at PSC are included in the student’s cumulative attempted credits for the purpose of calculating the completion ratio. All credits transferred into PSC and all credits passed at PSC with grades of A, B, C, D, or P are included as credits earned and attempted for the purposes of calculating the completion ratio- although students can’t earn credits for the same class more than once (unless specifically stated in the catalog). Courses in which a failing grade, no pass grade, incomplete grade, or withdrawal is assigned are not successfully completed and will only count toward the attempted credits, therefore lowering a student’s completion ratio. Students that received an incomplete grade that is converted to a passing grade, can notify the Financial Aid Office and request their SAP be measured again.

Maximum Timeframe for Completion of Degree or Certificate Requirements

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) also requires student complete their degree program before attempting more than 150% of the number of credits required for their degree program. Students enrolled in a baccalaureate programs will be in violation of SAP after they attempt more than 180 credits. Associate degree students will be in violation of SAP after they attempt more than 90 credits.

Transfer Credits

Credits accepted by PSC from other institutions will be used in determining total credit hours attempted and successfully completed. The cumulative GPA will be determined by the Registrar using only credits attempted at PSC. Transfer credits also count toward the students maximum timeframe for completion of their degree.

Incompletes

Students who convert an incomplete to a passing grade for the course prior to the start of the next regular semester (fall or spring) may submit a written request for review of eligibility to the Director of Financial Aid.

Course Repeats

Students who earn a failing grade in a course may repeat the course until it is passed. Courses in which a grade of D was earned that are repeated more than once can no longer be used for determining completion rate for financial aid neither can the credits be used in determining official enrollment status (i.e. they will not be eligible for finanical aid).

SAP Appeals Process

Student financial aid recipients failing to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress due to an extenuating circumstance such as serious injury, illness, death or mental health condition involving the student or immediate family member can appeal in writing explaining their circumstance. Students must submit documentation with the appeal which confirms this circumstance. All appeals must include why the student failed to make SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to make SAP at the next evaluation. When an appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP probation and given an academic plan they must follow. Students on probation are eligible for financial aid. Students whose appeals are approved will continue to have their records reviewed at the end of each semester to ensure they’re following their established academic plan. Failure to follow an academic plan will result in a violation of SAP and cause the student to be ineligible for finanicaialaid for the following semester. Multiple appeals can be submitted but are unlikely to be approved.

Paul Smith’s College Scholarship & Grant Aid

Continued eligibility for scholarships and financial aid programs is dependent upon the maintenance of good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress toward a degree in accordance with the academic policies of Paul Smith’s College and the regulations associated with federally sponsored aid programs. All PSC grant and scholarship aid require students to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Students may be given the opportunity to appeal to the Director of Financial Aid if extenuating circumstances caused them to earn a cumulative GPA less than 2.0.

NEW YORK STATE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Students receiving funding from New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) must also meet additional NYS academic standing requirements. Two elements make up good academic standing: making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and pursuing the program of study.

Note that the criteria for TAP satisfactory academic progress differs from the federal and College satisfactory academic progress criteria listed in our SAP section. Per the 2011 enacted New York State budget, there are new provisions for TAP set forth in Chapter 53 of the Laws of 2010:

Baccalaureate Degrees

New York State Standards for Financial Aid Eligibility (for first recipients, non-remedial, in 2010-11 and thereafter)

TAP Points Earned	Cumulative Credits Earned	PSC Cumulative GPA
6 – 2^nd Payment	6	1.5
12 – 3^rd Payment	15	1.8
18 – 4^th Payment	27	1.8
24 – 5^th Payment	39	2.0
30 – 6^th Payment	51	2.0
36 – 7^th Payment	66	2.0
42 – 8^th Payment	81	2.0
48 – 9^th Payment	96	2.0
54 – 10^th payment	111	2.0
60	No further eligibility

Associate Degrees

New York State Standards for Financial Aid Eligibility (for first recipients, non-remedial, in 2010-11 and thereafter)

TAP Points Earned	Cumulative Credits Earned	PSC Cumulative GPA
6 – 2^nd Payment	6	1.3
12 – 3^rd Payment	15	1.5
18 – 4^th Payment	27	1.8
24 – 5^th Payment	39	2.0
30 – 6^th Payment	51	2.0
36	No further eligibility

Incomplete and failing grades are included in the number of credits completed per semester. Only passing grades are included in the number of credits earned. For example, to receive your fourth TAP payment under the above standards, students must:

be registered for at least 12 new credits
have completed 9 credits in the previous semester
have earned 30 credits
have a cumulative 2.0 GPA

Incomplete and failing grades are included in the number of credits completed per semester. Only passing grades are included in the number of credits earned. For example, to receive your sixth TAP payment under the above standards, students must:

be registered for at least 12 new credits
have completed 12 credits in the previous semester
have earned 45 credits
have a cumulative 2.0 GPA

Students who fail to meet the criteria for TAP for satisfactory academic progress will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid. *Only students enrolled in the HEOP program or in approved five year bachelor’s programs are eligible for ten TAP payments. The maximum number of payments for all other students is eight.

Program Pursuit

Program pursuit is defined in NYS regulations as completing (i.e. getting a grade in) a percentage of the minimum full-time course load in each term an award is received. The percentage, as specified in regulations, begins at 50 percent of the minimum full-time course load in each term of the first year an award is received, to 75 percent in each term of the second year an award is received, to 100 percent in each term of the third year an award is received and thereafter.

Pursuit is an effort or completion requirement rather than an achievement requirement, so courses in which a student receives either passing or failing grades can be used to satisfy the pursuit requirement. Thus, grades of A through F and any other grade that indicates the student complete the course and all necessary assignments are acceptable to meet the pursuit requirement. W grades or any grade which indicates the student failed to complete the course or assignments cannot be used to satisfy the pursuit requirement. Incomplete (I) grades can be used to meet the pursuit requirement since PSC policy requires the grade to be resolved to a passing or failing grade no later than the end of the subsequent term.