The Quantitative Standard: Pursuit of Program
In addition to meeting the College’s standards for academic achievement, students must also demonstrate progress by accumulating credits toward a degree or certificate according to the time frames noted below.
In order to retain eligibility for federal financial aid, students must complete their programs of study within a maximum time frame of 150% of the length of the program. For purposes of this calculation, the total number of credits needed to attain the degree or certificate defines the length of each individual program.
Toward that end, the College measures program pursuit for students matriculating in a degree program once an academic year at the end of the spring semester. Students matriculating in certificate programs are measured after each fall and spring semester. Students are deemed to be making satisfactory academic progress for federal financial aid purposes if they meet the minimum standards described below.
| Total Attempted Credits |
Minimum Percent to be Achieved* |
| 0 – 11 |
0% |
| 12 – 24 |
30% |
| 25 – 48 |
45% |
| 49 – 72 |
60% |
| 73 and above |
67% |
*Percentage is calculated by dividing the total earned credits in the student's RCC academic history by the total attempted credits in the student's RCC academic history. All credit-bearing courses, including withdrawals, incompletes and failures are considered attempts. Transfer credits are counted both as attempts and completions. However, “X” grades (awarded for successful tuition refund appeals) are excluded from both the earned credits and attempted credits.