Policies

Please review our policies to ensure you remain in good standing. If you have any questions about these policies, contact the Office of Financial Aid. We’re here to help you understand your aid eligibility.

General Policies

  • Financial Aid Student Guide

    The Financial Aid Student Guide contains important information about your aid, policies, rights and responsibilities; it’s everything you need to know as an aid recipient. We encourage you to read the information as it may answer many commonly asked questions.

  • Student Privacy & FERPA

    The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act prevents the Office of Financial Aid from discussing financial aid matters with anyone other than the student without the student’s written consent. Most students who complete the CSS Profile application authorize parental access to financial aid records by answering “yes” to the consent question. Students who did not answer yes to this question or who would like to give additional parties (such as relative or academic advisors permission to discuss their financial aid information may do so by completing a FERPA Waiver with the Office of Financial Aid. Please note, our FERPA Waiver is separate from the FERPA Release form you may have completed for the Office of the Registrar.

  • Nondiscriminatory Policy

    Pitzer College Office of Financial Aid adheres to the letter and spirit of the Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Financial Aid Professionals of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). Pitzer College admits students of any race, color, sex, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, creed, handicap and national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the College. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarships and loan programs, athletic and other College-administered programs or employment policies.

  • Student Rights, Responsibilities & Outcomes

    Rights
    As an aid recipient, you have the right to:

    • Information about the types of aid available, eligibility requirements and deadline requirements.
    • Know what portion of your financial aid must be repaid and what portion is grant or scholarship assistance.
    • All records and data submitted with your application for financial aid are confidential and subject to legal requirements concerning disclosure of such information.
    • Appeal (based on special circumstances) any financial aid funding that does not fall under the jurisdiction of federal or state regulations.

    Responsibilities
    As an aid recipient you have the responsibility to:

    • Read and understand all forms you are required to sign. You should keep copies of all forms for your records.
    • Read and understand the information contained in the Pitzer College Financial Aid Student Guide, which is available, online, at the start of the fall semester.
    • Understand the application process and reapply for financial aid on-time each year that you require assistance.
    • Complete all paperwork, for loans or employment you accept, by published deadlines.
    • Report all new or increased resources, such as outside scholarships, grants, tuition benefits or VA benefits to the Office of Financial Aid. These resources may impact your financial aid package.
    • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to maintain eligibility for federal, state and institutional funds.
    • Complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling & Master Promissory Note before borrowing a student loan for the first time.
    • Complete a student loan Exit Interview before graduating, taking a leave of absence, transferring or withdrawing from Pitzer.
    • Notify the Office of Financial Aid and your student loan servicer (if you borrow) of any name change, change of address, graduation, transfer, withdrawal or other change in enrollment status.
    • Manage your work schedule and monitor your earnings to ensure you do not earn more than your work-study allotment.
    • Repay student loans you borrowed.
    • Provide truthful and correct information. If funds are advanced on falsified or misreported data, you will be obligated to repay all money received and may be subject to criminal prosecution.

    Outcomes
    The goal of the Office of Financial Aid is that students who interact with us demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

    • Through a variety of forms of communication with our office, students and their families understand that financial aid provides “access” and “choice” to students who need assistance to attend Pitzer College.
    • Through information provided by our office from various printed, electronic and social media, students and their family will understand the types, sources and amounts of financial aid available, the applications required and deadline dates.
    • By the end of the first semester, the student understands their aid letter and is able to calculate the amount due to the College.
    • By the end of the first semester, the student understands their responsibility to reapply each year for financial aid.
    • Through years of enrollment the student develops job skills such as regular attendance, advance notification of absence, punctuality and accountability.
    • By the time of separation from the College the student understands and accepts her/his responsibility to repay any student loans.
  • Financial Aid Code of Conduct & Policy on Education Loans

    This code of conduct applies to all Pitzer College officers, employees, and agents who have responsibilities with respect to education loans. This code reinforces and reflects Pitzer College’s continuing commitment to conduct financial aid practices with integrity, free from conflicts of interest, in the interest of students, and in compliance with applicable law.

    Definition of Lending Institution

    For purpose of this code of conduct, lending institution means:

    • Any entity that itself or through an affiliate engages in the business of making loans to students, parents or others for purposes of financing higher education expenses or that securitizes such loans; or
    • Any entity, or association of entities, that guarantees or services education loans; or
    • Any industry, trade or professional association that receives money from any entity described above.

    Limitations Regarding Lending Institutions

    Pitzer College prohibits:

    • any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lending institution. Revenue sharing is any arrangement by which a lender pays Pitzer College a percentage of the principal loan taken by a borrower or otherwise compensates Pitzer College as a result of a borrower taking a loan.
    • accepting or soliciting anything of value from any lending institution related to its education loan activity, including but not be limited to: (i) revenue sharing by a lending institution with Pitzer College, (ii) Pitzer College’s receipt from any lending institution of any computer hardware for which Pitzer College pays below-market prices and (iii) printing costs or services.
    • accepting or soliciting staffing assistance from a lending institution, including but not limited to call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
    • identifying any employee or other agent of a lending institution to students or prospective students of Pitzer College or their parents as an employee or agent of Pitzer College.
    • arranging with a lending institution to provide any opportunity loans, if the provision of such opportunity loans prejudices any other borrower. For purpose of this code, an opportunity loan agreement is an arrangement whereby a lending institution agrees to make loans up to a specified aggregate amount to students with poor or no credit history, or to international students whom the lending institution claims would not otherwise be eligible for its loan programs, in exchange for concessions or promises by the College that may prejudice other borrowers.
    • accepting or soliciting any funds to be used for private educational loans or opportunity pool loans in exchange for providing a lending institution with a specified number of federal loans, a specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement.
    • assigning a first-time borrower to a particular lender, or refusing to certify, or delaying certification, of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a lending institution.

    Limitations on College Officers, Employees or Agents

    Pitzer College prohibits any officer, employee, or agent of Pitzer College who has responsibility with respect to education loans from:

    • receiving any remuneration for serving as a member or participant of an advisory board of a lending institution, or receiving any reimbursement of expenses for so serving, provided, however, that participation on advisory boards that are unrelated in any way to higher education loans shall not be prohibited by the code. Notwithstanding the above, individuals are not prohibited from serving on a board of directors of a publicly traded or privately held company.
    • consulting or providing other contract services for a lending institution. This article does not prohibit a financial aid officer from consulting for, or serving on advisory board constituted by, the federal government consistent with Pitzer College’s Policy on Conflict of Interest and federal law.
    • owning stock or holding any other financial interest in a lending institution, other than through ownership of shares in a publicly traded mutual fund or similar investment vehicle in which the person does not exercise any discretion regarding the investment of the assets of the investment vehicle.
    • soliciting or accepting gifts or anything of more than de minimus value on his or her own behalf or on behalf of another from or on behalf of a lending institution and receiving any payment or reimbursement by a lending institution to a College employee for lodging, meals, or travel to conferences or training seminars. This provision shall not be construed to prohibit any officer, employee, or agent of Pitzer College who has responsibility with respect to educational loans from conducting non-College business activity with any lending institution, or prevent Pitzer College from holding membership in any nonprofit professional association.

    For purpose of this code, “gifts” include any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimus amount, including services, transportation, lodging, and meals. A gift does not include standard materials, activities or programs related to a loan being provided; favorable terms, conditions or borrower benefits provided to a student employed by Pitzer College if comparable terms are provided to all students of Pitzer College; philanthropic contributions to an institution unrelated to education loans; or state education grants, scholarships or financial aid funds.

    Member of NASFAA

    As members of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), a person employed as a financial aid administrator of Pitzer College will follow the following NASFAA Code of Conduct. The full text can be found on NASFAA’s (www.nasfaa.org/code_of_conduct) website.

Aid Eligibility Policies

  • Loan, Work & Summer Earnings Increases

    Most Pitzer financial aid packages include self-help in the form of a subsidized loan and work-study. Self-help offers students an opportunity to obtain employment, establish good credit and invest in their education.

    Each year, as you progress toward your degree, you are eligible for increased loan funds from the Federal Direct Loan program. Pitzer believes that as you progress toward your degree, you should have a greater personal investment in your education. Therefore, your summer earnings contribution, subsidized loan and work-study amounts will increase from year-to-year.

    Below are the summer earnings contribution, subsidized loan and work-study limits for the 2022-23 academic year.

    Summer Earnings Loan Work-Study
    First-year $1,550 $3,500 $2,500
    Second-year $1,650 $4,500 $2,750
    Third-year $1,750 $5,500 $3,000
    Fourth-year $1,850 $5,500 $3,250

     

  • Financial Aid "No" Policy

    During the admission application process students indicate on their Common Application if they are interested in pursuing need-based aid. Students who indicate on their Common Application that they are not interested in financial aid are not considered for institutional aid. However, they may be considered for federal aid and state aid, if eligible.

    Domestic Students
    Domestic students who started Pitzer during the 2019-20 year and prior, who did not indicate an interest in aid during the year they were admitted, may apply for institutional financial aid in subsequent years. They will be considered for institutional, state, and federal financial aid if they submit all financial aid requirements by our published deadlines and meet eligibility criteria.

    Starting in the 2020-2021 academic year, domestic students who do not indicate an interest in aid in the year they are admitted will not be considered for institutional aid for two academic years of attendance. However, they may be considered for federal aid and state aid, if eligible.

    International Students
    International students who indicate on their Common Application that they are not interested in financial aid will not be able to change their status and seek financial aid in subsequent years. International students cannot change their financial aid status throughout their time at Pitzer.

  • Outside Scholarship Policy

    Outside scholarships or tuition benefits cannot be added on top of your current financial aid package and do not replace your parent contribution.

    To limit the impact of your outside scholarship or tuition benefit to your existing financial aid package, the Pitzer Office of Financial Aid will first reduce your student summer earnings contribution, followed by your need-based student loans, followed by your work-study.

    If the amount of your outside scholarship or tuition benefit exceeds your summer contribution, need-based loan, and work-study, an adjustment will be made to your Pitzer Scholarship. Before we adjust your Pitzer Scholarship, we may reach out to you to see if you have additional uncovered educational expenses that may be covered by your outside scholarship or tuition benefit.

  • Changes to Enrollment

    Financial aid eligibility may change based on the student’s enrollment. Most students are assumed to be full-time, which is enrollment in three to five courses. Enrollment in fewer than three courses is considered part-time and aid is subject to change. Students may change their course enrollment during the first two weeks of the semester. The last day to add/drop a course for a tuition refund or financial aid adjustment is posted online on the College’s Academic Calendar. After these dates, the Office of Financial Aid will not make any adjustments to student financial aid packages, up or down.

    Adding a Course: If a student adds a course after the ‘add/drop’ deadline, they will not be eligible for additional financial aid to cover the increased cost.

    Dropping a Course: If a student drops a class after the ‘add/drop’ deadline, their financial aid will not be adjusted to reflect a reduced level of coursework. Please note, this could impact the student’s ability to graduate within their semesters of aid eligibility. See Maximum Timeframe Requirement in the Satisfactory Academic Policy section below.

    Traditional and transfer students are encouraged to take four courses each semester to ensure that they graduate on time. Those who plan to enroll in fewer than three courses in a semester should schedule an appointment with the Office of Financial Aid to discuss how this will affect aid eligibility. NRS can be enrolled either part-time (two courses) or full-time (four courses).

    New Resource Students who enroll full-time are encouraged to take four courses. Those who enroll in three courses should schedule an appointment with the Office of Financial Aid to discuss how this will affect aid eligibility.

  • Dependent/Independent Status

    For the purposes of institutional aid, students who are admitted to Pitzer College as dependent students cannot change their status to independent throughout their time at Pitzer. In general, no applicant under the age of 24 is considered independent of parental support for purposes of institutional aid (excluding situations where the student is an orphan/ward of the court or in a court appointed legal guardianship).

    For the purposes of determining federal financial aid eligibility, Pitzer uses the dependency criteria listed on the FAFSA. Please note: meeting independent requirements for the purposes of federal aid is not a guarantee of independent status for institutional financial aid. If your family circumstances drastically change after you enroll at Pitzer, please contact our office directly.

  • Semesters of Aid Limit

    First-year students are eligible to receive institutional financial aid for eight semesters or a maximum of 36 courses. Transfer and New Resource students are eligible for a prorated amount of financial aid eligibility based on the number of courses transferred to Pitzer College and accepted for credit by the Registrar’s Office at the time of admission. Transfer and New Resource students are notified of their financial aid eligibility limit during their admission to Pitzer.
    Traditional students are eligible to receive Pitzer aid for a maximum of eight full-time semesters or 36 courses (whichever comes first). To complete a degree within this timeframe, students must complete an average of four courses per semester over eight semesters.

    Transfer students have their semesters of Pitzer financial aid eligibility pro-rated based on their academic standing at the time of admission. For example, a student who enters Pitzer as a second-year has a maximum timeframe of six fulltime semesters. This calculation is based on the standard eight full-time semesters required to complete a degree. To complete a degree within any timeframe, students must complete an average of four courses per semester.

    New Resource Students have a prorated timeframe based on the number of courses remaining to reach the 32 required for a bachelor’s degree. For example, a student who enters Pitzer with 10 courses will receive institutional aid for 22 courses. This calculation is based on the standard 32 courses required to complete a degree.

    If the student requires more time to complete their degree, the student is responsible for financing the extra cost, including tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies. For more information, refer to Maximum Timeframe Requirement in our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.

  • Federal Verification

    About one-third of all FAFSA applications are selected for a process called verification. Verification is a routine part of the financial aid process and is in place to ensure that students are receiving all the federal aid they are eligible to receive. Verification requires students to submit additional information, but most students are able to satisfy verification requirements without too much additional effort. However, if you encounter any challenges, please contact the Office of Financial Aid for assistance..

    Once a FAFSA application has been selected for verification, you will receive initial notification at the time you submit the FAFSA. However, your FAFSA can be selected at any time during the school year. If that happens, the student portal will be updated with the new required documents, and the office will send a notice to you via email.

    In general, current students who are selected for verification will not receive their aid notification until all the required verification documents have been submitted and reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid. For up-to-date information, renewal students can log on to their MyCampus2 Portal and view their documents. However, if your FAFSA is selected for Verification mid-year, we will not be able to disburse additional aid until the verification requirements have been submitted and the process is complete.

    All verification documents are due before we are able to disburse federal aid to your account. Students who do not complete the verification process before the end of the term may have their federal aid cancelled.

    Additional information about verification can be found online on the Federal Student Aid website as well.

Leave of Absence, Withdrawal & Return of Title IV Policies

  • Leave of Absence & Withdrawal Policy

    Withdrawing from Some Classes

    Financial aid recipients who withdraw from courses during the first ten days of each semester may have their financial aid revised for the semester IF their overall enrollment status changes (i.e. changing from full-time to part-time, etc.).

    After the ‘add/drop’ deadline (the tenth day of the semester), enrollment status and financial aid awards are “locked.” If the enrollment status changes before ‘add/drop’, the student’s financial aid award will be adjusted and a revised aid letter will be posted to the student’s portal. Course adjustments after the ‘add/drop’ deadline do not result in changes to the financial aid award for the semester. It is important to contact the Office of Financial Aid prior to withdrawing/adding courses to understand how possible changes could impact their award for the semester.

    Withdrawing from All Classes

    Types of Withdrawals

    • Leave of Absence – leaving the College by dropping all classes for the semester with the Registrar’s Office and providing an intended date of return to Pitzer.
    • Official Withdrawal – leaving the College by dropping all classes for the semester with the Registrar’s Office with no intent to return to Pitzer.
    • Unofficial Withdrawal – receiving all unearned grades for the semester and not notifying the Registrar’s Office of the intent to withdraw.

    If a student intends to withdraw from all courses during a semester, they must contact the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar will provide either a Leave of Absence Form or a Withdrawal Form. Both forms require the student to contact the Office of Financial Aid as part of the Leave/Withdrawal process.

    Students who take a leave of absence or withdraw from the College and have borrowed a Federal Direct Loan, Federal Perkins Loan or a Pitzer College Loan must complete an Exit Counseling session prior to leaving campus.

    Leave of Absence
    Students who need to take a leave or withdrawal after the semester has started, should schedule an appointment with the Office of Financial Aid to understand the impact to their financial aid award for the current semester and subsequent semesters. Students who are enrolled full-time, receive institutional aid and take a leave of absence or withdraw during the semester will use the equivalent of one semester of financial aid. Students have a limit to the number of semesters they can receive aid and a leave or withdrawal during a semester may affect the student’s ability to receive financial aid for additional semesters. Refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy below for additional information.

    Unofficial Withdrawal
    Students who cease attending classes and do not complete the formal withdrawal process through the Registrar’s Office are considered to be unofficial withdrawals. At the end of each semester, the Registrar’s Office provides the Office of Financial Aid with a “Zero Credit” report which reflects students who were registered for the semester and failed to complete any units (received only W, F or I grades). The Office of Financial Aid will review this report to determine if a Return of Title IV process is required.

  • Return to Title IV - R2T4 Policy

    Students who receive Title IV federal student aid are subject to federal Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) regulations. Title IV federal student aid is awarded with the expectation that the student will attend classes for the entire semester and “earn” the award. When a student stops attending classes prior to the end of the semester, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of federal funds the student was originally scheduled to receive.

    Students who withdraw from all classes on or before the semester is 60% complete, must have any “unearned” Title IV federal student aid be returned to the U.S. Treasury, even if the student is not entitled to a refund of tuition. Students who withdraw from all classes at the 60% period, earn all financial aid awarded for the term.

    Determining Date of Withdrawal

    The withdrawal date used for R2T4 calculations is the date indicated on the official withdrawal record. If there are multiple dates on the form, the earliest date is used. This earliest date is considered to be the student’s notification of their intent to withdraw. If the student withdraws without notifying the Registrar’s Office (unofficial withdrawal), the 50% point in the semester or the last date of academic related activity will be used as the student’s last date of attendance.

    Definition of Academic Related Activity

    To determine the withdrawal date for an unofficial withdrawal, the last date of an academic-related activity may be used. Academically related activities include, but are not limited to, attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students.

    Recognized as Academically Related

    • Exams, quizzes or tutorials
    • Computer-assisted instruction
    • Completion of an academic assignment, paper or project
    • Participating in an online discussion about academic matters
    • Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject

     Not Considered Academically Related

    • Student’s self-certification of attendance that is not supported by school documentation
    • Living in Pitzer College housing
    • Participating in the school’s meal plan
    • Participating in academic counseling or advising

    Calculating Earned vs. Unearned Aid

    The Registrar’s Office sends email notifications to select offices once an official withdrawal is processed. This notification provides the last date of attendance for the student. The Office of Financial Aid will then determine if the student’s days of attendance in the term result in the student earning all of the aid awarded for the term. If not all aid is earned, the Office of Financial Aid will calculate the amount to be returned to the federal aid programs. Award adjustments are processed for students who do not earn 100% of the disbursed aid. Revised awards are then posted to the student’s account.

    The following formula is used to determine the percentage of earned aid vs. unearned aid:

    • The percent earned is equal to the number of calendar days enrolled, including the withdrawal date, divided by the total calendar days in the payment period (less any scheduled breaks that are at least 5 days long).
    • The payment period is the entire semester. The percent unearned is equal to 100% minus the percent earned.
    • If the percent earned exceeds 60% the student is considered to have earned 100% of the aid disbursed for the term.

    The amount of Title IV aid earned by the student is determined by multiplying the percentage of Title IV aid earned by the total of Title IV program aid disbursed, plus the Title IV aid that could have been disbursed to the student or on the student’s behalf.

    Calculation Example #1:

    • Fall Semester 2019 – Start Date 9-3-2019 – End Date 12-20-2019 – total days in semester: 104
    • Student withdraws from all courses 10-16-2019 – total days enrolled: 44
    • Enrolled days: 44 divided by the total days in semester: 104 = 42.3% of federal financial aid earned

     Calculation Example #2:

    • Fall Semester 2019 – Start Date 9-3-2019 – End Date 12-20-2019 – total days in semester: 104
    • Student withdraws from all courses 11-13-2019 – total days enrolled: 72
    • Enrolled days: 72 divided by the total days in semester: 104 = 69.23%. Since this percentage exceeds 60%, 100% of federal financial aid earned

    Returning Aid

    Pitzer is required to return funds for students who have received more Title IV aid than was earned. The funds must be returned to the same federal program and must not exceed the amount of the initial disbursement. The order of return of funds is as follows:

    • Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan (other than Direct PLUS Loans)
    • Subsidized Federal Direct Loan
    • Federal Direct PLUS Loan
    • Federal Pell Grant
    • Federal SEOG

    Institutional funds are prorated based on the Pitzer Refund policy. The Pitzer Tuition Refund policy is based on the R2T4 policy. Students earn a percentage of institutional dollars at the same rate they earned federal student aid based on the number of days enrolled in the semester.

    Post-Withdrawal Disbursements (PWD)
    In compliance with federal regulations, the Office of Financial Aid will determine if all eligible aid has been disbursed as of the withdrawal date. If not and the student meets the federal criteria for a PWD, the student will be notified of their eligibility within 30 days of determining the student’s date of withdrawal. After being notified of their PWD eligibility, students must reply if they wish to accept the post withdrawal disbursement. A PWD will first be used toward any outstanding charges before any funds are returned to the student. If no response is received within approximately two weeks of notification, the award will be cancelled.

    Student Notification of Return to Title IV Funds
    A notification letter outlining the amount of aid returned to the federal and institutional program(s) will be mailed to the student’s permanent address for students who officially withdraw from the College. Students who withdraw in a term and take a Leave of Absence will be notified via their campus email address. Pitzer College will return funds on the student’s behalf to the appropriate federal and institutional aid program(s). The student is responsible for all charges and overpayments to their Pitzer student account that result from a Return of Title IV calculation.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

  • What is SAP?

    The U.S. Department of Education requires Pitzer to monitor the academic progress of all students on federal financial aid, as stated in regulation 34 CFR 668.34. In addition, Pitzer also monitors the academic progress of all students receiving state and institutional financial aid.

    The Office of Financial Aid’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy monitors academic progress for all aid funds (federal, state and institutional). While the SAP requirements for federal, state and institutional aid are often similar, they are not identical. Students should carefully review this policy and contact our office with any questions.

    Our SAP policy complies with federal requirements and sets reasonable expectations to ensure students make timely progress toward their degree. Monitoring SAP is not meant to be punitive, it is meant to notify students when they may be in jeopardy and provide enough notice for them to get back on track. Monitoring SAP ensures that students remain eligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid throughout their time at Pitzer.

    Financial Aid Programs
    SAP affects most, but not all, types of aid.

    Programs affected by SAP:

    • Federal Pell Grant
    • Federal SEOG Grant
    • Federal Work-Study
    • Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
    • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
    • Federal Direct PLUS Loan
    • Cal Grant A
    • Cal Grant B
    • Cal Grant B Stipend
    • Pitzer Need-Based Scholarships
    • Pitzer Merit Scholarships
    • Institutional Work-Study
    • Pitzer College Loan

    Programs not affected by SAP

    • Veteran Benefits
    • Employee Tuition Benefits
    • Outside Scholarships
    • Alternative/Private Loans

    SAP Requirements
    SAP for federal, state and institutional eligibility monitors three components: qualitative, quantitative and maximum timeframe. See Qualitative & Quantitative Requirements and Maximum Timeframe Requirements below.

    Frequency of SAP Review
    The Office of Financial Aid monitors federal, state and institutional SAP requirements at the end of each semester for all enrolled financial aid recipients.

    SAP is reviewed after grade and course information is posted by the Registrar’s Office at the end of each semester. Fall semester SAP is reviewed over the winter break and notices are sent in January before the start of the spring semester. Spring semester SAP is reviewed over the summer and notices are sent in July. Summer semester SAP is reviewed at the end of summer and notices are sent in end of July.

    Leave of Absence
    Students who take a leave of absence for a semester are not monitored for SAP for the semester on leave, as long as the student never enrolled for that semester. Students who begin the semester, but withdraw before the end of the semester, will have SAP monitored at the end of the semester. Students on a leave of absence have their SAP eligibility reviewed when they notify the Registrar’s Office of their intent to return from leave.

    Potential Delay in Disbursing Financial Aid
    The Office of Financial Aid cannot disburse funds to the Student Accounts until SAP eligibility is reviewed. We make every attempt to notify students with SAP issues in a timely manner. However, because the period between the end of the fall semester and the start of the spring semester is brief, SAP notices may be delayed. This may delay disbursing aid for students who are not meeting SAP or who require additional information to complete our SAP evaluation.

    Please note: posting “anticipated aid” or “expected aid” to Student Accounts is not an indication of meeting SAP.

  • Qualitative & Quantitative Requirements

    Qualitative (grade-based)
    The qualitative component measures grade-based progress and monitors Grade Point Average (GPA). To meet this requirement, students must have a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the end of each semester and a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the end of two years of attendance.

    Quantitative (time-based)
    The quantitative component measures the pace toward completing a degree and uses the following calculation:

    cumulative number of courses earned ÷ cumulative number of courses attempted = pace of progression

    Pace measures the cumulative number of courses earned over the cumulative number of courses attempted. To meet the pace requirement, students must have a cumulative pace of progression rate of 67% at the end of each semester.

    Example 1: A second-year student attempted 12 courses (4 + 4 + 4) by the end of their third semester, but only earned 10 courses (4 + 4 + 2). The pace of progression rate is 10/12 = 83.3%. Since this rate is above 67%, the pace of progression requirement is met.

    Example 2: A second-year student attempted 12 courses (4 + 4 + 4) by the end of their third semester, but only earned 7 courses (3 + 2 + 2). The pace of progression rate is 7/12 = 58.3%. Since this rate is below 67%, the pace of progression requirement is not met.

  • Maximum Timeframe

    The maximum timeframe requirement monitors the amount of time it takes to complete a degree. At Pitzer, students complete a degree once they earn a minimum of 32 courses, meet Pitzer’s Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) requirement and fulfill all requirements for one declared major. The maximum timeframe requirement also limits the number of semesters a student is eligible to receive aid. Maximum timeframe differs between federal, state and institutional aid programs.

    Federal
    The maximum timeframe for federal aid programs for all students is 12 full-time semesters or until the student completes their degree requirements, whichever comes first. After receiving federal aid for 12 full-time semesters (at all institutions), students become ineligible for federal aid.

    State
    For the state Cal Grant program, students have a maximum timeframe of 8 full-time semesters or until the student completes their degree requirements, whichever comes first. After receiving a Cal Grant for 8 full-time semesters, students become ineligible for the Cal Grant.

    Institutional Aid
    The maximum timeframe for institutional aid eligibility is different for traditional students, transfers and New Resource students.

    Traditional: Traditional students have a maximum timeframe of 36 courses within 8 full-time semesters to earn their degree, whichever comes first. After receiving Pitzer aid for 8 full-time semesters or 36 courses, students become ineligible for institutional aid. To complete a degree within this timeframe, students must complete an average of 4 courses per semester within 8 full-time semesters.

    Transfer: Transfer students have a prorated timeframe based on the grade level certified by Pitzer College at the time of admission. For example, a student who enters Pitzer as a second-year has a maximum timeframe of 6 full-time semesters to earn their degree, or 36 courses, whichever comes first. A student who enters as a third-year has a maximum timeframe of 4 full-time semesters to earn their degree, or 36 courses, whichever comes first. This calculation is based on the standard 8 full-time semesters required to complete a degree. To complete a degree within any given timeframe, students must complete an average of 4 courses per semester.

    New Resource: New Resource students have a prorated timeframe based on the number of courses certified by Pitzer College at the time of admission. For example, a student who enters Pitzer with 10 courses receives institutional aid for 22 courses. This calculation is based on the standard 32 courses required to complete a degree. New Resource students who enroll part-time are expected to take 2 courses and use 2 courses toward their total aid eligibility. New Resource students who enroll as full-time are expected to take 4 courses and use 4 courses toward their total aid eligibility (even if only 3 courses are taken).

    Students in 36+ courses: Students who have or exceed 36 courses at the start of any semester may:

    • not be eligible for federal or state aid for that semester if the remaining courses are not required for their degree.
    • not be considered for aid for that semester. Students may appeal if the semester they are taking is required for them to complete their Pitzer degree.

    Students in 30 – 35 courses: Students who have 30 – 35 courses at the start of any semester may:

    • not be eligible for federal or state aid for that semester if the remaining courses are not required for their degree. Students must demonstrate a need to be enrolled at least half-time (2 courses) for courses that meet their degree requirements.
    • still be considered for Pitzer aid as a full-time student so long as they are within their semesters/courses of eligibility.
  • How Courses Count

    Not all courses and grades are measured equally for the purposes of SAP. Below is a breakdown of how most courses are counted.

    • Grades A, B, C, D: Passing grades of A, B, C and D count as attempted and earned courses. Grades A, B, C and D count toward the GPA.
    • Grades F: Grades of F are not passing grades. Fs count as attempted, but not earned courses. Fs count toward the GPA.
    • Courses dropped between ‘add/drop’ deadline and the ‘last day to withdraw from a class’ deadline (No Ws): These courses are not assigned a W and do not appear on the academic transcript. These courses count as attempted, but not earned and count toward the maximum timeframe.
    • Courses dropped on or after the ‘last day to withdraw from a class’ deadline (grades of W assigned): Grades of W count as attempted, but not earned courses and count toward the maximum timeframe. Ws do not count toward the GPA.
    • Incompletes: Courses that receive an incomplete count as attempted courses, but not earned. Once a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F, W) is posted by the Registrar, courses with a passing grade count as earned.
    • Audited Courses: Students do not earn any academic credit for audited courses. Audited courses do not count as attempted or earned courses.
    • Repeated Courses: Pitzer’s academic policy states that students who do not receive a passing grade for a course, can repeat the course for credit. Repeating a course does not remove the original course from the academic transcript. Both the grade for the original course and the repeated course are posted and calculated into the GPA. Both the original course and the repeated course count as attempted courses. Courses with a passing grade count as earned.
    • Pass/Fail Courses: Courses taken on a pass/fail basis count as attempted courses. Courses with a “pass” grade count as earned.
    • Transfer Credit: Transfer credits from another institution accepted by Pitzer College count when measuring the maximum timeframe to complete a degree. Pitzer does not give credit for any transfer grades lower than a C (2.0). Consult the Pitzer Course Catalog for information about transfer credits.
    • AP/IB Courses: AP/IB courses accepted by Pitzer College count as attempted and earned courses.
  • Not Meeting SAP

    Not meeting Qualitative or Quantitative Requirements

    Students who do not meet the GPA/pace requirements are placed on a one-time, Financial Aid SAP Warning Semester.

    First time not meeting SAP (Financial Aid Warning)

    The first time a student does not meet either the SAP GPA or pace requirements, the student is placed on “Financial Aid Warning.” This “Warning” semester provides the student with the opportunity to regain SAP eligibility. During a “Warning” semester, students are eligible to receive federal, state and institutional funds.

    Students are encouraged to take advantage of all campus resources to meet SAP. The SAP warning notice outlines all expectations required of the student during the “Warning” semester.

    Second time not meeting SAP (Financial Aid Ineligible)

    If by the end of the “Warning” semester, the GPA is not at least a 2.0 or the pace of progression rate is not at or above 67%, the student is SAP disqualified and not eligible for federal, state or institutional financial aid.

    Students who are disqualified have the right to appeal. If the appeal is approved, financial aid may be reinstated for one “probation” semester. See Appeals section for more information.

    Frequency of Warning & Probation Semester

    • Frequency of Warning Semesters:Students can be placed on financial aid warning more than once, as long as the warning semesters are not consecutive.
    • Frequency of Financial Aid Probation: Students can only be placed on Financial Aid Probation once. Students who do not meet SAP requirements at any point after a Financial Aid Probation semester become disqualified for all sources of aid for the reminder of their enrollment at Pitzer.

    Students who successfully appeal SAP disqualification and have been reinstated for financial aid must maintain SAP throughout the remainder of their enrollment at Pitzer.  If a student fails to meet SAP a second time during their enrollment, they will not be allowed a second appeal.

    Not meeting Maximum Timeframe Requirement

    Federal & State Aid
    Once students reach the maximum timeframe for a federal or state program, they are ineligible for further federal/state aid from that program. There is no appeal process for reaching the maximum timeframe in federal or state programs.

    For the Federal Pell Grant Program, eligibility is based on 12 full-time semesters of enrollment. Pitzer College does not replace funds for students who would have been eligible for a Pell Grant, but have exhausted eligibility.

    For the Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loan, eligibility is based on 12 full-time semesters of enrollment and maximum loan limits. Pitzer College does not replace funds for students who would have been eligible for Direct Loans Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan, but have exhausted eligibility.

    Institutional Aid
    Students who reach the maximum timeframe for institutional financial aid may appeal for one additional semester of institutional aid IF there were extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control that prevented them from finishing on time. See Appeals below.

  • SAP Appeals

    Students may appeal SAP disqualification or be considered for one additional semester of financial aid.

    Appeals based on the following may be considered: extended illness, one-time extenuating circumstances that have since been resolved and enrollment limitations due to academic advisement. Appeals based on the following will not be considered: student’s need of financial aid or lack of knowledge about the SAP policy.

    Appeal Format

    Students should carefully consider the information in their appeal. Appeals should be made in writing to the Office of Financial Aid, should be typed and must be signed by the student. We highly encourage students to seek help from their academic adviser when writing an appeal.

    Appeals must include the following:

    1. Reasons/circumstances that prevented the student from meeting GPA/pace requirements and/or completing their degree on-time
    2. A clarification of how those circumstances have been resolved or addressed
    3. An academic plan outlining courses required and steps needed to meet GPA/pace requirements and/or graduate within an additional semester
    4. Support/acknowledgement from an academic adviser that the academic plan will result in meeting GPA/pace requirements and/or graduating within an additional semester

    Appeal Granted

    Qualitative (GPA)/Quantitative (Pace) Appeal
    If the appeal is granted, the student is placed on “probation” for one semester. During the probation semester, financial aid is reinstated.

    If the student does not meet SAP by the end of the “probation” semester, the student becomes ineligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid. No additional appeals are considered.

    Maximum Timeframe Appeal
    If the appeal is granted, the student receives one additional semester of institutional financial aid to complete their degree. If the degree is not earned within this extra semester, no additional institutional financial aid is granted. No additional appeals are considered for institutional aid. Students with remaining federal or state financial aid may continue to receive those funds if they meet program eligibility requirements.

    NOTE: Students who successfully appeal SAP disqualification and have been reinstated for financial aid must maintain SAP throughout the remainder of their enrollment at Pitzer. If a student fails to meet SAP a second time during their enrollment, they will not be allowed a second appeal.

    Appeal Denied

    Qualitative (GPA)/Quantitative (Pace) Appeal
    If the appeal is denied, the student may regain eligibility for future semesters of federal, state or institutional aid by enrolling at Pitzer (at the student’s own expense) and bringing their GPA up to a 2.0 and/or pace of progression rate up to 67%. If SAP requirements are met during this semester, eligibility for federal, state and institutional financial aid will be reinstated for the following semester. Semesters where a student enrolls at their own expense do count toward the maximum semesters or maximum courses of eligibility as listed above in Maximum Timeframe.

    Students may choose to take a leave of absence from Pitzer and pursue transferable coursework at another institution to bring their pace of progression rate up to 67%. However, GPAs earned at other institutions do not impact the student’s GPA at Pitzer. Students who are ineligible for financial aid due to GPA can only raise their GPA by enrolling at Pitzer without financial aid.

    NOTE: Coursework taken for transfer credit must be approved by the Registrar’s Office and meet outstanding degree requirements.

    Maximum Timeframe Appeal
    If the appeal is denied, the student may still complete their degree by enrolling at Pitzer (at the student’s own expense).

    The student may choose to take a leave of absence and pursue transferable coursework at another institution. This allows the student to complete courses at another school and transfer courses to Pitzer to complete their degree. However, not all courses may transfer; students in this situation should seek advice from an academic adviser.

    NOTE: Coursework taken for transfer credit must be approved by the Registrar’s Office and meet outstanding degree requirements.