Qualitative Standard
Students are required to maintain a 75% combined average in the related theory/content and competency in the shop / lab.
MTTI uses the following grade scale:
Quantitative Standard
The Quantitative Standard measures a student’s academic pace, or maximum timeframe allowed to complete the program.
Academic Pace
Academic Pace is calculated by dividing the total completed credit hours by the total attempted credit hours.
At the midpoint evaluation, students must have earned a minimum of 70% of credits attempted in order to meet academic pace required for SAP.
Credit hours attempted include completed credits, incompletes, withdrawals, repeated or failed classes, and transfer credits.
Maximum Timeframe
Students must complete all program graduation requirements within 143% of the original length of the program. The student is responsible to keep pace with the program as delivered by the planned schedule. If a student withdraws and re-enrolls to complete the coursework, both periods of enrollment will be calculated in assessing the 143% maximum timeframe.
The following chart details MTTI’s credit hours by program, as well as the coinciding maximum timeframe permitted.
Course Incompletes
If a student receives an incomplete in any unit, the student will be given until the end of the marking period to make up this grade. If the grade is not made up within this timeframe, the incomplete will change to a failure (F). Incomplete grades will be included in both the attempted credits calculation and the maximum timeframe
Course Repetition
Any student receiving an F in a unit at the end of a course may be offered an opportunity to make up this grade the next time the course is offered. This will be reviewed on a case by case basis, depending on availability, and at the school’s discretion. The F grade will be changed to the new grade obtained. If a student repeats a failed course, both courses will be included in the maximum time frame calculation.
Course Withdrawals
If a student withdraws and re-enrolls to complete the coursework, both periods of enrollment will be calculated in assessing the maximum.
If a student is out for 14 consecutive calendar days, the school will withdraw the student from the program. If a student withdraws from a program and returns within 1 year, all credits previously earned will be honored. Continuation in the program will be granted contingent on availability and re-acceptance
Transfer Course Credits
The school’s policy and process will require the following:
Students provide an official transcript and course description from the school they are requesting the transfer of credit. The faculty member from the course makes an assessment of the similarity of coursework.
The student takes MTTI’s unit test to demonstrate proficiency in the specific coursework being requested as transfer credits. The credits will be listed as allowed on the student’s progress report but this will be on a pass basis only and will not be calculated into the student’s grade average.
Transfer of credits will be allowed at the school’s discretion.
MTTI does not allow students to transfer credits in excess of 30 percent of the total program’s credit hours. Transfer credits that are accepted will count as both credits attempted and credits earned in the calculation. The student’s grade from the transfer credit will not affect the student’s average in the 75% combination of related theory/content and the skills competencies.
Frequency of Satisfactory Academic Progress Reviews
The 30-week day programs and the 75-week part time evening programs and are divided into two payment periods. The full-time day programs are standard-term. The midpoint occurs when half of the program credits have been offered. The part-time evening programs are considered non-standard term. A second disbursement will be withheld until the student has successfully completed the coursework and half of the weeks of instructional time.
The instructor enters all academic and practical skills grades into MTTI’s campus management software program. A progress report, is automatically generated that the student can access via the student portal. The Progress Report summarizes the student’s grades in the academic and skills portions of each course and the corresponding credits awarded. At the midpoint and completion of the program the student meets with their instructor to review their progress report.
Review Results
There is a section on the Progress Report that will be automatically populated with a “YES” for any student in satisfactory progress and a “NO” for any student who is not, certifying whether the student has met the Standards of Academic Progress. The Financial Aid Administrator looks here to determine if the student is in satisfactory progress.
When the Financial Aid Administrator reviews the student’s satisfactory academic progress, it will result in one of the following:
Students are placed on satisfactory status upon review that determines the student is achieving the qualitative and quantitative standards required for satisfactory academic progress.
All students will be reviewed at the end of each payment period since MTTI’s programs of study are less than or equal to an academic year per Sec. 668.34(a)(3)(i).
At each SAP review, students are required to meet the minimum qualitative and quantitative measures and be able to complete their program within the maximum timeframe allowed. Students who do not meet the minimum SAP standards will be placed on Financial Aid Warning of Unsatisfactory Progress for their next term. The student’s status and the reason(s) they are not in satisfactory academic progress are discussed between a team including the Instructor, the Director of Financial Aid, the Director of Education and the Director of Student Services. After the student has been issued a Financial Aid Warning of Unsatisfactory Progress, an academic plan of action will be developed to support the student’s return to satisfactory progress. The Director of Financial Aid or designee will meet with the student to review his or her progress.
They are eligible to continue to receive Title IV Funds while on warning. If, after that term, they are meeting the standards, they will automatically come off of financial aid warning. If, after their next term, they do not meet the standards, they will be put into Financial Aid Suspended status and lose their eligibility to receive Title IV Funds.
Failure to meet either the qualitative or quantitative standards for satisfactory academic progress after the Financial Aid Warning period has ended will result in the student being dismissed from the school. The student is no longer eligible to receive financial aid.
The Director of Financial Aid will meet with the student and review their terminated status and explain the process to file an appeal, if the student chooses to do so. The Financial Manager will complete the termination paperwork and will return any money back, if appropriate, to Title IV per the USDOE mandated R2T4 calculation.
SAP Appeal Process
A student may appeal a notice of termination to the Director upon the existence of extenuating circumstances:
The student must disclose what has changed about the student’s extenuating circumstances that will allow them to return and complete the program and make satisfactory academic progress by the end of the program. A review committee will review the written appeal from the student and will reach a determination if the extenuating circumstances exist and if the student’s appeal is accepted or rejected. The Financial Director and the Director of Education or designee will meet with the student to explain the committee’s decision. If the student’ appeal is accepted, the student will be placed on financial aid probation.
Financial Aid Probation
Students who have been initially placed on unsatisfactory status but have an approved appeal are placed on financial aid probation will have their Title IV aid eligibility reinstated.
To support the student’s return to satisfactory academic progress, an “Academic Performance Plan with Additional Conditions” will be developed. The probationary status cannot be lifted until the student meets the “standards of progress” at the next evaluation.
