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
JD students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.500. LLM and MSLL students receiving federal student aid must opt for the numerical grading system and are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.000. Transfer credits will not be factored into the GPA at Suffolk University Law School. In addition, JD, MSLL, and LLM students earning two or more unsatisfactory grades (C- or below) in a given term will not be considered to be making SAP. Students enrolled in the SJD program who receive one or more “F” grade will not be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress.
Quantitative Standards
In addition to meeting the qualitative standards above, all law 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 Law School’s Rules and Regulations 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. Periods of non-enrollment are not factored into this timeframe evaluation. Please note: ABA requirements stipulate, except in extraordinary circumstances, a student must complete his/her law school degree within 84 months.