Helping veterans keep their benefits

In accordance with the United State Department of Veterans Affairs and State of Illinois regulations, Waubonsee Community College has established minimum academic progress guidelines for all recipients of veterans educational benefits. These standards apply to all students receiving federal and state veteran educational funding, and must be met in order for veteran students to continue receiving educational benefits.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A veteran student must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. The veteran student's total academic performance at Waubonsee Community College will be reviewed to determine the current semester's cumulative grade point average.

Evaluation and Academic Progress Statuses

A veteran student is evaluated for academic progress when the veteran applies for benefits and at end of each academic term. This evaluation includes all coursework taken at Waubonsee.

  • VAPASS: Student meeting the 2.0 GPA standard. A student not meeting the standard who improves his/her cumulative GPA will automatically go to VAPASS.
  • VAWARN: First term the student is not meeting the GPA standard. The student can be certified for benefits while on VAWARN.
  • VAFAIL: Student is not meeting the GPA requirement after the end of the VAWARN term. Processing of benefit is suspended.
  • VAPEAL: Veteran student has appealed his/her VAFAIL status and the appeal was approved. The student is placed back on VAPEAL and must meet the 2.0 GPA for the term to retain this status. If the veteran student fails a course while on a VAPEAL status, the academic progress status will revert back to VAFAIL for the following semester.

Appeal Procedures

A veteran student may submit a written appeal within 30 calendar days following the end of the semester in which he/she was ruled ineligible. Failure to meet this deadline may result in the denial of reinstatement. If the veteran student believes there were mitigating circumstances that affected his/her academic progress, the veteran student may appeal the suspension of benefits. The appeal form can be found in the Student Forms box located on the Student tab of your mywcc.

In order to be considered for possible reinstatement to a probationary status, a veteran student must have uncontrollable mitigating circumstances such as a family illness, death or medical problems that may have caused the student difficulty in achieving satisfactory academic progress requirements. These appeals should include documentation such as medical bills, insurance claims, etc.

Appeals will be considered on an individual basis by the Academic Progress Review Committee and will be responded to within 14 calendar days of receipt of the appeal. Appeals will be reviewed and either approved with provisions or denied.

Help from academic advisors

If you're concerned about your classes, our academic advisors can lend a hand. Stop in and start a conversation!