Admissions

COASTAL ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Policies and Procedures Manual

05.01 Admissions

Original Approval: 04/01/2022
Last Updated:  06/03/2024
Last Reviewed:  06/03/2024

Policy/Purpose:

In keeping with the philosophy that the capabilities of everyone should be developed, Coastal Alabama Community College operates under an “open door” admissions policy. Colleges are authorized to admit any individual who has satisfied the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) admission requirements as prescribed in Board Policy 801.01 and Chancellor’s Procedures 801.01. Individual programs or courses may have additional, specific prerequisites or admission requirements. 

Scope:

This policy applies to all current and prospective Coastal Alabama Community College students.

Definitions:

There are no definitions applicable to this policy.

Details:

1. Unsolicited Contacts: Coastal Alabama Community College refrains from high-pressure recruitment tactics such as making multiple unsolicited contacts (3 or more), including contacts by phone, email, or in-person, or engage in same-day recruitment and registration for the purpose of securing service member enrollment. 
2. Student Right to Know: In compliance with the Federal Student Right-to-Know Act, statistical information on completion/persistence rates is available in the Admissions Office.
3. Admissions: All students must complete an admission application, provide a transcript (if applicable), and provide other appropriate documentation as required by specific programs to complete their admission file.
   1. Admission Exception: For the protection of the public and to assist in maintaining state and local security, persons who are not citizens of the United States may not be admitted to any Alabama Community College System institution for the purpose of enrolling in flight training, or in any segment or portion of a flight training program, until appropriate certification and approval have been received from the Office of the Attorney General of the United States, pursuant to Section 113 of the Aviation Transportation and Security Act, regulations of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and all other applicable directives.
4. Admission Classifications and Required Admission Documentation:
   1. First Time: A student who has no prior postsecondary experience after graduating high school or completing a GED.
      • Admission Application.
      • Official final high school transcript with proof of graduation or GED®. Students with an associate degree or bachelor’s degree are not required to submit a high school transcript.
      • Official transcript(s) –all college(s) attended (if applicable).
   2. Transfer: A student who previously attended another college or university.
      • Admission Application
        • Official final high school transcript with proof of graduation or GED®. Students with an associate degree or bachelor’s degree are not required to submit a high school transcript.
        • Official transcript(s) – all college(s) attended.
          *Acceptance of transfer credits is based upon local institutional policy.
   3. Dual Enrollment / Dual Credit: A secondary education student who is earning college credit while still in high school. Dual enrollment credit may be applied toward high school AND college.
      • Admission Application.
      • High school transcript.
      • Written approval from school administrator.
        *Unofficial transcripts may be submitted in accordance with local institutional policy.
   4. Accelerated: A secondary education student who is earning college credit while still in high school. Accelerated credit may not substitute for high school requirements.
      • Admission application.
      • High school transcript.
      • Written approval from school administrator.
        *Unofficial transcripts may be submitted in accordance with local institutional policy.
   5. Transient: A student enrolled at another college or university who is taking classes at an ACCS institution for the express purpose of transferring credit to the home college or university.
      • Transient admission application.
      • Appropriate transient documentation from home institution.
   6. Re-Admit/Returning: A student who has not enrolled in courses at the institution within the last academic year as determined by local institutional calendars.
      • Admission Application.
      • Official final high school transcript with proof of graduation or GED® (if applicable). Students with an associate degree or bachelor’s degree are not required to submit a high school transcript.
      • Official transcript(s) – all college(s) attended (if applicable).
   7. Special/Non-Degree Seeking: A student who wishes to enroll but does not wish to pursue a degree or certificate.
      • Admission Application.
      • Official final high school transcript with proof of graduation or GED® (if applicable). Students with an associate degree or bachelor’s degree are not required to submit a high school transcript.
      • Official transcript(s) – all college(s) attended (if applicable).
      • Audit form submitted to the Registrar office prior to the end of the drop/add period of enrolled semester.
   8. International (Approved for Bay Minette, Fairhope, and Gulf Shores Campus): A student who is a citizen of another country.
      • Refer to ACCS Board Policy 801.04 and Chancellor’s Procedures 801.04 Admission International Student.
   9. Non-High School Graduate and Non-GED Students:
      • Required assessment score (in accordance with current assessment procedures).
      • Written consent from the appropriate secondary administrator (if under the age of 17).
      • Students may be admitted to non-degree and career pathways programs as defined under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and by the federal Pell Grant Ability-to-Benefit (ATB) criteria.
5. Admission Status: There are two types of admission status.
   1. Conditional Status: Students who have applied but have not submitted required documentation will be admitted as conditional status (excluding transient and international students). Failure to provide all required documentation by the end of the first semester, as determined by local institutional calendars, will prevent a student from future registration and official transcript release.
   2. Unconditional Status: Students who have applied for admission and submitted all required documentation will be admitted unconditionally.
6. Program Admission: Admission to Coastal Alabama Community College does not ensure admission to any individual program or course.
7. Transfer of Credit: Courses completed at other regionally accredited postsecondary institutions with a passing grade (D or higher, without being on probation or suspension) will be accepted for transfer as potentially creditable toward graduation requirements. Transfer students admitted on academic probation will have only course grades of “C” or better accepted for transfer.
   1. Awarding of transfer credit to fulfill graduation requirements will be based on applicability of the credits to the requirements of the degree sought.
   2. Credit may be extended based on a comprehensive evaluation of demonstrated and documented competencies and prior learning assessment.
   3. Transfer credits are considered for degree completion requirements but are not used in the calculation of your Coastal Alabama Community College GPA.
   4. Courses completed at non-regionally accredited institutions may be accepted for transfer based on review. Additional information can be obtained from the Registrar's Office.
   5. For those students whose transfer credits fall within 1 credit hour short of the Coastal Alabama course equivalency due to conversion from quarter hours to credit hours, they may provide a copy of the course syllabi to petition for course transfer.  If the courses are accepted, the student may still need to complete an additional course or courses to satisfy the hourly requirements for the different sections of the Common Core Curriculum.

Procedures(s):

Admission of Audit Only Students Procedures

1. Audit Only applicants must complete all steps, just as new or first-time transfer students, including the completion of an application for admission. Applicants must also have all transcripts from high school and college(s) sent to the Admissions Office. Applicants must obtain an Audit Request Form from the Coastal Alabama website Student Records and Transcript page on the Coastal Alabama Community College website at https://www.coastalalabama.edu/admissions-aid/student-records/registrar-forms/.  Complete the electronic form with the course(s) to be audited, and submit it to the Registrar’s Office prior to the end of drop/add each semester.
2. The Audit Request Form, which becomes part of the applicant’s permanent file, must be completed by the end of the registration period, and may not be changed thereafter.
3. Students enrolled in audit courses are expected to attend classes regularly. They must adhere to all College rules and regulations regarding the withdrawal from course(s) or the College. The cost for auditing a course is the same as the cost for taking a course for credit.
4. All other applicants who wish to audit courses, including degree-seeking students, must obtain an Audit Request Form from the Registrar’s Office. This form must be completed for the course(s) to be audited. The completed Audit Request Form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the end of the registration period. As official College documents, the Audit Request Forms are placed in students’ respective permanent files. 
   
   https://www.coastalalabama.edu/admissions-aid/audit-request-form/
    
5. Students enrolled in either classification of audit courses are expected to attend classes regularly. If it becomes necessary for them to withdraw from college, they should follow the same withdrawal procedure as regular students.

Admission of Eligible Service Members Procedures

1. Coastal Alabama Community College recommends that eligible service members receive approval from an Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within the Military Service prior to enrolling at Coastal Alabama Community College.
2. The Service Member’s Opportunity College (SOC) network is designed to permit military service students and their dependents to pursue college-level programs without penalty for unusual situations and transfer over which they have no control. Since Coastal Alabama Community College is an affiliate member of the SOC, a military service member through a contract with the College may complete at least 25% of the degree in residence with Coastal Alabama. The student may then complete the remaining course work required to meet degree requirements at another accredited college or university and transfer this credit back to Coastal Alabama.

Admission to Courses Creditable Toward an Associate Degree Procedures

1. To be eligible for admission to courses creditable toward an Associate Degree, first-time college students must meet one of the following criteria:
   1. Applicants who hold a diploma (evidenced by an official transcript) issued by a regionally and/or state accredited high school are eligible for admission.
   2. Applicants who have attended a nonaccredited high school may be admitted upon presentation of a diploma (evidenced by an official transcript) indicating successful completion of courses of study on the secondary level.
   3. Applicants who cannot comply with either of the above conditions may be admitted upon presentation of a Certificate of High School Equivalency (GED Certificate) evidenced by an official copy of scores from testing site. Applicant must hold the GED Certificate prior to the term of enrollment.

 Students who meet one of these criteria will be classified as “Degree-Eligible” students. The College may establish additional admission requirements to specific courses or occupational degree programs when student enrollment must be limited or to assure ability to benefit.

Admission of International Students Procedures (Approved for Bay Minette, Fairhope, and Gulf Shores campuses)

1. International student applications are not eligible for conditional admission status. International students must meet all qualifications and provide all documents listed on the application packet, including proof of English proficiency such as the required Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score before they can be issued an I-20 form. Prior to being issued an I-20 Form, International Students must contact the Office of Admissions. Coastal Alabama Community College is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.
2. Application Deadline: All international applications must be submitted six months prior to the beginning of the semester for which the applicant hopes to gain admittance. Applications that are not turned in six months prior to the beginning of the term may not be considered for admittance.
3. Notification: Applicants are notified of decisions regarding admission to the College as soon as possible after all required documents are received by the Admissions Office. The I-20 Form and a letter of acceptance for admission will be mailed to each applicant who meets the requirements.

Admission of Transfer Students Procedures

1. General Transfer Admission Requirements: Student applicants who have previously attended another regionally accredited postsecondary institution will be considered transfer students and will be required to furnish official transcripts of all work attempted at all said institutions. Coastal Alabama may also require of transfer students those documents required of first-time college students. Transfer students who meet requirements for admission to courses creditable toward an associate degree will be classified as “Degree-Eligible” students. Transfer students who do not meet these requirements will be classified as “Non-Degree-Eligible” students.
2. Unconditional Admission of Transfer Students: For Unconditional Admission, transfer students must have submitted to the College an application for admission and official transcripts from all regionally accredited post-secondary institutions attended and any other documents required for first-time college students.
   
   Applicants who have completed the Bachelor’s Degree will be required to submit only the transcript from the institution granting the Bachelor’s Degree.
3. Conditional Admission of Transfer Students: Transfer students who do not have on file official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended and any additional documents required by the institution may be granted Conditional Admission. No transfer students will be allowed to enroll for a second semester unless all required admissions records have been received by the College prior to registration for the second semester. If all required admissions records have not been received by the College prior to issuance of first-semester grades, the grades will be reported on the transcript, but the transcript will read CONTINUED ENROLLMENT DENIED PENDING RECEIPT OF ADMISSIONS RECORDS. This notation will be removed from the transcript only upon receipt of all required admissions records.
4. Initial Academic Status of Transfer Students: Transfer students whose cumulative grade point average at the transfer institution(s) is 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale will be admitted on Clear academic status.
   
   Transfer students whose cumulative grade point average at the transfer institution(s) is less than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale will be admitted only on Academic Probation. The transcript will read ADMITTED ON ACADEMIC PROBATION.
   
   Applicants who have been academically suspended from another regionally accredited postsecondary institution may be admitted as transfer students only after following the appeal process established at the institution for “native” students who have been academically suspended. If transfer students are admitted upon appeal, they will enter the institution on Academic Probation. Their transcript will read ADMITTED UPON APPEAL—ACADEMIC PROBATION. Refer to the Appeal to Admissions/Academic Standards Committee Form at https://www.coastalalabama.edu/admissions-aid/admission-resources/.

Admission of Transient Students Procedures

1. Students who are currently attending another accredited college or university and who are in good standing may be admitted to Coastal Alabama Community College as transient students. Transient students in good standing must provide written authorization from the postsecondary institution in which they are currently enrolled stating that courses selected at Coastal Alabama have been approved for transferable credit. The transient form must be submitted at the same time the student applies for admission.
2. Transient Applicants must complete the online Application for Admission and Applicants must request that an official “Letter of Transiency,” properly signed by the Dean or Registrar at the postsecondary institution in which they are currently enrolled.

Readmission Procedures

1. Requirements to Readmission: Former students who have not attended Coastal Alabama for one or more semesters (excluding summer semester) are required to apply for readmission, including military service members. Applicants who have been admitted previously, but who did not enroll, will be required to apply for readmission. Students who are seeking readmission must complete an Application for Admission on our website. Students seeking readmission must request that any postsecondary institution attended since leaving Coastal Alabama Community College submit official transcripts.
2. Admission Appeals: Applicants who have been suspended from another institution for academic reasons will not be considered for admission except upon appeal to the Admissions/Academic Standards Committee at https://www.coastalalabama.edu/admissions-aid/admission-resources/. All written requests must be received in the above referenced office by the first day of class of the term applicants are seeking to enroll to be considered for admission to the College for said term.

Additional Provisions / Information:

There are no Additional Provisions / Information applicable to this policy.