Admissions

Admission Requirements for New ACC Students

Admission to Semester-Hour Credit Programs
Austin Community College maintains an “open door” admissions policy. However, an assessment of basic skills is required for all new semester-hour college credit-seeking students. Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to all programs of the college. Specialized programs have their own admissions procedures and students are advised of their status by the department. Certain programs must limit enrollment because of limited space or special equipment needs. Transfer students’ college credits previously completed at accredited institutions of higher education will be evaluated for transfer and may be applied toward a degree program at Austin Community College. An official transcript is required from each college attended.

Who Is Eligible for Admissions
A student may be admitted to the college according to any one of the following conditions:
· Be a graduate of an accredited high school or have a GED certificate.
· A person who is 18 years of age or over may be exempt from the above admission requirements and admitted on “Individual Approval” if he or she can demonstrate the ability to benefit from instruction. Applicants wishing to be admitted under ‘Individual Approval’ status must complete a waiver form, which may be obtained from the Student Services Office on any ACC campus.
The Campus Dean of Student Services will review the case with the academic program coordinator and make a recommendation to the Director of Admissions and Records for final approval.
· A student who has completed his/her sophomore year of high school may, upon the recommendation of the high school principal, be permitted to enroll in the college. The class load of such a student may not exceed a total of seven courses a year including high school and college courses.

Admission Procedure

Applicants to ACC need to:
1. Complete an ACC application form.
2. Provide a record of previous educational experience.
3. High school juniors and seniors wishing to enroll concurrently must submit appropriate documents.
4. Submit an official high school transcript demonstrating that they have earned a regular high school diploma, if they are high school graduates.
5. Submit copies of their GED certificates, if they are GED graduates.
6. Submit official transcripts from each institution attended, if they have attended other colleges.
7. Meet with an advisor to determine TASP status. All ACC students, unless exempt or TASP waived, must take the TASP test or the TASP alternative test before enrolling at ACC. Results of these tests will not be a condition of admission but will be used for placement purposes. See the Assessment and Testing section of the catalog for additional information.
8. Arrange to attend a new student orientation session.

Academic Fresh Start
An applicant to Austin Community College who is a Texas resident may seek to enter pursuant to the “academic fresh start” statute, Texas Education Code, 51.929. If the applicant informs the admissions office in writing of the election at the time of application to the college, ACC will not consider academic course credits or grades earned by the applicant 10 or more years prior to the starting date of the semester in which the applicant seeks to enroll. Applicants who choose to apply under this statute may not receive any course credit for courses taken 10 or more years prior to enrollment.

Returning ACC Students

It is not necessary for current and former students to reapply for admission. However, all holds must be removed from a returning student’s record prior to re-enrollment. A former student not enrolled for a year or more and returning to ACC is required to:
1. Complete a new residency information form,
2. Update address and major, when applicable, and
3. Submit official transcripts from all colleges attended since the student’s last enrollment at ACC.

Early College Start for High School Students

Austin Community College recognizes that certain high school students may benefit from taking Early College Start courses or programs identified by their high school principal or counselor. The College may enter into such agreements with secondary school districts and charter schools, subject to all applicable state regulations.
High school students seeking admission must meet all ACC admissions criteria and follow the process outlined for Early College Start enrollment. Early College Start registration forms may be obtained by students from their high school or any ACC admissions office. Early College Start students must be juniors or seniors and are limited to two ACC courses per semester. Students who enroll for more than two courses will be dropped by the ACC Early College Start Office.
High school students enrolled at ACC are subject to all College requirements regarding assessment, admissions, academic standards, and conduct.

Co-enrollment. Public high school/charter school juniors and seniors residing in the College’s service area, upon the recommendation of their high school counselor and principal, and with parental approval, may enroll at ACC for up to two college-level courses per semester. Upon receiving a passing grade in a college-credit course, the high school students may be awarded credits toward high school graduation. ACC waives tuition and fees for juniors and seniors enrolled in public/charter schools under the provisions of the Texas Education Code section 130.008; home-schooled students and students in private high schools are not eligible for the tuition/fees waiver. Tuition and fees for developmental education courses may not be waived for any student.

Credit-in-Escrow. Credit-in-escrow applies to a course that is part of a Tech-Prep Articulation Agreement between a public high school and ACC. After high school graduation, the student continues the program of study at ACC and is awarded college credit-in-escrow for some high school courses identified in the Agreement. Students must complete at least one ACC college course before the credit-in-escrow will be recorded.

Admission to Health Science Programs
For specific admission information see http://www2.austin.cc.tx.us/hltsci/

Health Science programs with additional admission requirements include the following:

• Diagnostic Medical Imaging—Sonography
• Diagnostic Medical Imaging—Radiology (formerly Radiologic Technology)
• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Surgical Technology
• Nursing (Associate Degree—R.N.)
• Vocational Nursing (Certificate—LVN)
• Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Emergency Medical Services Technology (formerly Paramedic Technology).

Admission to any one of these programs requires satisfactory completion of a specific screening process, which may include a criminal background check. The screening criteria has been established due to the nature of the programs and the limited number of clinical placements available within the city of Austin and in surrounding communities.

• Applicants to the Vocational Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing, Surgical Technology, Sonography, Radiology, and Emergency Medical Services Technology programs are required to attend a career Advising and Planning Session prior to being considered for admission.
• Applicants to the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) and Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Programs are required to be interviewed by an Admissions Committee.
• Applicants to some Health Science programs are required to successfully complete the ACC assessment test which is designed to measure reading skills, writing skills, and math skills. The results of this assessment test are used to assist students to identify their strengths and weaknesses in relation to Health Care Careers. Students may strengthen their basic English, Reading, and mathematics skills by taking developmental courses at ACC. Students who are interested in Health Science programs should contact an ACC Assessment Office on one of the campuses to schedule the assessment test

  New Student Orientation
  www3.austin.cc.tx.us/orientation/

  New student orientation programs, coordinated through the counseling and advising offices, help new students to successfully transition to college. To increase the chances that students will succeed at ACC, the college requires all new students who have not completed 15 hours of college courses to attend a new student orientation session.
  

  Change of Name, Address,
  Social Security Number or Major
  Students who change their name, address, social security number or major must submit a change form to a campus Admissions Office immediately. Items mailed to the address on file are considered properly delivered by ACC. Addresses provided by students must be their current home addresses.
  

  Immunization
  The Texas Department of Health urges immunization for diphtheria, rubeola, rubella, mumps, tetanus, and poliomyelitis prior to being admitted to school. The Admissions and Records Office has information on providers of local immunization services. Health Science students have additional immunization requirements. Information about these requirements is available from individual ACC departments or the Travis county Health Department.
  

  Residency Requirements
  To be considered a Texas resident, students must legally establish residence in Texas for the 12 months preceding their enrollment and either be U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status.
  
  1. An in-district student is an individual who is a resident of Texas and resides in the ACC tax district, based on the address on file at ACC at the time of registration. Addresses in the Austin, Leander, and Manor Independent School Districts are part of the ACC tax district.
  2. An out-of-district student is an individual who is a resident of Texas, either as a US Citizen or with permanent resident status, and resides outside the ACC tax district, based on the address on file at ACC at the time of registration.
  3. An out-of-state student is an individual who has not resided in Texas for the 12 months preceding registration, or whose permanent resident card is less than 12 months old.
  4. International students should consult the International Student Office about residency requirements.
  
  Property owners and their dependents living outside the ACC tax district who paid valorem taxes to ACC are eligible for in-district tuition. A current property tax statement is required for verification. Property owners on most temporary visas are not eligible for this classification.
  The responsibility for registering under the proper residency classification is that of the student. Any question concerning this classification should be clarified with the Admissions and Records Office prior to enrollment. Rules and regulations for determining residence status are defined under Title 3 of the Texas Education Code. To determine the appropriate residency classification, Austin Community College is required to review enrollment documents for errors, inconsistencies or misclassifications of residency. If a misclassification occurs, the College will take the necessary steps to see that appropriate adjustments are made. Additional documentation of Texas residency may be required if the college determines that the information given on the enrollment documents is not adequate to prove residency.
  

  Transfer of Credit to Austin Community College
  Credit for courses satisfactorily completed at other accredited colleges and universities will be evaluated and may be transferred to Austin Community College to fulfill requirements toward a degree program. The student must have earned a grade of C or above in the course for the course to transfer. If a grade of D has been earned in a course that the student is attempting to transfer, the student is encouraged to see an adviser or the dean. Grades of A,B,C,D and F will be utilized in calculating the Grade Point Average (GPA) of course work from the sending institution. W’s will not be used to calculate GPA. A course-by-course evaluation will be completed by the Admissions Office when necessary. Students must complete at least one course in residence before evaluation results will be recorded on the official transcript. Official transcripts will be evaluated within one semester after they have been received by ACC. An official transcript is required for each college attended. Transcript request forms are available at any ACC Admissions Office.
  

  Resolving Transfer Disputes for Lower-Division Courses
  The procedures outlined below shall be followed as prescribed by Texas Education Code Section 1.078 (Chapter 5, Subchapter 5, Section 5.393) regarding transfer curricula and transfer credit.
  1. Should Austin Community College not accept the course credit earned by a student at another institution of higher education, ACC will give written notice to the student and to the other institution that the transfer of the course credit is denied.
  2. ACC, the other institution and the student will attempt to resolve the transfer of the course credit in accordance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board guidelines.
  3. If the transfer dispute is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the institution at which the credit was earned within 45 days after the date the student received written notice of the denial, ACC will notify the Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Texas of the denial and the reason for the denial.
  4. The Commissioner of Higher Education or the Commissioner’s designee shall make the final determination about a dispute concerning the transfer of course credit and give written notice of the determination to the involved student and the institutions.