Undergraduate Admissions Policy
Sponsor: |
Office of Academic Affairs |
|---|---|
Contact: |
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs |
Category: |
Academic |
Number: |
100.018 |
Effective Date: |
07/01/2012 |
Implementation History: |
Policy on admissions assessment approved May, 2009; prior policy on undergraduate admissions approved March 2001. |
Keywords: |
Admission, Academic Skills Assessment, Orientation, Secondary Assessment |
Background Information: |
This policy updates the March 2001 version and integrates the 2009 policy on skills assessment in the admissions process. |
Purpose
Part of the mission of Empire State College is to provide access to higher education for individuals who benefit from alternatives to the traditional time, place and form of higher education. The college’s admission policy advances that aspect of the mission.
Definitions
Applicant: An individual who has initiated the college’s application process but has not received an admissions decision.
Dual Admission: Dual admission provides guaranteed admission for a community college student who earns an associate degree in a program identified in an agreement between a community college and an institution offering bachelor’s degrees. Such agreements typically require a minimum grade point average above 2.0 and other academic requirements may be specified in the agreement.
Joint Admission: A joint admission program is one in which the student is admitted simultaneously to a community college and an upper-division institution upon enrolling at the community college. It provides a guaranteed transfer to the upper-level college upon completion of the associates degree program at the community college, so long as specific requirements are met, such as a minimum grade point average above 2.0, successful completion of specific courses or other requirements. The upper-level institution often provides academic advisement and counseling during the first two years at the community college.
Matriculation: An admitted student’s date of matriculation is the start date of the first term of enrollment after admission. A matriculated student is a student who has begun study toward a degree.
Orientation: The college provides an introduction to its educational philosophy, academic and administrative policies and procedures, initial exploration of student interests and goals, and assessment and advice about academic skills and strategies for academic success. Each newly admitted student is invited to an orientation workshop. While the orientation process may extend over a new student’s first year of study, attendance at a pre-enrollment orientation workshop is required before the student is permitted to enroll for study.
Undergraduate Admission: If an individual has completed the application process, including academic skills assessment, and meets all admissions requirements, the individual is admitted. Upon admission, a student is invited to a pre-enrollment orientation workshop.
Statements
The college reviews each application for admission to determine the match between the applicant’s needs and goals and the college’s resources. Admission shall be without regard to sex, age, race and ethnicity, color, religion, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, military status or marital status.
Admission Requirements
Requirements for undergraduate admission are:
- A completed application with official transcripts, all other required documentation, and the required, nonrefundable orientation fee,
- Official transcript of a high school diploma or its equivalent,
- Ability to pursue college-level work as demonstrated by an academic assessment in the application process,
The college’s admissions office makes the admissions decision, consulting as specified in this policy, and communicates the admission decision to applicants.
The college reserves the right to deny admission based on its inability to meet an applicant’s needs. An applicant wishing to secure certain professional licenses or certifications may be denied admission if the college does not offer such programs.
Applicants for undergraduate certificate programs complete the same application form, including the admissions essay, as applicants for degree programs.
An applicant is required to participate in a secondary assessment prior to the admissions decision if:
- the skills assessment built into the application review indicates that further information is needed to determine the applicant’s ability to succeed in college-level work,
The secondary assessment may include both direct skills assessment and review of the applicant’s recent academic history.
If the secondary assessment indicates that the applicant’s skills are insufficient to derive benefit from the college’s academic support services, the admissions office is informed that the applicant should be denied admission. If the secondary assessment supports a positive admissions decision, the admissions office is informed and sends an acceptance letter. A student admitted after a secondary assessment may be required to participate in and successfully complete a skills development course/workshop prior to or during the first term of enrollment.
Undergraduate students who have been admitted to the college are required to complete the college’s pre-enrollment orientation process before being permitted to register for credit-bearing studies.
Admitted applicants may register for enrollment at any time up to three calendar years from the date of their pre-enrollment orientation. After that time, they must reapply.
An applicant has one year from the submission of the application form to complete the admissions process, which requires that the application submit all required documentation, pay the required, nonrefundable orientation fee, undergo the secondary assessment if required, and attend a pre-enrollment orientation workshop. If the application process is not completed within that year, the application expires.
Application for a Second Degree at the Same Level
A student seeking to earn a second Empire State College associate degree or a second Empire State College bachelor’s degree must complete the entire application process for the second degree. A second associate or a second bachelor’s degree plan must meet a significantly different educational objective from the first degree.
Reapplication to the College
Students who have engaged in matriculated enrollment may re-enroll up to three calendar years from the end date of their last enrollment. Students who wish to re-enroll after this time must reapply and satisfy all the requirements for admission in effect at that time.
An applicant denied admission to the college may reapply no earlier than one year after the most recent application date.
An individual who submitted an application but did not complete the admissions process within one year may submit a new application. The applicant must satisfy all the requirements for admission in effect at the time of submission of the re-application.
Joint/Dual Admissions
The college may enter an agreement with another college for joint admission (sometimes called dual admission), in which a student accepted in the partner college is also admitted to Empire State College contingent upon successful completion of the requirements of the partner college. In such agreements, Empire State College applies the same admissions requirements as for general admissions and may include additional requirements.
Applicable Legislation and Regulations
Related References, Policies, Procedures, Forms and Appendices
Second Bachelor’s Degree Policy