Admission

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Testing  New Student Orientation Admission Requirements College Graduates

Specific Admission Procedures Auditing a Course Changing Course Status Academic Advising

Legislation requires students entering Texas public colleges and universities be assessed for reading, mathematics and writing skills before they enroll in any collegiate course work for credit, unless exempt.

Texas Success Initiative

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) was established in 2003 by TEC code 51.307. TSI is designed to ensure that students have the academic skills necessary for effective performance in college-level course work. Assessments used at Amarillo College for TSI purposes are THEA (Texas Higher Education Assessment) and ACCUPLACER. Results of these assessments are used by advisors to place students into appropriate course work and to help students achieve academic success at Amarillo College. Assessments are administered by Testing Services located in Room 101 in the Student Service Center. Testing schedules may be obtained in Testing Services or by accessing the Testing Services web page at www.actx.edu/testing.

SUMMARY OF TSI REQUIREMENTS

1. Each student, unless otherwise exempt, who enters Amarillo College to complete a Level-Two certificate or an Associate degree must be assessed in reading, writing and mathematics skills prior to enrolling in any college-level coursework.
   Students enrolling in a Level-One certificate program must adhere to the testing requirements dictated by each program before enrolling. Students need to see their program advisors for testing requirements.
2. High school students are subject to the following guidelines:
   1. A high school student who enrolls in dual credit courses or is concurrently enrolled in both high school and college courses must take a required assessment prior to enrolling in college-level coursework
   2. A high school student who fails to achieve the minimum passing standard may not take college level classes related to portions of the test that have not been passed. Additionally, the student may not be required to take developmental classes while in high school.
3. Students who are blind must take a required assessment. Appropriate accommodations are available.
4. Students who are deaf and have taken the Stanford Achievement Test may elect to use these scores or may take any approved test. Students who are blind and/or deaf should be encouraged to see the disAbility Services Coordinator for more information.

TESTING EXEMPTIONS AND EXCEPTIONS

Students in any of the following categories or conditions are exempt from testing:

1. Earned within the last five years a composite score of 23 or higher on the ACT test, with individual English and Math scores of at least 19.
2. Earned within the last five years a composite score of 1070 or higher on the SAT test, with individual Verbal and Math scores of at least 500.
3. Earned within the last three years the following minimum scores on the TAKS (exit-level) test: 2200 in math and/or 2200 in English/Language Arts (ELA) with a writing subscore of at least 3.

• If a student meets all three areas, he/she is exempt from Texas Success Initiative (TSI) testing requirements.
• If a student has the 2200 in math but not the language arts requirement, then he/she is TSI waived in math but must test in reading and writing.
• If a student has the 2200 in Language Arts and the 3+ on the essay but has not met the 2200 in math, then he/she is college ready in reading and writing but must test for math.

4. Possess an Associate or Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
5. A student who transfers to Amarillo College from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and who has satisfactorily completed (C or higher) college-level coursework in math, English and/or reading.
6. Enroll in a Level-One certificate program, a program of 42 or fewer semester credit hours.
   
   Note: Students enrolling in a Level-One certificate program must contact the Program Advisor or Testing Services for required testing and remediation information.
    
7. A student who is not seeking a degree or certificate.

These students:

• must not be seeking a degree or certificate
• must meet all Amarillo College admission requirements
• On application must declare “Educational Goal” to be other than Associate Degree or Certificate of Completion
• cannot receive federal financial aid
• must meet all course and testing prerequisites

8. All exceptions and exemptions are subject to change due to legislative and/or THECB decisions.

MINIMUM PASSING STANDARDS

ACCUPLACER:

• Reading - 78
• Math - 63 (College Level - 75)
• Writing - Essay - 6
  • (or Essay 5 + Objective 80 or Higher)

THEA:

• Reading - 230
• Math - 230 (College Level - 270)
• Writing - 220

Testing Requirements for Certificate Programs

Testing requirements for certificate programs vary. Each level-one certificate program has minimum testing requirements. Contact the program advisor for information.

New students enrolled in eight or more hours are required to complete a New Student Orientation during their first semester of attendance, preferably before they begin classes.  Several options are available:

• Badger Boot Camp - a fun, social, one-day event held during the summer, which includes traditional orientation information as well as activities that will help students become a part of the “AC Family”, meet other students, interact with faculty and staff, learn how to get involved on campus, and adjust to college life.
• In-person New Student Orientation - a two-hour session designed to guide students through the basics of making a successful transition to college and becoming a successful student.
• Online New Student Orientation - an online version of the orientation session designed for distance education students or students whose schedules do not permit attendance in person.

For more information about New Student Orientation and instructions on how to register for sessions, visit www.actx.edu/nso.

Students who transfer to Amarillo College from other colleges with 12 credit hours and at least a 2.0 GPA may be exempt from New Student Orientation requirements.  Call the Advising Center at 806-371-5440 to verify.

New Student Orientation sessions are available specifically for Moore County Campus 806-934-7200, Hereford Campus 806-457-4400, disAbility Services 806-371-5436, and Fine Arts Majors 806-371-5212.

All Students

For admission to all programs, applicants must take the following steps:

• Complete an application for admission.

First Time College Students

• Graduates of accredited high schools must submit to the Registrar’s Office an official high school transcript to verify graduation.
   
• General Educational Development Certificate holders must submit an Official Report of Test Results or a copy of the GED Certificate to the Registrar’s Office.
   
• Persons who have not graduated from an accredited high school or earned a GED, who are 18 years of age or older, will be admitted unconditionally. Testing will be required and developmental coursework will be compulsory if test scores indicate the need for remediation. Additionally, applicants who have not earned a high school diploma or GED must achieve passing scores on an approved test to qualify for federal aid as Ability-to-Benefit (ATB) students. .
   
• Persons age 16 or 17 who are no longer attending a high school program, and who have not earned a GED, may be admitted with approval of the Vice President of Student Affairs. These students will be admitted on probation and advised by the Advising Center staff. Testing will be required as a part of the admission decision. Developmental coursework will be required if test scores indicate the need for remediation. Students who were schooled in a nontraditional setting must provide notarized documentation of course completion.

Amarillo College reserves the right to waive the age policy for students who are enrolled in Dual Credit and other early-college high school programs.

Concurrent High School Students

• High school juniors and seniors seeking early admission must submit written approval from their high school principal or counselor. Concurrent students will be limited to enrollment in no more than two courses per semester. Applicants must provide test scores that demonstrate college-level readiness.
   
• High school students in a nonaccredited or nontraditional setting must be at least age 16 and provide a transcript or notarized statement of courses completed showing at least junior standing. Testing is required to demonstrate college-level reading ability and meet course prerequisites. Students will be advised by Advising Center staff.

Transfer Students

• Certificate and degree seeking students must submit official copies of transcripts from all previous colleges and universities to the Registrar’s Office.
   
• Transfer students who are not enrolling to complete a degree or certificate need only submit an official transcript from the last school attended.
   
• Transfer students who are not on academic suspension at the last institution attended will be admitted unconditionally.
   
• Transcripts become the property of the College and will not be returned to the student or forwarded to another school. If a transcript is received which shows academic suspension from the last school attended after the student has completed enrollment at Amarillo College, the student will be subject to administrative withdrawal with forfeiture of tuition and fees.

Students who have graduated from other institutions and wish to enroll for personal development are not required to submit college transcripts. However, they must complete the Amarillo College Application for Admission and meet all course prerequisites prior to enrollment in individual classes.

International Student and International Transfer Student Admissions

Amarillo College does not issue the I-20 document for F-1 student study. International students who are interested in pursuing higher education in the vicinity of Amarillo, Texas are invited to consider the following institutions:

Clarendon College :  http://www.clarendoncollege.edu/
Frank Phillips College:  http://www.fpctx.edu/
West Texas A&M University:  http://www.wtamu.edu/.

In addition to the general Amarillo College admission requirements, students must meet additional admission criteria as outlined in the following information:

• Students seeking admission to the following programs must meet additional admission requirements as stated in the individual program guidelines. These programs are: Associate Degree Nursing, Dentist Aide, Dental Hygiene, Fire Protection Technology, Medical Data Specialist, Medical Laboratory Technology, Mortuary Science, Nuclear Medicine, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Paramedicine Technology, Pharmacy Technology, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiation Therapy, Radiography, Respiratory Care, Surgical Technology, and Vocational Nursing.
   
• All students majoring in the health-care fields must provide documented proof that they have been immunized prior to program admission. Students in Allied Health and Nursing should consult their program chair regarding mandatory immunization requirements.

Acceptance of Transfer Course Work

• Standard academic credits are accepted from colleges and universities accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations. Amarillo College also accepts credits from colleges and universities that are accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. Courses in which a grade of “D” was earned will not be accepted as transfer credits at Amarillo College unless the overall GPA from the institution which issued those grades is 2.0 or higher.
   
• Transferability disputes between state-supported institutions within Texas will be handled in accordance with the guidelines published by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Issues which cannot be resolved between institutions will be reported to the Commissioner of the Coordinating Board for resolution.

Students seeking to audit courses must apply and meet all admission requirements. The student must have permission of the instructor or the department chair in order to audit a class. Having received this permission, they may register on an audit basis at the close of regular registration and then only if space is available. No college credit is awarded for courses that are audited and a grade of “AU” (audit) will be assigned. The cost of auditing courses is the same as registration for credit. Auditors are entitled to attend class and may participate in class discussions and other class activities at the discretion of the instructor. Laboratory courses, skill and individual instruction courses, and clinical courses are not suitable for audit. Approval for audit is valid only for the class and semester specified and is not transferable. Students who elect to enroll on an audit basis may not subsequently change to a credit status.

Changing from Credit to Audit Status

Students who are enrolled for credit may change to audit status no later than the census date for each semester or term. Refer to your WebAdvisor account for this date. Permission of the instructor is required. The election to change to audit status will be irreversible. No credit will be awarded and a grade of “AU” (audit) will be assigned.

Adding a Course

To add a course, students must consult an academic advisor. Students may add a course only with the approval of the academic advisor. If a fee is required, the charge is paid at the Assistance Center or other campus Service Centers. No add is official until the student submits the appropriate form to the Assistance Center.

Withdrawing from a Course

It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a course. Failure to withdraw may result in a grade of “F” for the course. A grade of “W” will be given for student-initiated withdrawals that are submitted on or before the withdrawal deadline. (Please refer to your WebAdvisor account for “My Important Course Section Dates” to obtain withdrawal deadlines.) Students may withdraw via WebAdvisor, by meeting with their academic advisor, by meeting with Advising Department staff or at any of the Assistance Center counters. Withdrawal requests will not be accepted by telephone.

The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time in fall 2007 and later may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career, including courses from which transfer students have withdrawn at other Texas institutions of higher education. There are certain exceptions to this policy and petitions for exceptions should be directed to the Registrar.

Withdrawing from the College

Students who wish to withdraw from all courses must contact the Advising Center, located in the Student Service Center, or an advisor at the West, Moore County, Hereford or East campus. Students may also completely withdraw from classes at any of the assistance centers or on the web.

Amarillo College considers academic advising essential to college success. Advisors assist students with course schedules, academic/career plans as well as transfer and employment information. Students who are new to AC, who are non-degree seeking or who choose General Studies as their major will be provided curriculum information from the advisors in the Advising Department located in the Student Services Center, Suite 130. All other students who declare a specific major will be assigned an advisor for that field of study. In some instances, students are assigned to an advisor based on test scores, admission status or special needs.

While the college provides advising services, some program areas will allow students the option of self-scheduling after proving satisfactory progress. Self-scheduling students are cautioned, however, that it is solely their responsibility to ensure that course choices fulfill their degree requirements.

Students may obtain additional online advising information on the web at www.actx.edu/advising