Individuals are eligible for admission to the college if they are high school graduates or the equivalent, or if they are eighteen years of age or older and able to benefit from study at the college. High school students (juniors and seniors) may enroll as non-curricular students with a signed permission form from their high school.

The College reserves the right to evaluate and document special cases and to refuse or revoke admission if the college determines that the applicant or student poses a threat, is a potential danger, is significantly disruptive to the college community, or if such refusal or revocation is considered to be in the best interest of the College. The College also reserves the right to refuse admission for applicants that have been expelled or suspended from another college, which has determined the applicant to be a threat, potential danger, or significantly disruptive.

Disclosure of your social security number is not required, but is highly recommended. Disclosure ultimately will be required for most students at the time of enrollment, per § 6050S of the Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, or at the time of disbursement of federal financial aid, per 34 Code of Federal Regulations Part 668.36. Section 23-2.2:1 of the Code of Virginia also authorizes the Virginia Community College System to collect student social security numbers and other personally identifiable information prior to a student’s enrollment, and requires it to transmit enrollment data electronically to the State Police. However, the VCCS will only use your social security number in accordance with federal and state reporting requirements, and for identification purposes within the VCCS. It shall not permit further disclosure unless required or authorized by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, or pursuant to your obtained consent.

Inquiries and requests for information pertaining to admission to the College should be addressed to:

Admissions & Records Office 

Curricular Students

Curricular students are those who wish to pursue, on a full- or part-time basis, the completion of a degree or certificate offered by the College. For curricular students, the following items are required for admission:

• A completed RCC Application for Admission.
• A completed college placement test.
• An official high school or GED transcript for students pursuing the Associate Degree in Nursing or the Practical Nursing programs.
• Students that have completed secondary school in a home school setting must provide a graduation date and documentation of coursework.
• Official transcripts from any colleges/universities (other than VCCS colleges) for which the student is seeking transfer credit.
• A completed VCCS Transfer Evaluation Request Form for any VCCS college for which the student is seeking transfer credit.
• Additional information may be required by the college for admission to specific programs.

Non-curricular Students

Non-curricular students are those who do not currently intend to apply credits toward completion of a program of study (degree or certificate) offered by the College. A non-curricular student is, therefore, not formally admitted to one of the curricula. For non-curricular students, the following items are required for admission:

• A completed RCC Application for Admission.
• A completed college placement test.

Assessment/Placement

Placement testing is required prior to enrolling in classes. The placement test is a comprehensive test that will assess the student’s ability in reading, writing, and math. This test is designed to help place students into appropriate courses needed to ensure student success.

The test is required of all new students who plan to:

• seek a degree or certificate,
• receive financial aid,
• take dual-enrollment courses while in high school,
• enter the first semester of courses that have mathematics or English as a pre-requisite (this may include transfer students from other colleges or universities who do not have documented credit in either college level mathematics or English).

Placement test scores are valid for 2 years. Recent high school graduates who have an SAT score of 520 in mathematics are exempt from the mathematics placement test. Students who have been to another college or university and completed a BA or BS degree are exempt from placement testing. Students who have been to another college or university and have completed college level math and/or English courses with a grade of “C” or above may be exempt from testing. Students must provide college transcripts (unofficial copy) or test information (SAT or ACT) as documentation for a waiver of the placement test requirement.

Readmission

A student in “good academic standing” who interrupts his/her enrollment at the College for more than three years is required to submit a new online application for admission prior to registering for classes.

An applicant who applies for admission but does not enroll in classes within one year (three consecutive terms) is required to submit a new online application for admission prior to registering for classes.

Admission to Specific Curricula

In addition to the general admission requirements, specific requirements for each program of the college are prescribed by each department. Specific requirements for each program are listed in the Programs of Study section of this catalog. Admission to some courses is available only when the student meets the prerequisite requirements for the course. Students who do not meet the academic requirement for a specific program may become eligible to enter the program by completing a developmental studies program prescribed by the college. Students applying for admission to an Associate Degree program (Associate of Arts & Sciences or Associate of Applied Science) must be high school graduates or the equivalent, and must have achieved a placement test score which indicates readiness for college-level course work, or have completed an approved developmental studies program.

In determining eligibility for admission to a program, educational and occupational experiences of the student and other reasonable standards may be considered to ensure that the student possesses the potential to meet the program requirement.

This page was last modified on July 19, 2012. If you are looking for previous catalog information, please reference the 2006-2007 Catalog, 2008-2010 Catalog, 2010-2012 Catalog.