Who's Eligible? | Home School Students | International Students | Transfer Students | Admission to Specified Curricula | Admission Priority
A person is eligible for admission to WCC if the individual is:
- A high school graduate or GED recipient
- A non-high school graduate 18 years of age or older and able to benefit from a program at WCC
- A transfer student from an accredited college or university
- A student who is enrolled in high school at the junior or senior level may attend WCC as part of the Dual Enrollment Program or with the high school principal's permission
Wytheville Community College reserves the right to evaluate and document special cases and to refuse admisison if the college determines that the applicant is a threat or a potential danger to the college community or if such refusal is considered to be in the best interest of the college.
Enrollment of Home School Students
Wytheville Community College admissions policies address students who have high school diplomas or the equivalent or who are at least 18 years of age and able to benefit from the College experience. The policies also address students who are less than 18 years of age and who are currently enrolled in a secondary school. The College will also consider the admission of students who are less than 18 years of age and do not have a high school diploma, who are not attending a public or private school, and who are documented as "home school students." These students may be accepted at Wytheville Community College as described below. The program of studies for such admitted students is considered an enrichment to their home school program. It is not intended to substitute for the home school experience.
The following policies and procedures will apply to the enrollment of home school students:
- An applicant for admission who does not have a high school diploma and is not at least 18 years of age is required to demonstrate, prior to enrollment, appropriate basic skills equal to those expected of other entering students.
- All enrolled students are subject to all of the rules, policies, and procedures of the College pertaining to attendance, confidentiality of records, conduct, etc., as described in the WCC Catalog and Student Handbook.
- Students who are home schooled must provide current documentation (letters to/from school system or state) that they are "home school students" to the Office of Admissions and Records prior to enrollment in the College.
- The home school student must meet with a College counselor to discuss enrollment prior to registration.
- The College counselor will make a recommendation to the Vice President of Instruction and Student Development or designee concerning approval of the student's request for course enrollment. All subsequent registrations as a "home school student" will require the approval of a College counselor.
The home school student is subject to the same basic skills assessment requirements as are other enrolling students and may be required to complete appropriate developmental courses.
Admission Requirements for International Students
International students are defined as persons who are not citizens of the United States and who hold either temporary or permanent visas. International students applying to the College for admission must hold a valid visa as determined by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services.
All international students on F-1 visas who have entered the United States to study at another college, university, or language school must have a release form (I-538) from that institution showing successful completion of at least one term’s work before admission to Wytheville Community College.
All international students requiring an I-20 form and all holders of F-2 visas seeking enrollment are required to:
- Have the equivalent of an American high school diploma. Certified translations into English of all official transcripts and records of previous educational experiences must be sent to WCC by the originating institution.
- Submit documentation that the applicant possesses health insurance.
- Submit verification of financial support by completing the Foreign Student's Financial Aid and Declaration issued by the College. The form may be obtained from the WCC Admissions and Records Office.
- Submit a minimal score of 500 on the "Test of English as a Foreign Language" (TOEFL).
- Submit all appropriate forms and test scores 60 days prior to regular registration for the semester of requested enrollment. Required forms and test information are available in the Admissions and Records Office. Students will not be admitted until all general and special requirements for admission are complete
Students for whom an I-20 form has been submitted must maintain full-time status.
Admission of Student Transferring from Other Colleges
A student transferring from another college and eligible for reentry to that college is usually eligible for admission to Wytheville Community College. Students ineligible to return to particular curricula at other colleges generally will not be allowed to enroll at Wytheville Community College until one semester elapses. For transfer students not eligible to return to their previous institutions and seeking admission to particular curricula, the Academic and Student Affairs Council of the College will decide each case prior to the beginning of the semester and may impose special conditions for the admission of such students, including placement on academic probation.
A student transferring from another college must consult the Admissions and Records Office at Wytheville Community College for an assessment of credits before registering for classes. The college accepts transfer credits from other similarly accredited institutions. A student must have earned a grade of "C" or higher in any course for which credit is granted; the course or its equivalent should be listed and described in the VCCS Curriculum Guide, and it must be applicable to the curriculum in which the student is enrolled. Transfer students may be advised to repeat courses if it is clearly necessary in order for them to make satisfactory progress in their curricula. Grades and GPA earned at other colleges do not transfer and are not part of the student's permanent record at WCC.
Admission to Specified Curricula
In addition to the general admission requirements, there are usually specific requirements for each curriculum at Wytheville Community College. These specific requirements are listed in the Academic Plan Offerings section of the college catalog an in the Programs of Study section of the web site. It is policy not to admit a student to a curriculum unless that student meets all of the listed requirements for that curriculum. Persons who do not meet the academic requirements for a specific curriculum may become eligible after they have completed Developmental Studies.
A non-curricular student may be required to submit transcripts from colleges and universities attended; however, transcripts are required if the student’s status changes from non-curricular to curricular student.
When enrollments must be limited for any curriculum, priority shall be given to all qualified applicants who are residents of the political subdivisions supporting the college and to Virginia residents not having access to that curriculum at their local community college, provided such students apply for admission to the program by the deadline established by the college. In addition, residents of localities with which the college has clinical-site or other agreements may receive equal consideration for admission.
WCC Policy Related to Legislation Regarding Admissions
Section 23-2.2:1 of the Code of Virginia requires that the VCCS send enrollment information to the Virginia State Police concerning applicants to institutions of higher education. This information is transmitted electronically and compared against the Virginia Criminal Information Network and National Crime Information Center Convicted Sexual Offender Registry. Language on the web application informs applicants that their information is being transmitted to the State Police.
In the event that the State Police determine that an applicant to Wytheville Community College is listed on the Sex Offender Registry, the State Police will notify WCC. When the college receives such a notification, the following procedures apply:
- The applicant will be denied admission to WCC in
accordance with its admission policy as published
in its catalog:
Admission Denied/Revoked: Admission to the college, or to college functions or activities, may be denied or revoked to individuals who are unable to demonstrate safe and/or non-disruptive conduct.
- If the applicant registers for classes and becomes a
student before the college receives notification from
the State Police, the student will be immediately
informed that he/she is being administratively
withdrawn from classes and will receive a refund.
- An applicant may invoke his/her right to an appeal process.
Appeal Process for Denial of Admission or Withdrawal for Convicted Sex Offender
When a convicted sex offender is denied admission to
or is administratively withdrawn from classes at Wytheville
Community College, he/she may invoke the following appeal process:
- The applicant or withdrawn student will receive a
letter from the Dean of Student Services stating his/her denial of admission or administrative
withdrawal.
- The applicant/withdrawn student may write a letter
of appeal to the Dean of Student Services in which
he/she provides the following information:- Disclosure of the nature of the offense for which he/she has been convicted;
- Justification for consideration of admission/reinstatement;
- Statement acknowledging his/her understanding
that his/her identity and status as a convicted
sex offender will be publicized on the college
campus in accordance with federal and state law
if he/she is admitted or reinstated.
Note: If a student is appealing a denial of admission or an administrative withdrawal, he/she must submit the letter of appeal to the Dean of Student Services within seven (7) calendar days of the administrative withdrawal.
- A panel of the Dean of Student Services and two
other full-time faculty or administrators will review
the information submitted and make a decision by a
simple majority vote within fourteen (14) calendar
days of receiving the letter of appeal. The Dean of
Student Services will serve as the convener of the
panel and will be a member of the panel.
- The Dean of Student Services will inform the applicant/withdrawn student by letter of the decision of the appeals panel. The decision of the appeals panel shall be final.
Any applicant who is beyond the age of compulsory school attendance and has not been awarded a high school diploma or the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma must meet one of the following criteria to establish eligibility to benefit from instruction at WCC. Applicants who have been awarded differentiated high school diplomas must also meet one of these criteria:
- An 11th grade SCAT score of at least 25 or another recognized, standardized test score of at least the 25th percentile;
- Assessment of writing, reading, and math by the college;
- Successful completion of a training program in the United States Armed Forces in the field that the student plans to enter at WCC;
- At least 3 years of work experience in the field that the student plans to study at WCC;
- Successful completion of at least 12 credit hours at an institution of higher education with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a four-point scale;
- If an applicant does not meet one of the preceding criteria, the person’s formal and informal educational experiences, work experiences, and other pertinent qualities will be evaluated by the Admissions Officer. Recommendations from a professional educator or an agency such as the Department of Rehabilitative Services, Veterans Administration, or Social Services, or from previous employers which testify to the potential student’s abilities will be considered. Based upon all available information, the Admissions Officer will determine whether or not the applicant has the ability to benefit from instruction at WCC. The Admissions Officer’s written decision and supporting documents will be filed in the applicant’s admission folder.
The applicant will be notified of the decision regarding admission and will receive appropriate counseling regarding any deficiencies and/or special conditions if admission to the college is granted.
Any student who has been denied admission to WCC may send an explanation in writing to the chairperson of the Admissions and Standards Committee for consideration of appeal of the case. A recommendation from the committee will be submitted to the college President for approval.