Admissions, Enrollment & Financial Aid

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center is located in the B.E. Mendenhall Jr., Building. The Center represents Davidson County Community College’s commitment to student success and degree or credential completion. Several important offices that offer significant support for students are located within or close by the Student Success Center.

The College has sought to integrate and conveniently locate services for efficiency and ease of student access.

The Student Success Center includes the following offices: Enrollment, Financial Aid, Student Records, Career Development, and Academic Advising.

Admissions

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

All Curriculum Programs

Any person who is at least 18 years of age and is able to benefit from a program at the College may be admitted as a curriculum student or a special credit student. Admission to a specific course of study is based upon criteria developed to help the student determine his/her chances for success in that course of study. These criteria are followed to prevent loss of student time and effort as a result of unsatisfactory achievement. The College uses academic skills assessments, academic records, and/or other indicators to determine the potential for success in programs offered by the College. Should a student desire a course of study but does not have the appropriate educational background, pre-curriculum studies are available to prepare him/her for the desired program.

The admission process is essentially the same for all students applying for associate degree, diploma, and certificate programs; however, several programs have additional requirements, which are described in the Curriculum Programs section of this catalog. An abbreviated procedure has been developed for Special Credit (non-degree) Students; i.e., students not working towards an associate degree, diploma, and specific certificates from Davidson County Community College. Refer to Special Credit Students Section for more information. Refer to the Continuing Education Programs section for admission information about continuing education courses.

The College welcomes the opportunity to assist each prospective student in evaluating his/her educational and career objectives. Enrollment Services lists its hours on the College website. The website also contains a great deal of useful information available to applicants and students at all times.

The steps in the general admissions process are briefly outlined below and should be followed carefully. All forms and correspondence should be addressed to: Enrollment Services Office, Davidson County Community College, P. O. Box 1287, Lexington, NC 27293-1287.

1. The applicant should complete the online Application for Admission. All application materials are available in the Admissions Office or through the College’s website, www.davidsonccc.edu.
2. The applicant is encouraged to visit the Enrollment Services Center to discuss his/her educational and career objectives and review the necessary planning that is needed to support college enrollment. The Enrollment Services Center is located on the first floor of the B.E. Mendenhall, Jr., Building on the Davidson Campus and the Administrative Building on the Davie Campus
3. The applicant will request and submit his/her high school transcript to the Enrollment Services Office. The applicant may need to remind his/her counselor to send his/her final transcript to the College upon graduation from high school. If the applicant received the GED, he/she will need to have the official GED® Score report sent to the Enrollment Services Office. A final high school transcript or GED must be received in the Enrollment Services Office in order for students to qualify for financial aid.
4. The applicant will request and submit an official transcript of work completed at any previously attended college, university, technical institute, or institution of higher education from which they are seeking placement or prerequisite information or transfer credit. Transcripts should be sent to the Enrollment Services Office. Faxed transcripts are not official, however the College may accept hand-carried copies if they are enclosed in the original sealed college stationery envelope.
5. North Carolina law requires that to qualify for in-state tuition, a legal resident must have maintained his/her permanent domicile in North Carolina for at least the 12 consecutive months immediately prior to his/her application. Accordingly, every applicant for admission or readmission to Davidson County Community College must complete the residency information requested when applying for admission.
6. Applicants who plan to obtain a degree, diploma, or certificate are required to complete assessments in academic skills, and computer skills or submit acceptable scores on the SAT, ACT, Accuplacer, ASSET, Compass, or the North Carolina Diagnostic Assessment and Placement (NC DAP) assessments. Scores may not be more than five years old. Students who provide official transcripts showing completion of certain high school courses with a satisfactory unweighted GPA, college-level English, mathematics, and computer courses completed with a grade of C or better, or completion  of a Bachelor’s degree may be exempt from all or part of the academic or computer skills assessment. Once the applicant submits an application and meets with an Enrollment Advisor, he/she will be instructed to visit the Learning Commons Test Center to take the College’s placement assessment. Walk-in testing is provided during Testing Center hours or appointments can be made by visiting www.davidsonccc.edu/academics/placement-testing.
7. Following completion of the placement assessment, the applicant will make an appointment with his/her academic advisor to discuss the results and begin his/her academic plan.

Admission to specific College programs is determined by available space and assessment criteria established for each program. Information on specific program criteria is available from the Enrollment Services Office and on the website.

Denial of Admission

Davidson County Community College reserves the right, per section 02C.0301(e) and (f) of the NC Administrative Code, to refuse admission to any applicant when there is an articulable, imminent, and significant safety threat to the applicant or other individuals. Decisions to refuse admission are based upon the following definitions:

• Articulable: A community college official can provide specification about what leads the official to conclude that an applicant poses a safety threat. The college official should be able to document specific words or specific actions that create a safety threat for the threat to be articulable.
• Imminent: Statements or actions by an applicant that pose a threat that is likely to occur at any moment.
• Significant: An applicant could cause substantial bodily injury to any person. The State Board of Community Colleges has granted community colleges the authority to determine what is a significant safety threat.

Davidson County Community College has the authority to evaluate whether an applicant has exhibited behavior or made statements that would constitute an articulable, imminent, and significant threat to the applicant or others. The College will not deny admission to any applicant because of any disability the applicant may have.

Upon denial of admission, the applicant will receive a letter including the following information:

• Detailed facts supporting the decision to deny admission;
• The time period in which the applicant will not be admitted and the rationale for determining the time;
• Conditions under which the applicant would be eligible for admission; and
• The process for filing an appeal.

Davidson County Community College also reserves the right, per section 02C.0301 of the NC Administrative Code, to refuse admission to any applicant during any period of time that the student is suspended or expelled from any other educational entity.

Appeal Process

Applicants who have been denied admission and wish to appeal should follow instructions in the College’s General Complaint Policy starting with Step 2.

Admission Requirements for Selected Programs

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

Some programs have specific admissions requirements in addition to those listed below. Additional information is available from the Admissions Office and online at www.davidsonccc.edu.

• Associate Degree Nursing
  • Traditional Option
  • LPN to ADN Option
• Basic Law Enforcement Training
• Cancer Information Management
• Central Sterile Processing
• Cosmetology
• Esthetics Technology
• Health Information Technology
• Healthcare Interpreting
• Histotechnology
• Human Services Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Nurse Aide (Career & College Promise)
• Pharmacy Technology
• Phlebotomy
• Practical Nurse Education
• Surgical Technology
• Truck Driver Training
• Zoo & Aquarium Science

Continuing Education Students

For admission to Continuing Education non-credit courses, it is recommended that the student be at least 18 years of age. Some continuing education courses have special admissions requirements.

International Students

• An international student is defined as one for whom an I-20 (F-1 student visa) form must be issued.
• The College cannot encourage the admission of international students for whom the  lack of permanent residency and/or difficulty with the English language is a factor in adjustment to college work.
• Davidson County Community College is not authorized to issue I-20 forms or accept I-20 transfer students for the Basic Skills, GED®, ESL, or Adult High School programs.
• International students are required to observe the regulations of the United States Department of Homeland Security, as well as those of the College.
• A person holding a student (F-1) visa cannot be classified as a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes and shall be required to pay out-of-state tuition.
• If an international student owes a debt to any College, he/she will not be allowed to enroll at the College the following semester and will thereby jeopardize his/her F-1 student status.
• International students wishing to transfer their I-20 to DCCC from another United States institution must complete all application procedures at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the semester in which they wish to enroll.
• The College is required to enroll all international students in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• Current undocumented residents who have maintained residency in North Carolina for at least 12 months prior to application to DCCC may be eligible for in-state status if the student can provide proof of Application for Permanent U.S. Residency and the letter stating that the Department of Homeland Security has received the application. However, these students may not be eligible for federal or state financial aid.

Admissions Checklist for International Students

1. TOEFL Scores (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
   1. Anyone wishing to apply for admission as an international student whose native language is not English must first make arrangements through the American Consulate in his/her own country to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
   2. No international applicant can be approved for admission (even if he/she meets all other requirements) until a satisfactory score is achieved on the TOEFL exam. For the paper-based TOEFL, a minimum score of 550 is required. For the computer-based TOEFL, a minimum score of 213 is required. For the iBT TOEFL exam, required scores are as follows for each portion of the test: Reading 17; Listening 17; Speaking 16; and Writing 16.
2. DCCC Application for Admission
   1. Some DCCC programs have additional admission requirements.
3. Placement Assessment Scores
   1. Make an appointment to take the DCCC Placement Assessment online or by calling the Davidson Campus at 336.249.8186, extension 6787, or the Davie Campus at 336.751.2885.
   2. Applicants with previous college level English and/or math credits from regionally accredited college may be exempt from taking a portion of the Placement Assessment.
4. Official Transcripts from High School and/or GED and all Colleges attended.
   1. Course work completed at institutions outside of the United States must be submitted with a notarized or certified English translation.
   2. Credential evaluations performed by World Education Services (www.wes.org) are accepted.
5. Evidence of Financial Resources
   1. All international applicants must submit evidence of adequate financial resources to support them throughout their educational program including evidence of satisfactory housing and transportation arrangements.
   2. The documentary evidence must be in the form of either a statement signed by a bank official on bank stationary in English from the individual’s bank in the home country that he/she has access to $9,500 plus out-of-state tuition and fees for one year or a signed notarized statement from the bank of a sponsor who is a U.S. citizen that the sponsor has access to $9,500 plus out-of-state tuition and fees for one year and a signed notarized statement of intent to provide support from the sponsor.
   3. Federal and state funds for financial assistance to international students are not available.

Once all steps above have been completed and verified, the Director, Records and Registration will issue an I-20 (student visa).

Special Credit Students

An applicant to the College who wishes to enroll in one or more credit-curricular course(s) but who does not plan to pursue a degree, diploma, or certificate may be accepted and may enroll as a special credit student. A student who has not completed the academic and computer skills assessment and is seeking enrollment in a course must demonstrate competence, which prepares him/her for success in the course. Options for demonstration of competence include ASSET, Accuplacer, Compass, SAT, ACT, and Computer Skills Assessment scores no more than three years old or prior degree/course work. The student who cannot demonstrate competence through skills assessments or prior degree/course work may be enrolled on a conditional basis, if, in the judgment of the Associate Dean responsible for the course, the student is prepared to be successful in the course. A student may not receive a degree, diploma, or certificate until competence in reading, writing, mathematics, and computer literacy is demonstrated through placement assessment or prior degree/course work. Special credit student enrollment status does not qualify for federal financial assistance.

Career and College Promise

Career and College Promise provides dual enrollment opportunities for North Carolina high school students to accelerate completion of college certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees that lead to college transfer or provide entry-level job skills. DCCC offers the following Career and College Promise pathways aligned with the K-12 curriculum and career and college read standards adopted by the State Board of Education:

1. A College Pathway leading to a minimum of 30 hours of college transfer credit;
2. A Career and Technical Education Pathway leading to a certificate, diploma or degree;
3. A Cooperative Innovative High School Pathway (Early College High School).

College Transfer Pathway

1. The Career and College Promise College Transfer Pathway leads to a college transfer certificate and may include up to 30 semester hours of transfer courses, including English and mathematics.
2. To be eligible for enrollment, a high school student must meet the following criteria:
   1. Be a high school junior or senior;
   2. Have a weighted GPA of 3.0 on high school courses; and
   3. Demonstrate college readiness on an assessment or placement test.
3. To maintain eligibility for continued enrollment, a student must
   1. Continue to make progress toward high school graduation, and
   2. Maintain a 2.0 GPA in college coursework after completing two courses.

Career Technical Education Pathway

1. The Career and College Promise Technical Education Pathway leads to a certificate or diploma aligned with a high school Career Cluster.
2. To be eligible for enrollment, a high school student must meet the following criteria:
   1. Be a high school junior or senior;
   2. Have a weighted GPA of 3.0 on high school courses or have the recommendation of the high school principal or his/her designee; and
   3.  Meet the prerequisites for the career pathway.
3. To measure eligibility for continued enrollment, a student must
   1. Continue to make progress toward high school graduation; and
   2. Maintain a 2.0 in college coursework after completing two courses.

For additional information, contact the Career and College Promise Coordinator at 249-8186, extension 6178.

Early College High Schools

Davidson and Davie Early College High Schools are small high schools located on the Davidson and Davie campuses of Davidson County Community College. They are collaborative efforts of Davidson County Schools, Davie County Schools, and Davidson County Community College. The Valley Academy is a collaborative effort with Davidson County Schools and is located at 2065 East Holly Grove Road Lexington, NC 27292. Each early college is a public school offering students who attend the opportunity to complete a high school education and an associate degree concurrently in four or five years. Tuition is free of charge, and class sizes are small.

Information about the application process is available by contacting the principal’s office of the Davidson Early College High School, Davie Early College High School or the Valley Academy.

Readmission Policy

Davidson County Community College recognizes that circumstances may cause a disruption in the progress of a student toward the completion of his/her course of study and that the student may find it necessary to withdraw from his/her program of study or from the College. The student is encouraged, when the circumstances causing the disruption in academic progress have been corrected, to contact the Enrollment Services Office to reenroll. After a two-year absence, the student must reapply.

Students who have been suspended for disciplinary or academic reasons or have been administratively withdrawn from the College must apply for readmission. Consideration of requests for readmission of students who have been suspended for any reason will be made in light of the applicant’s prior academic and disciplinary record, evidence of growth and maturity, good citizenship record, credits earned at another institution, and time elapsed since leaving the College.

Students readmitted to the College after an academic or disciplinary suspension will automatically be placed on probation for a period of one semester and may be required to participate in an appropriate support program as a term of probation.

Students seeking readmission after an administrative withdrawal period are required to submit written documentation from a healthcare provider demonstrating that he/she is emotionally, psychologically, and/or physically ready to resume study. Documentation must explicitly state that (1) the student has complied with treatment; (2) the student is stable and ready to return to the unstructured and sometimes stressful college environment; (3) the student has addressed issues that led him/her to be withdrawn from school; and (4) it is in the best interest of the student to return to school. A diagnosis, prognosis, and recommendation for follow-up treatment should also be included. The Vice President, Student Affairs, in collaboration with appropriate faculty and staff, will review information supplied by the student and the student’s prior academic and disciplinary records. Readmission may be granted upon the Vice President’s satisfaction that the student is prepared to return to the College.

Readmission to Health, Wellness and Public Safety Programs

Re-entry into a Health, Wellness, and Public Safety program is contingent upon space being available in the class, lab, or clinical component of the program and faculty resources. Qualified applicants re-enter with appropriate placement as determined by the applicant’s prior academic record and/or curriculum changes. Readmission to a program is determined by the program director and/or the dean responsible for the program, is limited to one time, and must be initiated with a letter from the student requesting program reinstatement.

• Associate Degree Nursing
• Cancer Information Management
• Central Sterile Processing
• Cosmetology
• Esthetics
• Emergency Medical Science
• Fire Protection Technology
• Health Information Technology
• Healthcare Interpreting
• Histotechnology
• Human Services Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Nurse Aide
• Pharmacy Technology
• Phlebotomy
• Practical Nurse Education
• Surgical Technology
• Therapeutic Massage

Change of Major/Program of Study

If a student decides to change his/her program of study, he/she should first obtain the Change of Major form from the Office of Academic Advisement in the Student Success Center or on the College’s website. To complete the process, the student should discuss the program change with his/her academic advisor. The intent is to ensure well-informed decision-making and an awareness of how program changes may affect the student’s enrollment. The student’s readiness to enroll in the new program will be determined by the academic advisor, and the change finalized by the Records Office.

When a student changes programs, the program grade point average (GPA) will be recomputed at the time of graduation to reflect only those specific courses applicable to the new program.

Multiple Measures for Placement Policy

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

Multiple Measures for Placement Policy from System Office (Approved February 15, 2013)

The Multiple Measures for Placement Policy establishes a hierarchy of measures that colleges will use to determine students’ readiness for college-level courses:

1. A recent high school graduate who meets the specified GPA benchmark will be exempt from diagnostic placement testing and will be considered “college-ready” for gateway math and English courses.
2. If a recent high school graduate does not meet the GPA benchmark, the college will use specified ACT or SAT subject area test scores to determine placement.
3. If a recent high school graduate does not meet the GPA threshold or have college-ready ACT or SAT scores, the college will administer the diagnostic placement test to determine placement.
4. If an applicant does not have a recent high school transcript or ACT or SAT scores, the College will administer the diagnostic placement test to determine placement.

Academic Skills Assessment Policy

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

The purpose of skills assessment is to match the academic readiness of the incoming student with the academic requirements of the curriculum. Based on assessment information, a student may be placed directly into college-level English, Math, computer or other courses or into one of the pre-curriculum courses that are designed to prepare the student for successful entry into his/her chosen field of study. Students who provide official high school transcripts, less than five years old, showing completion of certain courses with a satisfactory unweighted GPA may not be required to take any skills assessments. Also, students who provide official college transcripts showing completion of college-level English, math, or computer classes, or the completion of a Bachelor’s degree may be exempt from all of part of the skills assessment. Acceptable scores less than five years old on the SAT or ACT may also qualify the applicant for placement into college level English or math courses without further assessment. DCCC does not retain assessment scores and records more than five years.

Students may repeat all or part of any placement assessment. In order to qualify, a student must show documentation of remediation in the area(s) in which he/she plans to retest. Students may work with the Achieving Career and College Entry (ACE) program to review and earn enough hours to retest at any time, as long as they are not currently enrolled in the subject based curriculum class.

Students enrolled in a pre-curriculum course that has started may not retest in that subject area until after the course has ended, and are then required to use the ACE program for retesting options.

All exceptions are handled through the Dean of Student Services.

Financial Aid

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

The College makes every effort within available financial aid resources to assist students who lack the financial means to obtain a college education. The student and his/her family are expected to make reasonable contributions to meet college expenses. Financial assistance may be available to a student through the College in the form of federal and state grants, scholarships, federal work-study program, and federal student loans.

The primary purpose of financial aid at DCCC is to help pay for tuition, fees, books, and supplies. Opportunities for financial aid, though not unlimited, are within the reach of almost every student who can show satisfactory academic progress, graduation from high school or GED® completion, and demonstrate financial need. Financial aid is awarded when a student has been admitted to a program of study, submitted the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and financial aid requirements are complete. This must be done by the posted priority deadlines listed on the College’s website. In order for students to continue receiving financial aid, they must apply annually to demonstrate financial need and maintain satisfactory academic progress.

High School Transcripts and Financial Aid Policy

The United States Department of Education requires the college to refrain from awarding federal financial aid to students with a high school diploma that was issued based only on a test and/or payment of fees. This requirement also applies to some state financial aid awarded through the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority.

As a measure of validation under this requirement, the college will not award federal or state financial aid to students who have been issued a high school diploma based only on a test and/or payment.

In accordance with federal student aid policy, one resource the college may consider in making a determination on the validity of a high school diploma is the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction or department of education in the state in which the high school is located. The college is also permitted to consult with other colleges when checking for the established validity of high school diplomas.

The United States Department of Education recognizes that students who have completed a GED, an Adult High School Equivalency Diploma or homeschooling at the secondary level as defined by state law are qualified to receive federal student aid. Therefore, the college will award federal and state financial aid to students who have earned a GED, Adult High School Equivalency Diploma or completed homeschooling as defined by state law.

These standards do not apply to college admission and placement policies.

Federal Aid Programs

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant Program is a financial aid entitlement program for students who attend a post-secondary institution and have not received a bachelor’s degree or have not received more than six years (or its equivalent) of maximum Pell eligibility (which ever comes first). All students seeking financial assistance begin the application process by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at www.fafsa.gov. Davidson County Community College’s federal code is 002919 and must be listed on the FAFSA for DCCC to receive student application information. To be eligible, a student must have a high school diploma from an accredited school or state-approved home school or GED, enter an eligible college program, and be enrolled in that program. Satisfactory academic progress is required to continue to receive federal financial assistance. The grant will not fund audited courses or those that do not contribute to the timely completion of the student’s approved program of study. The student should consult with his/her academic advisor to assist with appropriate course selection.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is for students who have demonstrated exceptional financial need based on FAFSA results. This grant varies in amount and is awarded based upon student need. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA early, as SEOG funds are very limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Federal Work-Study

The Federal Work-Study program utilizes funds to provide part-time campus employment for students with financial need to help with educational expenses. Students who are enrolled at least halftime may work an average of 10-16 hours per week. Students are paid monthly, based on the number of hours worked the preceding month. The allocation of work-study funds is limited to availability of position, completion of financial aid eligibility and individual student financial need.

Federal Student Loans

The Federal Direct Student Loan Program provides loans to help students pay for college educational costs not covered by other financial resources. Loans are federal funds that must be repaid by the student-borrower regardless of program completion. Davidson County Community College determines the maximum amount of loan eligibility based upon financial need, student classification, and cost of attendance. Students must be enrolled in six credit hours to be eligible for student loans.

North Carolina State Aid Programs

North Carolina Community College Grant

The North Carolina Community College Grant is designed to assist students who (1) qualify as bona fide residents of North Carolina for tuition purposes, (2) enroll in a minimum of six semester hours of credit in fall and spring semesters at a North Carolina Community College, and (3) demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA results.

North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship

The North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship is designed to assist students who (1) qualify as bona fide residents of North Carolina for tuition purposes, (2) enroll in a minimum of six hours of credit in fall and spring semesters at a North Carolina Community College, and (3) have demonstrated financial need based on FAFSA results.

The college will refrain from awarding state financial administered though the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority to students with a high school diploma that was issued based only on a test and/or payment of fees. The full high school diploma policy may be found in this catalog under Financial Aid Programs - Federal Pell Grant.

Scholarships

The Davidson County Community College Foundation, Inc., through the generosity of local industries, businesses, professional organizations, civic clubs, and individuals, provides scholarships. The scholarship program consists of two types of awards: merit-based scholarships and need-based scholarships. While the majority of scholarships are need-based, additional criteria may further direct the awarding of many need-based and merit-based scholarships. Awards may provide tuition assistance and require the recipient to maintain a minimum GPA (grade point average). Scholarships are typically awarded for one academic year beginning with the fall semester, with preference given to second-year students. Students must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Student Financial Aid) each year in order to be eligible for scholarships. The Financial Aid Office and the College’s website provide scholarship information, application forms and deadlines.

Special Circumstances

Students and their families are primarily responsible for financing education expenses; however, the FAFSA may not always accurately reflect changes in a family’s household size or income. Students whose families have experienced change to household size income, or anticipated expenses may request Professional Judgment Request Form for reevaluation of their financial aid eligibility information through the Financial Aid Office.

Any student who finds it difficult to continue his/her education due to such changes should submit a completed Professional Judgment Request Form, along with the required supporting documentation, to the College’s Financial Aid Compliance Officer. The Compliance Officer will verify the current FAFSA data and determine if Professional Judgment is appropriate. The decision of the Financial Aid Compliance Officer is final.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and Time Limitations

Federal regulations require that colleges establish minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for students receiving financial aid that is at least as strict at that for all general students. Financial aid students are expected to achieve satisfactory grades and progress toward the completion of their program in a reasonable period of time and within a reasonable number of credit hours. It is the responsibility of students to be aware of their Satisfactory Academic Progress status for financial aid eligibility because their progress will be reviewed at the end of each term. SAP is evaluated by both qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (completion percentage) standards and there are limits on how long a student may receive aid.

SAP Requirements

• Qualitative standard: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
• Quantitative standard: Students must successfully complete 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted.
  • Hours attempted are measured at the 10% (census date) of the term.
  • Successful completion means the student receives a passing final grade on the DCCC transcript.
  • Example: if the student attempts 12 credit hours during a term, the student must successfully complete 8 credit hours to meet the 67% standard (12 hours attempted x 67% = 8 hours).
• Time Limit Standard: Students may not exceed 150% of the Maximum Time Frame for their original program. Maximum time frame is measured in credit hours.
  • When the 150% maximum time frame has been reached, financial aid will cease even if the student is meeting other measures of SAP.
  • Dual program students may reach Maximum Time Frame (150%) limits prematurely due to calculations comparing them only to their primary program. These students may require secondary review to determine continued Financial Aid SAP eligibility.
  • Clock-hour programs such as Cosmetology, Esthetics, 1st-year Therapeutic Massage and BLET are an exception and are only allowed 100% of the program length for completion.
  • Example: if an associate degree requires 64 credit hours for completion, a student may attempt a maximum of 96 hours before exceeding eligibility (64 credit hours x 150% = 96).
• Effective July 1, 2012 there is a 6-year lifetime limit on the use of the Pell Grant.
  • The measure refers to Lifetime Eligibility Used or LEU.
  • Students have eligibility for no more than six academic years (or its equivalent) of full-time Pell Grant funding.
  • This will be calculated by the federal processors.
  • Part-time students will have the terms reviewed on a fractional basis.
  • Those planning to transfer to a 4-year institution should not exhaust more than 6 of their full-time semester awards at DCCC to allow for remaining eligibility to complete their first bachelor’s degree.
• A maximum of 30 credit hours of Pre-curricular classes may be attempted and counted towards enrollment for financial aid purposes. After reaching or exceeding 30 attempted hours, no further federal or state aid may be paid for those courses.

SAP and Maximum Time Frame Factors

• Audits - Audited courses may not be counted towards the total number of hours of enrollment for a term as no credit will be earned.
• Incompletes - Incompletes (I) will not affect a student’s GPA in the SAP review because it is temporary and will be replaced with a final grade. SAP will be evaluated on the final grade during the next term’s review.
• Pre-curriculum (Developmental) Courses - Pre-curriculum courses (courses numbered less than 100) are allowed and calculated in a student’s enrollment status for students needing skill-building course work. A maximum of 30 credit hours of precurriculum work is allowed and these hours are considered in SAP calculations. After the maximum has been met, no further federal or state aid may be disbursed for pre-curriculum hours.
• Repeats - Courses may be repeated by students. When a course is repeated the most recent final grade will be used to determine eligibility. The previous hours attempted will be counted as hours attempted when reviewing SAP completion rate and maximum time frame.
• Summer Courses - Summer Session grades and hours attempted and earned will be included in the calculation of SAP as for any other term.
• Transfer Credits - Hours accepted from other institutions and evaluated in the student’s current program are included in the calculation of the completion rate and maximum time frame. Transfer hours count both as hours attempted and hours completed.
• Withdrawals - Withdrawals (W) Withdrawal-Failing (WF) and Withdrawal-Passing (WP) adversely affect a student’s SAP by reducing the number of hours successfully completed and may result in a recalculation of a student’s award for the term.

Evaluation and Financial Aid Statuses

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be evaluated at the end of each term after final grades have been posted with the Records Office. Students will be notified of their status via their DCCC email account.

• Satisfactory - Students in their first term at DCCC or those who have attended and meet or exceed the SAP requirements are considered in satisfactory status for financial aid purposes.
• Financial Aid Warning - The first term a student fails to meet SAP, the student will be notified that he or she has been placed on financial aid warning for the next academic term. The student may continue to receive financial aid during the warning term, but must improve GPA and/or completion rate to prevent progressing to financial aid probation.
• Financial Aid Suspension - The second or subsequent term a student does not meet SAP, the student will be notified that financial aid has been suspended.

Appeals

Students may appeal the Suspension of Aid if there were extenuating circumstances affecting their academic performance within 30 days of notification of their status.

• Appeals must be include the Financial Aid (SAP) Appeal Form as a cover sheet accompanied by a statement and any other supporting documentation.
• The appeal must detail the circumstances resulting in the students of unsatisfactory progress such as:
  • Extended illness/injury of student or family member (documentation is required),
  • Death of a relative (documentation is required),
  • Change of program (documentation is required).
• Students should schedule a SAP review appointment with the Financial Aid Office to discuss the appeal.
• Students awaiting review of SAP appeals are responsible for any enrollment charges. Financial aid will not be available, nor students’ school charges held.

Students will be notified of the results of the appeal via their DCCC email account.

• Successful appeals will result in the students returning to the status of Probation (on Appeal).
  • Probation on Appeal status requires students to meet a higher term-based standard for SAP evaluation. This is in an effort to improved cumulative SAP measures in the shortest possible time.
  • Students granted Probation on Appeal (unless otherwise documented) must earn a minimum term-based GPA of 3.0 and complete 100% of term hours attempted.
  • Students meeting Probation on Appeal standards will be granted continued Probation on Appeal status and the same term-based requirements will continue until the student achieves cumulative SAP standards and returns to Satisfactory status.

Students who are unsuccessful in meeting probation on appeal standards will have financial aid at DCCC terminated.

• Denial of appeal will be communicated to the student in the SAP meeting and via campus email. Denial of appeal will result in financial aid termination.

Students not satisfied with the result may appeal the decision following the process outlined in the College’s General Complaint Policy, beginning with Step 2.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid

Students whose aid has been terminated may seek reinstatement of financial aid after meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. He/she must also present evidence of meeting all SAP standards for at least two consecutive terms and include at least 12 total credit hours.

• Requests for reinstatement of financial aid must include the Financial Aid Reinstatement Form as a cover sheet accompanied by a statement regarding the circumstances now contributing to the student’s progress.
• Reinstatement requests must include an official transcript from a regionally accredited college demonstrating the student meeting all SAP standards since Suspension of Aid and within the last 5 years.
• Reinstatement requests should be submitted to the Financial Aid Compliance Officer and will be reviewed within 15 business days of receipt.
• Students awaiting review of reinstatement requests are responsible for any enrollment charges. Financial aid will not be available, nor students’ school charges held during this time.

Students will be notified of the results of the review via their DCCC email account.

Withdrawal and Return of Federal and State funds Policy for Financial Aid Students

Federal financial aid is awarded to eligible students under the assumption that they will remain enrolled for the full length of the enrollment period. It is earned by students in a prorated manner based upon the percentage of the term they attend. If a student completely withdraws, resulting in zero current hours of enrollment, the school must determine if there is a portion of financial aid that is unearned. The review of withdrawals will take place within 30 days of the processed withdrawal form and return of funds completed no later than 45 days after.

• Students receiving federal financial aid who find it necessary to withdraw from all classes after the 10% census date, but before completing 60% of the academic term will have the amount of their federal and state financial aid award(s), recalculated.
  • Students are responsible for submitting the Schedule Change Form to the Office of Academic Advising to officially withdraw from classes. The last date of enrollment is supplied by instructors on this form and is recorded by the Records Office.
  • Students may be required to contact the Financial Aid Office to ensure they are informed of the impact the total withdrawal may have on their current award and ability to meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements.
• If, in the recalculation, the student has earned federal financial aid funds for the current term that have not yet been disbursed, a Post-withdrawal Disbursement of Federal Financial Aid will be processed and mailed to the student.
• Recalculation of financial aid may result in overpayment and the need to return funds to the appropriate federal and/or state program(s) such as direct loans, Pell and other federal and state scholarships and grants.
  • When an overpayment has been calculated, the student must repay any unearned portion of the award to the College. The College will return the funds to the appropriate federal and/or state programs.
  • Unearned aid is returned to federal programs in the following order (unless the student did not receive aid from that source): Unsubsidized Direct Loans, Subsidized Direct Loans, PLUS Loans, Pell Grant, SEOG, other federal grant programs.
• The amount of federal aid to be returned (overpayment) is calculated by multiplying total institutional charges (tuition and fees) by the percentage of unearned aid.
  • The earned portion of federal financial aid is determined by dividing the number of days completed by the student by the total days in the term. This determines the percentage of the term completed and the percentage of aid earned by the student.
  • The unearned portion of financial aid will be 100% minus the percent earned.
  • Unearned aid shall be returned first by the College from the student’s account.
  • If the total amount of unearned aid is greater than the amount returned by the College from the student’s account, the student owes an overpayment to DCCC.
  • The student will be responsible for any portion of institutional charges outstanding after financial aid funds are returned and will be billed accordingly.
  • E-mail notification will be sent to the student’s campus e-mail to notify them of the calculation. Students must check their StormTrac account for the exact amount of the return owed to DCCC if applicable.
  • If the student fails to repay their portion of the refund to the College, within 45 days the debt will be reported to the U.S. Department of Education as an overpayment and federal aid eligibility will be lost until satisfactory arrangements are made to pay the debt.

Consumer Information and Gainful Employment

Find information on the college website for Consumer Information and Gainful Employment.

Department of Veteran Affairs

The College is approved by the North Carolina State Approving Agency for the enrollment of persons eligible for education assistance benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Anyone seeking additional information regarding benefits should contact the College Veteran Service/Financial Aid Counselor in Enrollment Services located on the first floor of the B. E. Mendenhall, Jr., Building and are also encouraged to visit www.gibill.va.gov.

Course Load for Veterans, Dependents and Reservists

A student receiving Department of Veteran Affairs benefits is required to enroll in a full-time academic load (12 or more credit hours each semester in order to receive full educational benefits. Students enrolled for 3/4 or 1/2 of the full-time requirements are eligible for prorated compensation. Students enrolled less than 1/2 time status are compensated for in-state tuition and fees only. Additional information is available from the Financial Aid/Veteran Affairs Representative at the College.

Workforce Investment Act Program

This program sponsors students who are preparing themselves for a job or career in Davidson County’s local labor market. Financial assistance may be provided for skills training to include degree, diploma, and certificate programs, as well as occupational related training offered through the Workforce and Continuing Education Division.

• Financial assistance is evaluated by an employment counselor through the student’s county of residence. The applicant must meet economic and employment guidelines.
• An applicants’ ability to be successful in selected curriculum is evaluated.
• Students must attend full-time as defined by the curriculum.
• Students must maintain a minimum “C” or 2.0 GPA.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply through Davidson Works or the JobLink Career Centers, participating partners in the JobLink Career Center systems in Davidson and Davie counties. Locations are:

Lexington Office:
Davidson Works
555A West Center Street Extension
336.242.2065

Thomasville Office:
JobLink Career Center
211 West Colonial Drive
336.474.2655

Mocksville Office:
Davie WIA
450 W. Hanes Mill Road, 2nd Floor
Winston-Salem
336.776.6720

Report of Performance Measures and Standards

Refer to the summary of the College’s results on the North Carolina Community College System Performance Measures and Standards at the back of this catalog.

Career Development

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

The Career Development Office is located on the second floor of the B. E. Mendenhall, Jr., Building in the Student Success Center. Career Counselors provide assistance with choosing a college major and career path, employment outlook for occupations, job search resources, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, and access to a wealth of career related information. Job search resources are available to help students and alumni develop job seeking, resume writing, and interviewing knowledge in order to make a successful transition from college to employment. Services include classroom workshops and one-on-one career counseling, a free Web based job bank, a list of current job search engines, an online resume and cover letter builder, and interview coaching and video recorded mock interviews. Visit https://davidsonccc.edu/student-life/campusservices/career-development to access a wide range of career resources online, including Career Coach or call 336.249.8186 ext. 6245 to make an appointment.

Academic Advising

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

Academic advisors, in partnership with students, are responsible for helping them develop an educational plan and for monitoring student progress toward goal completion. The purpose of the office is to create for students a seamless advising process that promotes achievement of academic and career goals and greater appreciation for the relationship between education, self reliance, and life long learning. All students must participate in academic advising prior to registering for courses.

The Office of Academic Advising is located in the Student Success Center on the second floor of the B. E. Mendenhall, Jr., Building on the Davidson Campus. The Davie Campus Advisement Center is located in the Administration Building. Hours of operation are posted on the College’s website.

Advisors guide and support students and collaborate with academic departments and support services to promote diverse educational experiences that foster success and responsible citizenship. Academic Advisors are knowledgeable about the College’s academic departments, policies and procedures, as well as four year institutions and can assist with information related to application deadlines, programs of study, campus visits, financial assistance, and other frequently asked questions. Students who are interested in transferring to a four year institution are encouraged to discuss transfer options with the student’s Academic Advisor.

New Student Orientation

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

After meeting with your designated advisor, you will schedule new student orientation.

What you’ll learn at a New Student Orientation Session:

• Information on your School of Learning
• Information on your Program of Study
• How to register for your first semester at DCCC
• Information on student life at DCCC

DCCC is committed to helping students achieve their educational and career goals. Faculty and staff are dedicated to get students on the right track in the first year to help them complete their program of study.