Admissions

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 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: Recruitment, Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Records, Career Development, and Academic Advising.

Admissions

All Curriculum Programs

Any person who is a legal resident of the United States and who is either a high school graduate or at least 18 years of age will be admitted to the college. 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 the student 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 (students not working towards an associate degree, diploma, and certificate) at 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 their 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. All forms and correspondence should be addressed to: Enrollment Services Office, Davidson County Community College, P.O. Box 1287, Lexington, NC 27293-1287. Enrollment Services 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, Enrollment Services.

1. The applicant should complete the online Application for Admission.
2. The applicant should complete a short online career assessment, which will assist in identifying the students program of study.
3. The applicant should request and submit an official transcript of work completed at any previously attended 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.
4. The applicant should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
5. The applicant will attend an Enrollment Information Session to learn more about programs of study, discuss their educational and career objectives and review the planning needed to support DCCC enrollment.
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 completed 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 (see the Multiple Measures for Placement Policy section for more information).
7.  After exemption of placement testing or completion of the academic skills assessment via the DCCC placement test, the applicant will meet with Career Services to review the online career assessment, confirm their program of study and make an appointment to attend orientation.
8. Attend the new student orientation to learn about college resources and success strategies, meet with your advisor to develop an academic plan, and take a tour of the campus.

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.

Admission Requirements for Selected Programs

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.

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

• DCCC is authorized by the Student and Exchange Visitors Program (SEVP) to issue an I-20 form in order for a student to obtain an F-1 Student Visa but not other visa types.
• 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 diploma and certificate programs, High School Equivalency programs, or English Language Acquisition (ELA) program.
• 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, the student will not be allowed to enroll at the College the following semester and will thereby jeopardize their 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 their own country to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
   2. No international applicant can be approved for admission (even if the applicant 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 and 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.
   3. College course work completed at institutions outside of the United States must be evaluated by World Education Services (www.wes.org) to be accepted.
4. 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 indicating the applicant 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, Recruitment and Admissions will issue an I-20 in order for the student to obtain the F-1 Visa.

Special Credit Students

 An applicant to the College who wishes to enroll in one or more curriculum 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. Before enrolling, a student must provide appropriate documentation showing they demonstrate competence for any course that has a required North Carolina Community College requisite. Options for demonstration of competence include ASSET, Accuplacer, Compass, SAT or ACT, scores not more than five years old; high school transcripts that meet a specified GPA and course benchmark with a completion date no more than five years old; or unofficial or official transcripts showing prior degree/course work completed. Special credit student enrollment status does not qualify for federal financial assistance.

Dual Enrollment Options

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 readiness 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 their 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.

Continuous Enrollment

After a student registers, they must establish attendance by attending class, or completing the entry assignment if applicable, by the census date of the course to be considered enrolled at the college.  A break in enrollment occurs when a student is not enrolled in two consecutive semesters (i.e. fall and spring or spring and fall).  Students are not required to be enrolled during the summer term(s) to maintain continuous enrollment.  Students returning to the college who are not continuously enrolled must update their application information to reenroll.  

Readmission Policy

Davidson County Community College recognizes that circumstances may cause a disruption in the progress of a student toward the completion of their course of study and that the student may find it necessary to withdraw from their 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.

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, 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.

Students seeking readmission after an administrative withdrawal period are required to submit written documentation from a healthcare provider demonstrating that they are 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 them 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 & 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.

Change of Major/Program of Study

If a student decides to change their program of study, the student should discuss the program change with their 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 Student 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 Majors Policy

Once a student has chosen a major, they will be assigned to every program of study (credential) that falls within that major. A student who wishes to purse programs of study with different majors must seek approval from their academic advisor. A student will have only one primary major even though they may have multiple majors. During a term, the student’s academic advisor will require the student to take all courses possible in the primary major before allowing registration in courses in other majors. Appeals of the academic advisor’s decision must be made in writing to the School of Learning Dean associated with the student’s primary major.

Academic Skills Assessment Policy

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 their chosen field of study. Students who have graduated high school within the last five years, showing completion of certain courses with a satisfactory unweighted GPA may not be required to take any skills assessments. Also, students who provide 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 they plan to retest. Students may enroll in the online remediation and submit documentation of completion to the Testing Center or work with the Achieving Career and College Entry (ACE) program to review.

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, Enrollment Services.

Multiple Measures for Placement Policy

The college uses a hierarchy of measures to determine a student’s readiness for college-level courses:

1. A recent high school graduate who meets the specified GPA and 4th math 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 and 4th math 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 and 4th math 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.

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.