Admission to the College

General Admission

Individuals are eligible for admission to Rappahannock Community College if they are high school graduates or have completed a GED, or if they are eighteen years of age or older and able to benefit academically from college course work.  More information on placement into credit level English and math classes can be found here

RCC 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. RCC 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. In order to receive financial aid at the college, it is required that you provide a social security number. 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 the Admissions & Records Office:

Glenns Campus: 804-758-6740; 804-758-6760 TDD
Warsaw Campus: 804-333-6740; 804-333-6760 TDD

Curricular Student Admission

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

• A completed online application for admission.
• A completed Virginia Placement Test (VPT) English and math test or qualifying multiple measures for placement.
• An official high school or GED transcript if the student is pursuing the Associate Degree in Nursing or the Practical Nursing programs.
• A graduation date and documentation of coursework if the student has completed secondary school education in a home school setting.
• Official transcripts from any colleges/universities (other than VCCS colleges) if the student is seeking transfer credit.
• A completed VCCS Transfer Evaluation Request Form designating any VCCS college attended if the student is seeking transfer credit.

Additional information could be required by the college for admission to specific programs.

Non-Curricular Student

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

Placement

Students who graduated from high school within 5 years of their application to the college are placed using a process called direct enrollment which uses high school grades to determine readiness for college level classes. For students who graduated from high school more than 5 years ago, a process called informed self-placement is used.  In this process students take a survey to determine readiness for college level English and math. More information can be found here. 

Placement Testing

In addition to the use of Direct Enrollment and Informed Self Placement students may opt to take the Virginia Placement Test (VPT), a VCCS approved placement test, which provides consistent and reliable assessment results for students applying for enrollment in associate degree programs, certificate programs, and in courses that require an English or math prerequisite. The VPT-English and math 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.

Readmission

A student who interrupts enrollment at RCC for more than three years (nine semesters) is required to submit an up-to-date application for admission. The application must be submitted before registering for classes. An applicant who applies for admission but does not enroll in classes within one year (three consecutive semesters) is required to submit an up-to-date application for admission.

Admission to Specific Curricula

In addition to the general admission requirements, specific requirements for each curriculum of the college are prescribed by each department. Specific requirements for each curriculum are listed in the Academic Programs 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 curriculum may become eligible to enter the curriculum by completing a developmental studies program prescribed by the college. Students applying for admission to an Associate Degree program (Associate of Arts and 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 coursework or have completed an approved developmental studies program.

For programs with selective admissions processes, educational and occupational experiences of the student and other reasonable standards will be considered to ensure that the student possesses the potential to meet the program requirement.

Admission of High School and Home School Students

Based on the guidelines developed and approved by the State Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System, RCC provides opportunities for qualified high school and home school junior and senior level students who can benefit academically from an early college experience to enroll in credit courses on an RCC campus, RCC site, or online.

Enrollment of high school and home school students has the potential to enrich their traditional high school or home school experience. RCC has developed the following admission and registration procedures to assist these students in meeting their educational goals.

High School Students must:

• Meet with your High School Navigator or the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment to discuss tentative plans concerning enrollment in college courses.
• Submit an online RCC application for admission.
• Submit the signed Dual Enrollment Parent Consent Form to your High School Navigator or High School Counselor, who in turn will submit it to the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment.
• Take the Virginia Placement Test (English and math) and earn qualifying scores or qualify with alternate placement criteria.
• Meet with your High School Navigator or the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment to review test scores and for course approval.
• Submit a completed High School Permission Form each semester, signed by the high school principal, to your High School Navigator or the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment. Permission forms are available from the Dual Enrollment Webpage under Resources or from the high school counseling office. (The High School Permission Form includes course registration information).

The Coordinator of Dual Enrollment is W. Hutt Williams, who can be reached at 333-6744 or deadvisor@rappahannock.edu or recruiter@rappahannock.edu.

Home School Students must:

• Meet with the home school navigator to discuss tentative plans concerning enrollment in college courses.
• Submit an online RCC application for admission. Students who have previously taken dual enrollment classes do not need to re-apply for admission.
• Provide a current copy of a signed home school agreement between the appropriate school system and the authorizing parent or guardian to the Admissions and Records Office prior to registering for classes.
• Submit the signed parent permission form from the online application to the Admissions and Records Office.
• Take the Virginia Placement Test (English and math) and earn qualifying scores or qualify with other placement criteria.
• Meet with the home school navigator to review test scores and for course approval.
• Register for classes through the home school navigator.
• Home school students must meet with the home school navigator prior to each subsequent semester for course approval.

The RCC home school navigator is Terry Abell, who can be reached at 540-775-0087 or tabell@rappahannock.edu.

RCC reserves the right to evaluate special cases and to refuse admission to an applicant when such action is in the best interest of the college and/or the applicant. RCC also reserves the right to limit the number and type of courses a student may take if they do not possess a high school diploma or equivalent.

Because RCC strives to maintain a mature academic environment, high school/home school students admitted under the special provisions will be subject to all rules, policies, procedures, and standards of conduct described in the RCC Catalog & Student Handbook. High school students must be in good academic and behavioral standing in high school in order to be considered for admission to the college. High school/home school students need to recognize that college courses may contain mature topics and content.

High School-Based Dual Enrollment

Rappahannock Community College (RCC) has dual enrollment agreements with local public school systems to offer college-level courses that can be taken at the high school location. Dual enrollment programs are voluntary and provide college-level educational opportunities not otherwise available. Dual enrollment courses allow qualified high school juniors and seniors to enroll in college courses during the school day, where they receive both college and high school credit prior to high school graduation. Ninth and tenth graders can enroll only with special approval from RCC’s administration.  Students who have previously taken dual enrollment classes do not need to re-apply for admission. Students should follow the steps for Dual Enrollment.

High School-Based Dual Enrollment students must:

• Complete the online application for admission by the high school’s deadline.
• Submit the signed Dual Enrollment Parent Consent Form to the school counseling office or to your High School Navigator or the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment.
• Take the Virginia Placement Test (English and math) and earn qualifying scores or qualify with other alternate placement criteria.
• Meet all course prerequisites.
• Meet with your High School Navigator or the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment to review test scores and for course approval.

Pursuant to the Governing Principles of Dual Enrollment, schools and colleges are encouraged to provide high school students with the opportunity for dual enrollment. The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Dual Enrollment Financial Model applies when dual enrollment courses are held at the high school. Reimbursement to the school for a portion of the tuition occurs when the school’s contribution of resources is adequate as specified in the dual enrollment contract between Rappahannock Community College and the Virginia Public School. Prospective dual enrollment students should first seek information and permission from their high school counseling office before registering for a dual enrollment course. Dual enrollment students will be registered for RCC courses through their high school.

High school students interested in earning a degree or certificate while enrolled in high school must meet with the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment prior to starting in order to review requirements and applicable courses.  The Coordinator can be reached at deadvisor@rappahannock.edu or 804-333-6744.

Admission of Transfer Students

Transfer students who are eligible for re-entrance at the last college of attendance are also eligible for admission to RCC.

Students transferring from another college or university should consult the Admissions and Records Office for a transfer evaluation. Official transcripts are only evaluated for transfer students who have declared a college major/program at RCC. Coursework transferred to RCC must represent collegiate coursework applicable to the student’s program, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in RCC’s curricula. Collegiate coursework from regionally accredited institutions typically meets the above criteria.

Credit will not be given for courses with grades lower than “C,” and grade point averages from prior institutions will not be transferred. Credit evaluations are completed by the College Registrar and require several weeks for processing. Transfer students may be advised to repeat courses if it would clearly be advantageous to their program advancement. For more information about transfer credit and advanced standing, please refer to “Transfer Credit and Advanced standing” found in the Academic Information section of this catalog.

Students who are ineligible to return to the last college attended will not be eligible to attend RCC. However, these students may appeal by completing and submitting the Student Admissions Appeal Form to the Admissions and Records Office. The Dean of Student Development will review the appeal in consultation with the Student Affairs Committee and will notify the student by email and postal mail of the decision.

Foreign Students

It is the policy of RCC to admit qualified immigrants already residing in the service area.

RCC admits immigrant applicants residing in Virginia who have graduated from a Virginia high school with a high school diploma or equivalent, even if they are not able to document their legal presence. Applicants who are undocumented, but who graduated from a public or private high school or program of home instruction in the Commonwealth or passed, on or after July 1, 2008, a high school equivalency examination and submitted evidence that they or, in the case of a dependent student, at least one parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parent is has filed, unless exempted by state law, Virginia income tax returns for at least two years prior to the date of registration or enrollment may be eligible for in-state tuition.   Students who are verified to meet these criteria shall be eligible for in-state tuition regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, except students with currently valid visas issued under 8.  Admissions and Records can provide the form students need to fill out to verify their eligibility to be considered for in-state rates based on the requirements listed above.