Admissions

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Admission Requirements

Admission Policy

Tri-County Technical College is an open admissions College dedicated to serving the educational needs of applicants by admitting all citizens who can benefit from available learning opportunities. A minimum reading placement test score is required to ensure students have the academic preparation necessary to be successful at the college level.

All students should submit proof of a high school/GED credential and transcripts from any colleges attended. Students who have previously attended another college or university will not be eligible for registration until college transcripts have been received.

Minimum Age for Admission

Students must be 17 years of age to be admitted into an associate degree, diploma, certificate program, or as a transient or non-degree student. Students under the age of seventeen must meet with the Director of Admissions or designee for an assessment interview to determine eligibility for admission.

Admissions Requirements

Students seeking admission to an associate degree, diploma, or certificate program must:

• Submit an admissions application at www.tctc.edu/apply. For assistance or to request a paper application, contact Admissions at 864-646-1550 or info@tctc.edu. 
• Pay the $30 non-refundable application fee.
• Take the math, reading, and writing portions of the COMPASS placement test (see the
  Placement Testing
    section of the Catalog for testing locations and times). 
  • Students who have COMPASS scores achieved within the past three years may not need to take the COMPASS. Official score reports should be sent to the Assessment Center.
  • Students who have earned college credit-level English and math courses (e.g., 101, 155) from an accredited or approved institution with a minimum grade of “C” or higher may not need to take COMPASS. Official college or university transcripts should be submitted to Admissions Office.
• Submit proof of high school or GED credential.
  • A student may be registered provisionally for one term until appropriate documentation of a high school/GED credential is provided.
  • Applicants without a high school diploma or GED may be admitted into a certificate program, and federal financial aid will not be available.
• Submit official transcripts from any post-secondary colleges or universities attended.
  • If the institution(s) are located outside the United States, submit a professional credential evaluation from any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), www.naces.org. If requesting transfer of credits, a course-by-course report is required with a certified English translation. The report must be sent directly from the evaluation service to Tri-County’s Admissions Office.

Note: A minimum COMPASS reading score of 37 is required for admission.  Students not eligible for admission based on the reading score will be referred to Adult Basic Education or other literacy programs as appropriate. 

Returning students who have not attended TCTC within the past year must submit a new admissions application. Admissions will notify students of any missing requirements.

Some programs have additional curriculum-specific requirements.  Students should review the appropriate section of the Catalog for more information on the academic program.  For example, most health education programs are limited in the number of students who can be admitted to the clinical portions of study. Space may be restricted for a number of reasons, including availability of clinical teaching facilities, limits imposed by state or professional accrediting agencies, and budgetary restrictions. Advisors are available to help students who have questions.

Transient Students

Students planning to transfer one or more courses to their home college with no intention of graduating from Tri-County must:

• Submit a transient admissions application at www.tctc.edu/apply.
• Pay the $30 non-refundable application fee.
• Submit a completed Transient Coursework Approval Form to Student Records.

Non-Degree Students

Students planning to take courses with no intention of graduating from Tri-County and with no intention of transferring courses to their home college must:

• Submit a non-degree admissions application at www.tctc.edu/apply.
• Pay the $30 non-refundable application fee.
• Provide COMPASS writing, reading, and math placement scores within the past 3 years or submit proof of college credit-level English and math courses (e.g., 101, 155) from an accredited or approved institution with minimum grade of “C” or better. See the
  Placement Testing
    section of the Catalog for additional details.  Note: A minimum COMPASS reading score of 37 is required for admission. Students not eligible for admission based on the reading score will be referred to Adult Basic Education or other literacy programs as appropriate.

Students must satisfy all course prerequisites. To register for any courses with prerequisites, provide proof of prerequisite course completion to the appropriate Tri-County department or meet any required placement test scores.

Dual Enrollment Students

Students seeking admission to take college courses while in high school must:

• Submit a dual enrollment admissions application at www.tctc.edu/apply.
• Complete the Dual Enrollment Permission Form with the appropriate signatures.

Students must take the placement test prior to enrollment. See the Placement Testing  section of the Catalog for additional details.

Placement Testing

Developed by American College Testing (ACT), the COMPASS test is an untimed computer-adaptive placement test that measures skills in reading, writing, and math. Even though COMPASS is a computer-based test, very little computer skills are necessary to complete the test. COMPASS is not a pass/fail test. The purpose of placement testing is to make sure students have the necessary skills in reading, writing, or math to be successful in achieving their educational goals.

All students (except transient students) must take the placement test and score a minimum of 37 on the reading portion of the test prior to acceptance. Students not eligible for admission based on their reading score will be referred to Adult Basic Education or other literacy programs as appropriate. Students may be exempt from all or a portion of the COMPASS test if they have completed college courses in English or math at the 101 level or higher from an accredited or approved institution with a minimum grade of “C” or if they have previously taken COMPASS or ASSET and have sufficient scores. COMPASS placement test scores are valid for three years. Students who are unsure if they need to take the COMPASS test should contact Admissions to determine if placement testing is required.

SAT, ACT, or other standardized test scores cannot be substituted for the placement test. The COMPASS placement test is given in the Assessment Center in Miller Hall on the Pendleton Campus. Testing hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The COMPASS placement test is also given on a limited basis at the Anderson, Easley, and Oconee Campuses. For further information about testing schedules call 864-646-1300.

A picture ID is required for placement testing. Acceptable forms of identification are a state-issued picture ID (a driver’s license for example), a military ID, or an official school ID (high school or college). Use of a scientific or ACT-approved graphing calculator is allowed during COMPASS testing. To prepare for the test, view sample questions, and review calculator guidelines visit www.tctc.edu, click on the links Admissions and Placement Testing.

There is no charge for initial COMPASS testing. If a retest is needed or requested during a three-year period, one may be taken at a cost of $10. An academic advisor or the Assessment Center can help determine if retesting is needed. Other fees are applicable to complete placement testing or to have test scores sent to another institution.

Alternative placement testing for students with disabilities is available as approved by the College’s Disability Services Coordinator, Pendleton Campus, Student Center, Suite 155, 864-646-1564.

For more information about placement testing, call 864-646-1300 or visit www.tctc.edu/x829.xml.

Orientation

The College offers orientation sessions for all new, transfer, and readmitted students prior to the start of each semester.  The orientation introduces students to the College experience, informs them about resources and services they will use as Tri-County students, and facilitates their transition into their chosen academic program.  Students admitted to the College may register for orientation via their electronic Tri-County (eTC) account under the “Get Ready” tab. Orientation registration instructions are provided to admitted students in their admissions materials.  The orientation sessions are held on a variety of dates at multiple campuses and typically take up to three hours.  As part of orientation, students meet with academic advisors for course planning and course registration.  For more information, contact Orientation Services, 111 Anderson Hall, Pendleton Campus, 864-646-1502, or send an e-mail message to orientation@tctc.edu.

In addition to the general student orientation, some departments offer orientation or information sessions specific to their programs. The appropriate departments will notify students as applicable regarding orientation or information sessions for specific programs.