2019-2020 College Catalog

Admission Procedures

Eligible Applicants

Any individual 16 years of age or older who seeks access to quality instruction designed to develop or improve occupational competencies is eligible for admissions. The President of the College may waive the “16 years of age” requirement for secondary students who are participating in an articulated program of study.

Admission Requirements

It is the mission of the college to assist students in achieving their personal goals. It is the responsibility of the student to complete the requirements for admission. Admission to Atlanta Technical College is a multi-step process which consists of evaluation of prior academic experience and assessment for postsecondary readiness of eligible applicants. The ability of a student to succeed in a program at a Technical College is greatly determined by the math and language skills possessed by that student. The Technical College System of Georgia is committed to assisting each student to achieve at their maximum potential. All students applying for diploma, degree, and certificate programs must be assessed prior to acceptance to a program of study at a Technical College. Students will then be admitted in accordance with the academic standards applicable to that program. Applicants are asked to submit the following information to the Office of Enrollment Services. Here are the minimum criteria required for admission:

  1. Application and Fee - A completed application for admission with a $25 (nonrefundable) application fee.
  2. Educational Requirements - Official high school transcript, GED transcript, or official transcripts from all previously attended colleges accredited by an accepted accrediting agency can be submitted in lieu of a high school diploma or GED.
  3. Assessment - Satisfactory scores on the Classic Accuplacer, Accuplacer Next Generation, ACT, SAT, PSAT, Georgia Milestones ELA, or GED (within 5 years of application deadline) or an earned associate degree or higher from a regionally or nationally accredited postsecondary institution recognized by the United States Department of Education, or official transcripts from a regionally or nationally accredited postsecondary institution recognized by the United States Department of Education documenting equivalent program-level English and math coursework successfully completed (C or better). Algebra placement test scores are required for certain diploma programs and all degree programs. Test scores are considered valid for placement for a period of 5 years.

Application Fee

A completed application for admission with a $25 (nonrefundable) application fee.

Educational Requirements

Educational requirements are determined by the Technical College System of Georgia and the College. Requirements vary according to the program of study. A high school diploma or the equivalent (GED) is desirable but is not an entrance requirement for all programs. Applicants who have completed an Associate’s Degree or higher or a minimum of 30 earned semester or 45 earned quarter hours at the degree level, may submit official college transcripts in lieu of high school transcript or GED transcript. Home-schooled student documents will be accepted according to Technical College System of Georgia policy.

Assessment

The ability of a student to succeed in a program at Atlanta Technical College is greatly determined by the math and language skills possessed by that student. The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) is committed to assisting each student to achieve at their maximum potential. All students applying for diploma, degree, and certificate programs must be assessed prior to acceptance to a program of study at a technical college. Students will then be admitted in accordance with the academic standards applicable to that program.

All technical colleges must utilize Accuplacer Next Generation, the TCSG-approved assessment instrument, when evaluating students for program readiness. However, in the place of Accuplacer Next Generation, technical colleges may accept an applicant’s official college transcript entrance scores on a validated assessment instrument, such as Classic Accuplacer, ACT, SAT, PSAT, Georgia Milestones ELA, or GED if the scores meet the college’s required program ready minimums or an earned associate degree or higher. If an applicant’s scores do not meet the college’s required program minimums for regular admission, a student must be assessed using Accuplacer Next Generation. The initial test is at no charge; however, the cost to retest is $15.

Official transcripts from a regionally or nationally accredited postsecondary institution recognized by the United States Department of Education documenting equivalent program-level English and math coursework successfully completed (C or better) may be used in lieu of completing the corresponding portion of the TCSG-approved assessment instrument. Applicants who have earned an associate degree or higher at a regionally or nationally accredited institution will be admitted as program-ready and will not require a placement test.

Documentation of Residency and Citizenship

Applicants for admission must provide one form as proof to support a claim for in-state residency, permanent resident citizenship status, and refugee status. If you are under 24 years of age and are a claimed dependent of a parent/guardian, you will need to submit two forms of proof from your parent(s) or legal guardian as outlined in the Petition for Georgia Residency. This information must be received if you are seeking Georgia residency. Below is a list of acceptable documentation:

  • Location of employment.
  • Location of voter registration.
  • Location of property, including home purchase, and taxes paid thereon.
  • State for which the individual filed and paid state income taxes.
  • Address and other information on federal and state income tax returns.
  • State where the person’s automobile title is registered and the payment of property taxes thereon.
  • Address on driver’s license and state of issuance.
  • Address on the Georgia Driver’s License Bureau ID.
  • State of issuance of business, professional, or other licenses.
  • Location of checking, savings or other banking accounts.

Citizenship Requirements:

  • A student meets the Citizenship Requirements, for purposes of this procedure and the related policies, if he or she is a United States Citizen, born or naturalized.
  • A student meets the Citizenship requirements, for purposes of this procedure and the related policies, if he or she is an Eligible Non-Citizen, according to the Federal Title IV definition.
  • Ineligible Non-Citizens: A Non-Citizen cannot qualify for in-state tuition. However, in the discretion of the President of the college the international tuition may be waived in favor of an out of state tuition rate for a Non-Citizen who has been verified as lawfully present in the United States in accordance with state and federal immigration laws.

*Additional documents may be acceptable*

Application Deadline

Applicants for admission to degree, diploma, and Technical Certificate of Credits must have all documents (transcripts, test scores, etc.) on file in the Office of Enrollment Services according to the deadline dates published in the school calendar. Applicants with an incomplete file or application received after the deadline may choose to be processed for special admission status or another term.

Regular Status

Students who meet all requirements for admission into a selected program and are eligible to take all courses in the program curriculum are granted regular admission status. Applicants will be admitted with regular status to an associate degree program, diploma, or Technical Certificate of Credit with the following test scores:

PLACEMENT TEST Associate Degree Diploma Entry Level TCC
ACCUPLACER NEXT GEN. Writing 249 236 222
ACCUPLACER NEXT GEN. Reading 236 224 218
ACCUPLACER NEXT GEN. Arithmetic - 229 223
ACCUPLACER NEXT GEN. MATH 1101; 1103; 1111 245 - -
ACCUPLACER NEXT GEN. MATH 1113 249 - -
       
ACCUPLACER English/Sentence Skills 70 60 -
ACCUPLACER Write-placer (USG) ≥4 ≥3 -
ACCUPLACER Reading 64 55 -
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic - 34 -
ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra 57 MATH 1013 - 23 -
ACCUPLACER College Algebra 70 for Math 1113 - -
       
ACT English 14 13 -
ACT Reading 16 14 -
ACT Math 17 14 -
ACT Math 20 for Math 1113 - -
ACT Math 21 for Math 1131 - -
       
SAT Taken before March 1, 2016 Verbal - 290 Verbal - 280 -
SAT Taken before March 1, 2016 Reading - 290 Reading - 270 -
SAT Taken before March 1, 2016 Math - 380 Math - 310 -
SAT Taken before March 1, 2016 500 for Math1113 Placement - -
SAT Taken before March 1, 2016 600 for Math 1131 Placement - -
       
SAT Taken after March 1, 2016 Writing/Language - 17 Writing/Language - 15 -
SAT Taken after March 1, 2016 Reading - 17 Reading - 16 -
SAT Taken after March 1, 2016 Math – 21 Math - 18 -
SAT Taken after March 1, 2016 Math – 26.5 for Math 1113 - -
SAT Taken after March 1, 2016 Math – 31 for Math 1131 - -
       
PSAT Writing and Language 17 15 -
PSAT Reading 17 16 -
PSAT Math 21 18 -
PSAT Math 26.5 for Math 1113 - -
PSAT Math 31 for Math 1131 - -
       
ELA Reading/Writing 525 525 -
ELA Dual Enrollment Reading/Writing 235 - -
       
GED English 145 145 -
GED Math 145 145 -
Entry Level Workforce TCC’s
TABE 9-10 Levels M, D, or A Reading - - 461
TABE 9-10 Levels M, D, or A Math - - 442
       
HOPE GPA after completion of 10th grade (Placement for English and Math) 2.6 GPA 2.6 GPA -
       
Previous AAS/AA/AS Program Ready Program Ready -
       
Experienced Worker Verified 2 Years Successful Experience in Same Field - - Placement in Entry Level Certificate Program

Fresh Start

Fresh Start is an opportunity for potential Atlanta Technical College students to receive a free refresher course offered by the Adult Education division. Eligible students are those who have been accepted but not yet enrolled in a credit-bearing program at Atlanta Technical College, and whose placement test scores fall below the level of Learning Support or the Co-Requisite model. The goal is to provide a refresher program that will give students the basic skills needed to be successful in credit-bearing courses.

Prospective students are Eligible for Fresh Start if they meet the following criteria:

The placement exam scores are used to place students in Fresh Start. Students who score between 200-222 the Arithmetic, English, and Reading sections of the Accuplacer Next Generation are referred to the Fresh Start program.

Eligible students will be identified at several check points:

  • At the time of placement testing
  • During advising in the Student Success Center
  • During advising with their Academic Advisor

Once identified at the Testing Center level, the Testing Center official will use a digital checklist for the student to ensure that the student is properly flagged for Fresh Start. The digital checklist is a cloud-based sharable document visible to the Testing Center (TC), Arts and Sciences (A&S), Adult Education (AED), and the Student Success Center (SSC). The student will be given a Fresh Start Intake form (officially stamped by the TC) to bring with him/her to the Adult Education Department.

If the student is identified at the Student Success Center level, the student will be given a Fresh Start Intake form (officially stamped by the SSC) to bring with him/her to the Adult Education Department.

If the student is identified at the Academic Advisor (A&S) level, the student will be given a Fresh Start Intake form (officially stamped by A&S) to bring with him/her to the Adult Education Department.

Provisional Admission

Applicants whose test scores do not meet regular admission standards will be admitted on a provisional basis. Provisional students may take learning support classes and occupational courses simultaneously. Students must satisfactorily complete prescribed learning support classes in order to progress through the curriculum.

Provisional admission requires the applicant to (1) satisfactorily complete prescribed learning support classes, and (2) meet all other regular admission requirements.

Special Admission Status (Non-credential seeking)

Applicants who wish to take credit coursework, but are not seeking a certificate, diploma, or associate degree are granted Special Admit status. The following specifics define the parameters of this status:

  1. Applicants: Must submit an application along with a $25 (nonrefundable) application fee.
  2. May apply up to a maximum of 25 quarter or 17 semester credit hours into a specific program for credential seeking purposes after achieving regular admit status.
  3. May enroll in classes only on a space-available basis.
  4. Must adhere to the specific institutional prerequisite requirements when selecting courses.
  5. Will not be eligible for financial aid.

The number of hours taken as a special admit student in no way waives the requirements of the regular admission process. Special Status students are not eligible for financial aid. Courses selected by Special Status students are subject to specific prerequisite requirements.

Transient Student Admission

Students enrolled at other colleges and universities may wish to take one or more courses at Atlanta Technical College and transfer the credit back to their home institutions. These students may enroll in the College as transient students. Transient admission is for one semester only; transient students must submit transient letters from their home colleges each semester they plan to enroll in courses at Atlanta Technical College. Students who have been academically dismissed from their home institutions are ineligible for transient student status at Atlanta Technical College. The Enrollment Services Office staff will award transient status to applicants who submit the following items:

  1. Letters of transient approval from their home institutions that indicate their academic standing and the courses approved for enrollment. If transient approval letters do not list academic standing and approved courses, applicants must also provide official transcripts from their home institutions to document that they have met the course prerequisites established by the faculty of Atlanta Technical College. Transient students are not eligible to register for courses for which they have not met the prerequisite requirements. They must also satisfy co-requisite requirements established by the College.
  2. Completed Atlanta Technical College application for admission and a nonrefundable $25 application fee.
  3. Financial aid transient letters from their home colleges to the Financial Aid Office at Atlanta Technical College (if applicable).
  4. Completed transient course request forms to the Enrollment Services Office (if needed) to receive clearance for registration.

Transient students who plan to take online classes must apply through GVTC.org and complete the college's new student orientation online prior to registering for classes.

Transient students must pay tuition and fees either online or to the cashier by the fee payment deadlines listed in the college calendar. HOPE transient letters must be submitted to the Atlanta Technical College Financial Aid Office prior to the day transient students register for classes.

After completing courses, transient students must order an official transcript to be sent to their home institution. Transcript request can be make online here.

Atlanta Technical College does not guarantee enrollment to transient students. Transient students may enroll in classes if space is available.

Readmission of Former Students

Students who are absent from Atlanta Technical College for two or more consecutive regular semesters will be required to:

  1. Submit a re-admission application to the Office of Enrollment Services by the advertised application deadline.
  2. Meet the Atlanta Technical College general catalog admission requirements in effect at the time of re-admission.
  3. Submit to the Office of Enrollment Services official transcripts from all high schools, colleges or universities attended.

Transfer Student Admission

Applicants who are transferring to Atlanta Technical College from another post-secondary institution must submit the following to the Office of Enrollment Services:

  1. Application for admission along with a $25 (nonrefundable) application fee.
  2. Official transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. Applicants who have completed a minimum associate’s or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university may submit official college transcripts in lieu of high school transcript or high school equivalent.
  3. Satisfactory scores on the Classic Accuplacer, Accuplacer Next Generation, ACT, SAT, PSAT, Georgia Milestones ELA, or GED (within 5 years of application deadline) or an earned associate degree or higher from a regionally or nationally accredited postsecondary institution recognized by the United States Department of Education, or official transcripts from a regionally or nationally accredited postsecondary institution recognized by the United States Department of Education documenting equivalent program-level English and math coursework successfully completed (C or better).

First Year Experience Seminar

This course must be taken during new students’ first term of enrollment at Atlanta Technical College. New students who have successfully completed a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of college coursework at the time of acceptance will be exempt from taking this course.

Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment provides opportunities for high school students grades 9-12 to enroll part-time (less than 12 semester hours) or fulltime (12-15 semester hours) to earn both high school and college credits. Students will receive credits for successfully completed coursework at their high school and at Atlanta Technical College. Participation is permitted during the fall, spring and summer semesters of the high school and college school year. To be eligible for Dual Enrollment, a student must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be enrolled in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades at a public or private high schools in Georgia or a home study program operated in accordance with O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c)
  2. Must be approved and classified as eligible by the high school
  3. Meet admissions requirements for ATC program
  4. Must not have already received a high school diploma
  5. Must be on track to graduate
  6. Obtain approval of the high school guidance counselor and parent(s)/legal guardian(s)
  7. Achieve a grade of C or higher in their ATC courses to remain eligible for the program

NOTE: Students must also take note of the following:

  • Participants can attend more than one postsecondary institution at a time and receive awards at both
  • Participants must meet Atlanta Technical College’s satisfactory academic progress criteria
  • There is no limit to how many terms a student may participate
  • Participation will not count against the student’s HOPE cap
  • Participant can be denied participation at any time for violation of secondary or postsecondary rules.

Home Schooled Applicant Guidelines

Applicants of home schools located in Georgia who did not attend a recognized accredited program must adhere to the following alternative path for admission:

  1. Submit a Certificate of Attendance form from the local superintendent’s office or a Declaration of Intent to utilize a Home Study Program from the Georgia Department of Education verifying that the parent or legal guardian complied with the requirements of home study programs as referenced in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.
  2. Submit annual progress reports or a final transcript for the equivalent of the home-schooled student’s junior and senior years. The final progress report should include the graduation date.