Non-discriminatory Admissions

The admissions policy and procedures of West Georgia Technical College assure the citizens of Georgia equal access to the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for them to secure personally satisfying and socially productive employment. By design and implementation, the policy and procedures governing admission to West Georgia Technical College will:

Be nondiscriminatory to any eligible applicant regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, academic or economic disadvantage, handicap or disability;

Increase the prospective student’s opportunities;

Guide the implementation of all activities related to admission to West Georgia Technical College and its programs, to student financial aid, and to the recruitment, retention, and placement of students; and

Complement the instructional programs of West Georgia Technical College.

For more information call (706) 756-4589 or click here to correspond by email

Entrance Information

The entrance requirements and procedures established by West Georgia Technical College are not designed to be a hindrance or barrier to enrollment in a program. They are designed to assist the applicant in making a career decision based on such factors as aptitude, ability, interest, background, assessment results, interviews, and other appropriate evaluations.

Admission to West Georgia Technical College is not a guarantee of admission to a specific associate degree, diploma, or certificate program. Program admission requires completion of all admission requirements, adequate educational preparation and satisfactory entrance assessment scores. The admissions process encourages students to enter programs in which they have a reasonable expectation of success. Applicants to programs offered through the Division of Allied Science (Practical Nursing, Medical Assisting, and Radiology) must meet additional requirements to receive consideration for admission to those programs. Prospective students should refer to the section regarding Program Descriptions for specific admission requirements.

Information on admission standards for each program is available in the Admissions Office.

Applicants furnishing false, incomplete, or misleading information will be subject to rejection or dismissal without a refund.

All admission materials submitted become and remain the property of West Georgia Technical College and will not be returned to the applicant.

Admission Status

Minimum admissions requirements have been established for each associate degree, diploma and certificate programs.

Admission will be in one of the following categories:

Regular
Provisional / Learning support
Special Student
Transfer
Transient

Advanced Placement Policy

Course credit awarded by other than satisfactory completion of a course at West Georgia Technical College may be earned as follows:

• Credit by Transfer
• Military Training Credit
• College Level Examination Placement Credit
• Articulation/Tech Prep(Advanced Standing) Credit
• Institutional Exemption Examination

Credit by Transfer

Transfer credit is evaluated as part of the admission process. Transfer credit evaluations will be completed and posted to the student’s academic history which may be accessed through BANNER by the end of the student’s first term of enrollment. Course credit by transfer is recorded as a TR on the transcript and is not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

Transferred course work accepted for credit must represent collegiate course work relevant to the formal award, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies equivalent to those enrolled in West Georgia Technical College’s academic programs. In assessing and documenting equivalent learning and qualified faculty, the College may use recognized guides which aid in the evaluation for credit. Such guides include those published by the American Council on Education. In addition course descriptions, syllabi, and pertinent catalog information is reviewed to assure course compatibility with that of West Georgia Technical College.

A student may receive transfer credit for courses taken at a regionally accredited college or university when the following conditions are met:

1. The course(s) taken are essentially the same in content as those offered at West Georgia Technical College.

2. Transfer credit may be awarded only for courses that are applicable toward the graduation requirement of the student program of study.

3. An official transcript is on file in the Admission Office. Copies of transcripts will not be evaluated.

4. A grade of “C” or higher has been earned for each course to be transferred.

5. A desktop review (evaluation of courses for transfer credit) is required. Transcripts are evaluated for core coursework as they are received. There are no time constraints on general education course work.

6. Transfer credit will be awarded only to meet graduation requirements for the academic program for which a student is enrolled. If a student changes programs they must notify the Admission Office for reevaluation of transcripts.

7. Occupational transfer credit must be approved by the department head in situations where course competencies are in question.

8. Competency testing (written and/or performance) may be required.

9. Students are responsible for obtaining appropriate course descriptions and additional documentation if needed.

10. Time limits may be imposed on coursework other than general education. Check with individual academic program advisor for additional information.

11. Credit hours assigned to transfer courses are the same as the credit hours awarded at the sending institution when credits do not exceed the number of credit hours assigned to equivalent courses at West Georgia Technical College.

12. Credits from one former institution appearing on the transcript of another institution can neither be evaluated nor accepted for credit until a transcript has been received from the institution originating the credit.

13. West Georgia Technical College reserves the right to refuse previously awarded student course exemption as warranted.

14. Collegiate credit earned from postsecondary colleges not fully accredited nor in candidacy status for accreditation from regional accrediting associations will be considered for transfer credit only when appropriate admission test scores, and/or documentation of performance are met.

15. To be considered a candidate for graduation, at least 25% of the course work required for the completion of the program of study must be completed at West Georgia Technical College.

Applicants have the right to appeal any decision regarding acceptance to West Georgia Technical College. Appeals should be made in writing to the President of WGTC within three (3) days of receiving notification of admission status. The written document must include specific details supporting the appeal.

Note: West Georgia Technical College retains the right to deny admission to any applicant who has been expelled from a secondary or post-secondary level educational college for disciplinary and/or criminal activity.

Orientation acquaints students with West Georgia Tech, its policies, and its services. Orientation for incoming students is conducted by the Office of Student Services on announced dates prior to the beginning of each quarter. Additional orientation information is provided by instructors in each of the programs of study.

Audit Students

By applying and paying all fees including tuition, students are permitted to audit most courses without receiving credit (with the consent of the instructor) and to attend classes without meeting all requirements of the course. Exceptions are off-campus clinical courses and courses with additional admission requirements. Students are not permitted to change from audit to credit. A grade of “AU” is posted as the final grade and this does not average in to the GPA. Audit students register for classes on a space availability basis on the first day of class.

Articulation/Tech Prep (Advanced Standing) Credit

Students who qualify for advanced standing credit by articulation/Tech Prep agreements must have earned a minimum grade of a B in comparable secondary technical courses. West Georgia Technical College requires an examination and a minimum score of 85 percent on a written/and or performance test on the course competencies. No fee shall be charged to students taking an exam to validate articulated credit from high school within the time frame of the articulation. This examination may be taken only once. Articulated credits will be indicated on the transcript by use of the letters AC. This credit is not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

Tech Prep

The Tech Prep program provides high school students with the option of early entry into a career path with a minimum of course duplication. Through articulation agreements with local high schools and West Georgia Technical College, students have the opportunity to earn credit for academic and career/technology classes taken in high school. The articulated credit requirements are as follows:

• Complete the Admissions requirements for West Georgia Technical College
.• Earn a grade of 85 or higher in the high school course for which you are requesting credit.
• Submit the articulated credit form to the Registrar at West Georgia Technical College.
• Achieve the required grade on the exemption exam given by West Georgia Technical College
• Enroll at West Georgia Technical College within 18 months of graduation.

All articulated courses are exempt from the institutional exemption exam fees.

Dual Enrollment

The Dual Enrollment program allows a high school student to take a postsecondary course(s) and receive credit at both the high school and the postsecondary level. Most dual enrolled students are HOPE eligible. This opportunity gives students a jump start on earning credits for technical college while still in high school.

For more information, contact the high school guidance office.

International Students

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) currently do not authorize West Georgia Technical College to issue student visas. Applicants who hold green cards or who qualify under refugee or asylum status are exempt from obtaining M-1 visas to attend college. To gain consideration for admission, applicants must:

1. Submit the application for admission and pay the $15 nonrefundable application fee.

2. Submit valid placement test scores (SAT, ACT, ASSET, or COMPASS). Test scores must be less than five years old at the time of the anticipated date of enrollment in the college.

3. Provide official English translations of all secondary and postsecondary records and evaluations of those records by an independent evaluation service. Information on approved translation services of foreign transcripts is available in the Admission Office. Applicants must pay the cost of having their records translated.

4. Provide copies of their resident alien identification cards.

After applicants submit all required documentation, the admission office will evaluate their application materials for admission. The college will assess tuition and fees at a rate that is four times the rate assessed for Georgia residents until international residents establish in-state residency.

Senior Citizen Waiver Students

Residents of Georgia who are 62 years of age or older who meet admission requirements, may take courses at West Georgia Technical College on a space-available basis with no tuition charge. Students will be responsible for books, supplies, and fees other than tuition. A senior citizen student who enrolls tuition free may elect to audit courses for personal enrichment only or to enroll in courses for credit. Senior citizen students with tuition waived will be enrolled on a space available basis only during the first two days of each quarter.

Institutional Exemption Exam

A student may receive course credit for previous experiences such as employment in the field, military training, corporate courses, professional certifications, or similar experiences. Credit by examination (written and/or performance) is granted only under the following conditions:

1. Be accepted or currently enrolled at West Georgia Technical College.

2. Present evidence to the department head indicating that prior education, training, or work experience is similar to that of the course being challenged.

3. A student will receive course credit by satisfactorily passing the credit by examination. The examination will be based on the course competencies and may be written and/or performance based. The student must achieve a minimum score on the examination, typically 75-80. Minimum scores vary by program. Check with the department head for the required score for a particular course.

4. Course credit by examination is recorded as EX on the transcript and is not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

5. Exemption exams can be taken only once and must be taken before the student registers for the class they are attempting to exempt.

6. There is a fee of $5.00 per credit hour to take the exemption exam. Payment must be made prior to taking the exemption exam. Charges for the exam are nonrefundable and are not covered by financial aid. Students will pay for the test at the Office of Administrative Services.

7. The student will show the receipt to the faculty member conducting the examination. The instructor is responsible for reporting the credit earned to the Registrar’s Office.

8. No more than 15 credit hours may be earned by institutional credit exam.

Home School/Private School Graduates

Home School Students or students completing a secondary program of study that is not accredited by an agency approved by the United States Department of Education or a recognized accreditation agency accepted by the Georgia Department of Education may be admitted to WGTC by attaining a GED or through one of the following paths:

1. Documentation of certified home schooling; appropriate placement test cut-off scores; AND a minimum SAT score of 430 verbal/400 math, or ACT score of 18 English/16 math.

2. Presidential waiver-Students being admitted under this section may seek a Presidential waiver from the usual requirements that they earn a high school diploma or GED prior to graduation from a technical college program.

3. Students with diplomas from secondary schools located outside the United States may have their transcripts evaluated for equivalency by an approved outside evaluation organization or follow path 1 or 2 identified above.

Change of Name, Address or Telephone Number

In order for all students' records to be maintained in proper order, students should inform the Registrar's Office of any change in name, address or telephone number. It is the student's responsibility to make known to his/her advisor and to the Registrar any change in mailing address or name. Update forms are available in the Registrar's Office. This form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar as soon as a change occurs. Students may also change information on BannerWeb.

Forfeiture of Credit

When a course is repeated, the higher grade will be used in calculating the grade point average for graduation. The first grade will, however, still be recorded on the transcript. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required for graduation.

Graduate Warranty

To demonstrate confidence in and commitment to quality technical education programs which are relevant, current, and responsive to the state expectations of Georgia’s businesses and industries, the State Board of Technical and Adult Education will warrant every graduate from programs offering a technical certificate of credit, diploma, or associate degree in a state governed college. This warranty guarantees that the graduate has demonstrated the knowledge and skills and can perform each competency as identified in the industry-validated Standard or Program Guide, and any program graduate who is determined to lack such competence shall be retrained at no cost to the employer or graduate for tuition or instructional fees.

If one of our graduates who was educated under a standard program, and his or her employer agree that the employee is deficient in one or more competencies as defined in the standards, West Georgia Technical college will retrain that employee at no instructional cost to employee or employer.

The warranty is included as a part of the original tuition costs at all state-governed technical colleges in Georgia and is applicable to graduates who entered the college beginning Fall Quarter 1989. The warranty will remain in effect for two consecutive years following the date of graduation and will be honored by any state governed technical college that offers the same program.