Admissions

ECC operates under the Open Door Policy of the North Carolina Community College System. The institution’s services are available to any person, whether a high school graduate or non-graduate, who is eighteen (18) years old or older and can profit from further formal education. The Open Door Policy does not mean that there are no restrictions on admission to specified programs. Please see program descriptions for admissions policy and procedure. Students are encouraged to enroll in programs which serve their needs and objectives in life, consistent with their backgrounds, aptitudes, and expressed interests. The restrictions on admission are flexible enough to allow all students opportunities to improve their educational status. Opportunities are available for preparatory or remedial studies in the Adult Enrichment (Basic Skills) Center for students who lack specific academic skills necessary for admission to chosen programs.

The college offers occupational and adult education programs to all persons not enrolled in high school who are eighteen (18) years and older and who can profit from instruction. The college offers four different degree programs: the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.), the Associate in Arts degree (A.A.), the Associate in General Education (A.G.E.), and the Associate in Science degree (A.S.). ECC offers the adult high school diploma, the high equivalency test GED, and preparation in the Adult Enrichment (Basic Skills) Center.

Should students desire a course of study but not have the appropriate educational background, developmental studies are available to prepare them for admission to the desired program.

Enrollment Process Step by Step

Persons wishing to enroll at the college should complete the entire enrollment process. This process consists of the following steps:

1. Students should complete the NC Residency Determination Process at https://ncresidency.cfnc.org
2. Students should submit an ECC admissions application to the College.
3. Students seeking a degree, diploma, or certificate are responsible for having an official high school transcript or General Education Development (GED) transcript showing date of graduation or completion submitted to the College. Home-schooled students must provide a copy of the Home-School’s approved registration from the state in which they registered. Students seeking a degree, diploma, or certificate who have college credits are responsible for having an official college transcript sent to the college. College credits will only be accepted and awarded from regionally accredited colleges or universities. Four-year college graduates who can provide official transcripts from the regionally accredited four-year college or university from which they graduated are not required to submit a high school transcript.
4. Students should complete the placement tests when required.
   • Students enrolling in a curriculum program may be required to take the placement test battery before enrollment. The purpose of the test battery is to provide additional information in planning students’ programs of study. Admission to the college is not denied based on placement test scores.
   • Upon receipt of the application, students receive a schedule for placement testing. The Student Services Department may waive the placement test battery if students have satisfactorily completed one English and one mathematics course above the supplemental or vocational level at a technical institute, college, or university, or have earned an associate degree or higher. Exceptions to individual applicants according to the following guidelines are possible:
     • A score of 480 or above on the SAT verbal exempts students from taking the English and reading placement assessments and allows students to enter ENG 111 .
     • A score of 530 or above on the SAT math exempts students from the math placement assessment and allows students to enter college-level math courses.

Scores and corresponding course placement schedules are available in Student Services. Placement test scores become invalid after five years if applicants do not enroll in the appropriate courses.

5. Curriculum students enroll in English/reading, and mathematics courses based on the results of the placement tests. This placement enables students to enter into classes commensurate with their achievement level as indicated by the placement test scores. Specific course prerequisites may make it necessary for students to enroll in supplemental courses, which are identified by a numerical “0” prefix.
6. Students have the opportunity to have a personal interview with a counselor in Student Services. Students have a chance to ask questions about the college and its programs, and counselors have an opportunity to evaluate students’ aptitudes and capabilities to pursue particular programs of study.
7. Applicants may be asked to complete a separate, more detailed residency status application if deemed necessary by college officials. Military personnel and dependents must complete a different form.
8. All students must attend New Student Orientation, which is offered on both campuses at various times before the beginning of each semester. Students have the opportunity to learn about the College, register for classes, and meet curriculum advisors.
9. Students seeking financial assistance should apply for financial aid.

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Provisional Enrollment

Educational Services for Minors

Applicants who are minors between the ages of sixteen (16) and eighteen (18) years may be considered as eligible for educational services and admitted to appropriate courses or programs, provided that they meet following criteria:

1. The minor applicant left the public schools no less than six calendar months before the last day of regular registration for the semester at the institution where the student seeks admission.
2. The application of each minor should include a notarized petition of the minor’s parent, legal guardian, or other person or agency having legal custody and control of the minor applicant. The document certifies the place of residence and date of birth of the juvenile, the parental or other appropriate legal relationship of the petitioner to the minor applicant, and the day on which the applicant left the public school system. The superintendent of the public schools of the administrative unit in which the applicant resides may waive, all or any part of the six-month waiting period.
3. Such admission does not preempt institution facilities and staff to such an extent as to render the institution unable to admit all applicants who have graduated from high school or who are eighteen (18) years of age or older.

The State Board of Community Colleges and the Community College System encourage young people to complete high school before seeking admission to community colleges.

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High School Students

Career and College Promise Program

Qualified North Carolina juniors and seniors can begin their two or four-year college work, tuition-free, while they are in high school, which will allow them to get a head start on their workplace and college work. Through a partnership of the Department of Public Instruction, N.C. Community College System, the University of North Carolina system, and many independent colleges and universities, North Carolina is helping eligible high school students to begin earning college credit at a community college at NO cost to them or their families.

Career and College Promise provides three pathways to help eligible students:

• College Transfer Pathways (CTP) - Earn tuition-free college credits toward a four-year degree through Edgecombe Community College. The CTP option requires the completion of at least 30 semester hours of transfer courses including English and mathematics. This program is for students enrolled in Traditional schools or Charter Schools.
• Career and Technical Education Pathways (CTE) - Earn tuition-free college credits at Edgecombe Community College toward an entry-level job, certificate or diploma in a technical field. These courses align with specific high school career clusters. This program is for students enrolled in Traditional Schools or Charter Schools.
• Cooperative Innovative High Schools (CIHSP) - Students can earn tuition-free college credits as a high school freshman by attending Edgecombe Early College. Students receive opportunities to complete an associate degree or earn up to two years of college credit within five years. Students must apply in February of their 8th-grade year. This program is for students enrolled in Early College only.

College Transfer Pathway

1. To be eligible for enrollment in a College Transfer Pathway, students must demonstrate college readiness in English, reading, and mathematics on an approved test or tests. Students may achieve eligibility by earning the required scores on a single test or by combining test scores from any of the accepted assessments.
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. A high school junior or senior who does not demonstrate college readiness on an approved assessment or placement test can enroll in a College Transfer Pathway on a provisional basis. To qualify for Provisional Status, a student must meet the following criteria:
   1. Have a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.5;
   2. Have completed two years of high school English with a grade of ‘C’ or higher;
   3. Have completed high school Algebra II or Math III (or a higher level math class) with a grade of ‘C’ or higher;
   4. Obtain the written approval of the high school principal or his/her designee; and,
   5. Obtain the written permission of the community college president or his/her designee.

A Provisional Status student may register only for college mathematics (MAT) and college English (ENG) courses within the chosen Pathway. To be eligible to register for other classes in the Pathway, the student must first complete math and English courses with a grade of ‘C’ or higher.

Once in the College Transfer Pathway, students must continue to make progress toward high school graduation and maintain a college GPA of 2.0. A student may change his or her program of study with the approval of the high school principal or designee and the college’s chief student development administrator. A student may enroll in a College Transfer Pathway and a Career and Technical Program of Study.     

Career Technical Education Pathway

To be eligible for enrollment, a high school student must meet the following criteria:

• Be a high school junior or senior;
• Have a weighted GPA of 3.0 on high school courses or have the recommendation of the high school principal or his/her designee; and
• Meet the prerequisites for the career pathway.

Once in the Career and Technical Pathway, students must continue to make progress toward high school graduation and maintain a college GPA of 2.0. A student may change his or her program of study with the approval of the high school principal or designee and the college’s chief academic officer. A student may enroll in a College Transfer Pathway and a Career and Technical Program of Study.    

Cooperative Innovative High School Programs

1. Housed on college campuses, Cooperative Innovative High School Programs enroll 100 or fewer students per grade level and provide opportunities for students to complete an associate degree program or earn up to two years of college credit within five years.
2. Eligibility requirements for Cooperative Innovative High School Programs are established jointly by local boards of education and local boards of trustees following G.S. 115C-238.50. The college may not award the AA, AS, AGE-N, or AAS degrees before verification of high school graduation. Students may earn certificates or diplomas before high school graduation.
3. The State Board of Community Colleges may waive the requirement that a community college campus house a particular Cooperative Innovative High School Program.

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Special Credit Students

Any persons eighteen (18) years of age or older who do not plan to earn a degree, diploma, or certificate but wish to enroll in a college credit course (not a continuing education class) are admitted as special credit students. Special credit students may register for courses if course prerequisites are met and if space exists in the classes. Regular students’ registration takes precedence over special credit students’ registration.

For enrollment at ECC, special credit students need only to complete an admissions application, which is available in the Admissions Office or online; however, upon a later decision to pursue a degree, diploma, or certificate at the college, special credit students are required to submit proof of high school graduation and proficiency of any required prerequisite coursework. Special Credit students who are auditing courses must meet prerequisites. Special credit students are not eligible to receive financial aid or veterans’ benefits. Special credit students can take no more than twelve (12) semester hours of credit without declaring a major.

International Student Admission Policy

Edgecombe Community College has approval by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for attendance by international students. Application for admission should be made at least six months before the semester in which the applicant plans to enroll. The college classifies international students as non-residents of the state of North Carolina concerning tuition and fees. However, the College is unable to provide financial aid to international students; therefore, all such applicants must have sufficient funds to cover all living expenses, tuition, and fees while attending the college. The College does not provide student housing. International students are expected to make appropriate arrangements. ECC does not accept international students for transfer credit.

Admission requires the following items:

1. Application for Admission and Residence Status Application - The College provides these forms, and they should be completed and returned at least six months before the date of proposed admission to initiate the process.
2. Academic Records - A certified copy of the original educational records, to include all previous academic experiences, is required. If the original document is in a foreign language, applicants must submit a certified English translation.
3. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - All international student applicants must provide TOEFL scores except those from countries where English is the only official language. A minimum acceptable TOEFL score of 550 serves as evidence of adequate proficiency in English.
4. Placement Testing and Interview - Applicants must complete placement testing and personal interviews before they can be accepted for admission.
5. Financial Statement - A signed financial resource statement is required of all applicants. This should be a detailed statement of the applicant’s financial situation, including the amount of money available per year, their source of income, and any other pertinent information. The availability of funds sufficient to meet expenses for the first academic year must be certified. The inclusion of any false information constitutes grounds for dismissal from the college.
6. Student Medical Form - A college-provided student medical form, completed and signed by a physician, must be submitted. The student must have completed the hepatitis B series.
7. Responsibility Statement - Each applicant must furnish a certified statement from a United States citizen stating that they agree to accept responsibility for sponsoring and assisting the applicant as may become necessary for the applicant to pursue his or her educational objective.
8. Upon receipt of all the above items, the applicant’s file will go to the Enrollment Management Committee for the admissions decision. The applicant will be informed by mail of the committee’s decision, Form I-20 A-B, “Certificate of Eligibility, will be prepared on request from applicants who receive formal acceptance for admission to the College.

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Readmissions

Students must be actively enrolled for twelve (12) consecutive months or complete the enrollment process as stated in the “Admissions” section of this catalog.

Academic Forgiveness Policy

The Academic Forgiveness Policy applies to students who have failing grades at ECC at least five (5) years old and have not enrolled for two (2) consecutive years at the college.

Upon readmission, when students complete twelve (12) hours of academic work with a two-point-zero grade point average (2.0 GPA) or better, their previous grades of “F” receive forgiveness in the computation of the overall grade point average. ECC’s Academic Forgiveness Policy does not apply to financial aid eligibility.

Catalog of Record

The catalog that is current when students enroll in the college is the catalog of record. Students who are in continuous attendance may graduate under the provisions of the catalog of record in effect on their date of entry into their current curriculum major program of study, or they have the option of choosing the requirements of a subsequent catalog. A student who is re-admitted or changes their curriculum major program of study must come under the provisions of the catalog in effect at the time of the change or a subsequent catalog.

Administrative Withdrawals, Suspension, Expulsions

Students who are suspended or expelled from the college may request clarification at the time of withdrawal regarding when they may re-enter.

Students who have been administratively withdrawn from class may re-enroll the next semester. Students readmitted after an absence of at least twelve (12) consecutive months must meet the requirements of the catalog in use at the time they apply for readmission to the college.

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