Admissions

South Plains College’s admissions program is based on an open door philosophy which accepts all students for enrollment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability or age. To be eligible for admission to SPC, you must have graduated or received a diploma from an accredited high school or have successfully completed the General Education Development (GED) Test.

Students wishing to transfer to South Plains College from another college or university will be considered for admission based on their previous college record. International students seeking admission should contact the Registrar directly for specific application information and forms.

The Dean of Admissions and Records is responsible for administering the admissions policies and procedures of the college. Questions pertaining to admission to South Plains College should be directed to the Admissions and Records Office.

In all cases, students seeking admission to South Plains College should follow these steps in the process.

1. APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION.

New and transfer students must submit an Application for Admission which may be obtained from the Admissions and Records Office. For your convenience, a copy of the Application for Admission can be found at the back of this catalog or you can apply online at www.southplainscollege.edu. Applicants should attach a photocopy of their Social Security card to the Application for Admission.

2. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT.

An official transcript of the student’s academic record in high school or the record at each college attended since leaving high school must be filed with the Admissions and Records Office. The applicant is responsible for having these records forwarded to the Admissions and Records office. Transcripts should be sent immediately following the close of the last semester of attendance in high school or other college. Submission of partial or incomplete transcripts is not necessary unless there is some question regarding admission.

Students applying for scholarships must provide ACT or SAT scores in order to meet scholarship eligibility requirements.

3. COLLEGE PLACEMENT TESTS.

Students who are entering college for the first time and who are planning to enroll in college-level courses should plan to take a Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) or an alternative placement test prior to registration. Placement test scores are utilized in advising and placement of students in appropriate course work. Students with prior college-level work and those entering specified certificate programs may be waived from TSI requirements. Students who are not waived from TSI are required to take a placement test prior to registering for classes.

TSI placement tests are given at South Plains College and at other Texas colleges. THEA, an approved TSI placement test, registration forms are available from high school or college counselors, or online at www.thea.nesinc.com.

4. CERTIFICATE OF RESIDENCE.

A Certificate of Residence form can be found as part of the admissions application.

5. IMMUNIZATIONS.

Immunization is an integral part of your health care and the disease prevention program at South Plains College. While not a requirement for admission, all new or transfer students, especially those born on or after January 1, 1957, should have received immunizations for the following diseases:

RUBELLA: One dose of rubella vaccine administered on or after the first birthday.
TETANUS/DIPHTHERIA: One dose of tetanus/diphtheria toxoid administered within the last 10 years.
MEASLES: Two doses of measles vaccine administered on or after the first birthday and at least 30 days apart.
MUMPS: One dose of mumps vaccine administered on or after the first birthday.

While South Plains College will not administer immunizations, information can be gained from the Student Health Coordinator.

1. If you are a Graduate of an Accredited High School or Equivalent:

An applicant who is a graduate of an accredited high school or who has successfully completed a nontraditional secondary educational program will be admitted upon the presentation of a properly authenticated high school transcript.

2. If you are NOT a Graduate of an Accredited High School:

An applicant who is not a graduate of an accredited high school or who has graduated from private, non-accredited educational programs, may be admitted as follows:

1. Successful completion of the High School Level General Education Development (GED) Test provided that the applicant meets the age requirement for taking the GED, or;
2. If you are not a graduate of an accredited high school or private school, or have not earned a General Education Development (GED) certificate, you may be considered for admission by individual approval. Contact the Dean of Admissions and Records for information.

3. If you are seeking Readmission:

Former students of South Plains College not on suspension, provided they have not attended another college since they were last enrolled at South Plains College, will be readmitted to South Plains College during any scheduled registration period. Former students who have attended another college or university since leaving South Plains College should refer to Methods of Admission 4-A.

4. If you are a Transfer Student from another College or University:

A. New student. A student who has begun work at another accredited college or university and is not under disciplinary or academic suspension at the last college attended will be considered for admission to South Plains College. Performance at the other institution must, however, meet the minimum academic standards of the College.

A student from another college seeking admission to South Plains College must present an official transcript of his/her entire college record. All transcripts should be sent directly to the Admissions and Records Office and should be on file at the time of enrollment. A student is not officially enrolled until all transcripts are on file. College transcripts must be on file at time of enrollment.

A student who has been enrolled in another college for only a summer term or session will be admitted to South Plains College on the basis of the high school record.

5. If you are an International Student:

General Requirements

1. The application must be submitted at least 90 days, and the file complete at least 30 days prior to the first scheduled day of registration for a given semester.
2. There will be a quota imposed on the total number of international students accepted for admission by South Plains College for any given semester. The college reserves the right to change the quota at any time without prior notification.
3. A $50 application fee is required before consideration of an application can be made. The fee should accompany the application when it is sent to the college.

Specific Requirements

1. Evidence of proficiency in the English language is required and can be satisfied by submitting results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 (paper exam), 213 (computer exam), or 79 (internet exam).
2. An official copy of a transcript from the last four (4) years of secondary school must be submitted. The official transcript must be an original copy translated into English and must show each course completed and the grade earned. A minimum grade average of “B” is required.
3. Proof of financial ability to remain in South Plains College long enough to complete degree requirements must also be submitted with the application. This proof can be in the form of a bank statement and letter from the person responsible for providing financial support for the international student.

Specific Requirements for International Transfer Students

1. Transfer students from other colleges and universities within the United States must meet all general and specific requirements as outlined.
2. An official college transcript from every United States college or university attended must be submitted in place of the high school transcript.
3. Transfer students must have completed at least 12 semester hours but not more than 40 semester hours with a minimum 3.25 GPA to be eligible for consideration.

THE FORM I-20 WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL ALL SPECIFIED REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN SATISFIED.

Students may appeal their academic suspension to the Admissions Committee. The student should detail the appeal in writing and should address the letter to the committee. The following must be included in the appeal letter and submitted at least two weeks prior to registration: a.) your typed letter of appeal with supporting documentation relevant to your situation, an immediate contact telephone number and your declared major; b.) all academic transcripts, including the one that states the academic suspension. Complete information about the appeals procedure can be obtained from the Admissions and Records office or online at www.southplainscollege.edu. The Dean of Admissions and Records chairs the Admissions Committee.

Senate Bill 1321, passed by the 73rd Texas Legislature, entitles Texas residents to seek admission to institutions of higher education without consideration of courses undertaken 10 or more years prior to enrollment. Students may not pick and choose what is to be ignored and what is not. Either all college courses 10 or more years old are ignored or they are counted. If you choose the Academic Fresh Start option, you will not receive any credit for any courses you took 10 or more years ago. This means that:

• Courses taken previously cannot be used to fulfill ne prerequisite requirements.
• Courses taken previously cannot be counted towards your new degree.
• Courses taken previously will not be counted in your new GPA calculations.

Academic Fresh Start clears only your academic record. When deciding your eligibility for financial aid, the college must still count all prior credits earned.

For courses taken at South Plains College for which Academic Fresh Start is applied, the official transcript will continue to show all courses taken. Grades and grade points will be shown, however, the credit hours attempted and cumulative grade points will total zero for the Academic Fresh Start courses and will not be computed for the overall GPA. A notation will be placed on the transcript showing the semester that the student began to take courses after the Academic Fresh Start.

All requests for Academic Fresh Start must be made in writing with the completed form to the Dean of Admissions and Records prior to enrollment.

In addition to the general admission requirements for South Plains College, students enrolling in any one of the programs offered by the Health Occupations Division must meet additional admissions criteria. Contact the coordinator of the program in which enrollment is desired to obtain specific admission requirements.

The early admissions program allows high school students to enroll in college courses while still in high school. Students may also enroll in approved courses at South Plains College and receive credit toward high school graduation. Such dual credit programs are part of a cooperative agreement between local accredited high schools and South Plains College.

• The student must complete a South Plains College Application for Admission. The student must also complete an early admission application and have it approved and signed by his/her principal and parent/ guardian. The student must include with the application an official high school transcript prior to admission.
• The student must be in TSI compliance.
• Upon acceptance by the Dean of Admissions and Records at South Plains College, the student will be admitted under the conditional entrance policy.
• The student must have at least fourteen (14) high school credits and will be limited to the following:
  1. Two (2) Dual Credit courses per semester.
  2. Two (2) Early Admission courses per semester.

However, under special circumstances that indicate a student with exceptional academic abilities is capable of college-level work, based on such factors as grade-point average, ACT or SAT scores, and other assessments, the high school principal and the Vice President for Academic Affairs may grant exceptions to this requirement.

• Students taking Dual Credit courses should contact the high school counselor regarding UIL (NO PASS/NO PLAY) regulations. Students who drop a college course may be subject to forfeiting UIL eligibility. Please consult with your high school counselor.
• By signing the early admission application the student and parent/guardian give South Plains College permission to release the student’s academic record to the high school.

While attending South Plains College, the student will be expected to adhere to all policies of the college.

The Admissions and Records Office should be contacted for an early admission application which must be signed by the parent, principal and student. Once approved for the program, the student should follow the regular admission steps. The major state and private colleges and universities in Texas have agreed to accept early admission hours from South Plains College. It is the responsibility of the student to check on out-of-state institutions’ requirements.

For more information about early admissions to SPC or opportunities for dual credit enrollments, contact the Admissions and Records Office or at www.southplainscollege.edu.

STUDENTS WHO PLAN TO COMPETE IN UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE EARLY ADMISSIONS PROGRAM COULD AFFECT THEIR ELIGIBILITY.