Prior to Admission

Academic Advising/Counseling Services

Students are encouraged to meet with an Academic Counselor prior to enrollment to discuss educational interests, available program plans, degree requirements, and the enrollment process.

High School transcripts and SAT scores may be required for admittance into restricted program plans and/or for general academic advisement.

Placement

Central Virginia Community College offers several approved placement strategies that provide consistent and reliable results for students enrolling in associate degree, diploma, and certificate programs and in courses that require a reading, writing, or math prerequisite. Students enrolling only in career studies certificate programs may be waived from placement procedures, unless a course in the program requires a reading, writing, or math prerequisite. Assessment will be offered through a variety of approved measures. VCCS policies, guidelines, and procedures shall be followed when assessing students. Students should meet with an Academic Counselor to determine proper course placement.

Students with sufficient SAT, ACT, CLEP, or AP scores in English or math may be able to place directly into college-level classes. Students who transfer both English and math credits from another accredited college may also meet placement requirements. Transfer students who wish to receive credit for courses taken at another college must send the official transcripts from the previous college(s) to the Office of Admissions and Records for evaluation. If the student attended another community college within the Virginia Community College System, an official transcript is not required as we can access these records. A student who has successfully completed two years of a foreign language in high school may also test for placement into the second year of foreign language in our Testing Center located on the second floor of the Bedford Learning Resource Center, Room 3205.

Dual enrolled high school students who enroll in programs or courses must meet the admissions criteria specified in VCCS Policy 6.6 and any applicable course prerequisites.

Direct Enrollment

Direct Enrollment allows students who graduate from high school with a 2.0 GPA or higher to enroll directly into college-level courses with appropriate co-requisite support classes. Students who graduated high school more than five years previously can use an Informed Self- Placement guide that is based on a student’s experiences and comfort with math and academic writing to determine their appropriate placement.

Multiple Measures for Placement

In determining students’ readiness for college-level English and math courses, CVCC will use the following means and measures per VCCS Policy 6.4.0.2.1.

1. Any student who has earned an associate degree or higher or who has earned a C or better in college-level courses in math and/or English at a regionally accredited institution will be exempt from placement processes provided they meet the prerequisites for the respective courses in their chosen program of study.
2. Any student who has successfully completed developmental courses at CVCC will be exempt from placement processes in those areas.
3. Any student who has successfully completed developmental courses at a non-VCCS institution will have their coursework evaluated for placement.
4. A student may submit a high school/home school transcript or an approved test score for placement evaluation. Seniors who have not yet graduated may submit a transcript as of the completion of the first semester of the senior year to determine readiness for placement into college-level courses for the purpose of early admission.
5. Any student who is not placed by the above criteria will take the Virginia Placement Test, or ESL-specific test, as appropriate. Students have the option to take the Virginia Placement Test in order to improve their placement standing after other measures are considered. Such placement test scores will not be used to place a student in a lower English or math course than indicated by other criteria, unless the student desires a lower placement.

Measures for English and Math Placement

Per VCCS Policy 6.4.0.2.2, high school GPA (HSGPA) is valid for five (5) years after the date of high school graduation. SAT, ACT, and GED Test scores are valid for five (5) years after the date of the test. Virginia Placement Test - Math scores are valid for five (5) years after the date of the test. Previously taken developmental courses will be valid for five (5) years after term taken.

Virginia Placement Test - English scores are valid for five (5) years after the date of the test. Previously taken developmental courses will be valid for five (5) years after term taken.

Placement Across VCCS Colleges

Students who intend to enroll in courses at one VCCS institution may be evaluated for placement at other VCCS institutions at no cost to the student. In addition, the home institution shall accept the placement evaluations from other VCCS institutions in compliance with VCCS policy section 6.4.0.2.3.