Admissions Information and Procedures

Admissions Philosophy

Carroll Community College is committed to offering accessible educational opportunities to our community. In support of that commitment, the College maintains an open door policy of admission. All who may benefit from the learning experience at Carroll are welcome in accordance with the following admission practices.

Welcome to Carroll!

Carroll Community College offers a variety of pre-admission services to assist prospective students in their decision-making about pursuing a degree at the College. These services include academic guidance to help individuals determine how the College might help them meet their needs and accomplish their goals. An admissions counselor or an academic advisor will help students choose a major or program of study and explore how courses in their major will work toward Carroll degree requirements and transfer to baccalaureate degree programs at Maryland state colleges and universities and beyond. There are many opportunities for prospective students to visit the College. Please visit the Events and Activities page on our website for upcoming information sessions, open house program dates, walk in advising hours, individual College tours, and other programs designed in conjunction with the high schools to meet prospective student individual needs. Close relationships with area high schools, the Career and Technology Center, and with local business and community organizations are maintained in order to provide direct access to College services through campus visits, academic and career advising, and a variety of workshops.

For information about visiting the College or general admissions questions, contact the Admissions Office at 410-386-8430 or by email at admissions@carrollcc.edu.

Steps to Admission

1. Submit an Enrollment Application. New students are encouraged to submit applications in April for fall enrollment or in November for spring enrollment but can apply any time before a semester begins on a rolling basis. New students may apply online, www.carrollcc.edu/applynow.
    
2. Submit official transcripts verifying all high school and prior College coursework. A high school transcript is not considered official until graduation is posted. Please send once graduation is conferred. If you have taken Advanced Placement courses, these official scores should be sent directly from the College Board. SAT/ACT scores are not required but can exempt you from placement testing. These should also be requested directly from the College Board. We strongly recommend that you send your scores whenever available. GED® recipients must request official test scores and certification from the Department of Education in the state from which they received their diplomas. (In Maryland, call 410-767-0538.) Transfer students who attended other colleges or universities must submit official transcripts from each college attended to have coursework evaluated and posted toward a degree at Carroll.
    
3. Apply for financial aid. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA is available beginning October 1; for maximum eligibility, apply before March 1. Visit the Financial Aid Office, room A114, or call 410-386-8437 for assistance.
   
   Please note that in order to be eligible to receive funds from any of the Federal Financial Aid, students must have a high school diploma or GED, must be enrolled or accepted into an eligible program of study, must be pursuing a credit degree or certificate, and must submit his/her Social Security Number to the College.
    
4. Determine Course Placement. Upon admission to the College, all students are required to show eligibility for College English (ENGL 101 ) and college-level math. There are many different ways to show college-level eligibility.
   • New College Students:
     1. Students with a high school unweighted grade point average of 3.0 or higher within 5 years are eligible for ENGL 101  and non-calculus-based courses (MATH 111  MATH 115  MATH 118  or MATH 121 ). English Language Learners cannot place with GPA alone (please see below).
     2. Math standardized test scores are honored for two years.
        • 530+ on the Math SAT or 21+ on the ACT will be eligible for non-calculus based General Education math courses (MATH 111  MATH 115  MATH 118  or MATH 121 ). Please note MAT 099  is the best preparation for calculus.
        • 570+ on the Math SAT, 24+ on the ACT will be eligible for MATH 122 .
        • 3 on the AP Statistics may enroll in MATH 115 .
        • 3 on the AP Calculus AB or BC exam will be eligible for General Education math courses (MATH 111   MATH 115 , MATH 121 , MATH 122 , MATH 118 , MATH 130 , MATH 132 , or MATH 135 .
        • A grade of B or higher in a Carroll County Public high-school’s Trigonometry/Precalculus course within the last two years and an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher will be eligible for MATH 122  and MATH 130 .
        • A grade of C or higher in a Carroll County Public high-school’s Trigonometry/Precalculus course within the last two years and an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher will be eligible for MATH 118 .
        • 165 or higher on the GED Math Reasoning Test will be eligible for non-calculus based General Education math courses (MATH 111  MATH 115  MATH 118  or MATH 121 ). Please note MAT 099  is the best preparation for calculus.
     3. English standardized test scores are honored for two years. Students with the following scores will be eligible to take ENGL 101 .

• 480+ on Evidenced-Based Reading/Writing SAT
• 21+ on the ACT
• 4 on the PARCC English 11
• 3 on the AP English test
• 165 or higher on the GED Reasoning through Language Arts

• Transfer students (already have credit from another College):
  1. are ENGL 101  eligible, if they have previously taken and earn a C or higher an equivalent freshman English composition course.
  2. are exempt from the math placement test if they have previously taken and passed a math General Education course (except if enrolling in precalculus and calculus courses).
  3. may be exempt from a placement test if the student has successfully completed the highest level transitional course in the appropriate subject (English or mathematics) at a Maryland community college. Transitional mathematics courses are only honored for two years.
  4. Students who have earned an associate’s degree or higher from an accredited institution are exempt from placement testing (except if enrolling in precalculus and calculus courses). Students are required to submit proof of an earned degree or demonstrate prior coursework that satisfies Carroll’s course prerequisites at the time of registration.
• English Language Learners
  1. Will give a writing sample and be placed in a writing course accordingly (not eligible for placement by high school GPA).
  2. Specialized tutoring services are available for English Language Learners. Students with scores below college-entry-level for mathematics and English will be required to enroll in and satisfactorily complete ​courses designed to improve these basic skills and may be limited in the number of courses they are permitted to take.
     • Students who score 236 and below on the Accuplacer Next Generation English placement test are referred to the Academic Center for tutoring.
     • Students who score 5 or below on the ALEKS mathematics test are required to complete and fulfill the exit requirement of the Academic Skills Enhancement program prior to enrolling in academic courses (including transitional coursework).

If none of the above requirements have been met, any student can take the College placement tests to determine eligibility and placement for English and math coursework. Math placement scores are honored for two years. Once students begin the transitional course sequence, they may not retest and must complete the transitional course sequence prior to beginning General Education courses. If students change pathways, they may seek approval from the Math Chair to retest.

Prospective and currently enrolled students requiring placement testing may call the Admissions Office, 410-386-8430, for the placement test procedure. Students who would like to enroll based on prior college coursework, should contact the Admissions Office, admissions@carrollcc.edu or 410-386-8430.

Students will be allowed to retest once for English and up to four times for math. A 24-hour delay, plus required remediation time for math, will be required after the initial test. (Retest fees apply.)
 

5. Get Results and Plan. Placement test results are available immediately after testing (except Saturdays and weeknights after 6:00). Contact an admissions counselor to meet briefly for a post-test advising session, designed to explain placement test scores and describe next steps for course registration, and/or possible re-test options. Parents are welcome to attend the one-on-one meeting. No appointment is required.

6. Register for courses. Beginning with placement results, new students will develop an academic plan and obtain advisor approval for first-term courses during their one-on-one advising session. After their first term, students are encouraged to discuss goals with an advisor to assure satisfactory progress toward those goals before subsequent registrations. All students will be required to meet with an academic advisor at 15, 30 and 45 credit milestones to review their academic plans and make any necessary adjustments. At these milestone meetings, advisors will also refer students, if appropriate, to campus resources for assistance in setting career and personal goals, which will aid in the planning process.
    
7. Attend New Student Orientation. The New Student Orientation program is an integral component of the college experience. The program is designed to assist new students and their families as they navigate the college environment, to feel at ease in the College community, and to introduce the resources available. Through the cooperation of faculty, staff, and current student leaders, the program focuses on the new students’ understanding of what the College expects of them and what they may expect from the College. The orientation program includes information on the College’s services and facilities, academic expectations, advising, and student life on campus. All new students and their families are encouraged to attend orientation in August (for students entering in the fall term) or January (for students entering in the spring term).

DREAM Act

As an open-admission institution, Carroll Community College grants admission to all students regardless of citizenship. Maryland Senate Bill 167 provides the opportunity for some non-US citizens who attended high school in Maryland to be exempt from paying the out-of-state tuition rate. In order to qualify for this exemption and be eligible for either the in-county or out-of-county tuition rate, students must meet very specific requirements. Please speak to the Senior Director of Enrollment Development to discuss your qualifications by scheduling an appointment. Call 410-386-8430.

What is FERPA?

FERPA, Family Educational Rights Privacy Act, protects the privacy of student records and assures that students have an opportunity to review and correct records, if appropriate. Once students reach 18 years of age or begin attending a post-secondary institution, regardless of age, FERPA rights transfer from the parents/guardians to students. Carroll Community College faculty and staff will, therefore, not disclose any information about student records or performance to outside parties unless the student provides written consent. The College encourages students to discuss academic plans and progress with parents and guardians directly. Students may view Canvas for individual current course information or the Lynx portal for term-end and cumulative information. Students may obtain the Permission to Release Educational Records form in the Records Office (room A112). Students and/or approved parties must submit valid identification to be granted access to student records.

Transitional Education Program

Carroll Community College offers an interdisciplinary instructional program with courses in English and mathematics to help students in their college endeavors. These courses employ a variety of instructional methods, materials, and technology so students may develop, by the most effective educational means, the specific skills required.

The program is available for all students and especially for those whose previous academic experience or assessment/placement scores indicate a need for additional work in English or mathematics. Students must consult with faculty or advisors before registering for these courses in order to formulate cooperatively a detailed plan to remove barriers that impede academic success.

In order to provide for optimum student academic success within the human and financial resources available, Carroll Community College has established a comprehensive program of assessment and placement for students. The College is prepared to meet the educational needs of those students whose demonstrated academic skills are commensurate with the level of programs offered. In addition to the traditional collegiate level programs offered, a number of academic experiences are provided for students whose current academic skills are found to be inadequate for college-level work.

Faculty expect that all students complete English and mathematics within their first 12 credit hours. To ensure maximum success, English and mathematics courses will be taken during consecutive terms until the sequence is completed. Per Maryland law, students must have completed their college-level English (ENGL 101 ) and at least one college-level mathematics course by completion of 24 credit hours or registration will be blocked.

Returning Students/Readmission

A student who stops out or withdraws from Carroll Community College will normally be eligible for readmission at any time. In cases where academic performance reflects difficulty, however, readmission will be reviewed with the possibility of a limit placed on the number of credits to be attempted. Those students suspended from the College for the first time because of unsatisfactory academic performance (three semesters with a GPA below 2.00) will be eligible for readmission twelve months after the end of the term in which they were suspended. Those students suspended from the College for the second time because of unsatisfactory academic performance (an additional term with a GPA below 2.00) will be eligible for readmission three years after the end of the term in which they were suspended. All suspended students must meet with the Associate Provost, Student Affairs and Marketing to discuss readmission. Suspended students desiring readmission sooner than the designated duration may write to studentaffairs@carrollcc.edu and are referred to the Readmission Policy . The College reserves the right to deny readmission and/or admission to individual curricula.

Students who are suspended from Carroll occasionally enroll at other institutions during the suspension time. Transfer credit (including credit earned via credit by exam or the College Level Examination Program/CLEP) will be accepted in transfer. The initial grade will appear on the transcript, but will be replaced in the calculation and improve the student’s Carroll Community College grade point average.

Students who do not enroll for two consecutive calendar years must follow the requirements in effect when they re-enroll. In addition:

1. Students who stop out from Carroll Community College in good academic standing will normally be eligible for re-enrollment at any time.
    
2. Students who do not enroll for two consecutive calendar years, must follow the catalog/requirements in effect when they re-enroll.
    
3. To assure that College records are correct and accounts appropriately reactivated, returning students complete an online application (www.carrollcc.edu/applynow) and meet with an advisor to update a plan of study.
    
4. Students who have incomplete core skills (not yet completed ENGL 101  or college-level math) will be advised regarding their retest and study requirements.
    
5. If the General Education mathematics requirement has not been completed in a timely manner (no more than two years between successfully completed math courses), students will be required to retake the mathematics placement test, regardless of grades earned in previous mathematics coursework. Academic Advisors will determine this for the student. This decision may be appealed to the Chair of Mathematics.