ADMISSION
A person who wishes to enroll as an undergraduate student at North Georgia College & State University should apply online at http://northgeorgia.edu/admissions/. A prospective student who either has questions regarding admissions and deadlines or wishes to have the application, transcripts and scores sent to NGCSU should use the following addresses or telephone numbers:
If not participating in the Corps of Cadets:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
NGCSU
Dahlonega, GA 30597
(800) 498-9581
If not participating in the Corps of Cadets:
Cadet Recruitment Center
NGCSU
ATTN: Cadet Admissions
Dahlonega, GA 30597
(888) 413-9366
The following documents are required:
• A completed application for Undergraduate Admission;
• Official high school transcripts;
• Official college or university transcripts from all attended colleges;
• Official SAT or ACT. These scores are required for new freshmen who graduated from high school within the past five years or transfer students with fewer than 30 transferable semester hours or 45 transferable quarter hours who have been out of high school less than five years. (Information regarding these tests is available from high school counselors or any unit of the University System of Georgia.);
• A completed NGCSU Certificate of Immunization;
• A completed NGCSU Medical Report
• A non-refundable $25 application fee.
Students transferring from other colleges or universities should arrange with the registrar of each institution attended to forward official transcripts directly to NGCSU.
In some instances, the applicant may be requested to come to Dahlonega for testing and/or for an interview.
The university reserves the right to refuse admission when it appears that the number of students already accepted will fill the university to its capacity.
Admission requirements to credit-bearing distance learning courses are the same as admission requirements to courses offered in the traditional classroom. Any student withholding or falsifying any information required by North Georgia College & State University as part of the application process is subject to having her/his admission and/or registration canceled.
Types of Admission
Regular Admission
1. The applicant must be at least 16 years old on or before the registration
date and must be of good moral character.
2. The applicant must show that he/she has met the following requirements: a) is a graduate of an accredited high school, or a high school that is approved by the university, and has com- pleted the approved college preparatory curriculum, b) has satisfactorily completed entrance examinations prescribed by the university, c) is a qualified transfer applicant, or d) qualifies in a special category as sub- sequently described.
3. The following specific College-Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) units must be submitted by new freshmen and transfer applicants with fewer than 30 transferable semester hours (45 quarter hours):
English (Grammar, Literature, Advanced Composition) . . . . . . . 4 Units
Mathematics (2 Algebra, l Geometry, l mathematics course that has
the preceding courses as its prerequisite). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Units
Social Science (American History, World History, Economics &
Government) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Units
Science (at least 2 from Biology, Chemistry or Physics with at
least 1 life science with lab and 1 physical science with lab) . . . . .3 Units
Foreign Language (one language) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Units
North Georgia College & State University reserves the right to refuse to accept any or all of the credits from any high school or other institution, notwithstanding its accreditation status, when it is determined that the quality of instruction at such high school or other institution is for any reason deficient or unsatisfactory.
4. Prior to enrollment, students must provide a completed NGCSU Certificate of Immunization showing proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diptheria, varicella, and, if 18 years of age or less at the time of classes, hepatitis B.
5. The North Georgia College & State University Medical Report must be completed before enrollment. Information provided on the form is especially important in those cases in which the student has a condition that requires special medical assistance.
6. A $25 application fee is required when applying to North Georgia College & State University for the first time. This fee is non-refundable and does not apply toward other university fees.
7. Students admitted for the Fall Semester are required to pay a $200 Confirmation Deposit by May 1, or if admitted after May 1, within two weeks of admission. The Confirmation Deposit will be refunded to the enrolled student no sooner than 20 days after the start of Fall classes. Admitted students who do not enroll will not receive a refund of their Confirmation Deposit. Students admitted for the Spring semester are required to pay a $200 Confirmation Deposit by December 1, or if admitted after December 1, within two weeks of admission. The Confirmation Deposit will be refunded to the enrolled student no sooner than 20 days after the start of Spring classes. Admitted students who do not enroll will not receive a refund of their Confirmation Deposit.
Learning Support Program (LSP)
Within the context of admission to the University, incoming students, typically non-traditional students, whose academic and/or testing records indicate the need for additional, non-credit work in English and mathematics, may be admitted with the condition that they contact the NGCSU Testing Office and schedule the COMPASS Placement Test, then based upon the scores, possibly complete certain Learning Support courses. Admitted students cannot take regular curriculum credit courses which require the content or skills of Learning Support courses without specific approval of their academic advisor, and such students will be given the opportunity to "test-out" of the Learning Support Program by achieving satisfactory scores on the COMPASS Placement Tests, offered by the NGCSU Testing Office, prior to the start of classes. Students who successfully "test-out" may be transferred to regular academic status. The Learning Support Program is discussed at length in the "Division of Academic Support Programs" section of this bulletin.
Joint Enrollment
A high school student on track to complete her/his College-Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) requirements and who has a total SAT score of 1100 (ACT composite 24) with minimum scores of 530 SAT Critical Reading (23 ACT English) and 500 SAT math (21 ACT) and who has a high school grade point average of 3.5 in college-preparatory courses may apply for joint enrollment. An applicant must have permission of an appropriate high school official and, if a minor, of her/his parent or guardian. To be accepted the applicant must have completed all CPC requirements except the fourth unit of English, fourth unit of mathematics and the third unit of social science. A joint enrollmented applicant must also be enrolled in all courses necessary to receive a college-preparatory high school diploma.
Early Admission
A student who chooses not to complete high school may apply for admission if she/he has completed all CPC requirements except one unit of English and one unit of social science. In order to be accepted, an applicant must have a total SAT score of 1200 (ACT composite 27) with minimum scores of 530 SAT Critical Reading (23 ACT English) and 500 SAT math (21 ACT Mathematics) and a high school grade point average of 3.5 in college-preparatory courses.
Graduates of Home Schools and Non-Accredited High Schools
Definitions of Terms Used by NGCSU
Home Schooled Applicant: An applicant who has not graduated from a regionally-accredited high school or a University System of Georgia (USG) recognized high school, has not completed the prescribed Carnegie units of the College-Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) set by the USG, and has not received grades in CPC and other appropriate academic courses precluding the calculation of a Freshman Index.
Evaluation Criteria
Home-schooled applicants with a diploma from a regionally accredited home study program will be given the same consideration for admission as students with a diploma from a public school. Please refer to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions web site for the list of accreditation or approved agencies.
Freshman applicants home-schooled in non-accredited programs and applicants from non-accredited high schools go to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions web site then print and follow the Portfolio Admissions Application Procedure, and submit the necessary documentation to the NGCSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions prior to the deadline for the term of entry.
Non-traditional Applicants
Non-traditional admission is designed for students who have not attended high school within the previous five years, or whose high school class graduated at least five years ago, have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester hours (45 quarter hours) of college credit and who hold a high school diploma or have completed the G.E.D. These students are exempt from CPC requirements and from requirements for SAT/ACT testing. Applicants who are transferring from a college must also meet our transfer admission requirements. Non-traditional students shall be required to take the COMPASS examination and may be required to participate in the Learning Support Program.
International Applicants
International students interested in NGCSU should print a copy of the publication entitled "Application Guide for International Students" available at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions web site, http://northgeorgia.edu/admissions/. This publication outlines all admission requirements and contains an application for admission and other associated forms. International students seeking admission to the university must submit the following documentation:
- A completed International Application for Undergraduate Admission and non-refundable $25 (USD) application fee.
- Official records of courses and grades from all secondary schools and universities attended (even if the student withdrew). These records must be notarized. Certified, non-English transcripts or grade reports should be accompanied by official (literal, not interpretive) translations.
- If English is not the applicant's native language, or if the applicant's schooling during the past five years has been in a language other than English, the University requires that the applicant take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Generally, the University is looking for a minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the pencil/paper test or a minimum of 213 on the Computer-Based Test (CBT).
4. If English is the applicant’s native language, the University requires that the applicant take a standardized test that measures aptitude in mathematics and verbal areas. Applicants may choose either the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or the ACT (American College Test). If the SAT is chosen, the SAT I should be taken.
5. It is the applicant’s responsibility to demonstrate that sufficient funding is available to meet all university and living expenses for his/her entire course of study. NGCSU issues an I-20 only after a financial affidavit is completed and returned with a certified bank statement indicating that the funds will be available.
6. A certification of immunization against communicable diseases must be submitted prior to enrollment in any unit of the University System of Georgia, by policy of the Board of Regents. Students must provide proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diptheria, varicella, and, if 18 years of age or less at the time of classes, hepatitis B.
7. The North Georgia College & State University Medical Report must be completed before enrollment. Information provided on the form is especially important in those cases in which the student has a condition that requires special medical assistance.
8. If you are seeking documentation for a student visa, you must submit a completed NGCSU Financial Affidavit. All financial documents must be current, original, and certified. Applicants should have a second set of original financial documents to use for their visa application as the documents submitted to the University will not be copied or returned. Students who wish to bring their spouse or children must submit additional information as requested on the financial affidavit.
9. North Georgia College & State University requires all international students to be covered by health insurance. Each semester, all students who have been issued an I-20 from North Georgia will be billed for the cost of this insurance. If a student already has health insurance coverage equivalent to that required by the University, an exemption from the requirement can be requested through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Questions regarding international student health insurance should be addressed to the Office of the International Student Advisor at 1 + 706-867-1436.
Transfer Applicants
Transfer Applicants with less than 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of transferable credit must
1. meet admission requirements for entering freshmen if they graduated high school within the past 5 years;
2. have a transferable academic average of 2.0;
3. have a clear conduct record;
4. be in good standing at the transfer institution;
5. have completed any Learning Support and CPC deficiency requirements.
A transfer applicant who does not meet the preceding criteria will have her/his application evaluated on an individual basis. The applicant must have transferable grade point average equal to or greater than 2.0 and meet all other admission criteria for transfer students.
A transferring student should ask the registrar of each university which he/she has previously attended to send official transcripts to North Georgia College & State University (please refer to the beginning of this section for the address). The applicant’s academic qualifications for admission will ordinarily be based on these university transcripts; however, the Director of Admissions may require high school transcripts to use in the evaluation. Students will not be admitted without required transcripts.
Even if the institution that the student last attended is accredited, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions may reject the application or all or any part of previously earned credits for degree credit at NGCSU if there is any reason to believe that the quality of the educational programs of the previous institution is unsatisfactory. An applicant will not be considered for admission unless the transcript shows an honorable discharge from the university last attended or the officials of that institution recommend the applicant’s admission. Work undertaken at another institution by a student during a term of suspension from NGCSU cannot be transferred to the University for credit toward a degree. Transfer students entering NGCSU shall be subject to the following policies:
1. The amount of academic credit accepted for work done in another institu- tion within a given period of time may not exceed the amount of credit that
could have been earned at North Georgia College & State University during
that period of time.
2. The total number of hours that may be earned toward a degree by either extension or correspondence courses shall not exceed 30 semester hours.
3. A transfer student must take and pass the Regents’ Test prior to earning a total of 45 semester hours. A new, non-system transfer student with more than 45 hours of credit has two full semesters to take and pass the Regent’s Test.
Non-degree Undergraduate Students
An undergraduate applicant admitted as a non-degree student is allowed to earn up to 13 semester hours from selected courses without completing the CPE requirement in reading, English, and mathematics. Students are advised to check course prerequisites and descriptions carefully and to consult with an academic advisor prior to registering for courses. The following courses are approved for non-degree undergraduate students: BIOL 1010, BIOL 1010L, BIOL 1260, BIOL 1260L, ACCT 2101, ACCT 2102, CHEM 1151, CHEM 1151L, CHEM 1152, CHEM 1152L, GEOL 1644, MUSC 1100, ART 2510, ART 2520, ART 1010, ART 3150, ART 3200, ART 3600, ART 3650, ART 3700, ART 3800, THEA 2500, all 1000-2000 level music courses, PHED 1000, all physical education one-hour activity courses, HIST 2111,HIST 2112, SOCI 1101, SPAN 1001, FRCH 1001, GRMN 1001, CSCI 1101, CSCI 1150, MILS 1000, MILS 1100, MILS 2000, MILS 2100, NURS 1020, NURS 2070, NURS 3330, ASTR 1010, ASTR 1010L, ASTR 1020, ASTR 1020L, POLS 1101, CRJU 1100, and PSYC 1101.
Transient Students
Students who are enrolled at a college or university may apply for the privilege of temporary registration at North Georgia College & State University. Such students will ordinarily be those who expect to return to the college or university in which they were previously enrolled. These policies shall govern admission of transient students:
- The student must apply for admission to North Georgia College & State University
- Immunization records must be provided. Students applying for study abroad transient status are not required to have immunization records.
- The admissions officer must have evidence that the institution which the student previously attended was an accredited or approved institution.
- An applicant may be accepted as a transient student when it appears that the applicant’s previous academic work is of satisfactory quality. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions may require the applicant to submit a transcript of previous college work.
- An applicant for admission as a transient student must present a statement from her/his home institution which recommends the student for admission as a transient student. Students on academic probation or suspension/ dismissal (academic or disciplinary) will not be admitted.
- Admission is for only one term.
- A student who wishes to return as a transient student must supply a separate transient letter from her/his home institution each semester.
Auditors
Students who submit evidence of graduation from an accredited or approved high school or a GED certificate may register as auditors. Under extraordinary circumstances, the president may waive the requirement of a high school diploma or equivalent. No academic or degree credit shall be awarded to auditors. Students registered as auditors shall be required to pay the regular fees for enrollment.
Former NGCSU Students Returning
Students who have attended NGCSU within the past two years may reactivate their student files by completing the Request to Reactivate Student File form and, if commuting, the Commuter Affidavit. These completed forms, as well as, official transcripts from all institutions attended (if any) after leaving NGCSU, must be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the semester or term in which they plan to enroll. An application fee is not required from former NGCSU students who are returning.
Former NGCSU students who have been absent from North Georgia College & State University for more than two years must re-apply for admission through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and follow the application procedure for returning transfer students.
Returning students will not be required to re-submit all records required of new students, but must submit official transcripts from all other institutions attended since leaving NGCSU. Such students must have a 2.00 transferable GPA, have a clear conduct record, be in good academic standing and be eligible to return to their most recently attended college in order to be considered for re-admission and any kind of transfer credit.
A student who is transferring credit from another institution may not receive transfer credit for a course in which an F was previously earned in the same course at NGCSU unless the student has NOT been enrolled at NGCSU for 18 months or more.
Credit by Examination
Credits may be awarded to entering students upon the presentation of acceptable official scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions on certain standard examinations. A list of the courses accepted and minimum scores required for credit by examination at NGCSU can be found at www.ngc su.edu/VPAA/credit_ex.
Tuition Waiver for Persons 62 Year of Age or Older
The Georgia Constitution provides that Georgia residents 62 years of age or older may enroll as regular or auditing students on a space available basis without payment of fees, except for supplies, laboratory fees, or shop fees. To qualify for this waiver, students must provide proof of age when they complete an application.
Distance Learning Courses
Admission requirements for credit-bearing distance courses are the same as admission requirements for courses offered in the traditional classroom.
Legal Resident Requirements (for the purpose of paying tuition and fees)
1. A student is responsible for registering under the proper residency classification. The responsibility for the determination of a student's residency, for the purpose of paying tuition and fees, rests with the Office Undergraduate Admissions and is based upon information provided on the application for undergraduate admission.
2. A person’s legal residence is her/his permanent dwelling place. It is the place where she/he is generally understood to reside with the intent of remaining there indefinitely and returning there when absent. There must be a concurrence of actual residence and of intent to remain to acquire a legal residency in order to qualify for in-state tuition.
3. Applicants who have been denied in-state status for the purpose of paying tuition and fees may appeal this decision by contacting the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
4. Under the constitution and laws of Georgia, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia was created to govern, control, and manage a system of public institutions providing quality higher education for the benefit of Georgia citizens. The state, in turn, receives substantial benefit from individuals who are attending or who have attended these institutions through their significant contributions to the civic, political, economic, and social advancement of the citizens of the State of Georgia. Because the overwhelming proportion of financial support for the operation of the public institutions of higher education in Georgia comes from the citizens through the payment of taxes, the determination of whether a student is classified as a resident or a non-resident of the state for the purpose of payment of tuition and fees becomes a significant matter. The tuition paid by in-state students covers only about one-fourth of the total cost of their education in the University System. Therefore, Georgia taxpayers are contributing three-fourths of the necessary funds to provide quality education for the citizens of the state.
5. The practice followed by state colleges and universities of assessing out-of-state students a higher tuition rate is a rational attempt by states to achieve a partial cost equalization between those who have and those who have not recently contributed to the state’s economy, even though there is no precise way to determine the degree to which higher tuition charges equalize the cost of educating in-state and out-of-state students.
6. The durational residency requirement (usually 12 months) imposed by most states is considered by the courts to be a reasonable period during which the new resident can make tangible or intangible contributions to the state before being allowed the benefit of attending state colleges and universities upon the payment of in-state tuition and fees. Courts which have been faced with the challenges to residency classification procedures have consistently recognized the right of public institutions of higher education to charge higher rates to out-of-state students and to adopt reasonable criteria for determining the establishment of in-state status. See Martinez v. Bynum, 51 U.S.L.W. 5424 (Sup.Ct.May 2, 1983, Starnes v. Malkerson, 401 U.S. 985 (1971); Sturgis v. Washington, 368 Supp. 38 (W.D. Wa. 1973) aff’d mem. 414 U.S. 1057 (1973), and Michelson v. Cox, 476 F. Supp. 1315 (S.D. Iowa, 1979).
7. For the purpose of these regulations, the question to be answered is not primarily whether a student is a “resident” or “non-resident” of Georgia, but rather, whether the student meets the criteria to pay University System tuition and fees on an “in-state” basis. The term “resident” is confusing because it is susceptible to several meanings as it relates to voter registration, drivers’ licenses, automobile registration, deeds, contracts, wills, income taxes, and other matters. A student may be a resident of Georgia for some purposes, but not entitled to in-state status for the purpose of payment of tuition and fees. To be considered as "a resident” for the purpose of payment of tuition and fees, one must have been a bona fide legal resident of Georgia for at least 12 months preceding the date of registration.
8. The Board of Regents has adopted certain policies governing the classification of students as residents and non-residents for the purpose of payment of tuition and fees in keeping with its responsibilities to the citizens of Georgia for an appropriate assessment of fees and to ensure that out-of-state students pay a fair and reasonable share of the cost of their education. The taxpayers of Georgia are thereby assured that they are not assuming the financial burden of educating persons whose presence in the state is not intended to be permanent.
Fees and Expenses
Please visit our website at http://northgeorgia.edu/admissions/ for the most current tuition and fees, or call the Office of the Comptroller. There are additional fees charged for some courses (lab sciences, field placement courses, applied music, etc.). These charges will appear on the student invoice.
Fee Waiver Policy and Procedures
A limited number of out-of-state Fee Waivers are available each semester under the following categories: Athletic Waivers, Cadet Waivers, International Student Waivers, and Presidential Waivers. International students interested in applying for an out-of-state fee waiver should contact the Director of Admissions in writing stating their reasons why a waiver should be granted. The Director of Admissions will then notify the student in writing of his decision. All other waivers are awarded through the individual departments listed.
1. For recipients of waivers, determination of continued eligibility shall include the following criteria:
a) The student must enroll in at least 12 semester hours each fall semester and spring semester. There is no minimum number of hours which must be attempted during the summer term.
b) When the student has attempted 24 semester hours, she/he must have an institutional grade point average of at least 2.0.
c) For each subsequent term, the institutional grade point average must be
at least a 2.0.
2. For cadet waivers, the following additional criteria must be met:
a) The cadet must participate in scheduled activities of the Corps of Cadets
as determined by the Commandant.
b) The cadet must enroll in and earn grades of C or above in appropriate
military science classes.
c) The cadet must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better.
3. Each student receiving a waiver will sign a statement indicating an understanding of the criteria for maintaining waiver status. The responsibility for the securing and filing of such signed statements shall be as follows:
a) Athlete Waivers: Athletics Director
b) Cadet Waivers: Commandant of Cadets
c) International Student Waivers: Director of Admissions
d) Presidential Waivers: Director of Admissions
4. The Office of Business and Finance shall ensure that each fee-waiver recipient who pre-registers will receive a bill stating that the waiver for the next term is contingent on the student continuing to meet the established criteria for the waiver.
5. Fee waivers shall be for a maximum of nine terms, with the summer session counting as half a term toward this maximum.
6. At the end of each term, the Fee Waivers Committee meets to review lists of students who received fee waivers for the term just completed. This committee shall consist of representatives from the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of Admissions, the Office of the Commandant, the Office of the Comptroller, the Office of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Office of the Registrar, and the Office of Student Affairs. The committee will review the following fee-waiver lists: Athlete Waivers, Cadet Waivers, International Student Waivers, and Presidential Waivers. Students determined by the committee to be ineligible for waivers will be notified in writing by the Vice President for Academic Affairs that the fee waiver no longer applies.
