Admissions and Registration Information

Admissions

EMCC ascribes to an “open admissions” policy consistent with all laws and embraces the philosophy that students be provided the opportunities for learning experiences (e.g., developmental courses, advising, and tutorial assistance) that will help them succeed in achieving their educational goals. EMCC may use relevant diagnostic instruments to determine the strengths and needs of students to assist in the selection of the most appropriate options to ensure student success.

All applicants are notified of their admission status via electronic responses as requested information is received in the Admissions Office. All applicants who have met admission requirements will be accepted to EMCC. General admission does not guarantee admission to a specific program. Additional program requirements may be found by referring to the appropriate program in this catalog, contacting the Advising Center, or Program Advisors.

Incoming transfer students must be immediately eligible to return to the college/university they previously attended to be eligible for transfer to EMCC. The official college/university transcript showing the student is not on suspension is proof. If the transcript shows the student is on academic suspension, then a letter from the college/university president/provost stating the student is immediately eligible for return to their institution, will be required for EMCC admission. Students attending EMCC as a student-athlete must provide official transcripts from all schools previously attended (e.g., high school, GED, and college/universities).

Academic Emphases

Academic students are students who are taking classes that lead to the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree. In general, academic students intend to transfer their work completed at EMCC to a College or University and have the work apply towards a Baccalaureate degree. Applicants who feel that they may not meet ACT or other placement requirements are encouraged to seek advisement and placement in the spring or summer session prior to regular admission in the fall. The process for meeting admissions requirements to the College includes: 

1. Submit an electronic application for admission through the EMCC website. 
2. First-time students must submit an official high school transcript reflecting an academic Mississippi High School Diploma from an accredited high school showing date of graduation and principal’s signature. Alternatively, the student could submit an official high school transcript showing twenty (20) acceptable high school units or submit an official GED transcript with satisfactory scores. If the high school transcript is from a school that is not accredited, the prospective student must present an official GED transcript with satisfactory scores or submit an ACT composite of 20 or higher. 
3. Home-schooled students must submit an official transcript with a graduation date from a recognized school agency and signed by an official of that agency or an official transcript signed by a parent with a notarized affidavit stating that the student’s record is accurate and complete. The transcript must show all courses completed, grades earned, and number of units. Course descriptions may be required. 
4. While standardized testing scores (e.g., ACT/SAT/residual testing) are not required for admission to EMCC,  they are utilized for proper class placement as determined by specific course requirements. 
5. Out-of-state students must meet the equivalent admission requirements outlined for Mississippi students. 

Career/Technical, Nursing & Health Science Emphases 

Career/Technical, Nursing, and Health Science students are students who are taking classes that lead to either: the two-semester Career Certificate, the three-semester Technical Certificate, or the Associate in Applied Science degree. This degree combines intensive technical training in a specific career with relevant academic courses and professional development. The Associate of Applied Science degree is traditionally structured for completion in four semesters by students who are academically prepared for college-level work. For students who need developmental courses, a minimum of one additional semester may be needed for successful completion of a program of study. Career/technical, Nursing, and Health Science education students who enroll at East Mississippi Community College are required to meet the following admission requirements:

1. Submit an electronic application for admission through the EMCC website. 
2. First-time students must submit an official high school transcript reflecting an academic Mississippi High School Diploma from an accredited high school showing date of graduation and principal’s signature. Alternatively, the student could submit an official high school transcript showing twenty (20) acceptable high school units or submit an official GED transcript with satisfactory scores. If the high school transcript is from a school that is not accredited, the prospective student must present an official GED transcript with satisfactory scores or submit an ACT composite of 20 or higher. 
3. Home-schooled students must submit an official transcript with a graduation date from a recognized school agency and signed by an official of that agency or an official transcript signed by a parent with a notarized affidavit stating that the student’s record is accurate and complete. The transcript must show all courses completed, grades earned, and number of units. Course descriptions may be required. 
4. While standardized testing scores (e.g., ACT/SAT/residual testing) are not required for admission to EMCC, they are recommended since they are required for placement in math, English, some science classes, and some CTE programs of study.
5. Students seeking admission to CTE, Nursing, and Health Science Programs must meet specific requirements as outlined in each program. For these requirements, see the appropriate program in this catalog or contact the Advising Center, Program Advisors, or Navigators. 
6. Students may be admitted to a CTE program on a probationary basis at the discretion of the appropriate division Dean. 
7. Some CTE standardized score requirements may be waived at the discretion of the appropriate division Dean. 

Academic Placement

It is essential that students be able to meet basic academic standards before they attempt certain college-credit courses. To meet the expanded mission of EMCC, certain areas of developmental studies are required. Students not meeting the specific standardized testing score that the course requires will be placed in developmental courses. Developmental courses will not count towards graduation. Successful completion of the appropriate developmental prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better is required before moving to the next higher-level course. 

Residual ACT (Only applies to EMCC)

The Residual ACT administered on campus at EMCC, is a paper and pencil test that scores students in four areas: English, math, science, and reading. It is available only to students who have completed the application process at EMCC or are currently enrolled at EMCC. The scores cannot be used for any purposes outside EMCC. The scores may be used for academic placement at EMCC as well as to meet entry requirements for health science programs and other career-technical programs. A student must wait at least sixty days before retaking the EMCC Residual ACT. Scores are available to the testers the day of testing.  

ACCUPLACER

Accuplacer is a computerized test that evaluates your skills and places you into appropriate level courses. For students who have not taken the ACT, Accuplacer will determine the proper placement level into core college classes such as reading, English, and math. Additionally, Career/Technical students will take the Accuplacer test for placement purposes into various programs. Students receive Accuplacer test results upon completion of testing. The most current table of scores can be seen below. Note: The COMPASS test has been discontinued, but the scores will remain valid.

Student-Athletes

Students who are attending EMCC as a student-athlete must provide official transcripts from all schools previously attended, such as high school, dual credit, GED, and college/universities. 

Challenge Examination (Experiential Learning)

East Mississippi Community College believes it is important or recognizes that learning takes place both inside and outside of a formal classroom setting, especially industry and the military. In order to provide instructional credit for students who have previously mastered outcomes required in a given course, an Experiential Learning Policy has been developed to allow students an opportunity to pass a challenge examination on the subject matter being taught for which prior experiential learning has occurred, present a portfolio of work from on-the-job experience which covers the objectives of the class or present the national or state credential(s) directly related to the course objectives.

Experiential Learning Policies that have been adopted by EMCC include the following:

• Students must earn a minimum of 25% of the certificate or degree plan from EMCC
• Students will be assigned a grade of “P” upon successful completion/approval of one of the aforementioned experiential learning documentation options
• Experiential Learning credit will not replace a failing grade in a class previously attempted
• Students seeking experiential learning credit must begin this process during the application and registration time period in their freshmen, first semester
• If a national or state credential has been identified to coincide with the course objectives by the Mississippi Community College Board, EMCC will accept that documentation as evidence of experiential learning
• Experiential learning credit is at the discretion of the instructor and is not guaranteed
• Experiential Learning credit may not transfer to another college; additionally, EMCC reserves the right to deny experiential learning transferred in from other colleges.
• In order to receive Experiential Credit, the Challenge Examination must be administered in the appropriate Dean’s Office. If a lab component is required in the class, this portion of the test will be administered by the program advisor.
• Challenge examinations shall be comprehensive in scope covering content taught in the entire course.

The process to receive credit for Experiential Learning is as follows:

• The candidate for the Experience Learning option must be admitted to EMCC as a student.
• The candidate must have discussed his/her interest in using the Experiential Learning option with the appropriate faculty member and demonstrate to that faculty member’s satisfaction that he/she has mastered the subject matter in some prior learning environment.
• The candidate must complete an Experiential Learning Form.
• The request must be approved by the instructor, and Vice President for Instruction or his designee BEFORE the examination is given.
• The total credit that may be earned by experiential credit for any individual program of study may not exceed 15 semester credit hours.
• Students may apply for Experiential Learning at a cost of $25 per course, which is non-refundable.
• Experiential Learning options are administered on a pass-fail basis only.
• A minimum passing score on any challenge examination will be 80% mastery.
• Unsuccessful completion of a challenge exam will result in a student’s receiving no grade of any kind.
• Students may apply for experiential learning credit per class only one time.

Upon successful approval of the experiential learning by the appropriate dean, a grade of “P” will be assigned to the student.

Credit By Examination/Military Service Coursework

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) - The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) allows students to earn College credit by examination. By successfully completing CLEP subject tests, students may earn College credit. Credit is awarded for a scaled score of 50 or above on the subject tests. East Mississippi Community College is not a testing center for CLEP. Academic credits awarded through CLEP will carry a grade of “P” and will not be used in calculating GPA.

Advanced Placement - Credit will be awarded on scores of 3 or higher on AP examinations administered by the College Entrance Examinations Board. Academic credit earned through AP will carry a grade of “P” and will not be used in calculating GPA. See Academic Advisors for further information.

This policy is subject to the following restrictions:

1. AP credit will be awarded only in subject matter areas offered by East Mississippi Community College.

2. A student must earn academic or technical credit from this institution before credit earned through the AP Examination is recorded on his permanent record.  

3. The student will receive a letter of “P,” and AP credit will not be used to compute a student’s grade point average.

4. The student will be limited to up to 30 hours of AP credit. 

5. Students should check with their senior college before relying on transfer credit from an AP score.

Credit will be awarded based on guidance from the Procedures Manual for the State of Mississippi Dual Enrollment and Accelerated Programs, which can be found here.

Military Experience - Credit may be earned for military experience as evaluated by the American Council on Education in its annual guides. Military credit must be directly related to specific courses taught by East Mississippi Community College and is limited to thirty (30) semester hours. A grade of “P” will be assigned to courses accepted.

Dual Enrollment (high school students)

Students who have been previously enrolled at EMCC as a dual enrollment student must reapply for admission upon high school graduation. Additionally, the final high school transcript must be provided to the EMCC Admissions Office.

Students attending high school and enrolled in high school courses may be admitted to and allowed to enroll in courses at East Mississippi Community College subject to the following admission requirements:

Admittance to the academic dual enrollment/dual credit program

Students may be admitted to the academic dual enrollment/dual credit program with the following criteria:

1. A minimum overall 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale on all high school courses and must be classified as a junior or senior.
2. Students seeking admission to this program must submit an unconditional written recommendation with school official’s signature.

Admittance into the career and technical education program

1. A minimum overall 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale on all high school courses and be classified as a sophomore or higher.
2. Students seeking admission to this program must submit an unconditional written recommendation with school official’s signature.

General Requirements for DE/DC Program

Students who are admitted are limited to the following:

1. Twelve hours per semester without administrative approval; however, a student may take additional courses if given administrative approval.
2. Admitted students must maintain at least a 3.0 high school GPA and must maintain a 2.0 EMCC grade point average. CTE DE students must maintain at least a 2.0 high school GPA and must maintain a 2.0 EMCC grade point average.   
3. All DE/DC students must meet placement requirements, including appropriate standardized test scores for any courses or CTE programs that require specific scores as prerequisite.
4. DC earned during high school is recorded on the EMCC transcript and may be released to another institution or used for college graduation requirements only after students have received their high school diplomas. 
5. Once the student graduates from high school, the student must have the official high school transcript forwarded to EMCC admissions office showing proof of graduation. If this final/official high school transcript is not received at EMCC, a hold will be placed on the student’s record, and no records will be released. 

International Students 

EMCC will admit international students in keeping with its mission and in accordance with Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulations. International students who are terminated for any EMCC or SEVP policy/regulation violation will not be considered for reinstatement at EMCC. International students with acceptable scholastic records and proven English proficiency will be considered for full-time admission as first-year students or as transfer students.

First-year applicants must be graduates of recognized secondary schools comparable in level to the American high school. Transfer applicants are considered based on secondary school records and records of postsecondary study (college, technical school). Factors considered in making the admission decision are grades earned, subjects taken, ability to carry a full course of studies, and satisfactory scores. All entering international students must present Results of an Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA), (a blood assay for Mycobacterium tuberculosis: i.e., QuantiFERON TB Gold® or T-Spot®, and a chest x-ray performed within two months prior to beginning class. The blood assay and x-ray must be performed in the United States. (Students with signs or symptoms of TB or an abnormal x-ray will not be allowed to attend class without clearance from the Health Department.) Students are responsible for all costs associated with the tuberculosis screenings.

Applicants, both first-year students and transfer students, whose native language is not English are required to submit a score of at least 61 on the IBT or 173 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must have taken the ACT. 

Readmission of Former Students

If a student has been out of college for one calendar year (three consecutive semesters) or more, they must reapply for admissions. If the student has attended any other institutions since last attending EMCC, official transcripts must be submitted for each institution attended. Readmitted former students will be evaluated for admission based on current admission standards. 

For Career/Technical students that have a break in enrollment of a period of three years or greater, a technical demonstration and/or a theory validation may be required prior to readmission. Students will be admitted under the most recent curriculum. 

Student Classification

College students with fewer than 30 semester credit hours are classified as freshmen. Those with 30 or more semester credit hours are classified as sophomores.

Transient Student

Transient students must meet the same admission requirements as transfer students and must be eligible for immediate readmission to the College last attended. Transient students should secure permission from the Dean of the College to which they will return to assure that the earned credit will be accepted.

Transfer Credit

An applicant who has previously enrolled in any other College, University, or post-secondary institution must furnish the Registrar with official transcripts of all work previously earned and accepted. To be eligible for admission to East Mississippi Community College, the student must be eligible for immediate readmission to the College last attended. The official college/university transcript showing student is not on suspension is proof. If transcript shows a student is on academic suspension, then a letter from the college/university president/provost stating student is immediately eligible for return to their institution, will be required for EMCC admission. Up to forty-five (45) semester hours of academic courses and credit other than developmental or remedial can be accepted at full value as they correspond to the curriculum of East Mississippi Community College, provided they are earned at a regionally accredited post-secondary institution.

For purposes of determining accreditation status, the U.S. Department of Education database will be consulted. Transfer of technical and career education credits is evaluated on an individual basis by the various Career and Technical program advisors. Transcripts from other Colleges for transfer students will be distributed to the appropriate individual for evaluation upon arrival. Once evaluated, the student will have access to the transfer credit via their LEO account.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Policy 

If there is an applicant for admission with limited English proficiency, a qualified representative from East Mississippi Community College will assist the applicant in completing the necessary forms and assist in interpreting during the entire application and admission process upon the request of the applicant. Information on limited English proficiency submitted voluntarily by the applicant for the purpose of receiving assistance and accommodations during the entire application and admission process will not affect the applicant’s admission to the school. Once accepted for admission into the college, services to the person of limited English proficiency will be provided, at the student’s request.

Transcript of Credits

Official transcripts are issued by the Office of the Registrar. East Mississippi Community College has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide a transcript ordering service via the Internet. Current and former students can order transcripts online using a major credit card (VISA, MASTERCARD, or DISCOVER only) at any time. Your credit card will only be charged $10 after your order has been completed by EMCC’s Office of Admissions/Registrar.

• In cases where the EMCC registrar’s office must process the request, those orders will be processed Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST on the days the college is open.
• Due to the new federal regulations mandated by the Department of Education, it may take up to four business days to process transcript requests for students who were enrolled from 2010 to the present. Requests for pre-2009 transcripts may take up to seven business days.
• Accordingly, students may receive an official transcript in the following instances, even if they have a financial hold on their account.

CFR 668.14(b)(33) and (34)

(33) It will not withhold official transcripts or take any other negative action against a student related to a balance owed by the student that resulted from an error in the institution’s administration of the Title IV, HEA programs, or any fraud or misconduct by the institution or its personnel;

(34) Upon request by a student, the institution will provide an official transcript that includes all the credit or clock hours for payment periods-

(i) In which the student received title IV, HEA funds; and

(ii) For which all institutional charges were paid or included in an agreement to pay at the time the request is made;

• Students should be reminded that while they may be eligible to receive official transcripts, they are still responsible for any outstanding balances.
• Except for the criteria listed above, transcripts are not released for students who have not settled all college accounts
• Transcript requests submitted while EMCC is closed will be processed in the order that they were received when offices reopen.

Once graduation is conferred, diplomas will be mailed to each graduate. However, if the student has not cleared all outstanding obligations, an official transcript will not be issued.

Ordering Transcripts Online:

The National Student Clearinghouse getmytranscript.com has been authorized by East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) to provide our transcript ordering service via the internet. Current and former students can order transcripts online using a major credit card (VISA, MASTERCARD, or DISCOVER only) at any time of the day or week. Your credit card will only be charged $10.00 after your order has been completed. Transcripts are not released for students who have not settled all College accounts (financial or otherwise). Online transcript requests for transcript to be mailed that are submitted while EMCC is closed for the weekend or holidays will be processed in the order that they were received when offices reopen.

Walk-in Requests:

Current or former students may request a transcript to take with them at the Office of the Registrar or Lion Central Offices. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST on the days that the College is open. If you are coming in person, you will need to provide a picture ID. Payment must be made upon receipt of the transcript. 

Transcripts submitted to EMCC:

Transcripts submitted to EMCC in regard to student admissions will not be released by EMCC, but they may be viewed in the Registrar’s Office. For official copies of those documents, the student will need to contact the original institution which issued the transcript.

Privacy of Records

No personally identifiable information from a student’s educational record may be revealed to third parties without the prior written consent of the student. Further information regarding the privacy of student and staff records as outlined by the Buckley Amendment may be obtained through the Office of the Registrar.