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Becoming a Student |
Current Students |
Academic Programs |
Basic Skills |
Continuing Education |
News & Events |
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Becoming a Student |
Current Students |
Academic Programs |
Basic Skills |
Continuing Education |
News & Events |
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Students not meeting the academic standard for their program of study will be notified of academic probation status and will be required to attend conferences with Student Services counselors. The conferences may result in probationary enrollments, special advising sessions, limitation of enrollment hours, repeats of certain courses, or enrollment in developmental courses.
Students who do not meet the required standard after one semester on probation will be suspended from the college for one semester or advised to enter another more appropriate program of study. Progress in developmental courses will be considered before students are placed on academic suspension. Students readmitted after academic suspension will be placed on academic probation and must meet the requirements for academic probation. (Students on probation or suspension are permitted to attend Wilkes Community College during the summer term.) Students have the right to appeal to the dean of instruction on any matter pertaining to academic suspension.
Students who are meeting the academic standard for their program of study as outlined below but whose GPA is not a 2.00 will receive an academic warning and will be encouraged to discuss their academic standing with their advisor and/or a counselor in the Student Services Office.
WCC is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866) Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone: 404-679-4500) to award the Associate Degree. Other accrediting association memberships: American Dental Association-Committee on Accreditation; Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs; National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, Inc.; NC Board of Nursing; NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission; and NC Sheriff's Education and Training Standards Commission.
Students may add or drop courses during the official registration period as published in the college calendar. These changes will not be reflected on grade reports and transcripts. Students should contact the Registrar's Office or academic advisor for forms and assistance.
Students seeking a degree, diploma or certificate are assigned an academic advisor from among the faculty, counselors or educational support staff. Advisors assist students in meeting their educational and career goals, planning class schedules, and reviewing progress toward graduation. Advisors' signatures are required on students' registration forms each semester for the approval of courses scheduled and for add/drop forms. In addition to assisting with on-line computer registration, advisors provide students with information about careers and the transfer of Wilkes Community College cr edits to senior colleges. Students must contact their academic advisor each semester before registering. Advisors have posted office hours so that students may arrange conferences as needed. Two weeks prior to each early registration period, advisors will post times when they will be available to help students with schedule planning.
A "Y" grade will be recorded when students audit a course. Students who wish to audit a course must register through normal channels and pay regular tuition and fees. Auditing students must meet all course prerequisites and corequisites . Exceptions must be approved by the lead instructor. Students must declare audit status in the Registrar's Office by the end of the registration period for the semester of enrollment. An audit cannot be changed to credit after the registration period ends. Students who are auditing are encouraged to attend classes regularly and to participate in class discussions and evaluation sessions.
Wilkes Community College reserves the right to change degree/diploma/certificate requirements and academic policies. As catalogs are published, the information in any one catalog is usually valid only for the period of issuance and is superseded by subsequent catalogs.
The catalog used to determine graduation requirements is the one in effect at the time of student's initial enrollment in the curriculum or any subsequent catalog of the student's choice. Students must complete program requirements within five years of the catalog selected, unless otherwise approved by the division chairperson and dean of instruction.
Students desiring to change their program of study should contact the Registrar's Office. Students will be reassigned to a new advisor , if appropriate, and placement test scores and course credits will be re-evaluated.
The fifteen rising sophomores having maintained the highest scholastic averages during their freshman year are honored by being named Commencement Marshals. The marshal who has the highest academic record is designated chief marshal.
The measure of students' overall academic achievement will be based upon a cumulative grade point average using a 4.00 scale. To compute the GPA:
Only under exceptional circumstances will students be permitted to substitute or deviate from the established requirements of a program of study. The division chairperson and dean of instruction will approve substitutions. Written notification will be submitted to the registrar and will become part of the student's official record.
Degree-seeking students currently enrolled at Wilkes Community College may apply for credit by examination for courses in which they can demonstrate the required level of proficiency based upon course objectives. Credit by examination is unavailable to students who have previously enrolled in the course and have attended more than one class. Some courses are excluded from credit by examination. A maximum of 25% of the program requirements may be met through credit by examination.
Students should apply for credit by examination in the Registrar's Office. If eligible, students will take the credit by examination request form to the appropriate lead instructor. If the lead instructor approves the request, he or she will arrange a date and time within 30 days of the request for the examination to be administered.
Testing standards will equal those in the regular course, and the examination(s) may be administered in any manner pertinent to the course objectives. A grade of "P" (Pass) will be awarded if a "C" or better is earned on the examination, and the credit hours will contribute toward a degree, diploma, or certificate. However, this grade will have no affect on the students' GPA. The decision of the instructor will be final and the examination may not be repeated.
The results of the examination will be recorded on the request form and forwarded with the examination to the division chairperson. The chairperson will file the examination and return the completed form to the registrar.
Students may add or drop courses during the official registration period as published in the college calendar. These changes will not be reflected on grade reports and transcripts. Students should contact the Registrar's Office or academic advisor for forms and assistance.
For each course dropped after registration ends and through the tenth week of the semester, students must complete a drop form by obtaining the advisor's and instructors' signatures. The instructor will indicate the last date of attendance. The form is then returned to the Registrar's Office for processing. A withdrawal grade will then be recorded on the grade reports and transcripts. Failure to properly file a drop form may result in a failing grade. Students who do not meet the withdrawal deadline should contact the instructor to discuss the final grade.
Students wishing to withdraw from the college must submit a properly, completed drop form.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, sets forth requirements designed to protect the privacy of student educational records. The law governs access to records maintained by educational institutions and the release of information from those records. Copies of the act, the federal regulations adopted pursuant to it, and this notice are available for persons to examine in the Registrar's Office.
Notices are published annually in the college catalog and student handbook to explain the rights of students with respect to records maintained by the college. It also outlines the college's procedures to comply with the requirements of the act.
Educational records are those records, files, documents, and other materials which contain information directly related to students, and are maintained by the college. These are official college records, and as such, remain the property of the college. Information contained in educational records will be fully explained and interpreted to students upon request. Students have the right to review only their own records. When a record contains information about more than one student, disclosure cannot include information regarding the other students.
Consent must be obtained from students for the release of information from educational records, specifying what is to be released, and to whom, with a copy of the record sent to students if they desire.
The requirement for consent does not apply to the following:
Wilkes Community College has designated the following information as directory information which may be made available to the public:
Students who do not wish any or all of this information to be released, must notify (in writing) the Office of Student Services within ten (10) days after registration is complete.
At the end of each semester, students will receive final grades based upon the following seven-point system unless noted otherwise in the course syllabus:
Grade
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Numerical Grade
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Explanation
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Grade Points
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A
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93-100
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Excellent
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4 per semester hour
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B
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85-92
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Above Average
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3 per semester hour
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C
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77-84
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Average
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2 per semester hour
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D
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70-76
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Below Average
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1 per semester hour
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F
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0-69
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Failure
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0 per semester hour
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Curriculum course grades with no grade points awarded include:
CR
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Credit |
CS
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Continued Studies |
I
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Incomplete |
P
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Pass |
R
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Repeated course, GPA recalculated |
SP
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High School Credit |
W
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Withdrawal |
W*
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Administrative Withdrawal |
Y
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Audit |
#
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Grade not included in GPA of current program of study |
These special grades are defined as follows:
| CR | A "CR " grade represents transfer credit given for courses taken at other schools, colleges or universities. | |
| CS | A "CS" grade is used with developmental courses when the required level of proficiency has not been met. To continue in a subsequent semester , students will need to reregister for the course and pay tuition. | |
| I | An "I" grade is given only under extenuating circumstances as determined by the instructor. Such a grade must be removed by the end of the following semester. If not removed within this time, the incomplete becomes a failure. | |
| P | A grade of "P" is awarded if a "C" or better is earned on a credit by examination. | |
| R | A course may be repeated as deemed necessary by students. When a course is repeated, a " R" notation is made on the transcript. The last grade is considered in computing the cumulative grade point average to meet graduation requirements. | |
| SP | A " SP" grade represents credit given for courses completed while in high school as outlined in the North Carolina High School-to-Community College Articulation Agreement. | |
| W | After registration ends, a grade of "W" is given when a course is officially dropped. A " W" grade is awarded through the tenth week of the semester. After the tenth week and prior to final examinations, students must have permission from their instructor to drop a course with a grade of " W." | |
| W* | The "W*" grade is recorded for students who register and pay for a course, do not officially drop during the registration period, and do not attend a class prior to the census date of the course. | |
| Y | A "Y" grade is given when students are auditing courses. | |
| # | The "#" notation is shown beside grades not used in the GPA calculation. This notation is used only when veterans and academically suspended students change programs of study. |
To graduate, students must:
Students who will complete all required coursework for graduation during the subsequent summer term may participate in graduation exercises if the following conditions are met:
Students should plan carefully for summer term as only a limited number of courses are offered, and students may not be able to take the courses needed for graduation.
In addition, students scheduled to participate in the annual graduation exercise must pay a graduation fee, which covers the cost of cap and gown and the degree, diploma or certificate. Also, graduating students are required to attend commencement.
Students who graduate from a degree or diploma program with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher at the end of fall semester, second year, will be recognized as Graduating with Honors. A notation to this effect will be noted in the graduation program.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, sets forth requirements designed to protect the privacy of student educational records. The law governs access to records maintained by educational institutions and the release of information from those records. Copies of the act, the federal regulations adopted pursuant to it, and this notice are available for persons to examine in the Registrar's Office.
Notices are published annually in the college catalog and student handbook to explain the rights of students with respect to records maintained by the college. It also outlines the college's procedures to comply with the requirements of the act.
Educational records are those records, files, documents, and other materials which contain information directly related to students, and are maintained by the college. These are official college records, and as such, remain the property of the college. Information contained in educational records will be fully explained and interpreted to students upon request. Students have the right to review only their own records. When a record contains information about more than one student, disclosure cannot include information regarding the other students.
Consent must be obtained from students for the release of information from educational records, specifying what is to be released, and to whom, with a copy of the record sent to students if they desire.
The requirement for consent does not apply to the following:
Wilkes Community College has designated the following information as directory information which may be made available to the public:
Students who do not wish any or all of this information to be released, must notify (in writing) the Office of Student Services within ten (10) days after registration is complete.
Tuition refunds are made based upon Title 23 of the N.C. Administrative Code (23 NCAC) guidelines. A refund shall not be made except under the following circumstances:
The above policy may differ for financial aid recipients. For example, refunds may not be made to students, but may be credited to the appropriate financial aid program. For a more detailed explanation, contact the financial aid director.
In all refund cases, students must initiate the withdrawal through the Registrar's Office. The Business Office will make the allowable refund only after written request is received from the Registrar's Office.
All students are to complete the registration process on the days designated in the college calendar. Exact dates and times are announced in advance through campus publications and the media.
Steps in the registration process are as follows:
Students who enter after classes have begun are at a disadvantage and are responsible for all work prior to their entrance. Classes missed due to late registration or by adding/dropping courses will be considered as absences and will be deducted from the total hours of absence allowable for each course.
Students are not considered registered until all procedures have been completed by established deadlines, including payment of tuition, fees, and other financial obligations.
Courses may be repeated as deemed necessary by students. When a course is repeated, a "R" notation is made on the transcript. The last grade is considered in computing the cumulative grade point average to meet graduation requirements. A student who receives a passing grade in a course and re-enrolls for a third time must submit a written statement of the reason for re-enrolling. This written statement will be maintained in the Student Services Office.
All student records are held in confidence by the college. The following documents will be maintained and will be subject to all state and federal regulations governing the safety and confidentiality of those records: applications, transcripts, veteran records, placement information and graduation readiness reports. Grade reports are mailed to students at the end of each scheduled school term.
Wilkes Community College makes available to current and prospective students reports containing the completion or graduation rate and the transfer-out rate for full-time, first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates entering the institution. For information, please write, call, or come by the Student Services Office, Wilkes Community College, P. O. Box 120, Wilkesboro, NC 28697; (336) 838-6143.
Transcripts for curriculum courses must be requested in writing to the Registrar's Office. Requests are accepted in person, by mail, or by facsimile. Transcripts of classes taught by the Office of Continuing Education or Adult Literacy must be requested from that department. In addition, we do not issue, copy, or produce transcripts from other institutions. Requests for transcripts of courses completed elsewhere must be requested directly from those institutions. All transcripts are sent free of charge. Official transcripts will not be issued to students having unsettled accounts with the college. It is recommended that at least one week be allowed for the processing and mailing of transcripts. Please complete the Transcript Request Form and submit according to the instructions listed on the form.
Wilkes Community College has an advanced standing program which allows previous academic study, examination, or military experience to be evaluated for possible college credit. To obtain transfer credit or advanced standing, students must submit official documentation to the Registrar's Office.
Transfer credit or advanced standing is available to students from these educational experiences:
The maximum credit transferable from all outside sources is seventy-five percent; twenty-five percent of the credit hours required for graduation must be earned through instruction by Wilkes Community College . Students will receive evaluations of all official transcripts and/or scores submitted before the end of the first semester of curriculum enrollment.
Students may add or drop courses during the official registration period as published in the college calendar. These changes will not be reflected on grade reports and transcripts. Students should contact the Registrar's Office or academic advisor for forms and assistance.
For each course dropped after registration ends and through the tenth week of the semester, students must complete a drop form by obtaining the advisor's and instructors' signatures. The instructor will indicate the last date of attendance. The form is then returned to the Registrar's Office for processing. A withdrawal grade will then be recorded on the grade reports and transcripts. Failure to properly file a drop form may result in a failing grade. Students who do not meet the withdrawal deadline should contact the instructor to discuss the final grade.
Students wishing to withdraw from the college must submit a properly, completed drop form.