Admissions Policy

Approved by the Board of Trustees of Rockland Community College on September 21, 2006. Amended on November 25, 2014. Amended on January 25, 2018.

Rockland’s open admissions policy reflects the College’s commitment to bringing cultural, occupational, and educational opportunities within the reach of everyone in the community. The College is committed to the admission of students without regard to sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, physical ability, marital status, veteran status, or sexual orientation. Rockland’s open-door policy signifies the desire to make education accessible to all motivated students, regardless of previous experience or performance. The College reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant when it is deemed in the best interest of the College to do so or if the College determines that the applicant does not have the ability to benefit from the College’s instruction.

A full-time student is one who is enrolled for 12 or more credit hours or its equivalent during the Fall/Spring semester.

A part-time student is enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours, or its equivalent during the Fall/Spring semester.

Requirements for Admission

Admission to Rockland Community College is open to applicants whose academic record and qualifications suggest that they have the ability to benefit from the educational experience.

Matriculated students must meet one of the following criteria and submit proof of the required document:

  • Possess a local or Regent’s High School Diploma (an I. E. P. is not a recognized diploma)
  • Possess a high school equivalency diploma (GED, or TASC)
  • Be admitted as an Early Admit Student (see Section 4.14)
  • Be admitted as a GED candidate (see below)
  • Possess an Associates Degree or higher from a nationally accredited college or university
  • Score appropriately on tests approved by the U. S. Department of Education

Who Must Matriculate?

  • All students who are seeking a credit-bearing degree or certificate
  • All full-time students (12 credits or more)*
  • All students who wish to be considered for financial aid

*This matriculation policy does not apply to RCC High School Program students.

Only matriculated students may:

  • Enroll full-time or part-time
  • Apply for financial aid of any type
  • Apply for any of the various scholarships available
  • Be assigned an academic advisor
  • Be awarded a degree or certificate

Non-Matriculated (Non-Degree Seeking) Students

Non-matriculated students are:

  • Part-time students
  • Not eligible to receive financial aid
  • Students who wish to take courses for self-enrichment and not pursue a degree or certificate
  • Students who participate in the RCC High School Program.
  • Students who may hold Associates or Bachelor’s Degrees and do not seek another degree
  • Not required to provide the College with an official transcript
  • Not evaluated for transfer credit
  • Not required to pay the Application Fee
  • Not required to complete the Admissions application
  • Required to take the English Placement exam after completing 16 credits, unless granted an exemption as noted below. Students who do not place into English 095 or higher will be required to complete all English developmental courses prior to taking any other RCC courses, excluding Physical Education.
  • Required to take the Mathematics Placement exam if they want to take a Math course or a course that requires Math 101 placement unless granted an exemption as noted below.

Exemptions:

  • International Students with degrees from foreign colleges or universities may be required to demonstrate English proficiency.
  • Transfer students may be exempted after review of official transcripts demonstrating proof of completing college-level math or English composition courses with a grade of “C” or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. Exemptions are based on both a review of your college records and the specific degree program you are pursuing.
  • Students that have recently taken the Accuplacer® assessment at a college or university within the last two years and have had the scores faxed directly from their school to Placement and Assessment.
  • Exemptions by Test Score on ACT, SAT, NYS Regents Exams
    Official copies of test scores submitted to Admissions

A non-matriculated student who later decides to matriculate must apply for matriculation through the Office of Admissions by completing the Admissions Application and enrolling in a credit-bearing degree or certificate program.

Students Without a High School Diploma

A student who does not have a high school diploma or its equivalency can enroll at Rockland Community College in one of the following ways:

  1. Early Admit Student
  2. GED Candidate
  3. RCC High School Program

A GED candidate must:

  • Be a current resident of New York State for at least one month.
  • Have not graduated from high school.
  • Be, on the date the diploma is awarded: 19 years of age or older or 17 or 18 years of age and one year has passed since the student was legally able to leave high school and last enrolled in a regular full-time high school program of instruction or a member of a class that has already graduated.
  • If 17 or 18 years of age, provide a letter on school stationery that states when the student left school or the date the class graduated. The letter must include the signature and title of an appropriate school official. Reproduced signatures are not acceptable.
  • Complete a Rockland Community College Admissions Application with a $30 non-refundable fee. Attend a GED Informational Workshop to receive the most recent regulations and specific course requirements.
  • Take the English and Math Assessments and earn scores that meet or exceed the Ability to Benefit scores approved by the United States Department of Education.
  • Include an official copy of the student’s high school transcript with the Admissions Application.

Applications will not be processed until this sequence is successfully completed. Rockland Community College does not grant the New York State High School Equivalency Diploma. The College offers the courses necessary to apply for the diploma through the New York State Education Department.

GED Candidates are not eligible for federal financial aid. GED candidates that are NYS residents will only be eligible for NYS aid if they score appropriately on tests approved by the United States Department of Education.

Transfer Students

Rockland Community College (RCC) welcomes students who have completed coursework at other institutions and who wish to continue their studies at RCC. If students are transferring from another college, Records & Registration will evaluate their credits based on the degree they intend to pursue at RCC upon receipt of an official transcript. When necessary, Records & Registration will collaborate with the appropriate Department Chair or designee.

At least half the number of credits required for the degree must be completed at RCC, with the exception of the LPN to RN Express Program, and Paralegal Studies. The Paralegal Studies degree requires 21 of the 30 paralegal credits be completed at RCC. For students seeking a certificate, half the number of credits required for this certificate must be completed at RCC, with the exception of the Paralegal Certificate, which requires that 21 of the 30 paralegal credits be completed at RCC.

The maximum number of credits transferable to RCC for an Associate’s degree is 32 credits, with the exception of Automotive Service Excellence Certification A1-A8. The maximum number of credits transferable to RCC for a certificate is 15 credits. Transfer credits are not used in the computation of the grade point average at RCC.

Certain courses may be ineligible for transfer due to time limitations. Courses for which a student has earned a grade of a “C” or better (or C+ in some cases) will be accepted for transfer. Developmental, review or remedial courses are not transferable. A course for which no credit is given at the original institution cannot be transferred for credit at RCC. Military credits can be considered for transfer credit.

Honors credit from other institutions may be transferable, as determined by a review of the course materials by the RCC Honors Chair. In certain situations, Honors students may substitute a non-Honors course for an Honors requirement and add an extra Honors course elsewhere in their degree. All course substitutions must be approved by the relevant Honors mentor and by the Honors Chair.

Readmit Students

A student who has missed consecutive fall and spring semesters must be readmitted to the College. A readmitted student needs to fill out a new Enrollment Application and submit all required documents. The readmitted student is not required to pay an application fee again. However, a Readmit Fee of $5 per application is payable.

International Students

All regulations as prescribed by law for international students prevail at Rockland Community College.

International students enrolled on F-1 Student Visas must matriculate and remain in full-time status (taking 12 or more credits or credit equivalents each semester) and are not permitted to work off-campus unless they have permission from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. International students must also maintain a satisfactory cumulative grade point average.

International students must show documentation of immunization against rubella, measles, and mumps before enrolling, and they must have health insurance while enrolled. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain his or her immigration status while in the United States. The student must adhere to all regulations regarding attendance at designated school, permitted length of stay in the U.S., on-campus employment, transfer to other institutions, maintaining full-time status, and exiting and entering the United States.