All applicants must complete the Application for Admission. At this time, you are strongly advised to seek the assistance of counselors for academic, career or transfer information.
Students are accepted on a first-come/first-served basis with priority given to: (1) legal residents domiciled in the cities and counties supporting the College, (2) other Virginia legal residents, (3) out-of-state applicants, and (4) international students requiring Form I-20. For certain health technology programs, "counties supporting the College" may include those in which clinical affiliates have contractual agreements with NVCC. It is even more important for you to apply early to the College if you are interested in being admitted to a curriculum. Certain programs have space shortage which can limit enrollment. Some of these curricula may have waiting lists.
High school transcripts are used for academic advisement to enhance your prospects for success in your chosen curriculum. These transcripts are required in order to be considered for admission to the following curricula: Veterinary Technology, Dental Hygiene, Medical Laboratory Technology, Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiography, and Respiratory Therapy. Transcripts are preferred for Emergency Medical Services Technology and Health Information Technology programs. Contact the appropriate campus Counseling Office regarding admission to these programs.
Application for Admission forms may be mailed to the Admissions and Records Office of your choice or brought to the campus during registration. You are urged to submit your Application for Admission to the College at least 30 days prior to the first day of registration for the semester in which you plan to enroll. This should provide you with the opportunity to meet with a counselor for academic assistance prior to registration. Applications mailed to the College at least two weeks before registration can be processed and a response will be mailed back to you. If you do not mail your application at least two weeks before registration, you should take the application to your selected home campus.
The College reserves the right to evaluate Application for Admission forms and to refuse admission to applicants when it is considered to be in the best interest of the College.
When you enroll as a student at NVCC, you accept the rules and regulations of the College. Any violation will be subject to appropriate action by the College.
Student Visa Information (F1/M1 Status)
NVCC does not issue I-20 forms to international applicants who are not in the United States at the time of application. International Students requiring I-20 forms who entered the United States to study at another college, university, or language school must successfully complete at least one term of study at that institution prior to being considered for admission to NVCC.
You must:
1. have the equivalent of an American high school diploma;
2. have official transcripts and records of previous educational experiences translated into English and certified before they are sent to NVCC by the institution you attended; 3. submit verification of financial support (INS form I-134);
4. submit a TOEFL score of 500 or above;
5. submit all appropriate forms and test scores sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of classes for the semester you plan to attend. The deadline for the fall semester is June 27, 1995, and for the spring semester it is November 17, 1995. Information about required forms and tests is contained in an international student admissions form available in the office of Admissions and Records. You will not be accepted until all general and special application requirements are completed. You will not be admitted if you are not in good academic standing at your previous institution.
If your native language is not English, you must complete the Michigan English Proficiency Test prior to registering. If you place in the ESL level 003 or below, you are required to complete the series of ESL classes prior to enrolling in courses other than ESL unless you have special permission. Information on this testing requirement is available from the Office of Admissions and Records.
It is also possible to be a part-time NVCC student while still enrolled in high school. Once again, you would need to have written approval of your high school principal.
Any high school student who wants to attend NVCC is required to comply with the admission requirements of the College.
It is the policy of the College that a person is eligible for admission to the College if he/she has a high school diploma or the equivalent, or is at least 18 years old and able to benefit from enrollment. The College reserves the right to evaluate applications for admission and to refuse admission to applicants when it is considered to be in the best interest of the College.
NVCC will consider the admission of students who are at least 16 years old, who are not attending a public or private school, and are "home school students." The acceptance of such students may be considered as enrichment to the home school program, but is not intended to substitute for the home school experience. The following policies will apply to the enrollment of home school students:
(1) Prior to admission, an applicant who does not have a high school diploma and is not at least 18 years old will be required to demonstrate appropriate basic skills compatible with the College academic expectations.
(2) All students of Northern Virginia Community College, regardless of age, are subject to all of the rules, policies, and procedures of the College pertaining to attendance, confidentiality of records, conduct, etc., as found in the College Catalog and the Student Handbook.
(3) Students who are home schooled must provide a current copy of a signed home school agreement between the appropriate school system and the authorizing parent or guardian. Such documentation must be provided to the counselor prior to admission to the College.
Applicants for financial aid are requested to submit Social Security numbers. Pell Grant Program applicants are advised that Social Security numbers are required by the U.S. Department of Education when processing applications.
Requests by individuals and agencies for release of student information must be presented in writing. Your permission for the College to release any information must also be in writing. Information which is considered public information is described in the current issue of the College Student Handbook.
Change of Home Campus
To change your home campus, you should complete a Change of Campus Request form and submit it to the Office of Admissions and Records at least five working days before the beginning of In-Person registration. If you receive financial aid, you must notify the Financial Aid Office to transfer your financial aid records.
To change from one curriculum to another, you must contact a counselor to initiate completion of a new Program Placement form.
Prior to testing, you must submit an Application for Admission to the College.
You will need a picture identification when you come to the Testing Center to take the tests.
For information about testing, contact the Counseling or Testing Center at your home campus.
Basic Skills Assessment
Assessment of your strengths and weaknesses in reading, writing, and mathematics will help you determine the appropriate courses to select. This assessment is accomplished through a group of basic skills assessment tests administered through the Testing Center at each campus.
If you are a degree-seeking student, you are encouraged to take basic skills tests in reading, writing, and mathematics before you register for classes.
If you are a student who has not taken the basic skills tests and who has a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 after the completion of 9 semester hours at NVCC, or are transferring to NVCC with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 (regardless of the number of hours completed), you must take the basic skills test in reading and writing. A counselor will determine if it is appropriate for you to take basic skills tests in mathematics as well.
Course Placement Testing
Some courses require that you obtain a minimum score on one or more placement tests before you may enroll in those courses. If your score on the required placement test(s) is too low, you must complete prescribed developmental studies courses. The developmental studies course(s) required will be determined by your score. These requirements apply to all campuses and ELI, unless specifically waived by the responsible division chair.
The following courses require placement testing. See a counselor to determine the appropriate test to take for each course.
English: ENG 001 through 007, 108, 111
ESL: ESL 001 through 013
Chemistry: CHM 101, 111, 241
Mathematics: MTH 003 through 007, 060, 103, 115, 120, 126, 150, 151, 163,
166, 173, 181, 241 and 271
Music: MUS 111 (Loudoun only)
Testing Centers
Alexandria Campus: AA344
Annandale Campus: CG402A
Loudoun Campus: LC217A
Manassas Campus: MC102, MC203
Woodbridge Campus: WC456
Extended Learning Institute: You may take placement tests at any
NOVA campus Testing Center.
Course Prerequisites
Successful completion of some courses is required before enrolling in other courses. These prerequisites are identified in the course listing of this catalog. You cannot enroll in a course for which you do not meet one of the prerequisites, unless prerequisites are waived by the chair of the instructional division offering the course.
In a course that requires placement tests, students who do not obtain the required minimum scores to enter a course must complete prescribed developmental studies courses before enrolling in the course.