Policies

As per VCCS guidelines, RCC will grant credit for a score of 4 or higher for Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and a score of 5 or higher for Standard Level International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.

Students who score 50 or higher on CLEP courses will receive credit appropriate to that course.

Precalculus may not satisfy general education and may not receive transfer credit at your transfer institution. Approved UCGS courses taken at other VCCS colleges may be transferred and applied to the UCGS with approval for course substitution from the Dean, provided at least 25% of all credits needed for the UCGS are earned at Rappahannock Community College.

Transfer students who are eligible for re-entrance at the last college of attendance are also eligible for admission to RCC. Credit will not be given for courses with grades lower than “C,” and grade point averages from prior institutions will not be transferred. For more information about transfer credit and advanced standing, please refer to “Transfer Credit and Advanced standing” found in the Academic Information section of this catalog.

Credit for Prior Learning Credit for prior learning is the administrative placement of a student that awards credit for subject matter competency based upon previous academic study or occupational experience. This may include, but is not limited to, college credit and advancement based upon individual college participation in the Advanced Placement Program (AP), International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), or testing through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the DSST Program (formerly known as DANTES); training provided by non-collegiate institutions, such as the armed forces; professional certification, or experiential learning/work experience. Credit for prior learning policies at Rappahannock Community College is consistent with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) principles and with Virginia Community College System (VCCS) policy. To be eligible to apply for credit for prior learning, a student must be admitted to Rappahannock Community College and officially placed in a program of study. Credit awarded for CLEP, AP, IBO, DSST, departmental challenge exams, and credit for work experience may satisfy the RCC program of study requirements but will not necessarily transfer to another institution. Students desiring to transfer credit awarded via these methods should contact their four-year college of interest to determine its policy. However, appropriate credit, when awarded, will be listed on the student’s official RCC transcript. Students desiring to earn college credit through one of the above credits for prior learning methods or who wish to take a locally developed departmental exam should contact the appropriate division office in which the course is taught. Rappahannock Community College may award credit for the following competencies: AP (The Advanced Placement Program) The Advanced Placement Program (AP) allows students to pursue college-level studies while still in secondary school. College credit is granted for scores of 3 or higher. Students should request an official score report be sent from the College Board to the Admissions & Records Office on either campus for evaluation. IB (The International Baccalaureate Program) The International Baccalaureate® (IB), and the Diploma Programme (DP) in particular, offer advanced-level courses for students during the last two years of high school. The courses are available as HL (Higher Level) and SL (Standard Level). As per VCCS guidelines, RCC will grant credit for a score of 4 or higher for Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and a score of 5 or higher for Standard Level International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. Students should request an official score report be sent from the International Baccalaureate Organization to the Admissions & Records Office on either campus for evaluation. CLEP (College Level Examination Program) The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a credit-by-examination program sponsored by the College Board, which gives students the opportunity to earn college credit by earning qualifying scores on exams. Students who score 50 or higher on CLEP courses will receive credit appropriate to that course. Students should request an official score report be sent from the College Board to the Admissions & Records Office on either campus for evaluation. DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support) Credit may be granted for the successful completion of correspondence courses and subject standardized tests (SST) of the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES), formerly the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI). These subject area standardized tests provide service members an opportunity to obtain credit for knowledge and skills acquired through a non-traditional educational experience. Credit granted is based on the recommendations of the American Council of Education (ACE). Students should request an official score report be sent from the DANTES to the Admissions & Records Office on either campus for evaluation. DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) Credit may be granted for successful completion of subject examinations taken through DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests). These subject area exams provide students an opportunity to obtain credit for prior learning through non-traditional educational experiences. The DSST program is approved by the American Council of Education (ACE). Students who score at or above the minimum level recommended by ACE will receive credit appropriate to that course. Students should request an official score report be sent from the DSST to the Admissions & Records Office on either campus for evaluation. Military Service Credit may be awarded for military training and experience as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) guidelines if the credits fit into the student’s specific curriculum. Students should request an official Joint Services Transcript or The Community College of the Air Force Transcript be sent to the Admissions & Records Office on either campus for evaluation. Local Challenge Examinations Examinations locally prepared and administered for subjects not available in the CLEP program may be utilized for a variety of courses at RCC. Specific course credit will be granted for each such local challenge exam successfully completed. For more information, contact the academic dean who is responsible for courses in the appropriate discipline. Other Formal Learning Experiences Credit may be granted, as a means of achieving credit for prior learning, for previous non-collegiate education, training, and/or previous occupational experiences as recommended by the American Council of Education (ACE). The student should submit official evidence of other formal learning experiences to the Admissions & Records Office for evaluation. An example would be experiences from criminal justice academies. In all of the above areas, neither grades nor grade points will be awarded for successful completion of the subject matter. An appropriate notation will be placed next to the course title on the student’s transcript. Students who plan to transfer to other institutions of higher education are cautioned that not all institutions of higher education accept credits earned in this manner as transfer credit. It is the student’s responsibility to determine the acceptability of these credits at the institution being considered for transfer. Curriculum Changes (Major) Students who wish to change or add programs should consult their college navigator in order to discuss the impact of the change on both their academic standing their financial aid eligibility and to complete the Program/Plan Change form. When a student changes to a new program, a new faculty advisor may be assigned to the student. Transfer students who change programs must request a re-evaluation of their transcripts based on the requirements of the new curriculum. Close Close Close Close Close Add to My Favorites (opens a new window) Share this Page Facebook this Page (opens a new window) Tweet this Page (opens a new window) Print (opens a new window) Help (opens a new window) T

Students desiring to earn credit for a previously audited course must re-enroll in the course for credit and pay the normal tuition and fees to earn a grade other than “X.” Advanced standing credit will not be awarded for a previously audited course.

Transfer credits are not included. Attempted credits from all enrollment periods at the College plus all accepted transfer credits are counted; whether or not the student received financial aid for those semesters is of no consequence. Transfer Students: Credits officially accepted in transfer will be counted in determining the maximum number of allowable semester credit hours for financial aid eligibility.

Students entering the program with a current EMT license/certification are eligible for credit for prior learning for EMS 111 and EMS 120.

Placement Readmission Admission to Specific Curricula Admission of High School and Home School Students High School-Based Dual Enrollment Admission of Transfer Students Foreign Students General Admission Individuals are eligible for admission to Rappahannock Community College if they are high school graduates or have completed a GED, or if they are eighteen years of age or older and able to benefit academically from college course work. Official transcripts from any colleges/universities (other than VCCS colleges) if the student is seeking transfer credit. A completed VCCS Transfer Evaluation Request Form designating any VCCS college attended if the student is seeking transfer credit.

Students may receive credit for prior learning for ITE 100 and ITN 101 . Contact the ITE program head to determine if you are eligible for this.

Law enforcement and correctional officers who have completed studies at formal training academies may receive advanced standing credit for training experiences that are equivalent to RCC’s criminal justice courses.

Students desiring to earn credit for a previously audited course must re-enroll in the course for credit and pay regular tuition and fees to earn a grade other than “X.” Advanced standing credit will not be awarded for a previously audited course. If a senior citizen applies for free tuition AFTER registering and paying for a class, the individual is not eligible for a refund for that class.

Withdrawing from a Course Classification of Students Academic Load Attendance Examinations Grading System Appeal of Final Grade Academic Standing Academic Recognition Transfer Credit Credit for Prior Learning Academic Advising To assist students in reaching their academic goals, a dedicated college navigator is assigned to advise adult students from the time they are accepted for admission through their exit from the college.

Transfer Credit Advanced standing is a student’s administrative placement that allows credit based on previous academic study or occupational experience. Credit will be awarded for courses that are equivalent to RCC courses and relevant to the student’s curricula program at RCC. Transcripts are evaluated for curricular students only. No more than 75% of a degree or certificate may be earned through transfer credit or advanced standing credit. Awarded credit is added to the student’s permanent record but is not used for computation of the GPA and does not carry a letter grade. At RCC, opportunities for obtaining college credits are available through the following means:

Transfer Credit Coursework may be accepted for transfer credit if taken at an institution that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency. Coursework transferred to RCC must represent collegiate coursework applicable to the student’s program, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in RCC curricula. No credit will be given for courses with grades lower than “C.” Courses in technology taken more than ten years ago will not be accepted for transfer credit. Official college or university transcripts should be submitted to the Admissions and Records Office for evaluation. RCC accepts international transcript credit only after the student has an official transcript sent to RCC that is printed in English or has been translated into English and evaluated for course-by-course credit by an international credit evaluation agency before submitting it to the college. The cost of the evaluation is the responsibility of the student. RCC accepts evaluations from World Education Services , Global Credential Evaluators , the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers , or other professional organizations or agencies approved by the Virginia Department of Education and listed as a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluators.