Academic Advising Handbook

Application, Acceptance, and Admissions Advising 

• Wisconsin Technical College System Application for Admission
  • Readmission or Reactivating a Major
• Special Needs Identification and Accommodations
• Entrance Assessments
  • Assessment Score Requirements
• Admissions Requirements
• Student Success Center Offerings
• Advanced Standing
  • Test Outs
  • Experiential Learning/Portfolio Evaluation
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• Fee Payment

Wisconsin Technical College System Application for Admission

The first step toward admission into any program at WITC is completion of the WTCS Application for Admission. A $30 non-refundable admission fee must accompany the WTCS application. It is also possible for a prospective student to submit their application via the Internet by visiting the Wisconsin Technical College’s web page at www.witechcolleges.com.

Applications are received and processed by the Student Services office at each of the WITC campuses. Before prospective students can be accepted into their program of choice, there are other criteria that must be met. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Satisfactory completion of entrance assessments
• Participation in an admissions interview
• Completion of or proof of program-specific admissions requirements (i.e. proof of high school graduation, valid driver’s license, health forms, etc.)
• Space available in the program of choice

For additional information regarding admissions, you may refer to WITC District Policy J-210 and the accompanying administrative procedures.

Readmission or Reactivating a Major - Students who wish to re-enter a WITC program after a semester of non-attendance will be required to complete a new WTCS application for admission and participate in an admissions interview with a counselor. A student does not need to pay the $30 application fee, except upon their initial enrollment in the college.

Special Needs Identification and Accommodations

WITC’s Student Success Centers provide academic support and accommodations to students with disabilities and special needs. These services are provided free of charge and may include the following:

• TDD phone access
• Guided study
• Audio taped texts and materials
• Note taking assistance
• Readers and writers
• Adaptive listening equipment
• Enlarged print materials
• Mobility assistance
• Assessment
• Testing accommodations
• College transition assistance
• Referral to services in the community

To apply for accommodations, a student must submit a Reasonable Accommodation Request Form and clinical or professional documentation of their disability to the Student Success Center at each campus. Students should be assured that requesting support services will not affect their enrollment status or their placement in a program or course.

Admissions Assessments

The admissions assessment currently being used by WITC is Accuplacer. The Accuplacer tests are designed to determine placement for students into appropriate courses.

Accuplacer is not a pass/fail test. Rather, the scores are used to determine where a prospective student’s academic strengths and needs lie in relation to the college-level course work required for a specific program of study. Students may retake any part or all of the Accuplacer assessment in an attempt to score the minimum level required for program entry.

Applicants who have taken the ACT college entrance exam may have their ACT scores considered for WITC program entrance instead of completing the Accuplacer assessment test. Satisfactory TABE, Asset, and COMPASS scores can also be used in lieu of Accuplacer.

Assessment Score Requirements – The score standards for admission varies by program. The program instructional department has determined these scores.

Applicants wishing to enroll in most Associate Degree programs at WITC must achieve the following Accuplacer scores:

Score Range

Language	586-599
Reading	582-595
Mathematics	550-565

Applicants wishing to enroll in most Technical Diploma programs at WITC must achieve the following Accuplacer scores:

Score Range

Language	571-585
Reading	552-566
Mathematics	528-549

Some programs have higher standards. They are as follows:

Associate Degree Nursing Score Range

Language	604-999
Reading	612-999
Mathematics	617-999

Occupational Therapy Assistant Score Range

Language	604-999
Reading	612-999
Mathematics	550-565

It should also be noted that assessment scores are not the only factor used to determine admission into a WITC program. WITC counselors may also evaluate the prior work, school, and life experience of an applicant and the applicant’s level of maturity in determining the best program placement for the individual.

Once a prospective student has completed the admissions assessment, they will meet with a WITC counselor who will discuss the results in conjunction with the applicant’s program choices, Student Success Center opportunities, etc.

Admissions Requirements

Many WITC programs have additional requirements that are program specific. Students will usually be accepted into their chosen program without fulfilling these requirements, but must satisfy them prior to participating in clinical activities or prior to graduation.

Some examples of these requirements are as follows:

• Valid driver’s license
• Completed health form and immunization history
• CPR certification
• Satisfactory criminal background check
• Colorblindness test
• Keyboarding prerequisite

Contact your campus Student Services office if you have questions regarding the admissions requirements for a specific program.

Student Success Center Offerings

The Student Success Center mission is to help WITC students in reaching educational and career goals. Students may enter Student Success Center courses at any time and leave when they attain their educational objectives. Classes are available day and evening at the four campuses and at WITC’s outreach centers. There is no tuition charge for these offerings; however, some courses may require the payment of material fees.

Student Success Center offerings or services may include the following:

• Admissions coordination
• High school completion
• GED/HSED Preparation
• Pre-technical courses
• Career assessment
• Counseling services

Advanced Standing

Advanced standing is a process by which students are granted credits for prior college work, articulated high school classes, work experience, military training, or apprenticeship. Students may apply for advanced standing once they are admitted to a specific program. For WITC to grant a degree of diploma, at least 25 percent of the credits required for the degree or diploma must be from courses completed at WITC.

For additional information on articulated high school courses, refer to Start College in High School. This same information is available on each WITC campus from the Student Services Deans, counselors, or Instructional Deans.

For additional information on courses that WITC accepts from other institutions, you may refer to the following Web site: www.uwsa.edu/tis. Again, this information is available on each campus from the Student Services Deans, counselors, or instructional deans.

Test Outs – Testing out or credit-by-challenge exam is one way for students to receive credit for what they have already learned. Since test out exams are linked to the competencies of the course, the type of test the student takes will vary depending on the subject of the course. Here is some general information about test outs:

• If you are talking to a student who seems to be a good candidate for testing out, encourage them to pursue the exam as soon as possible. The Student Services office should be able to provide information on the availability of test out exams.
• If a student is currently enrolled in the course for which they wish to attempt a test out, the test out must be completed during the 80% refund period.
• The student’s first contact to initiate the test out process is the Admissions Advisor at each campus.
• There is a non-refundable fee of $20 per credit for each test out that a student attempts.
• Test outs may not be available for all WITC courses. Students may wish to pursue a portfolio evaluation if they feel they have achieved the competencies of a course for which a test out is not available.
• Students must be admitted to a program before they can attempt a test out. "Unassigned" students are not permitted to take test out exams.
• A student can attempt a test out once per course in a 12-month period.
• The competency level required to pass a test out exam is 80%.
• Students who successfully complete a test out exam will receive 100% tuition refund if they are enrolled in the course. Book returns and refunds are subject to the individual bookstore policies.
• Successful completion of a test out (and the subsequent refund of tuition) could affect the student’s financial aid status if the student drops from full time to three-quarter or half time after subtracting the test-out credits.

Exam Information

• A nonrefundable fee of $20 per credit must be paid prior to taking any exam.
• No letter grade is assigned; CR (credit) is recorded on academic transcripts.
• Credits obtained through challenge exams are not included in the student’s overall grade point average.
• Credits earned through challenge exams are not included in the active credits for the term and, therefore, cannot be used when determining financial aid eligibility or enrollment status.

Please note:

• Challenge exams may be taken only during the first 5% of class hours for courses in which the student is currently enrolled. If the student is successful, the student must request a withdrawal from the class. The withdrawal date and tuition refund amount will be based on the exam date. Full refunds (100%) will be given when withdrawal results from passing the challenge exam. Remember: it is your responsibility to drop your current enrollment to receive this refund.
• Exams may be taken at any time the student is not enrolled in the course.
• Students may retest for the same exam after one year from the date of the first attempt.
• Students are ineligible to test for a course for which they have previously earned a failing grade.
• Arrangements for accommodating students will be made as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• A list of current challenge exams is available on the college Web site: http://www.witc.edu.

Please be aware that WITC is not required to have challenge exams for all courses

Experiential Learning/Portfolio Evaluation – Students may receive credit for previous work experience, business and industry training, military education or experience or other prior learning. The type of learning documented by a portfolio evaluation is usually not represented on any type of transcript. Students will be asked to use a variety of methods to demonstrate how they have achieved the competencies of the course. Students pay a non-refundable $10 per credit fee for each evaluation.

Financial Aid

Almost seven million dollars in financial aid is awarded each year to WITC students. Many of the students in your classes are receiving some type of financial assistance to attend school. The types of financial aid available to WITC students include student loans, grants, work-study employment, and scholarships.

The Financial Aid Advisors at each campus are involved in the admissions process and are available to assist students in securing the resources to assist with the cost of education. The Financial Aid Advisor is also available to work with continuing students when they require additional resources to deal with retention issues. For example, this could include money to pay for childcare or travel expenses.

The financial aid status of a student is determined using the following credit loads as a guideline:

6-8 credits = ½ time student

9-11 credits = ¾ time student

12 + credits = full time student

Under current WITC policies and procedures, students may withdraw from a class up until 80 percent of the course length. While this practice prevents a student from receiving a failing grade on their transcript, it is important to note that a student’s eligibility for financial aid may still be impacted as a result. It is currently possible for a student to be on financial aid probation or suspension, yet be academically eligible to register for classes.

Financial Aid Census Date – Final eligibility for aid is determined by the number of credits in which the student is enrolled at the census date, which is defined as 14 calendar days from the start of the term. No increases in eligibility will be made for courses added for the remainder of that term. Courses dropped after the census date has passed will not adversely affect student eligibility for aid unless the course is dropped with a 100% refund.

As an instructor, you should know that WITC Financial aid staff members value your input when working with a student on academic issues. Their office can impose restrictions on a student’s aid where appropriate, or they can help the student seek additional sources of funding where needed.

Scholarships

Scholarships are an excellent financial resource for tuition, books and other educational expenses. Scholarships also give recognition for a student's academic achievement, leadership and potential for success. A number of scholarships are available to students enrolling full-time in associate degree or diploma programs at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College.

The WITC Foundation awards over 200 scholarships each year to students who attend WITC. Scholarships may be designated for a specific campus, program, high school, or other interest, or they may be open to students in all program areas.

You may contact your campus College Advancement Associate if you or your students have any questions regarding scholarships and the application process.

Scholarship applications are reviewed in April and November of each year. Applications are due on April 1 and November 1, respectively. Scholarship awards are applied to tuition or may be used for books or other educational expenses. WITC scholarships are valid only for the designated award year and, in most cases, cannot be transferred to other WITC campuses or Wisconsin technical colleges. Scholarship recipients who fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress may lose a portion of their scholarship award.

To apply for a WITC Foundation scholarship, students need to complete the following forms:

• A Scholarship Selection Form for the WITC campus they attend. This form asks the student to indicate the scholarships for which they are eligible and wish to be considered.
• The WITC Foundation Scholarship Application Form asks the student to provide information on their educational background, career goals, and leadership experience.
• Scholarship Recommendation Forms are required from two individuals. Program instructors are often asked to complete recommendation forms for their students.

All three of these forms are available in the Student Success Center, Financial Aid Office or from the campus College Advancement Associate. You can also print them from the WITC Web site address listed below.

For additional information on WITC Foundation scholarships, visit the following web page: www.witc.edu/foundation/scholarship.htm.

Fee Payment Policies

Several weeks before the start of each term, registered students will be mailed a statement of account from WITC.  It will list tuition and fee charges, billing authorizations, and anticipated financial aid.  In the event that a student's financial aid or billing authorization does not fully cover the tuition and fee charges, students must pay the balance or make satisfactory payment arrangements with WITC seven calendar days prior to the start of the term.  Any students who register after the designated due date must pay or make payment arrangements at the time of registration.  Students will not be officially registered until they make these pay arrangements.  If payment or arrangements are not in place by this date, students may lose their seat in class.

WITC's Tuition and Fee Payment Policy allows the student several options when paying for their tuition and fees.  We will accept cash, personal checks, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, billing authorizations from employers and agencies, or a WITC tuition deferment.  To ensure payment of tuition and fees and/or book from an agency or employer, authorization must be received in writing by WITC 30 days prior to the beginning of classes.  If the agency or employer funding does not cover the entire cost, the student will be responsible for the balance.