Admissions

Apply to Anne Arundel Community College

AACC is happy to help you get started as a credit or noncredit student.  If you want to take credit courses that lead toward a degree or certificate, you first need to apply to the college. It’s free and online! The links (right) will guide you through the steps to begin.

Apply Important Dates International Students   High School/Dual-Enrolled Students   Military Admissions   Transferring In   Noncredit Registration

Obtain Credit for Previous Learning

We recognize that learning occurs in a variety of settings and formats. AACC reviews credit for previous learning from traditional college coursework and from nontraditional sources such as military experience. Planning ahead to your Junior year? See transferring from AACC

About Transfer Credit    AP /CLEP /IB /Dept. Exam   High School Credit   Life/Work Experience   Military Experience   How to Get Started

Review AACC’s General Admissions Procedures

Students who wish to be familiar with AACC’s general entrance statement and our admissions procedures may refer to the information links (right) or review the content of this page.   Have a question? Our Admissions Advisors are happy to help.

General Entrance Statement Degree Seeking Admissions Nondegree Seeking Admissions Selective Admissions Questions? Contact Admissions

General Entrance Statement

State Authorization

Various state regulations require legal authorization for postsecondary institutions to offer distance education classes/programs, internships and clinical placements, to students who live outside the institution’s home state. As a consequence, AACC may have limited operations in some states. Therefore, if you are not a resident of Maryland, please visit AACC’s State Authorization webpage for detailed information on any limitations.

General Admission Procedures

Degree- and Certificate-seeking Students (must be age 16 or older)

1. Submit an application to the Admissions and Enrollment Development office as early as possible and before the term when admission is desired.
2. Forward any ACT, SAT, AP and CLEP scores as well as the following official documentation to the Records and Registration office:
   1. High school graduates: submit an official copy of a secondary school transcript.
   2. General Educational Development Diploma (GED) students: request the appropriate state department of education to mail a copy of the test results.
   3. Students who have attended other colleges: submit an official transcript from each college attended.
3. Assessment and Placement
   All students who wish to pursue a degree or certificate must be assessed for proficiency in English, reading and mathematics prior to their first registration. Visit our web to learn more about Placement Testing.
   
   Take an assessment test through the college’s testing office, or forward ACT, SAT, AP or CLEP test results or official transcripts to the Records and Registration office, or bring them to the Admissions and Enrollment Development office before registering for classes.
    
   1. Assessment and placement for English and reading proficiency shall be determined by appropriate scores, as established by the college, on any of the following assessment devices: American College Test (ACT); Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT); Anne Arundel Community College assessment tests; Advanced Placement Examination (AP); College-Level Examination Program (CLEP); or by satisfactory completion of appropriate college-level English at other regionally accredited colleges and universities.
      
      Test results are used to place students in appropriate courses, not for determining eligibility for admission to the college. Tests are waived for students who can establish eligibility through prior education, other test results or relevant life experience. Based on the results of the English and reading assessment, students will be assigned a status of either “regular” or “developmental” (see Student Status). Students with regular status are eligible to enter ENG 111, Composition and Introduction to Literature 1 or ENG 121, Composition and Literature if qualified. Students with developmental status will be required to successfully complete appropriate equivalent developmental English and reading classes before entering any credit-level English courses. Certificate-seeking students with developmental status must complete all required developmental courses. Students can take the English/reading sections of the AACC placement test two times.
      
      Students who do not speak English or whose second language is English, may be given the ACCUPLACER LOEP exam. Based on the student’s background, ACCUPLACER will automatically determine if the LOEP exam is required. After completing the LOEP exam a student may be required to write an essay to complete the LOEP placement. Please visit the ESL website or call 777-2901 for further information. Students taking the college English as a Second Language Assessment test will be permitted to register for credit courses as stated in the ESL assessment category. (Students who take the ESL assessment test and score into ENG 115 are assigned regular status. However, scores on their assessment test qualify a student only to take the ENG 115-ENG 116 sequence of English courses, not the ENG 111-ENG 112 sequence.)
       
   2. Assessment and placement for mathematics
      All degree-seeking students must be assessed for proficiency in mathematics prior to their first registration.
      
      All certificate-seeking students whose program includes a mathematics prerequisite must also be assessed for proficiency in mathematics prior to their first registration.
      
      Based on the mathematics assessment, students may be required to complete appropriate equivalent developmental mathematics courses to prepare students to enter credit-level mathematics courses. To facilitate the timely completion of the academic program, students are encouraged to complete any equivalent developmental math courses as early as possible.

Nondegree-seeking Students (must be age 16 or older)

Nondegree-seeking students are students who wish to take credit courses without pursuing a degree or certificate.

Steps to become a nondegree-seeking student:

1. Submit a free, online application to the Admissions office.  (Paper applications available by request to Admissions 410-777-2246.)
    
2. Consult an Admissions Advisor or Academic Advisor if uncertain of your eligibility for certain courses.
   
   (Often, High school transcripts, ACT, SAT scores or transcripts from other colleges are not needed. However, nondegree-seeking students who wish to register for credit courses with English or mathematics prequisites must take a free placement test or provide qualifying standardized test scores or college transcripts.  See Assessment and Placement.)

Visiting Students (as nondegree-seeking students): Some nondegree-seeking students are students who wish to earn credits at AACC in order to transfer those credits to another college or university that will award them their degree. Visiting students are responsible for consulting with their home/intended transfer institution to ensure a smooth transfer of credits. Visiting students who seek to register for credit courses with English or mathematics prequisites must submit college transcripts to Admissions or follow other steps described under Assessment and Placement.

Admission Status

Upon admission, students are assigned a placement status. This status may change based on academic performance:

1. Regular (18 maximum credit hours)

Students assigned regular status may register for up to 18 equivalent credit hours during sessions of 13 to 15 weeks duration. Regular students enrolled in abbreviated sessions (fewer than 13 weeks) may register for no more than nine equivalent credit hours that meet at any one time.

Regular status is assigned to students who meet ENG 111, Composition and Introduction to Literature 1, eligibility by one of the following:

For regular status consideration, students must submit test scores from either the SAT, ACT, or Anne Arundel Community College assessment tests; or transcripts of previously completed college course work to the Admissions and Enrollment Development office.

2. Developmental (13 maximum credit hours)

Students assigned developmental status may register for up to 13 equivalent credit hours during sessions of 13 to 15 weeks duration. Developmental students enrolled in abbreviated sessions (fewer than 13 weeks) may register for no more than seven equivalent credit hours that meet at any one time.

Developmental status is assigned to students whose SAT, ACT or Anne Arundel Community College assessment test scores indicate a need to complete specific equivalent English and reading developmental courses before registering for credit English or other courses that have an English or reading prerequisite. Students with developmental status may not exceed a total enrollment of 13 hours of credit and equivalent course work during sessions of 13 to 15 weeks duration.

The college notifies developmental students of the courses they are required to take. Degree and certificate-seeking students with developmental status should begin developmental requirements in their first term. Developmental courses in English and reading must be in progress by the time 12 AACC hours (credit or equivalent) have been attempted. Developmental requirements must be completed within the first 30 AACC hours (credit or equivalent) attempted. An extension of one term may be granted by an academic advisor.

Enrollment in credit courses is limited by the developmental requirements and other course prerequisites. For information regarding course prerequisites, look in the Courses of Instruction section of this catalog or consult an academic advisor.

3. English as a Second Language (ESL) (13 maximum credit hours)

Students assigned ESL status may register for up to 13 equivalent credit hours during sessions of 13 to 15 weeks duration. ESL students enrolled in abbreviated sessions (fewer than 13 weeks) may register for no more than seven equivalent credit hours that meet at any one time. Students wishing to pursue a more intensive language program must be approved by the coordinator of English as a Second Language.

Any student interested in taking an ESL course is required to take the English as a Second Language Assessment test prior to registration. ESL status is assigned to students whose native language is not English and whose academic record or Anne Arundel Community College assessment test scores indicate they must complete certain noncredit ESL courses before registering for any credit courses. The college advises these students which ESL courses they are required to take. All ESL students should consult an ESL advisor before registering for any courses.

Students who score into beginning ESL may not register for credit courses. Students who score into intermediate or high-intermediate ESL may register for credit courses only with written permission of an ESL advisor. ESL and credit course work may not exceed a total of 13 credit hours during the spring or fall sessions or seven credits during the summer sessions.

Students who score into advanced or capstone ESL may register for a combination of ESL and credit courses not to exceed a total of 13 credit hours during fall or spring sessions. The student’s status will change from ESL to regular after completing the capstone ESL courses.

Students who take the English as a Second Language placement test and score into ENG 115 are assigned regular status. However, scores on this placement test qualify a student only to take the ENG 115-ENG 116 sequence of English courses, not the ENG 111-ENG 112 sequence.

4. Probationary (14 maximum credit hours)

Students assigned probationary (or probation) status may register for up to 14 equivalent credit hours during sessions of 13 to 15 weeks duration. Probationary students enrolled in abbreviated sessions (fewer than 13 weeks) may register for no more than seven equivalent credit hours that meet at any one time.

Students with probationary status have been dismissed from or were not in good academic standing at another college or university. Students who complete 12 credit hours with a grade point average of 2.0 or better will be classified as regular status.

5. Nondegree (11 maximum credit hours)

Students assigned nondegree status may register for up to 11 equivalent credit hours during sessions of 13 to 15 weeks duration. Nondegree students enrolled in abbreviated sessions (fewer than 13 weeks) may register for no more than seven equivalent credit hours that meet at any one time.

This status is assigned to students who wish to take courses for personal enrichment without pursuing a degree or certificate. Nondegree students who wish to take courses in English, mathematics or any course with an English or mathematics prerequisite must be assessed prior to registration. Nondegree students whose native language is not English are required to take the college ESL assessment test and will be permitted to register for credit courses as stated in the ESL student status category (see above). (Students who take the ESL assessment test and score into ENG 115 are assigned regular status. However, scores on their placement test qualify a student only to take the ENG 115-ENG 116 sequence of English courses, not the ENG 111-ENG 112 sequence.)

Nondegree status will be reviewed after achieving 18 credits to determine the student’s goals.

Nondegree students are not eligible for federally funded financial aid.