Policies & Procedures

Policy 3.15 Admissions

POLICY STATEMENT

Anoka Technical College (ATC) considers all applicants for admission regardless of race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status in regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The college follows an open-door admission policy, which means that any resident who has graduated from an accredited high school, successfully completed a General Education Development Examination (GED), or who can demonstrate an Ability to Benefit is eligible for college admission. English language proficiency is not a barrier to admission. Placement testing determines student readiness for college courses and places students into appropriate courses to facilitate student academic success. Persons applying to enroll at the college must submit a completed admission application.

Exceptions:

• Students who have an active suspension for academic reasons from any postsecondary institution will be denied admission to ATC until an appeal can be considered by the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Committee. Students granted admittance will be placed on academic probation.
• Students who have a financial hold on their records from another Minnesota State college or university may be admitted to ATC, but will not be allowed to register until the financial hold has been removed.

Admission to the college does not automatically qualify a student for all courses of the college; some course offerings have special prerequisites and requirements. Certain programs require an additional admission process.

VISITING STUDENTS

Students who are not currently admitted as a student at Anoka Technical College, but are currently admitted at another Minnesota State college or university, will be allowed to enroll for up to nine credits as a visiting student. A visiting student's total number of enrolled credits at all system colleges and universities shall not exceed 22 in any semester.

Visiting Students are responsible for adhering to Anoka Technical College deadlines, policies, and procedures published in the Anoka Technical College Student Handbook and website. Once registered for a course, students are responsible for all tuition and fees associated with their registration. Students enrolling in courses requiring prerequisites must provide the appropriate documentation (e.g., transcript).

Financial Aid is not available from Anoka Technical College for Visiting Students. If students hold a formally admitted status at another Minnesota State institution, they may apply for financial aid through their home school via the Minnesota State Consortium Agreement. Students receiving financial aid from a non-Minnesota State institution must supply a written consortium agreement from their home school.

Students who do not complete the admissions process/placement testing prior to enrolling courses will be required to do so after attempting nine credits.

POST-SECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS (PSEO) AND CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT

PSEO is a state program for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, which offers the opportunity to enroll in and attend college-level courses and apply earned credit toward high school graduation requirements and a college degree. State funding covers the cost of tuition, fees, and required books for eligible courses. Qualified high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in Minnesota are eligible to attend Anoka Technical College through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) or Concurrent Enrollment program. PSEO/Concurrent Enrollment students are eligible to enroll in fall and/or spring semesters.

PSEO eligibility requirements include:

High School Seniors

• Rank in the top one-half or 50th percentile of graduating class OR score about the 50th percentile on a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test

High School Juniors

• Rank in the top one-third or 70th percentile of graduating class OR score above the 70th percentile on a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test

High School Juniors and Seniors

• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above OR indicate college readiness by achievining college level Accuplacer scores in the area of reading and sentence skills.

High School Sophomores

• Any public or American Indian controlled tribal contract or grant student classified as a 10th grader who meets residency requirements and has attained a passing score on the 8th grade Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment in reading and meets other on-campus course prerequisites or on-campus course enrollment standards established by the college, including but not limited to assessment test scores, program admission, or other requirements, may enroll in a career or technical education course at Anoka Technical College. If the student receives a grade of C or better in the course, the student shall be allowed to take additional career or technical education courses during the second semester of the 10th grade year. A student who first enrolls under this provision while in 10th grade and wishes to enroll in general education courses as an 11th or 12th grade PSEO student may need to take the system Assessment for Course Placement and achieve the required scores prior to enrollment. If the students did not take the 8th grade MCA, another reading assessment that is approved by Anoka Technical College may be substituted. Students admitted under this provision may be required to attend counseling or advising sessions at the discretion of the college

PSEO students:

1. Should be aware that summer courses, as well as courses numbered below 1000, are not covered by PSEO. Students may enroll in summer courses or courses numbered below 1000, but are responsible for tuition, books, and all other costs associated with course registration.
2. Should be aware that some programs and courses are not eligible for PSEO. See ATC's PSEO web page for a complete list of ineligible programs and courses.
3. Are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress, in accordance with college guidelines.
4. Will be allowed to register for courses on a space-available basis.
5. Are required to meet ACCUPLACER course prerequisites.

Students who do not meet admission requirements are asked to submit a two-page, typed double-spaced essay using a 12 pt. font; directions will be given to students by college staff.

EARLY/MIDDLE COLLEGE

Anoka Technical College's College Connect program is available to students at a State-Approved Alternative High School that partners with Anoka Technical College. This program allows students who have dropped out of high school or are not on track to graduate on time to earn college credit, while also earning credits to complete their high school diploma. There is no GPA/class rank requirement or test requirements; however, students do need to complete the steps and proper paperwork in order to be considered for admission into the program.

CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT

In Minnesota, concurrent enrollment courses are college courses offered at the high school, usually taught by a trained high school teacher. These are offered in partnership with a college or university. Students who successfully complete these courses generate both high school and transcripted college college credit from the partnering postsecondary institution. There is no cost to the student to participate in these courses.

High School Seniors

• Rank in top one-half or 50th percentile of graduating class OR score above the 50th percentile on a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test

High School Juniors

• Rank in the top one-third or 70th percentile of graduating class OR score above the 70th percentile on a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test

High School Juniors and Seniors

• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above OR indicate college readiness by achieving college level Accuplacer scores in the area of reading and sentence skills.

Sophomores

• Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher or rank in the top 90th percentile of their graduating class or score in the top 10th percentile on a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test. 

Students who do not meet admission requirements are asked to submit a two-page, typed, double-spaced essay using a 12 pt. font; directions will be given to students by college staff.

MINNESOTA SENIOR CITIZEN ADMISSION

MN Statutes 2004, Sec. 135 A.51 provides for senior citizens who are legal residents of Minnesota to enroll in courses on a space-available basis without payment of tuition and activity fees. "Senior citizen" means a person who has reached 62 years of age before the beginning of any term, semester, or quarter in which a course of study is pursued, or a person receiving a railroad retirement annuity who has reached 60 years of age before the beginning of the term.

There shall be no administrative fee charged to a Minnesota senior citizen auditing a course. The request to audit a course must be made at the time of registration for the course. Registration for Minnesota senior citizens who enroll on an audit basis begins the first business day after the first class session.

Minnesota resident senior citizens, 62 years of age or older, may enroll in credit courses on a space available basis for an admministrative fee of $20 per credit plus fees. Registration for Minnesota resident senior citizens at the reduced fee begins the first business day after the first class session.

Minnesota senior citizens may also enroll without payment of tuition and activity fees in noncredit courses, except in those courses designed and offered specifically and exclusively for senior citizens. Minnesota senior citizens enrolled in any non-credit course are responsible for purchasing any materials needed for the non-credit course. A Minnesota senior citizen enrolled in closed enrollment contract training or a professional continuing education program is not eligible for benefits under under Minnesota Statute Section 135A.52, Subdivision 1.

Minnesota senior citizens who wish to guarantee their enrollment in a course may register earlier, but they will be required to pay full tuition and fees. The Minnesota senior citizen student must meet course prerequisites and is responsible for purchasing books and class materials, whether enrolled for credit, audit, or in non-credit courses. Minnesota seniors enrolled for credit or audit will also be charged technology, LeadMN, and parking fees.

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History:

05.2017  Adopted

06.2020  Technical change to statute number, LeadMN name (formerly MSCSA).