Community College of Philadelphia

Admissions Information

Admission Policy
Community College of Philadelphia is an associate’s degree granting institution with open admission for all who may benefit. Selective programs may require submission of a copy of the student’s diploma and/or transcript from an accredited secondary school or a state equivalency diploma.

Selective programs are competitive with some programs admitting qualified students as space allows. In addition to the transcript requirements mentioned above, each selective program has established admission criteria particular to that program. Students interested in a select program are strongly encouraged to apply early, and consult with a counselor, the department, or a member of the Admissions office for specific information.

Inquiries regarding admission to the College should be directed to the Information Center, 215-751-8010, or e-mail admissions@ccp.edu. Applicants may also inquire in person at the Welcome Center, room M1-17 in the Mint Building.

Admission Preparation
An applicant must have a diploma from an accredited secondary school or a State Equivalency Diploma, but applicants 18 years of age or over who have not graduated from high school may qualify for a Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma by means of the General Education Development (GED) test.

Non-high school graduates who enroll and successfully complete 30 semester hours of college-level work may qualify for GED certification. Transfer credits may be used for this purpose.
Students without a high school diploma or GED may be admitted but may not qualify for financial aid. Please see the Ability to Benefit Requirement section under Financial Aid on page 18.
For specific information regarding the application and evaluation procedure for earning a GED diploma through course work, contact the Office of Student Records and Registration at 215-751-8260.
Students whose academic background is deficient, but who show promise, may be offered preparatory study. In these cases, the College reserves the right to require students to take remedial work or special courses or to limit the number of courses in which they may enroll.

Residency Requirements
Tuition rates at Community College of Philadelphia are determined by a student’s domicile. Domicile is the place where one intends to and does, in fact, permanently reside. The College establishes its residency policy in accordance with the Pennsylvania Code, Title 22, Education Chapter 35.

First preference for admission to the College, and particularly to selective programs of high demand, is given to Philadelphia residents. To qualify as
a legal resident of Philadelphia, the applicant:

Must be a citizen or a permanent resident alien of the United States or be admitted on an immigrant visa to the United States.
Must have resided in Pennsylvania for at least 12 months prior to first day of term at Community College of Philadelphia.
Must have resided in Philadelphia for at least three months prior to first day of term at Community College of Philadelphia.

The Office of Admissions will require such documentary evidence or statements from disinterested persons as it deems necessary to establish proof of residence.
Examples of factors that may provide convincing evidence include the following:

Lease or purchase of a permanent independent residence.

Payment of appropriate state and local taxes. Special attention shall be given to payment of Commonwealth taxes on income earned during periods of temporary absence from this Commonwealth.

Transfer of bank accounts, automobile and other registered property to this Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania driver’s license/state ID.

Cases shall be decided on the basis of facts submitted, with qualitative rather than quantitative emphasis. No given number of factors may be required for domicile, since the determination in each case is one of the subjective intention of the student to reside indefinitely in this Commonwealth.

Persons on active duty with the U.S. Armed Forces and stationed in Philadelphia are considered Philadelphia residents. Persons on active duty with the U.S. Armed Forces, stationed in other parts of the country or world, who maintain their legal residence as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are considered Philadelphia residents.

Change of residency for tuition and mailing purposes is the sole responsibility of the student.

A student may challenge his or her residency classification by filing a written petition with the Director of Admissions.

Dual Enrollment
Students who have not completed high school may enroll for classes at Community College of Philadelphia for the purpose of earning college credits prior to high school graduation. This applies to those students who are in school or are home-schooled. Prospective students who have not graduated from high school or obtained a GED are required to complete a special application and return it to the Coordinator, School/College Initiatives prior to registering for credit courses. Included in the special application is a section signed by the applicant’s parent/guardian and by either the school principal or superintendent of the appropriate district in which the student’s school resides.

Eligible students must possess the academic skills, as evidenced by the College’s placement test, needed to meet the challenges of college-level courses. Students must place at the college level in order to register for courses. Students will not be permitted to enroll in developmental courses. Dual enrollment students must adhere to all College policies and procedures for study at Community College of Philadelphia.

For further information please contact the Coordinator, School/College Initiatives at 215-751-8779. (See page 33 for more information about programs for high school students.)

Testing
College Placement Test
The College maintains an Assessment Center in which new students are given placement tests prior to their orientation and registration. Untested continuing and returning students may satisfy the placement test requirement by arranging to be tested in this Center.

The Placement test helps us place you into courses appropriate to your academic preparedness.
The test measures reading, writing, and math skills.
Computerized testing is available at all locations except the West Regional Center. The paper/pencil version is available at the West Regional Center.

YOU MUST BE TESTED IF:

You want to register for an English or a Mathematics course.
You want to take more than two courses on the College’s waiver list at the Main Campus or Regional Centers. You may take up to 8 credits over two terms before being required to take a placement test.
Test scores are valid for two years. Students must be retested after a two-year period unless they have successfully completed an English and/or a Mathematics course during this time. Admissions tests for select programs and placement tests for specific courses are also administered.

YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A TEST WAIVER BE IF:

You have already earned a college degree from regionally accredited institution.
You earned a grade of “C-” or better in a college level composition and/or math course from an accredited U S. college.
You have ACT scores of 17 verbal, 14 math or SAT scores of 510 verbal, 470 math within the past two years.
You received a minimum of 213 on the TOEFL computerized test AND a 5 on the TOEFL writing test; or you received minimum of 560 on the TOEFL paper/pencil test AND a 5 on the TOEFL writing test; you received a minimum of 77 on the TOEFL Internet based test and a 20 on the TOEFL Internet writing test.
You plan to register for a course on our “test waiver” list. (A current test waiver list may be obtained at the Enrollment Services counters at the Main Campus and the Regional Centers, Academic Advising, or by contacting the College’s Information Center at 215-751-8010.)
You may register for one course (up to 4 credits) over two terms for a total of 8 credits before being required to take a placement test. A placement test will be required in order to register for more classes.
Bring your transcript, your diploma, or your SAT or ACT score report to Room BG-6 on our Main Campus or to any of our Regional Centers and ask for the waiver.

How do I get an appointment for the placement test? Submit your admissions application online or in person, and you will receive detailed instructions about choosing a placement test date.

For a complete description of the Placement Test please go to the College’s Web page www.ccp.edu and from the menu select Prospective Students then Admission Process and then Placement Testing.

GED Test
The Assessment Center also administers the GED test for high school equivalency. Each section of the GED test has an established minimum passing score. Persons who achieve scores above the minimum passing scores are eligible to receive the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Diploma.

Ability to Benefit Test
The Assessment Center conducts Ability to Benefit testing. This test is required of persons who have applied for Federal Student Aid and who have not earned a high school diploma or GED. For more Information, see Ability to Benefit Requirement in the Financial Aid section on page 18.

Advanced Placement
Students entering the College may take waiver examinations in some courses. Success in such tests will permit students to enroll in more advanced courses. Students should contact the appropriate department head for further information.

Concurrent Enrollment for College and High School Equivalency
This option exists for persons who have not earned a high school diploma or GED. Upon enrollment and completion of 30 college-level credits, students may request that a transcript of their Academic Record be sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, along with the application for requesting the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Diploma. Applications are available at the Enrollment Services counters on the Main Campus or the Regional Centers.

Credit by Examination or for Life Experience
Students currently registered at the College may apply for a special examination (Credit by Examination) or course credit based on prior experience (Credit for Life Experience) given at the prerogative of the department offering the course for which the student desires credit. Not all departments offer these options. These forms of credit are available for students who have knowledge attained through professional experience, independent study or similar learning experiences comparable to subjects and courses taught at Community College of Philadelphia.

Students must be currently registered at the College.
Students must be eligible to take the course for credit under existing regulations of the College. The course for which credit is requested must be listed in the College Catalog.
Credit by Examination and Credit for Life Experience are administered by the department offering the course. If a student’s performance is deemed satisfactory by the department faculty and approval of the credit is granted by the Division Dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the credits for the course, but no letter grade, will be entered on the student’s academic record.
Credit awarded by examination or for life experience will not be applicable to the meeting of such credit load requirements as scholastic honors or residence requirements for graduation.
An examination for credit may be taken only once for each course.
For Credit by Examination, a fee must be paid prior to taking the examination. It shall be assessed for each test and paid prior to the time the student takes the examination, and the student shall present a receipt for this fee at the time that he/she takes the examination. Similarly, a fee must be paid prior to submitting the application for Credit for Life Experience (see fee schedule on pages 16-17).
When students successfully complete all requirements for credit, the course for which credit is applicable shall be posted on their transcripts, indicating “Credit by Exam” or “Credit for Life Experience.”
Degrees will be granted only to students who have earned at least 30 of the credit hours in residence, not including Credit by Examination or Credit for Life Experience. Exceptions may be requested by individual departments.
The maximum number of credits by examination and/or for life experience allowable toward a certificate shall not exceed one‑half of the total number of credits required for the certificate.

In addition, in certain selected courses, Community College of Philadelphia awards academic credit on the basis of acceptable scores on certain testing programs, such as ACT/PEP (American College Testing/Proficiency Examination Program), AP (Advanced Placement program) and CLEP (College Level Examination Program).

Students who receive academic credit through any of these national testing programs will not be assessed a fee by the College. A student must be enrolled in order to receive credit by any such testing program. In order to graduate from the College, the student must complete at least 30 credits of actual course work.

Enrollment Status

Enrollment in classes up to and including 11 credits is considered part-time study. Within this category, students who are enrolled for five or less credits are classified as studying less than half time. Students enrolled for six credits are studying half time; those enrolled for 7 through 11 credits are considered studying at three-quarter time and those enrolled for 12 or more credits are classified as full time.

Part-Time Study
New students, whether first-time or transfer students, may be admitted to part-time study in the regular admission process. Part-time students (day, evening or weekend) must enter through the regular orientation and registration process, including placement testing. The results of these tests are used to assist advisors in guiding students into programs and courses to meet their needs. There is no fee for these tests.

Students interested in enrolling for one course (not to exceed 4 credits), other than English or Mathematics, do not have to take the placement test. Students can register for a maximum of 8 credits over two terms before placement testing is required.

Readmission
A former student who has been away from the College for two or more years must file a readmission application but need not pay the application fee again. Readmission applications are available at the Main Campus or Regional Center near you.

Students dropped for poor scholarship or for insufficient progress should consult the Policy on Academic Standards and Progress and should contact the Counseling Center, W2-2, 215-751-8169, for information on reinstatement filing deadlines and requirements.

Guest Students
A guest student is a person who is attending or has attended another college, who does not plan to earn a degree from Community College of Philadelphia, and who plans to attend the College occasionally to take courses that will be transferred to his or her home institution.

Here is some general information that applies to both First-time and Returning Guest Students:

If you have completed a college-level English composition course and/or a college-level Mathematics course with a grade of C- or better, provide proof by sending or bringing one of the following: (a) official transcript; (b) unofficial transcript; (c) degree audit report; (d) educational plan or (e) student data report to:
Community College of Philadelphia
Placement/Transcript Evaluator
Office, BG-6
1700 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130-3991
If you have earned a degree, you may present your original diploma, alumni card, or professional license as evidence to waive the placement exam requirement and to register for courses that do not require a prerequisite.
. If the course(s) you wish to take requires a prerequisite course, you must show proof that you have completed the prerequisite with a grade of C- or better. If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite course and have not yet received the grade, you will need to submit a copy of your current class roster showing your enrollment in the prerequisite course. It is advisable that you submit official transcripts for course work completed at other colleges.
Students who desire to enroll for an overload (more than 8 credit hours during the summer sessions or more than 18 credit hours during the Fall and Spring semesters) must have a GPA greater than 3.0 with at least 15 credits earned.

Additionally, students enrolling for a summer overload must have a demonstrated history of successfully completing summer courses. To obtain approval for a course overload, go to the Academic Advising Center on Main Campus in Room W1-1. The hours of operation for the Academic Advising Center is 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The College is closed on Friday during May through August. You may contact the office by telephone at (215) 751-8777 or 8778. To assist you in your registration for classes, please follow the instructions outlined below:

FIRST-TIME GUEST STUDENT

Complete a Community College of Philadelphia Application for Admission online at www.ccp.edu or in person at the Main Campus or Regional Center near you.
Complete a Registration Form.
Bring the above-mentioned documents to the Placement/Transcript Evaluator Office, at the address provided above or to one of the three Regional Centers.

RETURNING GUEST STUDENT

You may take advantage of Web registration or you may meet with an academic advisor and register for classes at the Academic Advising Center in the West Building (Main Campus), Room W1-1.
To register by Web, you must have an active MyCCP account. For instructions about Web registration, refer to the Course Listing.
If you plan to enroll in a course that requires a prerequisite and you have taken the prerequisite course at your home institution, you will need to receive a registration permit override to be allowed to register for the course via Web registration. If this permit is not obtained, you will receive an error message that will prevent registration. To receive a registration permit override, go to the Placement/Transcript Evaluator Office on Main Campus in Room BG-6.

Transfer Students
Students transferring to the Community College of Philadelphia from another college must follow the procedure for admission. In addition, they must request that all post-secondary institutions previously attended send transcripts of their academic records to:

Community College of Philadelphia
Placement/Transcript Evaluator Office, BG-6
1700 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130-3991

Placement testing may be waived on the basis of these transcripts. Students are responsible for having their transfer credits evaluated prior to registration to avoid duplication of course work.

Veterans Information
Community College of Philadelphia issues INS Form I-20 to qualified non-immigrants desiring to earn an associate degree in one of the Colleges career or transfer programs. Prospective inter-national students should contact the Colleges Office of Admissions for an application packet and a complete listing of admissions requirements. An international student counselor is available to discuss College and INS requirements enabling prospective students to study at Community College of Philadelphia.

Chapter 31–Vocational Rehabilitation All Chapter 31 Veterans need to be certified for their program of study by the local Veterans Administration Office. The local VA office address is:

Veterans Administration
5000 Wissahickon Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19101
1-800-827-1000

Chapter 1607–Reserve Education and Assistance

In general, a member of a reserve component who serves on active duty on or after September 11, 2001 and serves at least 90 consecutive days or more is eligible for chapter 1607 benefits. Those disabled, injured or have an illness or disease in the line of duty are also eligible. Please contact your reserve unit clerk for additional information. VA toll free number: 1-888-442-4551.

Students must contact the VA on a monthly basis to advise the VA of their enrollment status. By phone: 1-888-442-4551 or on the Web at www.gibill.va.gov.

For more information about Veterans education benefits, please visit the College’s Web site at http://www.ccp.edu click on Current Students, Student Records and Registration, then Veterans Education Benefits.

International Students
Community College of Philadelphia issues INS Form I-20 to qualified non-immigrants desiring to earn an associate degree in one of the Colleges career or transfer programs. Prospective inter-national students should contact the Colleges Office of Admissions for an application packet and a complete listing of admissions requirements. An international student counselor is available to discuss College and INS requirements enabling prospective students to study at Community College of Philadelphia.

For current F-1 students, the Coordinator of International Student Services provides immigration advising, tax filing assistance, and other relevant resources. The Counselor for ESL and International Students provides academic and personal counseling. Together, they also work closely with the International Student Organization to provide social support programs and local trips.

For additional information, you may contact the Coordinator in the Welcome Center, M1-17 (215-751-8863) or the Counselor in the Student Life Center, Winnet Building, S1-19 (215-751-8169).

Senior Citizen Students
The College offers one tuition-free credit course per semester to senior citizens on a limited, space-available basis. Seniors wishing to participate in this program may register for courses two weeks prior to the start of each term. Seniors may register at the College’s Main Campus, Regional Centers, or at any of the neighborhood locations. To be eligible, seniors must be at least 65 years old and residents of Philadelphia. Noncredit courses are not included in this offer. A Senior Citizen Registration Fee of $75 is charged for seniors who participate in this program. Note: Senior citizens who desire to take courses,
but do not want to participate in the College’s Senior Citizens Program will be charged full tuition and fees. For more information, call 215-751-8010.

Procedures for Enrollment (Credit Courses)
(Credit Courses)

Applicants may apply online at www.ccp.edu. Applicants may also choose to complete the Application for Admissions form and send it to the Office of Admissions, or submit their application in person at the Main Campus Welcome Center (M1-17) or any Regional Center. A one-time, nonrefundable application fee should be included with the application.
Are you interested in financial aid? You may apply electronically via the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The code for Community College of Philadelphia is 003249. Questions about finanacial aid? You may call 215-751-8271, e-mail financialaid@ccp.edu, or review the online Financial Aid User’s Guide at www.ccp.edu.
All applicants with previous college experience must arrange to have their college transcripts sent to the Office of Student Records and Registration. High school transcripts are required for students entering select curricula only. High school transcripts should be sent to the Office of Admissions.
Once your admission application is processed, you will receive a letter from the Office of Admissions with detailed instructions about the placement test. All applicants must take the placement tests prior to their orientation and registration unless they qualify for a waiver. The results of these tests are used to assist advisors in guiding students into programs and courses to meet individual needs. There is no fee for these tests. Students with previous college-level work may be eligible for a test waiver on the basis of having earned grades of C- or better in college-level composition and math courses as shown on an official college transcript. Students with high SAT or ACT scores may also qualify for a test waiver. Some placement test scores may require that students begin their course work at the Main Campus, where the academic support programs and services they may need are located.
5. Applicants for certain health career programs will be required to take a standardized test prescribed by the faculty. Applicants for other select programs may also be required to take additional tests. These are administered by the Assessment Center as a part of the admissions process. Some fees may apply. The results of these tests, together with the applicant’s previous academic performance and course preparation, are used in the admission decision. Applicants may be accepted with prescribed conditions, counseled to take additional preparation, or advised to pursue other vocational opportunities.
Applicants to some programs may be required to meet with faculty members for a personal interview. When appropriate, portfolios and auditions may be required.
The next step in the enrollment process is to register for classes.
You will receive information about scheduling an advising session. When you attend this session, you will meet with a counselor or advisor to choose your classes.
Payment for classes can be made by cash, personal check, money order, credit card, financial aid, or by establishing a payment plan.
If you have any questions, call the Information Center at 215-751-8010,
e-mail admissions@ccp.edu or visit the Main Campus Welcome Center (M1-17) or Regional Center near you.

Registration Procedures

Any currently enrolled and previously enrolled student may register in person at the Office of Student Records and Registration, by mail, by fax, or via the Web.

Students will be permitted to attend only those sections of courses for which they have officially registered and paid.

Web Registration for Continuing Students
Currently enrolled and previously enrolled students in good academic standing in any credit degree or certificate program are permitted to participate in online registration.

Priority Web registration will be available for eligible students based on the number of credits taken.

Successfully completed credits, including transfer credits, determine the dates priority Web registration will be permitted. You may add or drop classes before the start date of the term assigned to the course. A Web Registration FAQ is available on MyCCP on how to activate your portal account (if you have not done so) and register for classes via the Web.

Web registration can be accessed through the Banner Self Service Links channel. Click on Student Services and Register for Classes links.

Registration Changes (Drop/Add)
It is the students’ responsibility, in consultation with their advisors, to make certain that any registration changes will fulfill the degree requirements.
Students will be permitted to attend only those sections of courses to which they have officially been added.

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