Purpose:

To provide guidelines for the admission of students who are underage and seek enrollment in college courses. This policy is being enacted to ensure prospective students and their parents or guardians are aware of the rigor, challenges, and expectations that come with college enrollment. Underage students must follow the process outlined in this policy to be considered for admission and enrollment.

Scope:

This policy applies to all prospective students seeking to enroll in credit courses.

Definition:

• Admission – Submission of an application for admission to Green River.
• COMPASS – Computerized assessment for course placement that identifies skill level in math, reading, and writing.
• Formal enrollment – Student who is admitted to the college and enrolled for classes.
• High School Completion (HSC) – Program for eligible students to pursue credits for a high school diploma. Students, age 18 and under, are required to submit a High School Release Form if their class has not graduated. Forms are available from the high school area/district which the student currently resides in.
• Home-schooled student – Student who is receiving home-based instruction.
• Prospective student – A student who has never earned credits at Green River.
• Running Start – A program created by the Washington State Legislature which provides an opportunity for academically qualified high school juniors and seniors to take college courses as part of their high school curriculum. Participants must be enrolled through a public school/district. Participants may take college-level classes tuition-free, but are required to pay for textbooks, supplies and any special class fees or tuition associated with non-Running Start eligible courses. Students must submit a Running Start Authorization to participate. Forms are available from the high school area/district which the student currently resides in.

Policy:

Students under the age of 18 who have not earned a diploma or the equivalent from an accredited high school may be admitted only upon appropriate release from their high school. Home-schooled and Running Start students are also subject to the special admission requirements outlined below. Students will be required to submit a High School Release Form or Running Start Authorization signed by the appropriate high school official when they apply for admission. Applications for underage students must have a signed release form attached in order to be processed.

Students under the age of 16 normally will not be admitted. If a potential student will not turn 16 during their first quarter of enrollment, the student must contact the Director of Career and Advising Services to seek an exception.

Procedure: Exemption decisions will be made according to the following criteria:

• The student must be referred to Green River by an academic institution or educator. This referral must include a release form from the student’s school district of residence, signed by the counselor (referring agency) and the student’s parent or guardian. The high school release form must be submitted each quarter with an annotation by the high school counselor identifying specific class(es) the student is recommended to take.
• Students who are admitted must complete formal enrollment prior to the first day of the quarter.
• If it is determined that the student is eligible for courses available through the public school system, the student should not be enrolled.
• Students must meet course prerequisites and demonstrate academic preparedness through COMPASS placement or an independent evaluation by a full-time faculty member from the appropriate division(s).
• An evaluation of the student’s maturity/college readiness must be conducted. This can be accomplished through a personal interview between the student, the Director of Career and Advising Services, the dean of the appropriate academic division, or the instructor of record for the course(s) to be taken. It may be appropriate to include the parent/guardian of the student in these discussions.
• Exemption requests must be made at least 15 working days prior to the start of the academic quarter in which the applicant wishes to enroll.

Specific Authority:

Law Implemented:

History of Policy or Procedure

Draft: June 22, 2008
Adopted: December 30, 2008
Revised:
Reviewed by:
Contact: Bill Belden, Dean of Student Services/Enrollment Management, ext. 3387
President’s Staff Sponsor: Bill Belden, Dean of Student Services/Enrollment Management, ext. 3387