Registration Priorities

NEW STUDENTS receive enrollment priority after completing orientation, assessment and a student educational plan.

These may be accomplished in different ways including, but not limited to:

• Completing the online orientation or attending an in-person session.
• Taking the assessment tests.
• Submitting transcripts of other college work completed and/or other test scores for evaluation.
• Completing a one- or two-semester “abbreviated” educational plan.
• Developing a comprehensive educational plan that is approved by an academic counselor.

New and Returning students who do not complete all the Student Success requirements (English and Math Assessment, Orientation, Education Plan) will not be eligible for priority registration until all requirements are completed.

• What does this mean? Your registration appointment date will be adjusted to Open Registration. This can potentially prevent you from getting the classes that you need, times that you may want, or professors you prefer. It will not prevent you from registering classes but it will significantly delay your registration appointment date.
• Exemption from a service: New students have the right to request an exemption from orientation, assessment, and educational planning activities based on criteria identified below. Students who claim exemption will not be eligible for enrollment priority.  The exemption criteria are:
  • Student has earned an associate or higher degree.
  • Student is a Special Admission student (concurrently enrolled minor).
  • Student is enrolling solely to take a course that is legally mandated for employment or necessary in response to a significant change in industry or licensure standards.

RETURNING STUDENTS are previously enrolled students who have not enrolled for either of the previous two primary semesters.

As a returning student, you will have registration priority if you meet these criteria:

• Not attended in at least one year.
• Completed fewer than 90 units.
• Are in good academic standing in the Ventura County Community College District.
• Completed orientation assessment and an educational plan.

CONTINUING STUDENTS have enrolled in one or more of the two previous primary semesters. Only continuing students are eligible to apply for a high-unit waiver.

Continuing students receive enrollment priority based on:

• The number of completed and in-progress degree-applicable units taken at any of the colleges in the District.
• Have not been placed on academic or progress probation or more serious academic sanction for two consecutive terms.

Transfer units are not used to calculate enrollment priority.

Limitations

• Continuing students who have earned more than 90 units will lose enrollment priority and will register during open registration unless they successfully petition for a waiver that reinstates them to the previous enrollment priority. The petition for reinstatement of enrollment priority is initiated through a counseling appointment.
• Students may petition for reinstatement of registration priority if they are enrolled in a high-unit major or program of study, high-unit transfer major, or are registering for their last semester at the college.
• Continuing students who are placed on academic or progress probation or more serious academic sanction for two consecutive terms will lose enrollment priority and will register during open registration.
• Students who lose their priority may appeal if they have verifiable extenuating circumstances:
  • Defined as verifiable cases of accident, illness or other circumstances beyond the student’s control.
  • The petition to appeal loss of enrollment priority is initiated through a counseling appointment. Appeals must be supported by verifiable documentation of circumstances. An approved appeal will result in the reinstatement of enrollment priority.

Abbreviated Educational Plan: Identifies the courses a new student will take in their first one or two semesters. The plan may be developed by a student with or without the help of an academic counselor, and is not approved by a counselor.

Abbreviated educational plans are required for all new non-exempt students; however, a comprehensive educational plan will also satisfy this requirement.

Comprehensive (Active) Educational Plan: Identifies the courses a student must take to complete their informed program of study and reach their educational goals. The plan is generally at least two semesters long, and ideally will be long enough to identify everything a student must do to achieve their educational goal.

Good Academic Standing: Defined solely for purposes of assigning enrollment priority as a student who has not been placed on academic or progress probation or more serious academic sanction for two consecutive terms.

Students who are on probation for two consecutive terms will lose enrollment priority for the next term.

Informed Program of Study: Degree, certificate or transfer program of study that a student declares after completing 15 units of college coursework. The informed program of study is the basis for a student’s comprehensive educational plan.

Primary Semesters: fall and spring

The California Community College Board of Governors unanimously approved changes that established system-wide enrollment priorities. These changes were implemented in fall 2014 and are designed to ensure classes are available for students seeking associate degrees, transfer, or job training, and to reward students who make steady and efficient progress toward their educational goals.

--Effective Fall 2014 Semester