Requirements for Admission (Domestic)

Accreditation

Tompkins Cortland Community College is fully accredited by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 267-284-5000. Copies of these documents are on file in the Office of the President.

Admission of New Students

If you wish to enroll as a new student in a degree program at Tompkins Cortland, either full-time or part-time, you will need to apply for admission. Enrolling in a degree program is called matriculation. Matriculation is required for financial aid eligibility. In other words, you must be enrolled in a degree program to be eligible for financial aid. In order to be accepted for matriculation you must submit an official high school transcript or GED/TASC score report. An application is available online, or by contacting the admissions office.

Nursing Admissions

Although the College has an open enrollment admissions policy, admission to the Nursing program is selective. Visit the Nursing Admissions page for detailed information.

Admission of Transfer Students

Transferring from another college? As a transfer student, you will apply as a new student and, in addition, provide an official academic transcript from all colleges attended since graduating from high school (even if no college credit was earned). All official transcripts must be requested by you and sent directly from the former college or university to the admissions office. You will not be admitted and transfer credit cannot be granted unless all official transcripts are provided.

Transfer credit will be granted for course work completed with a minimum grade of 2.0 (C) at a regionally accredited college. If you attended any other college or university, request that your previous college send an official academic transcript to the admissions office. Transfer credit is not calculated into a student’s grade point average at the College.

Admission of Non-High School Graduates

Non-high school graduates must pass the GED or pass your resident’s state approved high school equivalency exam if not a resident of New York. You may also apply as a non-matriculated student into the 24-credit hour program. However, with this option you will receive no financial aid and must pay for all expenses on your own. After successfully completing 24 college credits in specific areas of study, you may obtain a New York State High School Equivalency Diploma at which time you may re-apply as a matriculated student to receive financial aid.

Admission of Home-Schooled Applicants

If you are home-schooled you may apply for admission to the College once you have reached compulsory age (the school year during which you turn 16 has ended). Documentation of a valid and in-effect individualized home instruction plan (IHIP) pursuant to section 100.10 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education must be submitted. You may also submit a letter of substantial equivalency from your home district Superintendent of Schools (or comparable chief school administrator) verifying that your program was substantially equivalent to a four-year high school program. If you are unable to obtain this documentation, you must receive a high school equivalency diploma by passing the TASC or by completing the 24-Credit Hour Program. In all cases, you must complete the College's assessment testing.

Admission of Students from Non-Registered NYS High Schools

If you have attended a non-registered high school in New York State a letter of substantial equivalency from your home district Superintendent of Schools (or comparable chief school administrator) verifying that your program was substantially equivalent to a four-year high school program is required. If you cannot get this letter, you must follow the requirements for admission of non-high school graduates.

Admission of Students with a Degree from a Previous College/University

If you are seeking to earn a degree and you have already earned a degree from a regionally accredited college or university or any institution in New York State authorized by the Board of Regents, applicants can use the prior degree as verification of high school graduation (or equivalent). An official transcript or copy of your diploma from the previous institution will be acceptable documentation for high school equivalency, however the official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities must be submitted for admission.

Admission of Students from non-New York State Correspondence Schools

According to the New York State Education Department, when you have completed a non-New York State high school program through correspondence study, the correspondence school must be recognized, authorized, or approved by the state educational entity where the correspondence school is located, and the student must be a resident of that state. Appropriate entities include: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; the New England Association of Colleges and Schools; the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges; the Northwest Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities; the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Residents of New York state may not use a high school program of correspondence study to meet the requirements for a secondary education in New York state - you must follow the requirements for the admission of non-high school graduates.

Admission of Students Previously Dismissed from a College for Disciplinary Reasons

Deadline for Fall: July 15

Tompkins Cortland will consider an application for your admission, however, the College reserves the right to admit or deny any application. After applying, you will be required to submit a detailed summary of the violations, a personal statement, and a letter of recommendation. Certain situations require additional information and, in most cases, a meeting with the ex-offender committee.

Admission of Students on Repeat Suspension

An applicant placed on Repeat Suspension will be suspended for a full academic year including summer and winter sessions. To return to the College, you must reapply for admission.

Academic Assessment

Before admission to a degree or certificate program applicants will be academically assessed before registration. Academic assessment includes a review of high school and college (if applicable) transcripts and usually includes placement testing in reading, writing, and math to determine skill levels. In some cases, you may be required to register for skill building courses as a result of these initial placement tests. Non-native speakers of English may be required to take an English language proficiency test. Following assessment, an academic advisor will help you choose courses that suit your skills and interests. The admissions office evaluates credentials on a rolling basis. You will be notified of your status soon after we receive a completed application. If you’re applying during your senior year of high school, follow up with your guidance office to ensure that your final high school transcript is submitted upon graduation.

Insurance

The College does not insure or assume responsibility for any personal property owned by an individual. Therefore, it is your responsibility to provide proper insurance protection against loss of any personal property brought on campus.

Accident Insurance – Mandatory

Full-time students are charged a mandatory accident insurance fee. Students are provided with a brochure explaining the benefits in detail. Additional information is available from the Student Health Center.

Title IV Refund Policy

The U.S. Department of Education assumes that you earn your aid based on the period of time you remain enrolled. During the first 60 percent of the semester you earn Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time you remain enrolled. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point earns all aid for the semester. Unearned funds must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education. 

The key to determining the period of enrollment is the withdrawal date. The percentage of the period that you remain enrolled is derived by dividing
the number of days prior to the withdrawal date by the number of days in the semester.

If, after returning unearned financial aid, there is insufficient financial aid to cover your charges, you will owe a balance to Tompkins Cortland Community College.

The College has 30 days to perform the Return of Title IV calculation from the date that they are notified you withdrew, and are required to return any unearned aid no later than 45 days from the date the College determines that the student withdrew.

The College follows the Department of Education’s order of return of Title IV funds to the programs from which the student earned aid. Unearned federal aid is returned in the following order:
1.    Unsubsidized Direct Student Loans
2.    Subsidized Direct Student Loans
3.    Direct PLUS Parent Loans
4.    Federal Pell Grant
5.    SEOG

Withdrawal from the College

You can officially withdraw by notifying the Enrollment Services Center at the College.

The withdrawal date for each is determined as follows:

Official Withdrawal: You should notify an enrollment services specialist of intent. A withdrawal form will be completed at that time and an exit interview conducted with appropriate College personnel.  

Withdrawal Without Notification: In general, the College will use the midpoint of the semester as the withdrawal date for students ceasing academically related activity without notification to the College. If an academically related activity can be documented beyond this point, then that date will be used for the purposes of Title IV refunds.

Administrative Withdrawal (AW): Instructors may administratively withdraw students if they have ceased to attend classes prior to the end of the withdrawal period. A grade notation of “AW” will be made on the permanent academic record. The AW grade is not calculated into the student's GPA, but does count toward the student's earned/attempted credit ratio. If the instructor does not assign as AW to a non-attending student, a final grade of F will be posted at the end of the semester.

Delinquent Accounts

Students with delinquent accounts will be placed on the stop list. You will not be allowed to register for any future semesters and your transcripts will be withheld until the account is paid in full. The account may be assigned to a collection agency. The College will assign the outstanding balance plus the collection agency fees and/or reasonable cost for collection.