Mar 29, 2024  
Reynolds Community College Catalog 2023-2024 
    
Reynolds Community College Catalog 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admission & Enrollment



Admission Requirements

Reynolds Community College is an equal opportunity institution providing educational and employment opportunities, programs, services, and activities. Reynolds does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, family medical history or genetic information, military service, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other non-merit based factor. See the full Nondiscrimination Policy and Contact Information section in this catalog.

Consistent with its mission of providing educational access and development in its region, Reynolds admits as either a curricular student or non-curricular student, anyone with a recognized high school diploma, a GED, certificate of completion of home schooling, or who is 18 years of age and has demonstrated college readiness.

Curricular applicants are persons who plan to enroll in credit courses in order to earn a degree or certificate. An applicant applying as a curricular student must have received a recognized high school diploma or GED. Admission into selected programs, as specified in the Program Information section of this catalog, may require applicants to satisfy additional program-level entrance requirements.

Non-curricular applicants are persons who plan to enroll in credit courses without earning a degree or certificate at Reynolds.

New students, students returning from an absence of at least three years, or students who submitted an application and did not attend within one year must apply/re-apply for admission by completing the Reynolds Application for Admission. Official high school transcripts that include graduation date or official GED exam results are required of applicants who are in the process of completing secondary studies. Applicants to the Nursing or Practical Nursing programs must submit official high school transcripts that document graduation or a GED. For reinstatement from suspension or dismissal refer to the Classroom and Instructional Policies and Procedures  section in this catalog.

All newly admitted curricular students will have an advisor assigned.  The advisor will administer a welcome session to evaluate the student’s career goals, create or affirm academic plan selection, connect students to college resources, and assess wraparound supportive options.  Students should contact advising services at advising@reynolds.edu or call (804) 523-6464.  

The Office of the Registrar will evaluate requested advanced standing and transfer credit for curricular students, preferably prior to the student’s first registration at Reynolds (see the Advanced Standing section of Classroom and Instructional Policies and Procedures  in this catalog).

Reynolds reserves the right to evaluate special cases and, when considered in the best interest of Reynolds, refuse admission to applicants. Furthermore, when enrollments must be limited for any curriculum, priority shall be given to all qualified applicants who are residents of the geographical subdivisions supporting Reynolds and to Virginia residents not having access to a given program at their local community college, provided such students apply for admission to the program prior to registration or by a deadline established by Reynolds. In addition, residents of localities with which Reynolds has a clinical-site or other agreements may receive equal consideration for admission. 

Prospective students can locate the college application on the Reynolds website (reynolds.edu), Apply Now! link or can submit a paper application in person, by mail, or by fax.  Send or mail to:

Office of Admissions
Reynolds Community College
P. O. Box 85622
Richmond, Virginia 23285-5622
Telephone: (804) 523-5029
FAX: (804) 371-3650

Direct Enrollment

At Reynolds, the goal of Direct Enrollment is to enroll students in courses that maximize their opportunity for success. Studies show that direct enrollment into college-level English and mathematics removes potential roadblocks to student success, assisting students in completing their college studies in less time and resulting in financial savings. 

The advising questionnaire is utilized to determine which English and mathematics courses students will be placed into.  The college could also utilize previous college coursework, SAT/ACT scores, and/or GED scores for course placement.  Based upon such criteria, students may be placed directly into the gateway college-level English or mathematics course required in their program of study. In some cases, direct placement into a college-level English or mathematics course may be accompanied by a requirement to enroll in a co-requisite course. Co-requisite courses are designed to increase student success in the accompanying college-level class. Students who are not fully prepared for direct placement into a college-level English or mathematics course, with or without the co-requisite course requirement, will be placed into a developmental course designed to elevate the student’s preparedness for the gateway college-level English or mathematics course required in the student’s chosen program of study. 

Students who graduated from high school or received a GED more than five years ago will be placed into the appropriate English and math courses using the college’s informed self-placement process. 

English Direct Enrollment

After completing the college application and the advising questionnaire, students will receive one of the following placements:

Mathematics Direct Enrollment

The gateway college-level mathematics course required in a student’s program of study varies depending upon the program chosen. After completing the college application and the advising questionnaire, students will receive one of the following placements:

  • Direct enrollment into the proper college-level mathematics (MTH) course
  • Direct enrollment into the proper college-level mathematics (MTH) course with the corresponding co-requisite mathematics (MDE) course
  • Enrollment in the proper developmental mathematics (MDE) course

 

After completing the advising questionnaire, students should meet with an advisor or counselor to create an academic plan and enroll in appropriate courses.

Military Students and Direct Enrollment

In some special cases, such as students using military benefits, students may need to complete the Virginia Placement Test (VPT) to help determine their English and Math placement.

Informed Self-Placement

Students who graduated from high school or received a GED more than five years prior to applying to the college may self-place into English and mathematics courses based upon completion of the advising questionnaire and the student’s own self-assessment of familiarity with basic concepts that are essential to success in the college-level English or mathematics course required in their chosen program of study. 

After completing the advising questionnaire and reviewing the English and mathematics questions to evaluate readiness for college-level courses, students should meet with an advisor or counselor to create an academic plan and enroll in the appropriate courses. 

Placement Survey Waiver

Students may use informed self-advising if they meet one of the following:

  • Hold a degree from an accredited college
  • Successfully completed an appropriate developmental course at another Virginia community college
  • AP scores of 3 or higher on the English language test
  • Received a writing placement recommendation above the developmental level from another college
  • Visiting students who submit an appropriately completed Visiting Student Form
  • Have successfully completed a transferable course at another college

A high school grade point average is valid for five years after the date of high school graduation. SAT, ACT and GED Test scores are valid for five years after the date of the test. Virginia Placement Test-English scores are valid for five years after the date of the test. Previously taken developmental courses will be valid for five years after term taken.

High School Students Enrolled at Reynolds

Students may be permitted to enroll in college-level courses at Reynolds prior to graduating from high school. Students enrolled in local school systems may enroll as dual-enrollment students. Reynolds has dual enrollment agreements with local school systems to offer college-level courses at Reynolds or high school locations. Dual enrollment is initiated through the students’ high school and is approved by the Reynolds dual enrollment director. Other students, including home school students, may enroll via concurrent enrollment. High school students approved to take courses at Reynolds may receive both high school and college credit. 

High school juniors and seniors may be permitted to enroll in college-level courses as special admission students. As a requirement for special admission, high school students must demonstrate college readiness as determined by Reynolds. Exceptions for enrolling freshman and sophomore students are considered by the Reynolds President or her designee. Requests for exceptions for high school freshman and sophomores are collected through the Office of Admissions.

Reynolds must receive written permission from the student’s high school principal for each semester or term the student would like to enroll. The parent of home school students will be recognized as the high school principal. High school students cannot register for developmental, health, or physical education courses. High school students are not eligible to receive financial aid.

Visiting Transfer Students

Students indicating that they are enrolling at Reynolds in order to satisfy program requirements at their home institution (college or university) will be admitted as non-curricular visiting students. Such students should submit a completed Reynolds Visiting Student Approval Form signed by the student’s home institution advisor for each semester of enrollment at Reynolds. This form ensures transfer of the courses to the home institution program. Based on the certification of readiness by the home institution, Reynolds may not require college transcripts or proof of the completion of certain course prerequisites.

College Readiness for Non-High School Graduates

Students who are at least 18 years of age seeking admission into one of Reynolds’ curricular programs and who lack a recognized high school diploma or the recognized equivalent GED or Home School Completion Certificate) will be required to meet the college readiness standards.

Students who meet the college readiness standards may be admitted to Reynolds in either non-curricular or curricular programs, provided they have also satisfied other admission requirements. The college readiness assessment cannot be used to gain admission into the Nursing and Practical Nursing programs; these programs require completion of a high school diploma or GED.

Students who do not meet the college readiness standard and wish to enroll will be admitted as non-curricular students only. They will remain non-curricular students until such time as they obtain a high school diploma or GED certificate.

International Student Admissions

Reynolds is authorized under Federal law to enroll non-immigrant students. The deadline for submission of international student applications with accompanying documentation is:

June 1 for the fall semester
September 28 for the spring semester

Contact the international student advisor for more information and to request an International Student packet for admission. F-1 applicants will be considered for admission to an associate degree program or to the ESL program depending on placement test scores. Admission is not guaranteed and is particularly selective for Associate of Arts (A.A.) and  Associate of Science (A.S.) university transfer degree programs. Reynolds does not admit F-1 applicants to any allied health program. 

Contact the international student advisor in the Office of Admissions at (804) 523-5029 or email international@reynolds.edu, for the International Student packet which explains the admission process and the eligibility requirements for a student visa.

Student Identification

Social Security Number

It is recommended that individuals provide their social security number at the time of application (per Section 6050S of the Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998). An individual’s social security number will be used in accordance with federal/state reporting requirements and/or identification and research purposes within the VCCS.

Applicants for financial aid are required to submit their social security number. Pell Grant program applicants should note that the U.S. Department of Education requires social security numbers when processing applications. The Internal Revenue Service also requires valid social security numbers.

Student Identification Number (EMPL ID)

Reynolds assigns a student identification number at the time of application. Students must use this number to access various services at the college. When requested through the Reynolds application, students new to Reynolds who have attended another VCCS college should supply the EMPL ID assigned by the other college. Students who have records that exist at Reynolds and another VCCS college should contact the Office of Admissions at (804) 523-5029 for guidance on the student identification number to select.

Community College Workforce Alliance

ccwatraining.org

Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA), the workforce development partnership between Reynolds Community College and Brightpoint Community College, serves the training needs of the region with a comprehensive suite of programs, courses, and services. The partnership combines the strengths of the two colleges in order to provide the highest quality of training in four cities and 12 counties throughout Central Virginia.

CCWA provides workforce credentials training to get regional residents prepared for full-time, skilled jobs. This training, called FastForward, comes with financial assistance for all Virginians-at low to no cost. Additionally, CCWA offers individual and custom-designed instruction, business consulting, skills assessments, and career coaching. CCWA provides online course registration with in-person, online, and hybrid (combining classroom-based and online) instruction delivered by faculty with related industry experience and technical expertise. Instructors and CCWA career coaches have the skills and certifications to assist job seekers and companies to achieve their professional and strategic business goals.

Open Enrollment

CCWA provides short-term professional development courses and certification programs in technology, business administration and management, manufacturing and trades, health care, and other occupational areas. Classes can be completed in weeks, days or even hours, in-class or online. Visit ccwatraining.org/catalog to view the most recent course schedule. 

Business Solutions

CCWA works with large and small, new and expanding businesses to build tailor-made workforce training programs to increase employee performance and engagement and streamline workflow. Programs (including industry certification training) and services are offered at CCWA’s two workforce centers and two additional instructional spaces on four campuses of Reynolds and Brightpoint Community Colleges. For more information, visit ccwatraining.org/training-for-businesses.

FastForward Certifications

CCWA has prepared thousands of individuals for regionally available jobs through its FastForward workforce credentials program which provides any Virginian eligible to work in the Commonwealth with industry certification training. FastForward programs are available at one-third the normal cost of tuition for all residents of Virginia, and Virginians with moderate to low income may also be eligible for additional tuition support including a Grant covering all tuition, fees, books and supplies. Careers with great pay are readily available in the region in manufacturing, transportation and logistics, construction and trades, healthcare and information technology. There are multiple, new CCWA FastForward programs in each of these fields. Participants in FastForward programs also benefit from career coaching, job connections, and a shortened schedule of instruction designed to get participants certified and working as soon as possible.

CCWA can also provide financial support for incumbent worker training on the worksite or at CCWA’s training centers through the FastForward program. Those interested can register by phone, fax, visiting a CCWA office, or on-line.

Visit ccwatraining.org/certifications for more information.

Financial Aid for Workers

Thanks to new statewide workforce programs such as G3 and Virginia Ready, CCWA now has financial aid to pay 100% of tuition, books, and supplies for job and certification training for occupations and industries in which there is a strong regional demand for skilled workers. For more information, contact a CCWA career coach at (804) 523-2292 or careercoach@ccwa.vccs.edu, or in person at

CCWA is also directly connecting all students seeking a new job or their first job with employers in the industry sectors relevant to CCWA’s FastForward and other workforce training programs. Through new technologies, career coaches, and CCWA’s instructional coordinators, CCWA is helping manufacturing, logistics, health care, trades, transportation, and IT employers find a credentialed and job ready workforce.  CCWA offers Network2Work, a job matching service, to job seekers in partnership with close to 50 regional partner employers.