Admission to Georgia Perimeter College

Guaranteed Admission	Admission Checklists:       Freshmen Transfer Non-Traditional Joint Enrollment Transient Special Student Former Student International Student Homeschool Student Senior Citizen
Application Due Dates
Application Process
Categories of Admission
Immunization Requirements and Recommendations
Additional Requirements for Career and Certificate Programs
Awarding Transfer Credit
College Preparatory Curriculum Requirements
Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes

 

ADMISSION TO GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE

Georgia Perimeter College seeks to admit qualified students based on standards set by the Georgia Board of Regents. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements for their admission classification as shown on the following pages.

Applicants to any institution of the University System of Georgia are required to furnish their social security number as a part of the application data. An alternative student identification number will be assigned and used by Georgia Perimeter College for all purposes that do not require a social security number. GPC is dedicated to insuring the privacy and proper handling of confidential information pertaining to students. All documents submitted become and remain the property of Georgia Perimeter College and will not be returned to the applicant, duplicated, or transferred to another institution. Any applicant falsifying application data or documentation is subject to dismissal without refund.

Guaranteed Admission

Those applicants who meet University System of Georgia academic requirements are guaranteed admission to Georgia Perimeter College.  This applies to the following amdission catagories:
                    Freshmen Traditional Students (high school graduates and those about to graduate)
                    Transfer - Traditional Students
                    Non-Traditional Students
                    Transient Students
                    International Students
                    Special (Degreed) Students

Application Due Dates*

There are benefits for students who submit their application by the posted application due date.  Students who have applied, submitted all documents, and completed any required placement tests by the application due date will receive preference in attending early new student orientation and class registration.  Complete application packets (applications with all admission documents) may still be considered after the application due date.

*Completed applications submitted after the application due date may still be considered.

Application Process

1. Review the admission requirements checklist for the appropriate student classification. These checklists are located in this section of the catalog. NOTE: All applicants born or educated outside of the United States should also review the International Student checklist for additional required documents.
2. Apply online by the application deadline of the anticipated term of enrollment. Printed application forms are available in Enrollment and Registration Services on the campus you plan to attend or by calling (678) 891-4125.
3. Mail all required supporting documents by the application deadline of the anticipated term of enrollment to the address below.  All transcripts and test scores must be official.  That is they must be mailed directly to Georgia Perimeter College or hand delivered in person in the original sealed envelope to any GPC Enrollment and Registration Services Office.  Official SAT and ACT test scores are NOT required for admission except for Joint Enrollment and Home-Schooled applicants.  However, if you have taken or plan to take the SAT (GPC code #5711) or ACT (GPC code #0806) exams, please send your official test scores to Georgia Perimeter College.  Your test scores may exempt you from portions of the placement test, Learning Support classes and required Regents' testing.
    
   Office of Admissions
   Georgia Perimeter College
   P.O. Box 89000
   Atlanta, GA 30356
    
4. Allow a minimum of five business days from date of receipt for your application to be posted to the Student Information System. After posting you will be able to log in and check the status of your application . You will need to retrieve your GPC-ID through the link on the sign-on page.  Your PIN is the six digits of your birth date (MMDDYY). Supporting documents require a minimum of five business days from date of receipt for processing. An admission decision will be made after all required documents are received and evaluated. Official notification will be mailed following the decision.
5. Applicants seeking financial aid need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) listing Georgia Perimeter College on the application (Federal School Code #001562) by the financial aid deadline for the anticipated term of enrollment. Students who are applying for HOPE need to complete the e-HOPE application on the Georgia Student Finance Commission Web site. Students wishing to receive federal financial aid must be in a degree seeking admission category at Georgia Perimeter College.
6. All applicants are required to show proof of academic placement in english, reading and math prior to registration. Applicants with transferable credit in English and/or math will not be required to take that part of the placement exam.
7. Once submitted, an application is valid for three consecutive terms including the term of application.
8. Prior to registration for classes, applicants will need to submit all final transcripts, immunization records and program specific documents.
9. All documents submitted become and remain the property of Georgia Perimeter College and will not be returned to the applicant, duplicated or transferred to another institution.  Any applicant falsifying application data or documentation is subject to dismissal without refund.

Additional Requirements for Career and Certificate Programs

Applicants to the following career degree or certificate programs at Georgia Perimeter College must meet both general admission requirements and any additional requirements for the specific program as required by that department. Applicants are responsible for reviewing the program section of this Catalog and contacting the appropriate department for additional requirements. International Students holding an F-1 Visa/Status may not enroll in certificate or dual degree programs.

Career Degree Program at GPC	Career Certificate Programs at GPC
Dental Hygiene Fire Management Library and Information Science Technology Nursing Sign Language Interpreting	Fire Management Library and Information Science Technology Sign Language Interpreting

 

Awarding Transfer Credit

The following are general guidelines used for the awarding of transfer credit at Georgia Perimeter College.

• Colleges must be accredited by the collegiate commission division of the regional accrediting association in order for transfer credit to be awarded.
• Credit is not given for upper level courses, only those at the Freshman and Sophomore level.
• ENGL 1101 and 1102 (English Composition I and II) and MATH 1101 (Mathematical Modeling), 1111 (College Algebra), and 1113 (Precalculus) require a grade of "C" or better.
• Approved core curriculum courses that the student has passed will be accepted in transfer. Grades of "D" will be accepted for transfer unless otherwise noted. If the prerequisite for taking a higher level course is a "C" or better, the student must retake the course and earn the required grade before taking the higher level course.
• Elective credit is given only for courses offered at Georgia Perimeter College.
• In some instances credits must be validated by examination. Examples include health science courses and credits earned more than ten years prior to the time of admissions evaluation. A three-year limit applies to nursing and dental hygiene courses considered for validation. Departmental guidelines are available in the Nursing and Dental Hygiene Departments.
• Credit hours assigned to transferred courses cannot exceed the credit hours awarded at Georgia Perimeter College.
• Courses from Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE) institutions will be reviewed for transfer credit if numbered 190 or above.

Transfer credit from a college or university outside the United States may be reviewed only when the transcript is accompanied by a professional evaluation from a professional credential evaluation agency approved by Georgia Perimeter College. See the International Students Admission page for more information.

Credit by Examination

In an attempt to individualize the education of students, the college offers a program allowing credit by examination. Through this program, a student may bypass subjects he or she has already mastered and pursue work that is more advanced. A student may earn up to a total of 21 hours toward graduation in courses appropriate to the student's major through credit by one or more of the following three methods:

1. College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
2. Advanced Placement Program (AP) of the College Board
3. Departmental Examinations

Students wishing to receive course credit should have an official copy of scores sent to College Admissions and Records for evaluation.

• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  Students wishing to receive credit for the CLEP examination should have the official score report sent to College Admissions and Records for evaluation. The college code for Georgia Perimeter College is #5711. To determine what CLEP credit can be earned and the appropriate minimum scores please see the CLEP Credit table.
  


• Advanced Placement Program (AP)
  Students who participated in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board in high school may earn college credit. Students wishing to receive credit for Advanced Placement courses should have the College Board send their official AP examination scores to College Admissions and Records for evaluation. The college code for Georgia Perimeter College is #5711. To view the current acceptable AP exams go to the AP Credit table.
  


• Departmental Examinations
  In some academic areas, students are allowed to take departmental examinations for credit. Students should contact the department in which they wish to receive credit for additional information.
   
• International Baccalaureate
  Students who have completed International Baccalaureate (IB) tests may receive up to a total of 24 semesters of collegiate academic credit.  In order to receive college credit for IB Diploma completion, students must have their test scores sent directly to Georgia Perimeter College.  To determine what IB credit can be earned, go to the IB Credit table.

Course Exemption

Academic departments may, on an individual basis, establish and administer approved exemption examinations for courses that are listed as prerequisites to other courses. No credit is given for courses exempted in this manner, but the student does have the privilege of enrolling in courses for which the exempted course is a prerequisite.

College Preparatory Curriculum Requirements

The following courses are required of students graduating from high school in the last five years who plan to enroll in transfer programs leading to the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree at Georgia Perimeter College. The courses outlined represent the minimum standards required by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Course (Units)	Instructional Emphasis
English (4)	Grammar and usage Literature (American, English and world) Advanced composition skills
Science (3)	At least one laboratory science from the life sciences At least one laboratory science from the physical sciences One additional laboratory science course
Mathematics (4)	Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry One additional higher level mathematics course
Social Science (3)	American History World History One additional social science course
Foreign Language (2)	Two courses in one language emphasizing speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

College Preparatory Curriculum requirements do not apply to:

• Transfer applicants with 30 or more hours of transferable credit
• Applicants to Career programs, with the exception of Dental Hygiene and Nursing
• Non-traditional applicants

Satisfying College Preparatory Curriculum Deficiencies

Applicants with College Preparatory Curriculum deficiencies who have met all other admission requirements must satisfy these deficiencies. The following chart outlines the options for satisfying deficiencies at Georgia Perimeter College.

Area of Deficiency	Options
English	Take the COMPASS Placement Exam and exempt or exit Learning Support English and reading.
Science	Complete one of the following courses with co-requisite lab or its Honors version: ASTR 1010 and 1010L, ASTR 1020 and 1020L, BIOL 1402 and 1402L, BIOL 1403 and 1403L, BIOL 1405 and 1405L, BIOL 1407 and 1407L, CHEM 1151 and 1151L, CHEM 1211 and 1211L, GEOL 1121 and 1121L, GEOL 1122 and 1122L, PHYS 1111 and 1111L or have earned equivalent credit through CLEP, AP, Advanced Standing Exam, or transfer credit.
Mathematics	Take the COMPASS Placement Exam and exempt or exit Learning Support mathematics
Social Science	Complete one three-semester-hour course or its Honors version: ANTH 1102, ECON 2105, GEOG 1101, HIST 1111, HIST 1112, HIST 2111, HIST 2112, PSYC 1101, SOCI 1101 or have earned equivalent credit through CLEP, AP, Advanced Standing Exam, or transfer credit.
Foreign Language	Complete one three-semester-hour 1001 or 1002 level course or its Honors version in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, or Swahili or have earned equivalent credit through CLEP, AP, Advanced Standing Exam, or transfer credit.

The following provisions apply to the science, social science, and foreign language requirements: These additional required courses represent three or four semester hours each of academic credit coursework which will not count toward a student's degree program. The student must earn a "C" or better in each of these courses.

Freshmen must satisfy any deficiencies prior to earning 18 hours of credit. After earning 18 hours of credit, students may not register for other courses unless they also register for the appropriate deficiency course or courses. Students transferring from outside the University System of Georgia who accumulate 30 or more semester hours of college-level credit at Georgia Perimeter College before satisfying all College Preparatory Curriculum deficiencies may not register for other courses unless they also register for the appropriate deficiency course or courses. The same course cannot be repeated for collegiate credit toward graduation requirements.

Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes

Georgia Perimeter College is required, under the guidelines established by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, to determine the residence classification for fee purposes of all applicants and students of Georgia Perimeter College.

According to the policies of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, an applicant is a legal resident of the state of Georgia under the following circumstances:

A. United States Citizens
 

1.	a.	An independent student who has established and maintained a domicile in the State of Georgia for a period of at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term shall be classified as "in-state" for tuition purposes.  It is presumed that no student shall have gained or acquired in-state classification while attending any postsecondary educational institution in this state without clear evidence of having established domicile in Georgia for purposes other than attending postsecondary educational institution in this state.
	b.	A dependent student shall be classified as "in-state" for tuition purposes if either i) the dependent student's parent has established and maintained domicile in the state of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term and the student has graduated from a Georgia high school or ii) the dependent student's parent has established and maintained domicile in the state of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term and the parent claimed the student as a dependent on the parent's most recent federal income tax return.
	c.	A dependent student shall be classified as "in-state" for tuition purposes if a U.S. court-appointed legal guardian has established and maintained a domicile in the State of Georgia for a period of at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term provided that appointment was not made to avoid payment of out-of-state tuition and the U.S. court-appointed legal guardian can provide clear evidence of having established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia for a period of at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term.
2.	a.	If an independent student classified as "in-state" relocates temporarily but returns to the state of Georgia within 12 months, the student shall be entitled to retain in-state tuition classification.
	b.	If the parent or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian of a dependent student currently classified as "in-state" for tuition purposes establishes domicile outside of Georgia after having established and maintained domicile in the State of Georgia, the student may retain in-state tuition classification as long as the student remains continuously enrolled in a public postsecondary educational institution in the state, regardless of the domicile of the parent or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian.

B. Noncitizens

Noncitizens initially shall not be classified as "in-state" for tuition purposes unless there is evidence to warrant consideration of in-state classification.  Lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or other eligible noncitizens as defined by federal Title IV regulations may be extended the same consideration as citizens of the United States in determining whether they qualify for in-state classification.  International students who reside in the United States under nonimmigrant status conditioned at least in part upon intent not to abandon a foreign domicile are not eligible for in-state classification.

 

Petitioning for In-State Tuition

A student is responsible for registering under the proper residency classification. A student classified as an out-of-state resident for tuition purposes but who believes that he/she qualifies as in-state must file a Petition for Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes with the campus Enrollment and Registration Services office. This form is available on the Frequently Asked Questions about Residency section of this Web site. Residence status for tuition purposes is not changed automatically. The burden of proof rests with the student to demonstrate that he/she qualifies for in-state tuition under the regulations of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. The completed petition and all supporting documentation must be submitted prior to the semester in which the student is to be considered for reclassification. If the petition is approved, classification for in-state tuition is not retroactive to prior terms.

Tuition Differential Waivers

Georgia Perimeter College may waive the differential between in-state and out-of-state tuition. Granting a tuition differential waiver does not constitute a change to in-state residence for tuition purposes. All conditions must be met and supporting documentation submitted before any review will be made. The following waivers are available to Georgia Perimeter College students.

Waiver Type	Description
International Waiver	International students who meet the academic requirements set by Georgia Perimeter College. Some waivers based on financial need will be reviewed.
University System Employees and Dependents	Full-time employees of the University System, their spouse, and their dependent children.
Full-time School Employee	Full-time employees, their spouse, and their dependent children, of the public schools of Georgia or of the Department of Technical and Adult Education.
Career Consular Officials	Career consular officers, their spouse, and their dependent children, who are citizens of the foreign nation which their consular office represents and are stationed and living in Georgia under orders of their respective governments.
Military Personnel	Military personnel, their spouse, and their dependent children stationed in or assigned to Georgia and on active duty.
National Guard Members	Full-time members of the Georgia National Guard, their spouse, and their dependent children.
Students in ICAPP Advantage Programs	Students participating in an ICAPP Advantage Program.
Economic Advantage	As of the first day of classes for the term, an economic advantage waiver may be granted to a dependent or independent student who can provide clear evidence that the student or the student's parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed guardian has relocated to the State of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment and has established domicile in the State of Georgia.  Relocation to the state must be for reasons other than enrolling in an institution of higher education.  This waiver will expire 12 months from the date the waiver was granted.
Recently Separated Military Service Personnel	Members of a uniformed military service of the United States who, within 12 months of separation from such service, enroll in an academic program and demonstrate an intent to become a permanent resident of Georgia. This waiver may be granted for not more than one year.
Nonresident Student	As of the first day of classes for the term, a nonresident student whose parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months so long as the student can provide clear evidence showing the relationship to the parent, spouse, or U.S. court-appointed guardian has existed for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes fort he term.

 

Applying for Tuition Differential Waivers

A completed Petition for Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes and all supporting documentation must be submitted prior to the semester in which the student is to be considered for the waiver. F-1 visa students seeking the International waiver must submit a Regents' Waiver of Non-resident Tuition Fees for International Students form. F-1 visa students must meet the current guidelines and submit the form by the deadline for the term the waiver is being requested. Information about this waiver can be obtained from the International Student Admissions and Advising office.