Acceleration of Degree Completion

SCC students may select from the following acceleration mechanisms; however, he or she may receive no more than a total of 45 credit hours through the combination of all acceleration programs or through any single acceleration program. Credit awarded by SCC through an acceleration mechanism and termed "Institutional Credit," may or may not be accepted at other colleges or universities. Institutional credit earned at other institutions will be matriculated only by formal agreement(s) with Seminole Community College. The credit must be identified on the student's transcript as Institutional Credit. The student is responsible for providing documentation of how such learning was evaluated and the basis on which such credit was awarded.

Advanced Placement (AP) program

SCC cooperates fully with accredited high schools and colleges in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. AP courses are available to juniors and seniors in most Seminole County high schools. To qualify for college credit, students must earn a score of three or higher on the nationally administered examination in May. Credits will not be awarded for examinations that duplicate coursework or other exam credits previously posted to a student's academic record. In order to award credit, SCC needs an Official Grade Report. Students are awarded credits only; they are not given grades for AP courses and AP courses are not included in the grade point average. Forty-five semester hours of credit for AP examinations or a combination of credits from any and all acceleration mechanisms approved by the College is the maximum a student may receive.

Students are responsible for making test arrangements with the College Entrance Examination Board, P.O. Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08541. Students should contact their high school guidance counselors regarding the cost of examinations and verification of examination centers. Additional information can be obtained from high school guidance counselors or the SCC Assessment and Testing Center.

For additional copies of AP test results, write to, AP Exams, P.O. Box 6671, Princeton, NJ 08541 or call, toll-free 888.225.5427; or e-mail apexam@infor.collegeboard.org. There is a fee for AP copies.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

A series of tests developed by the Educational Testing Services (ETS) and offered by testing centers throughout the nation, the CLEP enables students to demonstrate their competencies in certain subjects and thereby earn college credit for particular courses without attending classes. To assist members of the community in taking advantage of this opportunity, SCC serves as a CLEP national test center. Students interested in receiving college credit though the CLEP at the College must use the following procedures:

1. Application to take an examination must be made directly to SCC. Students should contact the Assessment Center for the proper forms or download the application from the SCC Web site (www.scc-fl.edu).
2. Official scores from Educational Testing Services should be mailed to the Director of Enrollment Services and Technology, who will determine the number of credit hours to be awarded based upon the examination results.
3. To receive maximum benefits, it is suggested that students take advantage of this program prior to their initial registration. Credit will not be awarded in areas covered by the CLEP examination when it would duplicate credit already awarded to the student for successful completion of college-level work.
4. It is the student's responsibility to contact the senior institution to which they wish to transfer to determine the acceptability of CLEP credit.
5. Forty-five semester hours of credit for CLEP examinations or a combination of credits from any and all acceleration mechanisms approved by the College is the maximum a student may receive.
6. Gordon Rule courses given credit by CLEP shall be treated no differently from credit earned by students taking the course. College credit may be awarded for acceptable scores at or above the 50th percentile. There are 33 CLEP examinations and a student may earn from three to 10 credits by passing any one exam.

CLEP registration guides, which include application forms, are available in the SCC Assessment and Testing Center and the SCC Assessment and Testing Web site. These registration guides also contain other pertinent information such as detailed instructions for completing the application, test fees, dates on which tests are given, and the method for reporting scores. This registration guide should be studied carefully before applying to take a CLEP test.

Credit for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certifications

Students who have passed any or all of the Automotive ASE Certification tests, and can provide proof of work experience in the certified areas can be awarded credit for technical courses as outlined in the SCC Automotive Service Excellence Agreement. Students wishing to apply for college credit under this agreement must contact the department chair for Automotive Services Technology. The request for college credit must be made in writing and approved by the chair before credit can be granted. The student must submit official transcripts of the ASE test results to the Office of Enrollment Services.

Credit for Military Service

A student who has continuously served six months or more of active duty in one of the regular military services (not reserve) may request college credit for training and experience in accordance with the recommendation of the American Council of Education. To receive such credit at SCC, the request must be for similar courses offered at the College.

College Credit Dual Enrollment

1. Students must have completed the 10th grade and be enrolled in at least four high school credit courses during each term, excluding summer.
2. Students must have a cumulative unweighted high school grade point average of 3.0 or better and the approval of their high school principal.
3. Students desiring to enroll in college credit courses at the high school must meet the same entrance requirements (including minimum placement test scores) as students desiring to enroll in the same courses on the college campus prior to beginning the courses.
4. Students will initiate their application for Dual Enrollment courses with their high school guidance department. The high school guidance department and the College's Admission Office are responsible for screening students prior to enrollment.
5. Exemptions to the criteria set forth in 1 and exemptions to the grade point average specified in 2 may be initiated by the high school principal. Approval by the College's Vice President for Educational Programs is needed before an exemption can be granted. The high school Guidance Department or Registrar will notify the College, in writing, of the reasons why the principal wishes to exempt a student from the stated criteria. It is the responsibility of the Vice President for Educational Programs to notify the principal of the approval or disapproval of the exemption within 10 working days from receipt of the exemption request.
6. High school guidance personnel will provide Seminole Community College's Director of Admissions a completed college application and an Advanced Instruction (Dual Enrollment) Contract for each student pre-registered in a dual enrollment course offered at a high school facility.
7. To obtain access to SCC dual enrollment transcripts, it is mandatory that official final high school transcripts be submitted to SCC's Records Department.

Vocational Dual Enrollment (PSAV courses)

1. Students must have completed the 10th grade and be enrolled in at least two high school credit courses during each term, excluding summer.
2. Students must have a cumulative unweighted high school grade point average of 2.0 or better and have the approval of their high school principal to enroll in a Post-secondary Adult Vocational course.
3. Students desiring to enroll in college credit or vocational credit courses at the high school must meet the same entrance requirements (including minimum placement test scores) as students desiring to enroll in the same courses on the college campus prior to beginning the courses.
4. Students will initiate their application for Dual Enrollment courses with their high school guidance department. The high school guidance department and registrar are responsible for screening students prior to enrollment.
5. Exemptions to the criteria set forth in 1 and 2 may be initiated by the high school principal. Approval by the College's Vice President for Educational Programs is needed before an exemption can be granted. The high school Guidance Department or Registrar will notify the College, in writing, of the reasons why the principal wishes to exempt a student from the stated criteria. It is the responsibility of the Vice President for Educational Programs to notify the principal of the approval or disapproval of the exemption within 10 working days from receipt of the exemption request.
6. High school guidance personnel will provide Seminole Community College's Director of Admissions a completed college application and an Advanced Instruction (Dual Enrollment) Contract for each student pre-registered in a dual enrollment course offered at a high school facility.

Credit by Examination

Evidence of proficiency in a subject area, when presented to the appropriate department chair, instructor, or director may qualify a student to request an examination for credit, if available. Students should use the following procedures:

1. An application must be filed with Enrollment Services and signed by the instructor who is giving the examination, and by the department chair or director. The application must be submitted a minimum of four weeks before the last day of the term.
2. A fee per course is charged, payable prior to taking the examination. The credit does not effect maximum load limitations nor part or full time status. Please see Residency and Fee section in college catalog for appropriate fee.
3. A grade of P is assigned and the appropriate credit is awarded for an examination marked passed. Examination for credit does not effect grade point averages.
4. Students must apply for admission to the College and complete at least one college-level course before credit by examination can be posted to their permanent academic record.

International Baccalaureate program (IB)

Students who successfully complete the International Baccalaureate examination with grades of four or higher will be granted credit toward an associate degree. An official IB transcript is required and must be received directly from the International Baccalaureate office in New York. Awarded credit will appear on the student's permanent record as earned credit only, without any indication of grades or quality points. Evaluations of IB examinations are made after the student has been admitted to the College and posted to the student's permanent academic record after the completion of at least one college level course.

Excelsior College Examinations

Excelsior College Examinations (formerly known as Regents College Exams or the Proficiency Examination Program/PEP), are developed by Excelsior College using national committees of faculty consultants and national studies to assess how well the tests measure the performance of students in actual College courses. Excelsior College Examinations are approved by the American Council on Education and Excelsior College itself is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS).
Students must apply for admission to the College and complete at least one college level course before credit can be posted to a student's permanent academic record.
More detailed information about Excelsior College Examinations, including detailed test descriptions, can be found at www.excelsior.edu. For official copies of the Excelsior or PEP exam call Excelsior College at their toll free number 888.647.2388 or write to: Excelsior College; Attention Business Office; 7 Columbia Circle; Albany, N.Y. 12203. There is a fee for transcripts.

4+2 Tech-Prep (College Credit or Vocational Credit)

The 4+2 Tech-Prep program is designed to function as a partnership between Seminole Community College and Seminole County Public Schools. College Tech Prep, short for Technical Preparation, is a nationwide program that allows students to earn college credit in technical areas in high school and work toward an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree or certificate in college. However, some students do choose to use the credit earned in high school as an elective in an Associate in Arts (A.A.) program. In Florida, the College Tech Prep program also ties directly to the Gold Seal Scholarship. There are currently 47 articulated agreements in 38 program areas for Tech Prep students at Seminole Community College.
Students interested in enrolling in the College Tech Prep program of study should contact their high school or middle school counselor or the College Tech Prep Coordinator at Seminole Community College.
For Tech Prep high school students to receive the College Tech Prep credit they earned in high school, they need to enroll in one college level class within two years from the date of high school graduation or students may meet this requirement through dual enrollment. Also, students must complete the "SCC Request for Tech Prep Credit" form in the SCC Records Office. Please direct questions regarding Tech Prep earned in high school to the SCC Tech Prep Office, room 104-E (building A) on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus, or call 407.708.2427.

Did you know?

Seminole Junior College was founded on July 1, 1965. The name was changed to Seminole Community College on July 1, 1975.