Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

General Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

In order to be considered for general undergraduate admittance to South College, the prospec­tive student must be a high school graduate or have earned the equivalent (GED) and achieve a satisfactory score on the entrance examination administered by the college, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College Testing exam (ACT), or meet the criteria established for acceptance as a transfer student. Applicants (other than those admitted as transfer students) must meet one of the following requirements.

• Obtain the specified score on the college-administered entrance exami­nation. Score requirements for admission can be obtained from the admis­sions office.
• Submit a minimum SAT I combined score of 830.
• Submit a minimum ACT Assessment composite score of 17.
• Provide evidence of completion of a degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00.
• Evidence a 2.5 cumulative high school GPA.

If you’re concerned about meeting these requirements, there may be other options such as the SAILS program.

Applicants who have completed their high school education through home schooling are required to submit proof of a minimum SAT or ACT score as indicated above, or meet the criteria established for acceptance as a transfer student. South College does not accept IEP, Special Education, Technical, or vocational diplomas as the equivalent of a high school diploma.

Note: The college-administered entrance examination is required at the discretion of the college if test scores submitted are older than seven years.

Admission in good standing is granted when all general requirements are met. Where required, all documents submitted to the college become its property and will not be returned. Acceptance is conditional on receipt of all official documents required and admissions requirements met.  South College may rescind acceptance if all official documents required by the college are not received within one quarter. The college does not generally admit students on a probationary basis.  A student’s failure to provide acceptable verification of proof of high school graduation/GED will result in the following:

• Discontinued enrollment as of the end of the first quarter.
• If there is no indication that the student has failed to complete high school or its equivalency, grades will be awarded for the term completed during conditional acceptance to the program of enrollment.
  • All tuition and fees associated to this term of enrollment under conditional acceptance will remain on the student’s account. The student will be responsible for any outstanding balance and/or debt associated with this term.
  • Transcripts can be released if the balance on the account has been cleared.
  • The student will not be eligible for re-entry until official proof of graduation is on file with the registrar’s office.
• If there is any indication that the student has failed to complete high school or its equivalency, the term of enrollment under conditional acceptance will be cancelled.
  • Once the enrollment has been cancelled, all tuition and fees, with the exception of book charges, will be credited to the student’s account and all financial aid received will be returned to the appropriate party.
  • Any applicable non-federal funding may be held to cover book charges on the account as it applies to the student’s situation.
  • No grades will be awarded for the term.
  • No transcript will be released.
  • The student will not be eligible for re-entry until official proof of graduation is on file with the registrar’s office.

Exceptions to the one quarter period may be granted for unusual situations or circumstances.  All exceptions must be approved by the campus Dean or the Chief Academic Officer.

Immunizations Requirements

All new students enrolling in onground classes at South College campuses in Tennessee and North Carolina are asked to submit certain immunization documentation. Students new to South College should minimally provide proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella (chicken pox). Students may enroll with documentation of one dose of each required vaccine by the date specified for their enrollment period. The minimum immunization requirements and exemptions to the requirements are discussed in the admissions process.

Students pursuing a Health Profession program at all campuses are required to meet specific program requirements regarding immunization for Hepatitis B and other diseases. The documentation required for program-required immunizations is outlined during the program admission process.

Immunization Form

Military and Veteran Students

In order for VA students to qualify for financial aid related to their military service, South College must receive all official transcripts from previous post-secondary or training institutions no later than the end of the second quarter of enrollment. Click here for more information on support for veteran and military students.

Admission to Individual Academic Programs

General admission to South College does not guarantee admission to specific programs. Please see the Academic Catalog section pertaining to your desired major for information about program acceptance.

If you wish to enter a program leading to a career that requires a license or certification, you should be aware that a prior misdemeanor or felony conviction may restrict your ability to obtain the necessary professional licensure or certification.

Acceptance into a South College program does not imply or guarantee that you will be able to obtain licensure or certification. Difficulties may also arise in relation to clinical, internship, and student teaching placements, affecting your ability to progress in the program.

For more information about requirements for transfer students, high school students seeking dual enrollment, visiting undergraduate students, former students seeking readmission, international students, and students not seeking degrees, return to the main admissions page.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION (CHALLENGE EXAMS)

South College offers students an opportunity to obtain credit in areas of competency through college administered challenge examinations in limited areas. The Chief Academic Officer, in consultation with the academic department, is the final authority on whether or not a course may be exempted through the examination process. Skill courses, such as computer and medical lab courses, are reviewed on an individual basis. To be eligible to earn credit, the student must

1. Submit a completed Request for Challenge Examination form signed by all appropriate parties at the designated campus. All challenge examinations must be completed within the first two quarters of attendance unless permission is granted by the Dean/Department Chair.
2. Verify that he or she has not previously taken the course at South College.
3. Verify that he or she is not currently enrolled in the course at South College.
4. Pay a $100 examination fee for all approved exams

Challenge examinations are administered electronically via arranged time with the test administrator. Students may attempt to earn credit by examination for a course only once, must score the appropriate score determined by their academic department to receive credit, and must complete all challenge exams within their first two quarters of attendance unless permission otherwise is granted by the Dean/Department Chair. Students who do not earn the minimum required score on any challenge exam must take the course as required in the curriculum.

Credits earned by examination are considered in the same way as transfer credits and are not used in the computation of the student’s grade point average. Students may not earn more than 75% of their total credits through credit by examination, transfer credit, or a combination thereof.

CLEP, Dantes DSST, AP, AICE, and IB scores can be submitted for evaluation for course credit. The guidelines for awarding credit are available in the Admissions Department and on the institutional website.

Fees

To apply for admission to South College, you will need to submit an application online or contact our admissions office. A $50 application fee is required for most programs. The MHS Physician Assistant Studies application fee is $95. The Doctor of Physical Therapy application fee is $60.  This fee is not refundable except as provided under the Financial Information section of the Academic Catalog.

A range of financial aid options are available to students, including Tennessee Promise, South College Promise, and Yellow Ribbon Program funding. Click here for more information about financial aid.

Applicants to graduate programs (PharmD, DPT, EdS, MHS in Physician Assistant Studies, MEd in Teacher as Instructional Leader and Elementary Education (K-5) Initial Licensure, MBA, MS in Information Technology, MS in Nursing, MS in Criminal Justice, or Graduate Certificate programs) should visit the section of the catalog dedicated to these programs for information regarding all admission and application procedures.

South College does not accept undocumented foreign nationals.