Admission Regulations

SWTJC has an “open door” admissions policy, which insures that everyone who can profit from a college education has an opportunity to enroll.  To be admitted to SWTJC, students must submit the following:

1. Completed admissions application;
2. Official high school transcript or GED certificate;
3. Official transcripts from all colleges attended;
4. Obtain Bacterial Meningitis Immunization
5. Documentation for residency as requested;
6. Dormitory deposit of $150, if applicable;
7. Must have taken Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) or other state approved tests or be TSIA exempt.

High School students are encouraged to take the TSIA test by the spring semester of their senior year.

Admissions Basis

High School Graduate: A high school transcript showing date of graduation and signed by the authorized official of a high school accredited by the Texas Education Agency must be presented.

College Transfer: Southwest Texas Junior College will accept for admission those students transferring from a regionally accredited institution. Transfer work from these institutions will be accepted upon receipt of an official transcript bearing the school seal and signature of the registrar. Students transferring to SWTJC with 12 or more semester hours do not have to fulfill EDUC 1300 requirement.

GED: An applicant who has successfully completed the General Education Development testing program will be accepted. A copy of the GED certificate and/or an official report of test results must accompany the admissions application.

Individual Approval: An individual 18 years of age or older may be admitted upon approval by the Director of Admissions/Registrar. Students must demonstrate their ability to benefit from the desired course of study. Home-schooled students will be considered under individual approval and must provide an official transcript to the Admissions Office. If necessary, home-schooled students may use the institutional transcript template to complete and submit. Students must have acceptable scores as determined by the Vice-President of Student Services on one or more of the following: ACT, SAT, TSIA.

Dual Enrollment Students: 

        Types of Students:

• Dual Credit Students: A specific type of concurrent enrollment where a student received both high school/home school and college credit for the same class.  (The credit awarded for meeting high school graduation requirements is determined by each school independently).
• Early College High School Students: Students under 16 years of age who have applied through their respective high school and are part of a cohort.
• Concurrent students: A student enrolled in high school and college at the same time.

Dual Credit Students:  Students meeting the following criteria may apply for early enrollment to Southwest Texas Junior College:

1. NEW students must submit an Application for Admission (submit online at https://www.applytexas.org/). FORMER students seeking readmission to Southwest Texas Junior College after a year of no enrollment must submit a readmission form, which can be found under the Admissions tab at swtjc.edu.  The readmission form must be submitted to the Admissions Office at any SWTJC location or emailed to admoffice@swtjc.edu.
2. Students under the age of 22 must submit proof of Bacterial Meningitis vaccination 10 days prior to attending class on any SWTJC campus.
3. All students must submit a completed Dual Credit Admission Form (printable form online at https://www.swtjc.edu/ under the Dual Credit tab).  All signatures indicated on the form must be provided, or the form will be returned, perhaps delaying a student’s acceptance.
4. All students must have taken and passed a state approved placement test in areas related to course enrollment. A high school transcript must be submitted showing STAAR, ACT, SAT, PSAT (tested prior to October 2015), ASPIRE, or TSIA exemption scores.  (Students must provide a copy of scores to high school counselor).  For a list of qualifying scores, please visit swtjc.edu and view the dual credit tab. 
5. Dual credit orientation is mandatory for all new high school students enrolling in a dual credit class. Dual credit orientation is offered at the Uvalde, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Crystal City, Medina Valley and Hondo campuses.  Students planning to take a dual credit class must register for dual credit orientation prior to attending.
6. High school students shall be enrolled in courses at the discretion of his or her school district per semester.
7. Each student is eligible for a dual credit tuition discount at the discretion of his or her school district per semester.
8. An official College transcript will not be released until a final official high school transcript showing date of high school graduation is submitted to the Admissions Office.
9. Dual Credit is governed by the current School District/SWTJC agreement between Southwest Texas Junior College and each respective School District. 

Early College High School Students:  Students meeting the following criteria may apply for early enrollment to Southwest Texas Junior College:

1. NEW students must submit an Application for Admission (submit online at https://www.applytexas.org/).
2. Students under the age of 22 must submit proof of Bacterial Meningitis vaccination 10 days prior to attending class on any SWTJC campus.
3. All students must submit a completed Dual Credit Admission form (printable form online at https://www.swtjc.edu, Admissions & Aid > Outreach > High School Dual Credit). All signatures indicated on the form must be provided, or the form will be returned, perhaps delaying a student’s acceptance.
4. All students must have taken and passed a state approved placement test in areas related to course enrollment. A high school transcript must be submitted showing STAAR, ACT, SAT, PSAT (tested prior to October 2015), ASPIRE, or TSIA exemption scores. (Students must provide a copy of scores to a high school counselor). For a list of qualifying scores, please visit www.swtjc.edu, Admissions & Aid > Outreach > High School Dual Credit.
5. Dual credit orientation is mandatory for all new high school students enrolling in an Early College HS class. Dual credit orientation is offered at the Uvalde, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Crystal City, Medina Valley and Hondo campuses.  Students planning to take a dual credit class must register for dual credit orientation prior to attending.
6. Early College High School students shall be enrolled in courses at the discretion of his or her school district per semester.
7. An official College transcript will not be released until a final official high school transcript showing date of high school graduation is submitted to the Admissions Office.
8. Early College High School (High School credit and college credit) is governed by the current School District/SWTJC agreement).

Concurrent Students:  Concurrent students must meet the following requirements for enrollment at Southwest Texas Junior College:

1. Completed admissions application.
2. Students under the age of 22 must submit proof of Bacterial Meningitis vaccination 10 days prior to attending class on any SWTJC campus.
3. Submit Concurrent Form with qualifying scores to SWTJC advisor/success coach when registering.
4. Must have taken and passed all levels of the TSIA (or other state approved tests) or be TSIA exempt.
5. Concurrent students will be subject to the full tuition rate and must pay all required fees.
6. An official College transcript will not be released until a final official high school transcript showing date of high school graduation is submitted to the Admissions Office.

Concurrent students may register for classes at any SWTJC campus with any success coach or counselor.

Readmission:  Students seeking readmission to Southwest Texas Junior College, after a year of non-enrollment, must complete an Application for Admission (submit online at www.swtjc.edu).  If a student has attended another college since last enrollment at SWTJC, an official transcript from the other college will be required.  Proof of current residency may be required.

Applicants not eligible for admission under one of the above categories should contact the Director of Admissions/Registrar.

Bacterial Meningitis Information (SB 1107)

This information is being provided to all new college students in the state of Texas.  Beginning January 2012, all first time students and students that have not attended any Texas college or university during the 2011 fall semester that are under the age of 22 will be required to have the bacterial meningitis vaccination at least 10 days prior to the first day of the semester.  Students will not be able to attend class until proof of vaccination is on file in the Admissions Office.

Federal VA Educational Benefits

Federal VA Educational Benefits are available at SWTJC for our degrees and certificate programs as well as our Basic Peace Officer, Powerline Technician Training and Truck Driving Programs.  Interested veterans should apply at http://www.gibill.va.gov and submit a copy of their eligibility letter, DD-214, and official military transcript to the SWTJC Registrar’s Office.

Specialized Admissions

International Students:  All international students must meet regular admission requirements.  They must present a letter from their bank that the family will provide full financial support during the student’s stay in the U.S.  After the student has met all the above requirements, the college will issue an I-20.

Technical Programs:  A number of technical programs have additional admission requirements.  Students planning to enroll in these programs should consult the college catalog or contact a SWTJC counselor.

Workforce Education Courses and Programs:  Students must be sixteen years or older to enroll in Workforce Education courses and programs.  In some cases, especially those involving external agency licensure and certification, other minimum age requirements must be met.  Students planning to enroll in Workforce Education courses and programs should consult the college catalog or contact the Workforce Education office for additional guidance.

Resident Status

It is the student’s responsibility when registering to use the proper residence classification.  If there is any question as to right of classification as a resident of Texas or the Southwest Texas Junior College taxing district, it is the student’s obligation, prior to or at the time of registration to raise the question with appropriate administrative officials of the institution.  Any change in residency status should be reported to the Director of Admissions/Registrar.  Students classified as a non-resident will remain in that status until such time as they have made written application for reclassification and the Admissions Office has officially approved the request.  All questions concerning residency status should be directed to the Director of Admissions/Registrar located in the Rodolfo R. & Dolores Flores Student Services Center.

Residence for tuition purposes is determined by state law and is subject to change by the Texas Legislature.  The following is furnished to explain and clarify questions concerning residency under the present law:

1. The residence status of a student under 18 years of age is considered to be the same as his/her parents.  If parents are divorced, a minor has the same residency status as the parent with whom he/she is residing.
2. A student 18 years of age or older who comes from out of state is considered a non-resident for tuition purposes as long as he/she remains in Texas for educational purposes.
3. Residence for tuition purposes is established by domicile residence in the state for 12 months and actions unequivocally indicative of a fixed intention to become a Texas resident.
4. Persons in the military service and their dependents are classified residents provided they are assigned to a permanent duty station in Texas or maintain their official home of record in Texas with the military service.  Non-resident military personnel must submit certification of active duty in Texas at each registration to be eligible for resident tuition rates.
5. An alien is considered to be a non-resident unless he/she is in the United States on an immigrant visa.  Students on immigrant visas are classified in reference to resident status the same as United States citizens.

Aliens Who Are Residents of Texas

Texas law states that an individual can be considered a resident of Texas if the individual resided with a parent, guardian, or conservator at least part of the time while he or she attended a public or private high school in this state, and:

1. Graduated from a public or private high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in this state;
2. Resided in this state for at least three years as of the date the person graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;
3. Registers as an entering student in an institution of higher education not earlier than the 2001 Fall Semester; and
4. Provides to the institution an affidavit that the individual will file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so.

Documents for Determining Residency

The following documents have been found acceptable for determining Texas residency by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

1. Texas high school transcript
2. Texas college or university transcript
3. employer statement of date of employment
4. permanent driver’s license at least one year old
5. Texas voter registration
6. lease agreement which includes student’s name and periods covered
7. property tax payments
8. canceled checks
9. utility bills

Academic Fresh Start

Senate Bill 1321 (Barrientos) entitles residents of this state to seek admission to public institutions of higher education without consideration of courses undertaken ten or more years prior to enrollment.  This bill has been called the “Right to an Academic Fresh Start.”  This bill gives students the option of electing to have coursework, taken ten or more years prior to the starting date of the semester in which the applicant seeks to enroll, either counted as usual or ignored for admission purposes.  Applicants who elect to apply for admission under this law and who are admitted as students may not receive any course credit for courses undertaken ten or more years prior to enrollment.

Credit for Military Experience

The college accepts military credit through the ACE Guide.  There is no limit placed on the number of credits accepted.  However, students who plan to graduate with an A.A., A.S., A.A.T., A.A.S. degrees and certificates must complete 25 percent of the required semester hours at Southwest Texas Junior College.

Credit for Experiential Learning

Other than credit for military experience, the college does not accept any other form of experiential credit.

Credit for Professional Certification

SWTJC awards advanced placement credit (grade “P” to students who are currently certified in fields for which there is an equivalent technical program curriculum in place.  In order for credit to be granted, learning outcomes of the course must directly parallel the competencies designated in the certification process.  Described below are the advanced placement course options available to SWTJC students:

1. In the Criminal Justice program, students take up to six courses with curriculum regulated by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education (TCOLE).  A student already licensed as a Texas Peace Officer, Texas Jail Guard, and/or certified as a Telecommunications Operator may apply for advanced placement credit for the appropriate courses.  See Criminal Justice Advanced Placement Policy.
2. In the Vocational Nursing program, students take one course in basic nursing skills based on a curriculum regulated by the State Board of Nursing Examiners.  Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training contains an identical basic skills component.  A student already certified as a CNA may apply for advanced placement credit for the basic skills course.  See Vocational Nursing Advanced Placement Policy.

Transfer of Credit

Southwest Texas Junior College accepts transfer of college level (or developmental level) course work taken at other institutions accredited by the Southern, Middle State, New England, North Central, Northwest, or Western Association of Colleges and Schools. 

1. Courses are evaluated by course descriptions for content (using the catalogues of attended institutions) and semester-hours given on a transcript.
2. Quarter-hour credit is evaluated at six-tenths (0.6) of a semester-hour.  Credit may be given for meeting Southwest Texas Junior College Core Curriculum requirements, but additional semester-hours may be required to meet degree requirements at Southwest Texas Junior College.
3. Transcripts from institutions participating in the Texas Common Course Numbering System are evaluated according to their definition of the course content and semester-hour awarded.  Credit is given for meeting Southwest Texas Junior College Core Curriculum requirements, but additional semester hours may be required to meet degree requirements of Southwest Texas Junior College.
4. Transcripts from institutions participating in the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) numbering system are evaluated according to their definition of the course content and semester-hour credit given.  Additional semester-hours may be required to receive an Associate of Applied Science degree or Level One Certificate from Southwest Texas Junior College.
5. Courses on transcripts for which Southwest Texas Junior College does not have the equivalent are accepted by Southwest Texas Junior College and may be used when applicable (meets a social-studies, fine arts, etc. requirement) toward a degree from Southwest Texas Junior College.
6. Students may appeal their transcript evaluation to the Director of Admissions/Registrar.  Course substitution appeals to meet Southwest Texas Junior College’s degree requirements are to be made to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
7. Students who plan to graduate with an A.A., A.S, A.A.T, A.A.S. degree and certificate must complete 25 percent of the required semester hours at Southwest Texas Junior College.

Catalog Eligibility for Junior College or University Transfers

A student transferring from an accredited public junior college or university has the same choice of catalog, designating degree requirements that would have been possible if the student’s dates of attendance at Southwest Texas Junior College had been the same as the dates of attendance at the other colleges.  However, the student’s choice of baccalaureate major and receiving institution may affect whether or not transferable coursework may be counted toward a degree.

Report Enrollment as of the Official Census Date

The official census dates are the twelfth-class day of the fall and spring semesters, the fourth-class day of each summer session and sixth-class day of 1st and 2nd eight-week semesters. On or before the official census date, each student eligible for inclusion shall have paid in full the amount set as tuition or, where applicable, have valid accounts receivable on record. Students are allowed to pay their tuition and fees in installments. Such students are required to have a fully operational installment contract by the payment due date (census date) to be in good standing. This includes receipt of a first installment payment prior to the beginning of the semester. Students with non-payment for tuition will be dropped from courses for each semester.

Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) maintains an “open door” admissions policy, and as a result, students enter the college in various stages of academic preparedness. Therefore, the presence of a valid and consistent developmental education program is vital to ensure a pathway for academically underprepared students. The following Developmental Education Plan explains the basic requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) program and provides a procedural overview of the Developmental Education Program at Southwest Texas Junior College.

 

TSI Basic Information

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) was mandated by Texas law in 2003 and went into effect September of 2003. The purpose of TSI is to ensure that all students enrolling in public higher education in Texas possess or have the opportunity to gain academic skills needed to perform effectively in college-level coursework. TSI includes an assessment component designed to identify and provide diagnostic information about the reading, writing and mathematics skills of each student. Students who do not receive the minimum required score on the approved assessment instrument are considered TSI “deficient” or not college-ready and must be:

1. Advised regarding developmental education necessary to achieve readiness in performing freshman-level academic coursework, and

2. Provided a plan which shall include developmental education and may include provisions for enrollment in appropriate non-developmental coursework.  

The Developmental Education Program at SWTJC complies with the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative as outlined and explained in Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter C, of the Texas Administrative Code.

 

TSI Exemptions

Students who meet one of the following conditions are exempt from the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements (from Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter C, Rule 4.54 of the Texas Administrative Code):

(a) The following students shall be exempt from the requirements of this title, whereby exempt students shall not be required to provide any additional demonstration of college readiness and shall be allowed to enroll in any entry-level freshman course as defined in §4.53(12)of this title (relating to Definitions):

(1) For a period of five (5) years from the date of testing, a student who is tested and performs at or above the following standards that cannot be raised by institutions:

(A) ACT: On or before 2/14/2023, composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall be exempt for both the reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment. As of 2/15/2023, a combined score of 40 on the English and Reading (E+R) tests shall be exempt for both reading and writing or ELAR sections of the TSI Assessment. A score of 22 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. There is no composite score

(B) SAT

(i)  SAT administered prior to March 5, 2016: a combined reading (formerly “verbal”) and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on the critical reading test shall be exempt for both reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment; a combined critical reading (formerly “verbal) and mathematics score for 1070 with a minimum of 500 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment.

(ii) SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016; a minimum score of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) test shall be exempt for both reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment; a minimum score of 530 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment.  There is no combined score.

(iii) Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered prior to March 5, 2016 and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016 is not allowable.

(2) For a period of three (3) years from the date of testing, a student who is tested and performs on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) with a minimum scale score of 1770 on the writing test, a Texas Learning Index (TLI) of 86 on the mathematics test and 89 on the reading test.

(3) For a period of five (5) years from the date of testing, a student who is tested and performs at or above the following standards that cannot be raised by institutions:

(A) on the Eleventh grade exit-level Teas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) with a minimum scale score of 2200 on the math section and/or a minimum scale score of 2200 on the English Language Arts section with a writing subsection score of at least 3, shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for those corresponding sections; or 

(B) STAAR-end-of course (EOC) with a minimum score of Level 2 on the English III shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for both reading and writing, and a minimum score of Level 2 on the Algebra II EOC shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for the mathematics section.

(4) A student who has graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education.

(5) A student who transfers to an institution from a private or independent institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and who has satisfactorily completed college-level coursework as determined by the receiving institution.

(6) A student who has previously attended any institution and has been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution.  For students meeting non-Algebra intensive readiness standards in mathematics as defined in §4.59(d)(1)(B) of this title (relating to Determination of Readiness to Perform Entry-Level Freshman Coursework), institutions may choose to require additional preparatory coursework/interventions for Algebra intensive courses including MATH 1314/1324/1414 (or their local equivalent).  It is the institution’s responsibility to ensure that students are clearly informed of the consequences of successful completion of a mathematics pathways model which results in meeting the mathematics college readiness standard only for specific courses.

(7) A student who is enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level-One certificates, 42 or fewer semester credit hours or the equivalent) at a public junior college, a public technical institute, or a public state college.

(8) A student who is serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and has been serving for at least three years preceding enrollment.

(9) A student who on or after August 1, 1990, was honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard or service as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States.

(10) A student who successfully completes a college preparatory course under Texas Education Code §28.014 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of high school graduation with respect to the content area of the course.  The student must enroll in the students’ first college-level course in the exempted content area in the student’s first year of enrollment in an institution of higher education.  This exemption applied only at the institution of higher education that partners with the school district in which the student is enrolled to provide the course.  Additionally, an institution of higher education may enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with a partnering institution of higher education to accept the exemption for the college preparatory course.

(b) An institution may exempt a non-degree seeking or non-certificate-seeking student.

(c) ESOL Waiver—An institution may grant a temporary waiver from the assessment required under this title for students with demonstrated limited English proficiency in order to provide appropriate ESOL/ESL coursework and interventions.  The waiver must be removed after the student attempts 15 credit hours of developmental ESOL coursework or prior to enrolling in entry-level freshman coursework, whichever comes first, at which time the student would be administered the TSI Assessment.  Funding limits are defined in Texas Education Code, §51.3062 (1)(1) and (2) for developmental education still apply.

(d) Any student who has been determined to be exempt in mathematics, reading, and/or writing under subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall not be required to enroll in developmental coursework and/or interventions in the corresponding area of exemption.

2.  A student may be exempt from placement in developmental education courses if a grade of C or better has been earned in one of the courses listed below for each area of deficiency:

Reading

(1)  HIST 1301, 1302 (U.S. History);

(2)  ENGL 2321, 2322, 2323 (British Literature);

(3) ENGL 2331, 2332, 2333 (World Literature);

(4) ENGL 2326, 2327, 2328 (American Literature)

(5) PSYC 2301 (General Psychology);

(6) GOVT 2305, 2306

 

Writing

(1)  ENGL 1301 (Composition I) or

(2) ENGL 1302 (Composition II)

 

Mathematics

(1) MATH 1332 (College Mathematics);

(2) MATH 1314 (College Algebra);

(3) MATH 1316 (Plane Trigonometry);

(4) Higher level math course that has the above as prerequisites

 

Exceptions

SWTJC offers Level I Certificates, (refer to College catalog for programs), which require 42 or fewer semester hours.  Students enrolled in these Certificates are TSI exempt, but may be required to meet individual course TSI requirements. Students in this classification can take only classes listed in the Level I Certificate program. Enrolling in other classes requires the student to meet all TSI requirements.

Transfers

Students who have previously attended a Texas public institution of higher education and are not TSI complete or exempt from TSI requirements must test on the TSI Assessment. If the student fails to score “College Ready” on any portion of the assessment, an appropriate developmental education plan will be required.

Assessment/Testing

Unless a student is exempt by one of the conditions above, THECB Rule 4.55 requires that an institution assess the academic skills of each entering undergraduate student prior to enrollment of the student. Under exceptional circumstances, an institution may permit a student to enroll in freshman-level academic coursework without assessment but shall require the student to be assessed not later than the end of the first semester of enrollment in freshman-level academic coursework. SWTJC complies with this request by requiring assessment of all entering students who do not meet the TSI exemption criteria listed above. Entering students who are not assessed prior to the beginning of their next semester of enrollment are prohibited from registering for additional coursework.

Students who are TSI exempt or who have been tested with an approved assessment instrument must provide SWTJC with official transcripts or score reports prior to registering for classes. It is recommended that testing be completed at least two weeks prior to registration.


The SWTJC Testing Center administers the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2).
Students should request information from the SWTJC Testing Center to access the required Pre-Assessment activity and testing schedules.

High school and home schooled students who are not exempt from TSIA2 requirements as described in the exemption section and who desire to attend SWTJC must be assessed prior to enrolling. High school and home schooled students are subject to the “College Entrance Exam Minimum Passing Scores”. A current copy can be obtained from the SWTJC Outreach Office Web page.

College Readiness Standards

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has established “College Ready” minimum scores for all sections of the TSI Assessment. Students who score at or above these minimum scores are thereby deemed “college ready” and are not required to complete any college preparatory/developmental coursework or material. The current approved “College Ready” scores as well as scores requiring students to enroll in college preparatory/ developmental work are available by clicking here. https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/tsai-interpreting-your-score-brochure.pdf

Retesting

With the inception of the TSI Assessment in fall, 2013, students may retest on any part or parts of the TSI at any time. 

Individual Student Plans - Placement

A student scoring below the “College Ready” threshold on one or more of the TSI subject areas is required to consult with an SWTJC academic advisor. The advisor will work with each student to create an individualized developmental education plan that may include developmental courses, non-course-based options, (NCBO), linked courses, and appropriate non-developmental coursework.  Each plan for academic success will be designed to provide the best opportunity for the student to succeed in performing freshman-level academic coursework. The student’s individual education plan and the TSI requirements will be updated on a regular basis and made available to the student. SWTJC will consider all federal laws pertaining to individuals with disabilities when assessing and advising such students. The individual education plan will adhere to the following requirements:

(a)    The student will be required to participate in college preparatory work for all areas of TSI deficiency until the student is “college ready.” 

(b)    A student who scores below “college ready” in Reading must be continuously remediated in reading until successfully completing the developmental sequence or retesting as “college ready” on the TSI Assessment.

(c)    Full-time students who score below “college ready” in two or more areas must enroll for developmental work in at least two areas and enroll in a college success skills course.

(d)    Part-time students will be required to maintain a reasonable ratio of developmental education classes.

 

Support Services

SWTJC offers support services for students in the following areas:

(1)    Academic advisement

(2)    Career counseling

(3)    Crisis and personal counseling (referrals)

(4)    Referral to, and partnerships with, community agencies

(5)    Student Success Centers located at college facilities in Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde.

(6)    Support for students with disabilities

Attendance

Students are expected to regularly attend all classes in which they are enrolled and are responsible for the subsequent completion of all work missed during an absence. Any instruction missed and not subsequently completed may affect the grade of the student regardless of the reason for the absence. The manner in which make-up work is administered is left to the professional discretion of the individual faculty member.

The instructor of a developmental education course may request the withdrawal of a student from a class when the total number of absences exceeds the equivalent of two weeks of class meetings in a course; specifically, (a) six from a class that meets three times per week (typical MWF schedule), (b) four from a class that meets two times per week (typical TTH schedule), (c) two from a class that meets once per week (an evening course, e.g.), and (d) three from a summer class. Attendance counting begins on the official first day of the class. When an instructor requests the withdrawal (drop) due to excessive absences of a student from a course, a grade of EW will be recorded in the student’s record. SWTJC makes no distinction between excused or unexcused absences. Therefore, the instructor may count all absences in reaching the total except when prohibited by State law or statute. 

College policy requires that faculty report student attendance continuously throughout a semester.  The college will review and assess the situation of students not showing regular attendance and withdraw students who do not take corrective action.  At times other than these, the option of enforced withdrawal is left to the course instructor (see above).

A student who tests below “college ready” on the TSI Assessment,  and whose individual education plan calls for enrollment in one or more developmental education courses must remain enrolled in at least one developmental education course or be subject to withdrawal from all classes.

 

Restricted Access to College Level Courses

All students, regardless of TSI status, must observe college course prerequisites, co-requisites, and TSI requirements as described in the current college catalog.

Southwest Texas Junior College provides students with the opportunity to earn Credit by Examination.  Any college student may receive credit in certain courses, subject to the requirements and policies below. 

General Requirements

To receive Credit by Examination, a student must meet the following general requirements:

1. The student must be enrolled in SWTJC.
2. The student must be TSI complete in all areas.
3. Credit By Examination awards are limited to 24 semester credit hours. 

ACT Program Examination

Scores from the ACT Program will be used in giving credit for ENGL 1301 as follows:

Standard Score of 29 – Grade A                     Standard Score of 27 – Grade B

College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Examinations

HB 1992 prohibits institutions of higher education from establishing a minimum required score on an Advanced Placement examination greater than three for granting lower-division course credit, unless the institution’s chief academic officer makes an evidence-based determination that a higher score is necessary to indicate a student is sufficiently prepared to be successful in a related, more advanced course for which the lower-division course is a prerequisite.

Credit by Examination from the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) will be awarded as follows: 

Credit by Examination Courses/Equivalency

Advanced Placement Exam	Exam Score	Course Equivalency
ART HISTORY	3, 4 or 5	2 semesters art history (ARTS 1303 & 1304)
STUDIO ART - Drawing	3, 4 or 5	2 semesters drawing (ARTS 1316 & 1317)
BIOLOGY	3, 4 or 5	2 semesters introductory college biology (BIOL 1406 & 1407)
CALCULUS-AB	3, 4 or 5	1 semester of calculus (MATH 2413)
CALCULUS-BC	3, 4 or 5	at least 2 semesters of calculus (MATH 2413 & 2414)
CHEMISTRY	3, 4 or 5	2 semesters introductory college chemistry (CHEM 1311/1111 & 1312/1112)
MACROECONOMICS	3, 4 or 5	1 semester macroeconomics (ECON 2301)
MICROECONOMICS	3, 4 or 5	1 semester microeconomics (ECON 2302)
ENGLISH – Language & Composition	3, 4 or 5	2 semesters introductory college rhetoric & composition (ENGL 1301 & 1302)
ENGLISH – Literature & Composition	3, 4 or 5	2 semesters introductory college literary analysis (ENGL 2332 & 2333)
US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS	3, 4 or 5	1 semester government (GOVT 2305)
UNITED STATES HISTORY	3, 4 or 5	2 semesters introductory college U.S. history (HIST 1301 & 1302)
PHYSICS-B	3, 4 or 5	1 semester of algebra-based college physics (PHYS 1301/1101)
PSYCHOLOGY	3, 4 or 5	1 semester psychology (PSYC 2301)
SPANISH - Language	3, 4 or 5	Fourth semester college course in Spanish (SPAN 2312)
STATISTICS	3, 4 or 5	1 semester of statistics (MATH 1342)

 

College Level Exam Program (CLEP) Examination

The College Level Exam Program (CLEP) awards three to eight semester hours of credit depending on course.  Credit by Examination for the CLEP – a letter grade is awarded for the following scaled scores:

 

ACE Credit Recommendations

ACE, B-Level and C-Level Credit Granting Scores for CLEP Exams

The scores and semester hours that appear in this table are the credit-granting scores and semester hours recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE).  They are equivalent to a grade of C in the corresponding course. 

The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a credit-granting score of 50 for each CLEP exam.  This is a scaled score, equivalent to earning a C in the relevant course; the corresponding raw score is determined after the panel of college faculty who teach the equivalent course perform a detailed and rigorous review of exam content.  The review needs to be approved by the test development committee that oversees each CLEP exam.

In addition to determining the recommended credit-granting score of 50, college faculty members also recommend a scaled score that is equivalent to a grade of B.  While ACE has not endorsed this B score, it is useful to those schools that print grade equivalents for CLEP exams on student transcripts, or those specialized programs that require a minimum grade of B on all transferred credit.

*For each of the world languages, there is only one exam covering both Level 1 and 2 content.  ACE recommends 6 semester hours of credit for mastery of Level 1 content (a score of 50) and 9 semester hours of credit for mastery of both Levels 1 and 2 (a score of 59 on French Language, 60 on German Language, and 63 on Spanish Language).

ACE Recommendations

Exam Title	Credit-Granting Score (C-Level)	Semester Hours
Business**
Financial Accounting	50	3
Information Systems	50	3
Introductory Business Law	50	3
Principles of Management*	50	3
Principles of Marketing	50	3
Composition & Literature
American Literature**	50	3
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature	50	3
College Composition**	50	6
College Composition Modular	50	3
English Literature	50	3
Humanities	50	3
History & Social Sciences
American Government**		3
History of the United States I**	50	3
History of the United States II**	50	3
Human Growth and Development**	50	3
Introduction to Educational Psychology	50	3
Introductory Psychology**	50	3
Introductory Sociology**	50	3
Principles of Macroeconomics**	50	3
Principles of Microeconomics**	50	3
Social Sciences and History	50	6
Western Civilization I**	50	3
Western Civilization II**	50	3
Science & Mathematics
Biology	50	6
Calculus**	50	4
Chemistry	50	6
College Algebra**	50	3
College Mathematics	50	6
Natural Sciences	50	6
Precalculus**	50	3
World Languages*
French Language Level 1 Proficiency	50	6
French Language Level 2 Proficiency	59	9
German Language Level 1 Proficiency	50	6
German Language Level 2 Proficiency	60	9
Spanish Language Level 1 Proficiency**	50	8
Spanish Language Level 2 Proficiency**	63	9

** Denotes courses students can test for and receive credit at SWTJC.   

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD)

In compliance with Senate Bill 111, Southwest Texas Junior College offers at least 24 hours of credit to all IB diploma candidates with subject exam scores of 4 or higher.  However, course credit does not have to be awarded on any IB exams where a score earned is a 3 or less.  Students must submit an IB transcript to Southwest Texas Junior College and must show proof of meeting the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements prior to enrollment.  Southwest Texas Junior College and SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/ Commission on Colleges) policies require students who plan to graduate with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. degree to complete 25% of the required semester credit hours at SWTJC.  Credit with a grade of "P" will be awarded for course work according to the following table.

IBD - Subject Exam

IBD SUBJECT AREA	IBL SCORE	SWTJC COURSER	SCH
MATHEMATICS
MATHEMATICS (HL)	4 or higher	MATH 1314 & 1316	6
MATHEMATICS WITH FURTHER MATHEMATICS	4 or higher	MATH 1314, 1316, & 2342	9
MATHEMATICAL METHODS	4 or higher	MATH 2413	4
MATHEMATICAL STUDIES	4 or higher	MATH 1325	3
MODERN LANGUAGES
LANGUAGE A1 OR A2 (SL)
SPANISH	4 or higher	SPAN 1411 & 1412	8
LANGUAGE A1 OR A2 (HL)
SPANISH	4 or higher	SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, & 2312	14
LANGUAGE B (SL)
SPANISH	4 or higher	SPAN 1411 & 1412	8
LANGUAGE B (HL)
SPANISH	4 or higher	SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, & 2312	14
LANGUAGE AB INITIO
SPANISH	4 or higher	SPAN 1411	4
MUSIC	4 or higher	MUSI 1306	3
PHILOSOPHY	4 or higher	PHIL 1301	3
PHYSICS (SL)	4 or higher	PHYS 1401	4
PHYSICS (HL)	4 or higher	PHYS 1401 & 1402	8
PSYCHOLOGY	4 or higher	PSYC 2301	3
SOCIOLOGY	4 or higher	SOCI 2301	3
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY	4 or higher	ANTH 2346	3
THEATER ARTS	4 or higher	DRAM 1310	3