Admissions

The Admissions Office, located on the first floor of Weltner Hall, can be reached by telephone at (912) 386-3230 and by mail at ABAC 4, 2802 Moore Highway, Tifton, Georgia 31794-2601. The toll free number is 1-800-733-3653. Information may also be obtained by visiting our web site at http://www.abac.edu.

The Office of Admissions at ABAC is responsible for providing information to prospective students, evaluating their applications, and notifying them of their admission status.

The Director of Admissions makes a final decision on applications. This decision may be appealed by the applicant under provisions set forth by the College and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Applicants for admission should submit the necessary forms and fees, and other information no later than twenty days prior to the registration date for the semester they expect to enroll. An application form may be found in the back of this catalog. The calendar at the front of this catalog provides the registration dates for each semester.

The applications and records submitted to the College become the property of the College and will not be returned to the applicant or sent to another institution. The records of applicants who do not actually enroll within twelve months after completing an application will be destroyed, and a new application and fee will be required.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All New Applicants

All applicants applying for admission must submit the following documentation:

S Undergraduate Admission Application

S A $20.00 non-refundable Application Fee (subject to change) or $25.00 fee for internet processing

S Certification of Immunization (All applicants must submit a medical form verifying immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella. This information will not affect the student’s status at the College and will be held in strict confidence by the staff of the Health Center. The form is in the back of the catalog).

Freshmen Applying for Pre-Baccalaureate and Associate Degree Programs (AA, AS)

Applicants applying for freshman admission must submit the following additional documentation:

S Official High School Transcript from an accredited high school

S SAT I or ACT Scores

S Official GED Score, if applicable

Transfer Students from Another Institution

Applicants applying for transfer admission must submit the following additional documentation:

S Official transcripts from each institution attended

College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) Requirements

CPC Area (Units) Institutional Emphasis/Courses

English (4) - Grammar and usage

- Literature (American, English, World)

- Advanced Composition

Mathematics (3) - Two courses in Algebra and one in Geometry

- (Note: Will increase to 4 units by 2001)

Science (3) - At least one laboratory course from the life sciences and one laboratory course from the physical sciences

Social Science (3) - One course focusing on United States studies, one course focusing on world studies, and one course from any Social Science area. (Public school students in Georgia must also complete one-half Carnegie unit each in Political Science/Government and in Economics).

Foreign Language (2) - Two courses in the same foreign language emphasizing speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Satisfying College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) Deficiencies

Students who are CPC deficient must satisfy the required course work according to established guidelines listed below or may eliminate the CPC deficiencies by presenting the stipulated passing scores on the SAT II (subject exam).

A student must satisfy all CPC deficiencies prior to earning 30 semester hours (45-quarter hours). In the areas of social science, science, and foreign language, the student is required to complete the appropriate courses with a AC@ grade or better. Students receive credit for courses used to satisfy College Preparatory Curriculum deficiencies, but such credit may not be used to satisfy core curriculum or degree requirements.

English - Students who complete fewer than the four required units of English will be required to take the COMPASS in English, and Reading. Based on the student=s score, the student would (1) exempt Learning Support English and/or Reading or (2) be placed in Learning Support English and/or Reading.

Mathematics - Students who complete fewer than the three required units (four units effective Summer 2001) of mathematics will be required to take the COMPASS in mathematics. Based on the student=s score, the student would (1) exempt Learning Support Mathematics or (2) be placed in Learning Support Mathematics.

Science - Students who complete fewer than the three required units of science will be required to complete additional course work in a laboratory science. The course(s) must be in the specific content area(s) in which the student is deficient.

Social Science - Students who complete fewer than three acceptable units of social science will be required to complete additional course work chosen from approved social science courses. The course(s) must be in the specific content area(s) in which the student is deficient.

Foreign Language - Students who complete fewer than two units of the same foreign language will be required to complete one additional three-semester hour introductory foreign language course.

Applicants who graduate from non-accredited or unapproved high schools, including home schooled students and GED recipients, may satisfy CPC requirements by passing the SAT II Subject Tests. Applicants who pass the Basic Group plus two additional SAT II Subject Test will be eligible for admission to ABAC if all freshmen admission requirements are met. The SAT II Subject Tests are administered through the College Board.

(Basic Group) Passing Minimum Score

English Writing 520

Math IC 500

Math IIC 570

American History and Social Studies 560

Biology 520

Additional SAT II Subject Tests

Chemistry 540

Physics 590

English Literature 530

Foreign Language to be determined

World History 540

Exceptions to the CPC Requirements

In order to make the University System more accessible to citizens who are not of college-going age and to encourage life-long learning, the University System of Georgia does not require CPC units for non-traditional students. All students must, however, be screened for placement in Learning Support courses using the CPE/COMPASS as administered in a University System of Georgia institution and must meet University System criteria for exemption or exit from Learning Support reading, English, and mathematics.

Limited Admission (Summer 2000)

For Summer 2000, students who do not meet the Regular Admission criteria listed may be eligible for limited admission. For Summer 2000, the Limited Admissions criteria are:

S SAT verbal score of 330 or ACT score of 12 or

S SAT math score of 310 or ACT score of 14 or

S 1.8 GPA (Academic)

S 11 CPC Units

Limited Admission applicants who graduated from an accredited high school within the past five years must meet the requirements of the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) of the Board of Regents. Applicants applying for summer/fall semester 2000 may have no more than four CPC deficiencies to be eligible for admission to ABAC. (See College Preparatory Curriculum under Regular Admissions information).

Limited Admission (Summer/Fall 2001)

S SAT verbal score of 330 or ACT score of 12 and

S SAT math score of 310 or ACT score of 14 and

S (1640 FI)

S 13 CPC Units

An applicant will be given the COMPASS if the verbal SAT score is less than 430 (ACT English 17) or the math SAT score is less than 400 (ACT Math 17). This examination must be taken before a student can register for classes at ABAC.

Students will be required to enroll in Learning Support courses if their placement test scores fall below either the University System of Georgia minimum or the institutional minimum. They may exit the Learning Support:

S by earning passing scores on all required parts of the COMPASS. (If any required part of the COMPASS is not passed, the student will be required to enroll in the appropriate Learning Support course. Upon successful completion of all required Learning Support courses and passing the COMPASS, the student will exit the Learning Support areas (English, Reading, and Math).

Under the semester system, students are limited to a total of three attempts in each Learning Support area, including both required and voluntary participation. Students who do not complete the requirements for each area after a maximum of three attempts per area are subject to Learning Support Suspension. Contact the Learning Support Office for copies of the department=s policy.

DETAILED ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR CAREER ASSOCIATE DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Associate of Applied Science

Students wishing to enroll in career degree programs (AAS) must meet the following admission requirements by Summer/Fall 2001:

Must have graduated from an accredited high school and must have a Freshman Index (FI) of 1540, in addition to the minimum SAT I Verbal 330 and SAT I Math 310. Applicants are not held to CPC requirements.

For placement purposes, students must take the College Placement Exam (CPE/COMPASS) at a University System of Georgia institution. The CPC/COMPASS scores will be used to place the student in Learning Support courses or in regular freshmen courses. (Students scoring 430 Verbal/ACT English 17 or higher and 400 Math on the SAT/ACT 17 or higher are exempt from CPE/COMPASS testing).

Students who are eligible for admission to ABAC programs leading to baccalaureate degrees without screening for Learning Support are exempt from taking the CPE or COMPASS.

Certificate Programs

Students seeking admission to certificate programs in Business Information Technology or Management and Marketing must meet the same admissions requirements as stated above.

SPECIAL ADMISSION CATEGORIES

Admission Of Transfer Students

All of the regulations applicable to students seeking admission as beginning freshmen are applicable to transfer students subject to the following interpretations:

A transfer student is one who has terminated enrollment at one institution and seeks admission to another. Students may not disregard their records at other institutions. Failure to report previous college attendance is considered to be sufficient cause for expulsion from this college and cancellation of any credits earned.

A transfer applicant must arrange for official transcripts of all previous college work to be sent to the Office of Admissions, which will determine the applicant=s qualifications for admission on the basis of these transcripts. Transfer students are normally acceptable for admission if they are eligible to continue at or to return to their sending institution.

An applicant, pursuing a pre-baccalaureate/transfer degree, who is transferring from an institution or program that did not require the College Preparatory Curriculum shall submit a transcript of secondary school credits unless the applicant has

S an associate degree

S has completed 30 semester credit hours of accepted transfer core curriculum credits with a minimum 2.0 GPA and has completed Learning Support and CPC deficiency requirements.

Applicants with more than 30 transferable semester hours must meet all of the prevailing Learning Support requirements (i.e., Learning Support and CPC deficiency make-up courses) applicable to freshmen at the sending institutions which are also applicable at ABAC prior to being granted admission at ABAC for freshman admissions.

Students with fewer than 30 transferable semester credit hours must meet the freshman admission requirements. While deficiencies in science, social science, and foreign language should be satisfied during the student=s first semester of enrollment, students transferring from programs not requiring the College Preparatory Curriculum must satisfy these deficiencies before earning 20 hours of college level credit.

Transfer students admitted as Limited Admissions students (including Presidential Exceptions) who have CPC deficiencies documented from another University System institution shall be required to satisfy those deficiencies by specific content area in the same manner as Limited Admission students in the Limited Admissions area.

Students who have earned a career associate degree may apply for admission to a program leading to the baccalaureate degree. These students are required to meet the regular freshman admission requirements. They will not be held to CPC requirements. Students who have not completed a career degree or certificate may apply for admission to a program leading to the baccalaureate degree if they meet regular or limited admission requirements.

Readmission

Any student who has not attended ABAC for one calendar year must apply for readmission through the

Registrars Office. In addition, the student must furnish an official transcript from any institution attended since their last

enrollment at ABAC. Former ABAC students who have been enrolled at ABAC within one calendar year and have not

attended any other college since last attending ABAC may enroll, if eligible, without submitting an application for

readmission.

Former students who have attended another institution since their enrollment at ABAC must furnish official transcripts

from each institution attended since last attending ABAC, and must meet transfer admission requirements as listed in the

catalog in effect at the time of return. Students requesting readmission due to Learning Support dismissal should refer to

that section for additional information.

Non-Traditional Admissions

Non-traditional students are defined as individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

1. Have been out of high school at least five years or whose high school class graduated at least five years ago.

2. Hold a high school diploma from an accredited high school or have satisfactorily completed the GED.

3. Have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester credit hours.

4. Have not attended college within the past five years (or are in good standing at the last college attended if admitted to that college as a non-traditional student).

Non-traditional students (as outlined above), may, upon request, be exempted from the requirement to take the SAT or ACT. Students requesting this exception will, however, be required to take the CPE/COMPASS and may, based on its results, be placed in Learning Support courses prior to regular freshman courses.

Admission of Transient Students

Transient admission is defined as admission for a limited period of time for a student who is regularly enrolled in another institution and who expects to return to that institution.

An applicant for transient admission must supply the Office of Admissions with a statement from the dean or registrar of the institution in which the student is regularly enrolled which clearly sets forth the student=s current status and recommends the student=s acceptance and the requested course(s) to be completed at ABAC. Transient students must provide a letter of good standing each term of enrollment. Students may enroll as transients a maximum of 3 consecutive semesters; students desiring to continue at ABAC for more than 3 consecutive semesters must apply for admission as transfer students and comply with the regulations stated.

Admission of Students with Outstanding Scores

Although successful completion of designated high school course work is necessary for student success in college, those few students who score at the upper five percent of all students nationally on the SAT I have demonstrated potential for success in college and may be considered for admission.

Students who demonstrate very high academic ability by achieving a composite SAT I-Composite (Verbal + Math) score in the upper five percent (for 1997-98, the 95^th percentile was 1360 SAT/31 ACT) of national college-bound seniors according to the most recent report from the College Board and who show other evidence of college readiness may be admitted under this section. (An ACT score which is equivalent to this SAT I score may also be used.) Institutions must carefully evaluate such students to determine their ability to benefit from college course work. Students must satisfy any CPC deficiencies in areas other than English or mathematics.

Joint Enrollment/Early Admission of High School Students/Postsecondary Options

The University System of Georgia recognizes the need to provide academically talented high school students with opportunities for acceleration of their formal academic programs. This recognition has led to the development of two organized programs: (1) a joint enrollment program in which the student, while continuing his/her enrollment in high school as a junior or senior, enrolls in courses for college credit; and (2) an early admission program in which the student enrolls as a full-time college student following completion of the junior year in high school. Public high school students, classified as juniors or seniors, who are at least 16 years of age and who meet the eligibility criteria may choose to participate in the Post Secondary Options program which pays for tuition during the academic school year (excluding summer terms). The minimum admission standards for both the joint enrollment and early admission programs have been developed to allow certain advanced students to receive both high school and college credit for some courses.

Admission Standards

*1. Minimum SAT score of 970, combined Verbal and Mathematics sections, or an ACT composite score of 21;

5. Minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 3.0 in academic subjects;

6. Exemption of LS requirements for early admission;

7. Written recommendation from the high school principal or counselor;

8. Written consent of parent or guardian (if the student is a minor);

9. Completion of the University System of Georgia CPC requirements with the following exceptions:

(a) Students with SAT I Verbal scores of at least 530 (or ACT English scores of at least 24) who have

not completed the final unit of high school English and/or social studies may be permitted to fulfill these high school requirements with the appropriate college courses taken through the joint enrollment or early admissions program.

*(Note: By Summer, 2001, the minimum SAT I score will be 1030 and the ACT composite score will be 22.)

(b) Students who have not completed the CPC requirements may be admitted through the joint enrollment program if they are enrolled in the necessary high school courses and are scheduled to complete the requirements by the end of their senior year. With the exception of English and social studies courses taken by students with SAT I Verbal scores of at least 530 (or ACT English scores of at least 24), a college course may not be used to fulfill both the 15 (to be increased to 16 by 2001) high school CPC requirements and college degree requirements.

(c) Students who do not necessarily meet all of the above criteria but who demonstrate very high academic abilities through their SAT performance may be permitted to enroll in college courses at the discretion of the institution. Institutions may set additional requirements but may permit students with scores of at least:

S 700 on the SAT I Mathematics test to enroll in college courses that require

advanced mathematical ability;

_ 700 of the SAT I Verbal test to enroll in college courses that require advanced

verbal ability; and

S In addition, students with extremely high combined SAT I scores may be

admitted through the provision for Outstanding Students as described above.

International Students

ABAC welcomes the enrollment of international students in any area of study that it provides. The applicant must submit an official English translation with his or her secondary school transcripts. The applicant should be among the upper level in academic achievement with high grades in school subjects and in examinations given by the Ministry of Education or similar agency where national examinations are available.

In addition to meeting all of the regular admission requirements, prospective international students whose native tongue is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Test scores will be used in placement of students and a minimum score of 523 is required. The applicant must show financial independence or sponsorship.

The out-of-state fee requirement listed in the catalog shall apply to all international students except those accepted under the special provisions of the Board of Regents. International students must show that they will be adequately covered by health and accident insurance and must obtain a social security number during the first semester of enrollment.

INTERNEXUS ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDY CENTER

The English Language Study Center (ELSC) is a private school located on the campus of Abraham Baldwin College. The ELSC serves international students who need to improve basic English skills.

A TOEFL score is not required for a student to enroll in the ELSC. All students are administered the University of Michigan English Placement Test upon arrival for placement into proficiency levels.

Students who score 470 on the TOEFL are allowed to apply for one five-hour course at ABAC. Those who achieve 75 or higher on the Michigan Test (or 480 TOEFL) are allowed to apply for two or more regular credit courses at ABAC. Students who achieve 78 or higher (or 523 TOEFL) qualify for application to become full-time ABAC students.

Classes are provided from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday. Classes include grammar, reading, writing, conversation/pronunciation and essentials (culture, listening comprehension, idioms and active skills).

Auditors

Persons wishing to attend regular college classes without credit may apply for admission as auditors. An application may be obtained from the Admissions Office. Applicants must provide proof of high school diploma or GED. Fees are the same as for credit students.

Non-Degree Students

Students with prior college degrees (pre-baccalaureate or higher) who are not degree seeking students may be classified as non-degree.

1. Students who have earned the baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution will be allowed to take courses with no limitation on the number of hours of undergraduate credit.

2. Students who hold an associate degree or less may enroll as non-degree students for a maximum of 10 semester credit hours (including institutional credit). Students may not enroll in any course for which there is a Learning Support prerequisite unless they have been screened for and have exempted the relevant Learning Support course(s).

Amendment 23 (Persons 62 years of Age & Older)

Pursuant to the provisions of the Georgia Constitution, the University System established the following rules with respect to enrollment of persons 62 years of age or older in units of the University System. To be eligible for enrollment under this provision such persons:

1. Must be residents of Georgia, 62 years of age or older at the time of registration, and shall present a birth certificate or other comparable written documentation of age to enable the institution to determine eligibility.

2. May enroll as a regular or auditing student in courses offered for resident credit on a Aspace available@ basis without payment of fees, except for supplies, laboratory or shop fees.

3. Shall meet all System and institution undergraduate or graduate admission requirements; however, institutions may exercise discretion in exceptional cases where circumstances indicate that certain requirements such as high school graduation and minimum test scores are inappropriate. In those instances involving discretionary admission, institutions will provide diagnostic methods to determine whether or not participation in Learning Support will be required prior to enrollment in regular credit courses. Reasonable prerequisites may be required in certain courses.

4. Shall have all usual student and institutional records maintained; however, institutions will not report such students for budgetary purposes.

5. Must meet all System, institution, and legislated degree requirements, if they are degree-seeking students.

LEARNING SUPPORT

A beginning freshman whose placement tests and SAT or ACT scores reveal weaknesses in basic academic skills will be accepted into the Program of Learning Support. On the basis of placement testing, he/she may be placed in learning support courses, in regular college-level courses, or in a combination of the two. Credit earned in learning support courses is not transferable.

Complete information pertaining to the Program of Learning Support will be found in the “Academics” section of this catalog.

ADDITIONAL ADMISSIONS INFORMATION

In addition to the general Admissions Policies described in the catalog, each unit of the University System may increase the requirements, entry levels, and/or testing procedures for programs at the undergraduate or graduate levels, provided they are in agreement with University System of Georgia Polices and are published in official college publications. As part of its Admissions Policies, each unit of the System may also develop such reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary to protect the health and safety for its students, faculty and staff.

Each unit of the University System reserves the right to refuse admission to a non-resident of Georgia, to an applicant whose admission would cause the institution to exceed its maximum capacity, to an applicant whose request for admission is only to a program that is already filled, to an applicant whose transcript(s) are from an unaccredited institution or who is otherwise ineligible for admission.