The Learning Support Program
offers courses in English, reading, mathematics, and study skills. All learning
support courses numbered below 1000 carry institutional credit only. Entering
students may be required to take the COMPASS placement tests in writing,
reading, and mathematics to determine whether they are required to take
learning support courses. Students who score below either 430 SAT-Verbal/17
ACT-English or 400 SAT-Math/17 ACT-Math or have no SAT/ACT scores shall be
required to take the appropriate parts of the COMPASS placement test. Students entering
programs leading to the baccalaureate degree who have not met the College
Preparatory Curriculum requirements in English and mathematics shall be
required to take the appropriate parts of the COMPASS placement test.
Non-traditional students must take all three areas of the COMPASS placement
test. A student scoring below the minimum score on the writing, reading, and/or
mathematics placement test, must take the appropriate learning support courses
since these courses are designed to teach skills needed for success in college
level work. Placement test scores, ACT or SAT scores, and high school records
are used to determine whether a student is placed in learning support courses,
regular college courses, or advanced college courses. Below is a summary of the
learning support requirements from the Learning Support Policy of the
University System of Georgia.
A. Until learning support requirements have been satisfied,
students shall not be permitted to take credit courses which require the
content or the skills of the prerequisite courses. Students with learning
support placement must:
1. exit or exempt learning support
reading as a prerequisite for social, natural, and physical science courses;
2. exit or exempt learning support
English and reading as prerequisites for college-level English;
3. exit or exempt learning support
mathematics as a prerequisite for mathematics, physics, and chemistry;
B. The following requirements apply to those students who have
learning support requirements:
1. During each semester of enrollment a student must first
register for all required learning support courses before being allowed to
register for other courses. This policy also applies to part-time students. Two
exceptions are possible:
• When two or three learning support areas are required and
a student is enrolled in at least one learning support course, a freshman
seminar course or physical education or other activity or performance courses
may be taken that semester instead of one of the required learning support
courses.
• In the event that a required learning support course is
not available, a student may enroll in a course for degree credit if the
student has met the course prerequisites, subject to the written approval of
the division chair.
1a. A third exception applies to students
in Career and Tech programs at ABAC
• If career tech students need all three learning support
areas, they may take English and reading with other college level courses that
do not have a learning support prerequisite. The following semester, the
student should enroll in REMM 0090.
2. Students who have accumulated 20 semester hours of
college-level credit and have not successfully completed required learning
support courses may enroll only in learning support courses until requirements
are successfully completed.
3. Students with learning support requirements who are enrolled
in both learning support courses and credit courses may not withdraw from the
required learning support courses with a “W” unless they also withdraw from credit
courses.
4. To exit a learning support area, students must successfully
complete (C or better) the exit level learning support course in that area,
meet any established institutional standards, and attain at least the
University System minimum score on the appropriate part of COMPASS. An exit
writing sample shall also be required in learning support English.
C. If a student does not complete requirements for an area in
twelve semester hours or three semesters, whichever occurs first, the student
will be suspended. The student may not be considered for readmission within
three years of the suspension.
Prior to suspending a student who has not exited a
learning support area within the twelve-semester hour or three semester limit,
an institution may allow the student to appeal for one additional course. The
student must:
• be individually evaluated and determined to have a
reasonable chance of success
• be in an exit level course
• have reached the limit in only one learning support area
If granted the additional course, the student may enroll
in only the learning support course.
D. Students who have been suspended from the institution without
completing learning support requirements may not be exempted from their
learning support requirements through transfer of course credit unless they are
eligible for transfer admission under the institution’s regular transfer
admission policies.
E. Students who have not taken any college work in the
University System for three years may be retested with COMPASS (in any
unsatisfied area) and readmitted without a learning support requirement if they
meet the institutional criteria for exemption. Students who do not exempt on
the retest may appeal for readmission. Students readmitted under this provision
are subject to the 20-hour limit on college-level course work and may not take
credit work if they had earned 20 credit hours during their previous period(s)
of enrollment.
F. Students with learning disorders who are required to enroll
in learning support must fulfill all stated requirements, including the COMPASS
requirements. These students should be provided with appropriate course
accommodations.
Appropriate course and testing accommodations
will be made for students with visual, hearing, or motor impairment.