Program Frequently Asked Questions

1. What do I have to do to get started?
2. What is an official transcript?
3. Do I have to take a placement test?
4. May my placement test scores from another college be used at Coastal Carolina Community College?
5. How may I review for the COMPASS?
6. What do these scores mean?
7. May I retake the placement test for better scores?
8. I have attended another school and want my transcript evaluated; what should I do?
9. Will credits I have earned at another college count toward a degree at Coastal Carolina Community College?
10. How much will I have to pay to attend Coastal for one semester?
11. If I decide to drop a course, do I get my money back?
    

1. What do I have to do to get started?

To apply to the C.O.P.S. program at Coastal, you must complete the following steps:

• Submit an application. Please be sure you fill out the application that has been sent to you, as it has already been coded for the C.O.P.S. program. If you send out a different application, the data entry staff will not know you are interested in the online program as opposed to the traditional program. If you lose your original application, please contact Heather Calihan at (910) 938-6241 to ensure she knows you are interested in the C.O.P.S. program.
• Submit an official high school transcript showing proof of graduation, adult high school diploma, or GED scores (from any of the fifty states) to qualify for a high school equivalency certificate.
• Submit official transcripts from all postsecondary educational institutions attended, including transcripts from the institution where you did your BLET coursework.
• Take any required placement tests (placement test scores are valid for two years). If you have taken a placement test at another North Carolina community college within the past two years, you must request that those scores be sent to Coastal. They will not be sent automatically send placement test scores with your transcript.
• Contact Heather Calihan at (910) 938-6241 to verify Coastal has all the required information from you and to discuss registration options.

2. What is an official transcript?

An official transcript is a transcript that arrives in a sealed envelope directly from a high school or college. This envelope can be hand-carried to Coastal by the student or sent directly to Coastal by the high school or previously attended college; however, once the envelope has been opened, the transcript is no longer official, and you will have to request another one. Transcripts that are stamped “issued to student” are not considered official transcripts.

3. Do I have to take a placement test?

The COMPASS placement test is administered to each applicant pursuing a degree, diploma, or certain certificate programs to determine the individual’s skill level and readiness. Test results will be used to determine the need, if any, for remediation instruction. The test will cover basic reading, writing, and math skills. The test is free to you, and is offered at every community college in North Carolina. Please call the college nearest you to find out times and locations of testing. Placement test results are valid for two years; after that time, tests will need to be retaken.

Four classes in the Criminal Justice Technology program require specific scores on the placement test: ENG 111, MAT 115, PSY 150, and POL 130. If you do not meet the scores required, you will be required to take some additional coursework. An interpretation of your scores will be given to you once your scores are received by Coastal.

4. May my placement test scores from another college be used at Coastal Carolina Community College?

If you have taken a placement test at another college within the past two years, an official copy of the scores and class placement need to be sent directly from the college to Coastal. At this time we will only accept COMPASS or ASSET scores.

5. How may I review for the COMPASS?

The purpose of the COMPASS placement test is to identify your current strengths and weaknesses and to place you in the math and English courses in which you will be most successful. Sometimes a review may be helpful for those students who experience test anxiety. A COMPASS Sample Test Items booklet has been included in your admissions packet. Sample items that illustrate the types of questions you will encounter on the COMPASS placement test can also be found at www.act.org/compass/sample/index.html.

6. What do these scores mean?

After you have completed the COMPASS, you will be given a copy of your scores. The results of the test will show whether you are ready for curriculum-level classes or if you need to complete some remediation/pre-curriculum classes first. An academic counselor can review these scores with you and advise you of your next step in the admissions process.

7. May I retake the placement test for better scores?

Retesting is appropriate when there is a substantial reason to believe that your current COMPASS scores are not indicative of your current level of knowledge and skills. If there are extenuating circumstances, immediately contact a counselor. A retest permit is required if you are retaking only part of the test and must be obtained from a counselor.

8. I have attended another school and want my transcript evaluated; what should I do?

All transcripts will be evaluated according to the curriculum you have chosen when you have been fully accepted. You are considered fully accepted when you have submitted your application, your test scores, your official high school/GED transcripts, and all official postsecondary transcripts.

9. Will credits I have earned at another college count toward a degree at Coastal Carolina Community College?

Yes, the credits earned at another college will count if Coastal offers equivalent courses. College-level courses with a grade of “C” or higher earned at an accredited institution will transfer. To transfer credits you need to have an official transcript sent to Coastal Carolina Community College, 444 Western Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28546.

10. How much will I have to pay to attend Coastal for one semester?

Your tuition for one semester will depend upon how many credit hours you are taking. One credit hour, plus a student fee, is $44.50 for in-state students. Twelve credits will cost $489.00. A tuition and student fee schedule is included in your admissions packet

11. If I decide to drop a course, do I get my money back?

The C.O.P.S. program has been structured to allow you to take time off as needed either at the beginning or the end of a regular semester without having to drop all of your courses and re-apply the following semester. If you find that you must drop a course in the middle of one of the eight week sessions, your money will be refunded in the following ways:

• A 100% refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws prior to the first day of class(es) of the academic semester. Also, a student is eligible for a 100% refund if the class in which the student is officially registered is cancelled.
• A 75% refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from the class(es) prior to or on the official 10% point of the semester.
• For classes beginning at times other than the first week (seven calendar days) of the semester a 100% refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from the class prior to the first class meeting. A 75% refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from the class prior to or on the 10% point of the class.

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