Mar 29, 2024  
2013 - 2014 Catalog 
    
2013 - 2014 Catalog [ARCHIVED PUBLICATION]

General Admissions Requirements


In accordance with the requirements of Louisiana R.S. 17:3151 (Acts 1985, No. 185, Section 1, and Acts 1987, No. 214, Section 1), all male students between the ages of 18-25 are required to register for the federal draft under the federal Military Service Act prior to enrollment at this institution. Other requirements vary according to admission status, educational intent, and other established criteria. Students are notified of admission requirements upon receipt of the application by the Office of Admissions. 

Applicants who have not submitted all required documents prior to admission may be admitted provisionally to Delgado. Provisionally admitted students are given 30 days after the start of the semester to submit all required admissions documents. If the student fails to provide requested documents, a registration and transcript hold will be placed on his or her academic records.

English Language Proficiency Test

All applicants whose first language is not English are required to take the Delgado English Language Proficiency Test. The English Language Proficiency Test consists of a written paper-and-pencil portion designed by the English as a Second Language (ESL) department and a three-part, Internet-based Accuplacer computer portion given through the College Board Educational Testing Service. Enrollment in English as a Second Language (ESLN and ESLR prefixes) courses is required if an English language deficiency is determined. Although the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is not required, students who have taken and passed the TOEFL with a score of at least 173 on the computer-based exam, 61 on the Internet-based exam, or 500 on the paper-based exam, and with a minimum score of 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE) will be exempted from taking the Delgado English Language Proficiency Test. A computerized version of the TOEFL will be available in the Office of Advising and Testing.

Proof/Waiver of Immunization

As required by Louisiana R.S. 17:110, Schools of Higher Learning, and as a condition of enrollment, all Delgado Community College students born after 1956 must show poof/waiver of immunization by providing two separate dates of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and, Rubella) vaccination and one date of the tetanus-diphtheria vaccination within the last 10 years. In addition, ALL freshmen must provide proof/waiver of immunization against meningococcal meningitis. Forms to be completed by the student’s physician or other health care provider are available in the Office of Admissions. Some specific programs have additional immunization requirements.

American College Test (ACT)

First-time freshmen entering Delgado Community College must provide American College Test (ACT) scores that are no more than three (3) years old OR must take the Delgado Placement Test. First-time freshmen who have taken the ACT within the past three years should request that their score reports be sent to the Office of Admissions. Delgado’s ACT code number is 1577. Certain scores on the ACT exempt the student from having to take the Delgado Placement Test. Only first-time freshmen may request English and/or math advanced placement in their first semester at Delgado Community College. ACT scores are used for advanced placement when a student obtains an ACT English score of 25 and/or Math score of 22 in the last 3 years. Only one set of scores may be used for placement. Students should check with the Office of Advising and Testing for more details.

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I)

First-time freshmen entering Delgado Community College who have taken the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I) within the past three (3) years should request that their score reports be sent to the Office of Admissions. Delgado’s code number is 6176.

Applicants will not be refused admission to the College based on test scores. Test scores are used for counseling and placement purposes.

Placement Tests / Advising

The Office of Advising and Testing administers a standardized placement exam. The ACT COMPASS/ASSET assessment is used to properly place Delgado students in their basic courses. The placement test is administered only to students who have already been admitted to the College. For students wishing to prepare for the placement test, study booklets describing the content of the tests are available in the Office of Advising and Testing. Applicants will not be refused admission to the College because of low test scores. Test scores are used for counseling and placement only. The placement test is not a pass/fail exam. This placement test is comprised of three exams: English, math, and reading. The placement test is primarily administered on computer; however, a paper/pencil version is available. A student is required to take all three exams, except when adequate ACT scores or prior course credit have been accepted. An optional biology test is also offered for science majors who wish to bypass General Biology I Lecture and/or Lab.

All certificate/degree-seeking students (first-time freshmen, transfer, and re-admit) who do not have appropriate ACT scores for placement purposes, or who have not passed college-level English and math courses, or who have not successfully completed developmental English and math with a grade of “C” or better within the last three (3) years may be required to take the Delgado Placement Test.

For interpretative purposes, ACT COMPASS/ASSET raw scores are converted to Delgado scaled scores. These Delgado scores determine course placement in English, math, and/or reading class(es). Students are advised to discuss their scores/course placement with their designated academic advisor/counselor.

Students are required to pay their non-refundable admission application and testing fees before registering for the placement test.  There is also a non-refundable fee for each verification test subject.

The COMPASS exam is computerized; the ASSET is the paper/pencil version of the placement test. Study guides for the placement exam are available in the Office of Advising and Testing. You may also refer to www.act.org/compass/sample/index.html for sample study questions.

Reading Placement

Delgado students are placed into reading courses based on their scores on the Delgado Placement Test. The Reading Placement Test is a reading comprehension exam. A score of 0-6 requires READ 070; a score of 7-12 requires READ 071; a score of 13-16 requires READ 072. A score of 17-20 with an English placement exam score of 6 or below requires READ 072. A score of 17-20 with an English placement exam score of 8 or above requires READ 101 or READ 072. With a score of 21- 24, READ 101 is recommended. With a score of 25 or above, reading is not required. (Students must successfully complete required developmental course work and pass a reading exit exam before enrolling in most college-level courses.)

Delgado’s Reading Placement Test may not be retaken during the three (3) years in which the results are valid. If the student does not successfully complete the designated entry level reading course within three (3) years, the student must retake the Delgado Placement Test. Students may challenge their reading placement results through verification. Students must make an appointment in the Office of Advising and Testing for the reading verification exam.

English Placement

The English placement test is an exam designed to determine which level of English would best serve the student’s needs. The final placement score determines which level of English the student requires: a score of 2 requires ENGL 060; a score of 4 requires ENGL 061; a score of 6 requires ENGL 062 (ENGL 060, 061, and 062 are developmental courses and must be successfully completed before a student may enroll in a college level ENGL), a score of 8 or higher requires ENGL 101 (college level English). It is important that the student perform to his/her best ability, for Delgado’s English Placement Test may not be retaken during the three (3) years in which the results are valid. If the student does not successfully complete the designated entry level English course within three (3) years, the student must retake the Delgado Placement Test. Under special circumstances students may challenge their English placement results through verification. Students must make an appointment to take the English Verification Exam in the Office of Advising and Testing. This verification exam is a 60-minute essay scored by the English faculty.  The score range is 2-10.

Math Placement

Delgado students whose math score is below 18 on the ACT or below 420 on the SAT are placed into their math classes based on their performances on the Delgado Placement Test. This test is administered by the Office of Advising and Testing and covers the material from MATH 090/091, 095, 096, and 118. Students may choose to prepare for this exam. Handouts and online resource information indicating what is covered on the placement test are available in the Office of Advising and Testing.

Delgado’s Math Placement Test may not be retaken during the three (3) years in which the results are valid. If the student does not successfully complete the designated entry level math course within three (3) years, the student must retake the Delgado Placement Test.

Once a student has taken the Delgado Placement Test, a retake is not possible. However, a procedure does exist for these students to challenge their placement. Students attempting to enroll in their FIRST math course at Delgado may challenge their math placement through a process called Placement Verification. This procedure consists of individual tests for the various math levels. Each test contains 16 problems. If the student successfully completes the first test, he/she is offered the opportunity to take sequential tests as long a he/she continues to pass. Verification tests exist for MATH 090/091, 095, 096, and 118. It is possible, though not likely, for a student who is placed in MATH 090 to qualify for MATH 128/130 through this process.

Students who were previously enrolled in a Delgado math course, whether they completed the course or not, are not eligible for placement verification.

The Office of Advising and Testing will administer the indicated verification tests in succession until the student reaches a level of math difficulty greater than his/her math skills. If a change of math level is indicated, the student will take the completed verification form to the registration area or his/her appropriate division office to have his/her math course changed. During regular registration, placement verification is administered in the Math Lab.

Students seeking placement verification should make every effort to complete the process before classes begin. No verification tests will be administered after the first week of class during the fall and spring semesters or after the first two days of class during the summer session. 

More information about placement and credit 

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