Student Responsibility in Course Selection
The College provides students with information and assistance in making academic decisions. Pathways Advisors, program directors, and department chairs assist students with course selections. The student is responsible for seeking advice, for knowing and meeting the requirements of the selected course, degree, or certificate program, and for enrolling in appropriate courses as specified in the degree plan. The instructional departments will make every effort to offer the courses in sequence as scheduling permits.
Students transferring credit from ACC are responsible for following the transfer policies of the receiving college or university. Students are encouraged to meet with a Pathways Advisor for assistance with transfer advising.
Registration Deadlines
Student-initiated registration ends at midnight the day prior to the first day of a term. For internet classes, a student may register with a Pathways advisor up until close of business on the first day of the term. For face-to-face or hybrid classes, a student may register with a Pathways advisor up until the first class meeting.
Maximum Course Load
- Fall and Spring semester: 16-18 semester credit hours (excluding Mini 3 terms)
- December and May Minis: 3 semester credit hours
- Summer Five Week: 7 semester credit hours
- Summer Five & 11 Week: 14 semester credit hours
Students who wish to enroll in more than eighteen credit hours in any combination of terms within the fall or the spring semester must have written permission from the Vice President of Instruction or designee prior to registration. Three week mini-semester terms in December and May are excluded from this total.
Students who wish to enroll in more than fourteen credit hours in any combination of terms within the summer semester must have written permission from the Vice President of Instruction or designee prior to registration.
Study Guidelines
Taking too many semester credit hours and outside work hours are a leading cause of poor class performance and course withdrawal, students are strongly encouraged to plan for two hours of study time per credit hour when planning semester schedules. As an example, a student enrolled in a three-credit hour class should plan on six hours of expected study time outside of class per week. The total class commitment per week would then be 9 hours per week (3 hours of class time + 6 hours of study time outside of class).
Prerequisites and Co-Requisites
Enrollment in some courses may require demonstration of specific knowledge or skills (referred to as prerequisites or co-requisites). These requirements may be satisfied by successful completion of previous courses; by passing scores on the TSI Assessment; or by concurrent enrollment in a specific course. Compliance with prerequisites and co-requisites is mandatory for TSI-obligated students. Prerequisites and co-requisites are identified in the Course Descriptions section of this catalog.
Classification of Students
- Freshman: 1 to 29 semester credit hours
- Sophomore: 30 - 60 semester credit hours
- Junior: 61 - 89 semester credit hours
- Senior: 90+ semester credit hours
Full-time Status
- Fall and Spring: 12 or more semester credit hours
- Summer Eleven Week: 8 or more semester credit hours
- Summer Five Week: 4 or more semester credit hours
A semester hour of credit is equivalent to at least three hours of work per week (one hour of faculty instruction and two hours of out of class student work) for approximately fifteen to sixteen weeks or an equivalent amount of work over a different period of time. Classes with a laboratory, clinical, or other academic component may add a semester hour of credit to a course.
NOTE: Students receiving financial aid must meet the credit-hour requirements for their financial aid program.
Students receiving VA benefits should consult with the VA Advisor to determine enrollment status.
Students seeking loan deferrals should consult with Financial Aid to determine course load requirements.
Class Schedules
The class schedule contains courses being offered during the given semester and are released for all scheduled registrations. At the time schedules are released, it is the intention of the College to teach the classes according to the information (date, time, instructor, location). The College reserves the right, however, to make necessary adjustments to the schedule as circumstances warrant. Student Planning provides the most current listing of available courses.
Course Numbers
Each course number has a meaning. If the course number begins with a “1”, the course is freshman level. If a course number begins with a “2”, the course is sophomore level. If a course begins with a “3”, the course is junior level. If a course number starts with a “4”, the course is a senior level course.The second digit indicates the credit hours. The third and fourth numbers are departmental indicators for the type of course and sequence.
New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation is mandatory for all first time college students and should be completed prior to meeting with a Pathways Advisor and class registration. Visit the New Student Orientation web page for more information: http://www.alvincollege.edu/orientation/.
Schedule Changes
Students who need to change their schedule (classes and/or times) must do so according to procedures and dates published in the Academic Calendar.
Audit Registration
Audit registration, based upon space availability, allows a student to enroll in a course for informational purposes only. No credit or grade is assigned for audit status. Audit registration is an option for students who have previously earned credit who need to refresh or revisit skills.
Audit registration is conducted with the College Registrar on the last day of late registration. Students must complete all admission requirements required of credit students and payment is due at time of registration. Audit and credit registration statuses may not be changed after the official college reporting date.
Senior Citizens Audit Registration
Residents of the ACC District who are 65 years or older may be eligible to audit up to six (6) hours per semester without payment of tuition and fees, on a space-available basis for any course the College offers (Texas Education Code 54.365). These courses will not fulfill degree requirements. Contact the ACC Business Office to determine eligibility. Also see guidelines at College for All Texans. Full tuition exemption information can be found at College for All Texans/Types of Financial Aid.
Class Attendance
Alvin Community College students are required to attend classes. If an absence is unavoidable, the student is responsible for completing all work missed during the absence. Departments and faculty may have other attendance policies for their course.
Students who are enrolled in developmental courses because of TSI requirements must attend classes and participate in instructional activities. Students unable to attend should contact their instructors as soon as possible concerning the absence.
Dropping Students for Non-Attendance
On the Census Day of each term, students who have never attended a class will be dropped by the Registrar for non-attendance from that course. In the case of online and hybrid courses, attendance will be determined in terms of participation, as defined by the Department of Education and as described in the course syllabus and Faculty Handbook. Tuition refunds will be based on the date students are dropped, at the appropriate refund percentage, as posted in the POD (Paying for College/Payments and Refunds/Refunds) for each term.Reinstatement is allowed only under compelling circumstances beyond the student’s control and must have the approval of the instructor and Dean. Students are strongly encouraged to check their enrollment/course status on the POD.
Excused Absence for Active Military Service
Upon notice from a student, an institution of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or engaging in other required activities, including examinations, in order for the student to participate in active military service to which the student is called, including travel associated with the service. A student whose absence is excused may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to complete an assignment or take an examination from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence. An instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or examination within a reasonable time after the absence. Education Code 51.9111(c); 19 TAC 4.9(a)-(b). For more information see: “FC” legal policy on the college website.
Withdrawal from Class
Withdrawals may affect financial aid, veteran’s benefits, athletic eligibility and even insurance benefits. Students are encouraged to discuss the withdrawal decision with the course instructor and the pathways and financial aid advisors. Students seeking to withdraw from a developmental education course must obtain permission from the instructor and the department chair and/or Dean.
Withdrawal Options
Except for extenuating circumstances, students are not allowed to withdraw from a specific developmental course sequence (Math or English), including co-requisite courses, more than two (2) times.
NOTE: Dual Enrollment students must see a dual enrollment Pathways Advisor for assistance with a withdrawal.
Active Military Withdrawal
Those called into active duty may see the Vice President of Student Services to:
- Request refund of the tuition and fees
- Receive an incomplete grade in all courses by designating “withdrawn-military” on the student’s transcript.
- Receive an appropriate final grade if the student has satisfactorily completed a substantial amount of the course.
NOTE: No penalty assessed to students receiving financial aid.
Grades for Withdrawals
Courses dropped on or before the census date each semester are not recorded on the student’s transcript. Course withdrawals received at the Welcome Center or received via email after the census date and before the withdrawal deadline for each semester are recorded on the student’s transcript with the grade of W. Courses may not be dropped after the posted deadline.
Six Drop Limit
First-year students enrolled in the fall of 2007 or after, for the first time at any Texas public college or university, are limited to six course drops during their academic career. Students may not drop more than six courses regardless of how many institutions attended, how many courses taken or how many years attended. This policy does not apply to courses dropped prior to census day, complete withdrawals from all courses for the semester, courses taken while attending high school, developmental courses, drops from private or out of state institutions, and courses dropped during the three-week mini terms. Drops beyond the maximum of six may be allowed for students who can show good cause for dropping more; see the exception list below. Once the six-course drop limit has been reached, students will not be allowed to drop. Drops included in the limit will be recorded on the student transcript. Students should discuss their options with a Pathways Advisor, or instructor, as well as making use of campus resources before deciding to drop a course.
NOTE: If a student has accrued at least 50 semester credit hours and has not enrolled for 24 consecutive months, a one-time only additional course drop beyond the maximum number of courses (six-drop limit law) may be received. Please visit with a Pathways Advisor for further information.
Exceptions may be granted by the Vice President of Student Services or designee due to extenuating circumstances:
1. A severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete a course;
2. The care of a sick, injured, or needy person if providing that care affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete a course;
3. The death of a member of the student’s family as defined by law;
4. The death of a person who has a sufficiently close relationship to the student as defined by law;
5. The student’s active military duty service;
6. The active military service of a member of the student’s family or a person who has a sufficiently close relationship to the student;
7. A change in the student’s work schedule that is beyond the student’s control and affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course; or
8. A disaster declared by the governor that prevents or limits in-person course attendance for a period that significantly affects the student’s ability to participate in coursework.
Exception for COVID-19 Pandemic
A course dropped by a student during the 2020 spring or summer semester or the 2020-21 academic year because of a bar or limit on in-person course attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic may not be counted toward the limit on the number of dropped courses.
More information and access to the Six-Drop Exception Form may be found in The POD.
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