Admission Requirements

Age: Applicants for admission must be at least 16 years old or dually/jointly enrolled high school students in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grades who seek access to quality instruction designed to develop or improve occupational competencies are eligible for admissions. Applicants for Cosmetology and Health Occupation programs must be 17 years old.  Applicants for Commercial Truck Driving must be 18 years old.

Education:

To be admitted by Columbus Technical College, applicants must satisfy one of the six academic readiness paths below:

1. High school graduates must verify through submission of an official high school transcript that the student has met attendance, academic, and/or assessment requirements for the state’s Board of Education or equivalent agency.

· High school diplomas/transcripts must be issued from a state-recognized secondary institution.

· Applicants with diplomas from secondary schools outside the United States must have their transcripts translated and evaluated for equivalency by an approved outside evaluation organization.

· High school Certificates of Attendance or other certificates, credentials, or documents where the student did not complete all required coursework or testing required for a high school diploma in that state are only recognized for programs not requiring a high school credential or equivalency.

· Georgia Match students who secure their spot through the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) portal can be admitted under a Pending placement status.

2. Submission of an official transcript reflecting that the student has passed an examination or completed a program the state recognizes as the equivalent of a high school diploma (e.g., GED, HiSET, Career Plus HSE).

3. Submission of an official transcript from one or more previously attended postsecondary institutions (accredited by an accepted accrediting agency) reflecting the successful completion of a minimum of 12 semester or 18 quarter credit hours of coursework at the postsecondary level or successful completion of a college level math and English course.

4. Applicants who were home schooled and who attended an accredited program must submit:

· Annual progress reports or a final transcript for the equivalent of the homeschooled student’s junior and senior years;

· The final progress report or transcript must include the graduation date.

5. Applicants who attended a non-accredited high school or home school must submit an official transcript and one of the following:

· Official scores from an assessment instrument meeting college established required minimums;

· Successful completion of 12 hours of college coursework for credit that appear on an official college transcript

6. Service members of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and Space Force may submit an official copy of their DD Form 214 or other official documentation of military service indicating high school graduate or equivalent.

Exceptions:

· Exceptions to requirements 1 or 2 include those students seeking enrollment into an approved basic workforce certificate that does not require a high school diploma or high school equivalency for admission.

· The College President may waive the high school diploma/high school equivalency requirement for those secondary students or those pursuing a high school equivalency, who are otherwise eligible to enroll in a specific program of study. The exception must be approved by completion of a Presidential Waiver Form. The Presidential Waiver Form is available in the Office of Admissions.

Note: The College President may waive the high school diploma/high school equivalency requirement for those secondary students or those pursuing a high school equivalency, who are otherwise eligible to enroll in a specific program of study. The exception must be approved by completion of a Presidential Waiver Form. The Presidential Waiver Form is available in the Office of Admissions.

Assessment of Program Readiness:

Applicants for all degree, diploma and certificate programs must be evaluated for program readiness.  The College will accept a student's official entrance score on the following validated assessment instruments if the scores meet the required minimums:

• High School GPA of 2.0 
• PSAT
• SAT/PSAT
• ACT/Pre-ACT
• PACT
• TABE 9-10 scores of 461 or higher in reading and 442 or higher in math for placement into entry level workforce certificate programs
• TABE 13/14 scores of 501 in Reading for Levels M and D and 496 for Mathematics on Levels M and D.A score of 536 for Reading if using Level A and 537 for Mathematics if using Level A.
• HiSet
• Completion of GED with a score of 145 or higher on each section for placement into any certificate, diploma, or degree program
• Georgia Milestones Literature & Composition or Georgia Milestones American Literature & Composition (English admission requirement only)
• Completed TCSG form documenting two years of work/career related experience for approved Entry Level Workforce Certificates
• Accuplacer/Companion
• Compass/Asset

Grade Point Average (GPA) Procedure

To ensure consistency and equity in the evaluation of applicants from diverse educational systems, the College recalculates grade point averages (GPAs) reported on grading scales other than the standard 4.0 scale. Recalculated GPAs are used for admissions, scholarships, and other enrollment-related decisions.

Applicants Reporting a 4.0 Scale GPA

GPAs reported on a 4.0 scale are recognized as reported by the issuing institution and generally require no recalculation unless otherwise determined by the Office of Admissions.

Applicants Reporting a 100-Point Scale GPA

For applicants whose academic records are reported on a 100-point scale, the College converts the reported average to a standardized 4.0 GPA using grade-band equivalencies that reflect traditional collegiate grading standards.

The conversion is as follows:

• 93-100 = 4.0
• 90-92 = 3.7
• 87-89 = 3.3
• 83-86 = 3.0
• 80-82 = 2.7
• 77-79 = 2.3
• 73-76 = 2.0
• 70-72 = 1.7
• 67-69 = 1.3
• 63-66 = 1.0
• 60-62 = 0.7
• Below 60 = 0.0

This methodology is intended to provide a more accurate representation of academic performance than a direct mathematical conversion, which may not align with traditional grading practices used by secondary and postsecondary institutions.

Interpretation of the Recalculated GPA

The College recognizes a recalculated GPA of 2.0 as the benchmark indicating satisfactory preparation for entry-level college coursework. Under the 100-point scale conversion methodology, a grade average of approximately 73 percent or higher results in a recalculated GPA of at least 2.0 and is generally considered indicative of college-level academic readiness.

Applicants who present a recalculated GPA below 2.0 may be subject to additional review, consideration of supplemental credentials, placement testing, or other admission provisions authorized by institutional policy.

Institutional Authority

The College reserves the right to recalculate academic credentials reported on any grading scale when necessary to ensure consistency, comparability, and equitable review of all applicants. The recalculated GPA used for admissions purposes may differ from the GPA reported by the student's secondary school, college, or other educational institution and shall constitute the official GPA utilized by the College in admissions evaluation.

In addition to the assessments above, students may be exempt from a placement exam by meeting one of the following criteria:

• Submit official documentation from an institutionally accredited institution showing successful completion of college level English and mathematics with a grade of "C" or better
• Submit official documentation from an institutionally accredited institution showing successful completion of 12 semester or 18 quarter credit hours of coursework with a grade of "C" or better
• Submit official documentation from an institutionally accredited institution showing successful completion of an Associate Degree or higher

Subjective criteria such as, but not limited to, written or oral interviews, personality assessments, and letters of reference shall not be utilized as part of the evaluation for program readiness or admissions to a college or a program.  All criteria should be published and applied consistently to all applicants for a program.

Special testing accommodations for students with disabilities are available upon request. Individuals must contact the Office of Disability Services and provide documentation of the disability to request accommodation.