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VCCS News Releases |
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For more information, please contact: Susan
Hayden
Carol Patterson
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June 2, 2006 The College
of William and Mary to Guarantee Admission The College of William and Mary is the latest state college or university to guarantee admission to qualified graduates from Virginia's 23 community colleges. William and Mary will guarantee admission to Virginia community college graduates with a grade-point-average of not less than 3.6 who complete a transfer-oriented associate’s degree. “Graduates of the Commonwealth’s community colleges have made many contributions to William and Mary over the years, and we look forward to welcoming more of them to the campus. This agreement will extend our educational benefits to women and men from across the state,” said William and Mary President Gene R. Nichol. “Thomas Jefferson would be delighted,” says Glenn DuBois, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). “Here’s a clear pathway for all Virginians to pursue a tremendous education.” To qualify for guaranteed admission, students must also complete a “letter of intent” to transfer to William and Mary at least one year before transferring, but after completion of 15 credit hours at a Virginia community college. “The letter of intent will allow the community college and William and Mary to start advising students right away about their transfer program,” says Monty Sullivan, vice chancellor for academic services for Virginia’s community colleges. In addition, a minimum of 45 credit hours of the transferable credits must have been earned at a VCCS institution after graduation from high school. Once the letter of intent is signed, the students should remain enrolled in their community college each semester (except for summers) until graduation. Students must also have a grade of “B” or better in Advanced Composition as well as VCCS equivalent courses that meet William and Mary’s general education requirements. VCCS students who do not meet these requirements may still apply and will be considered for admission, although admission will not be guaranteed. The full agreement is available on the VCCS website at http://www.vccs.edu/vccsasr/agreements.htm. VCCS students are eligible to apply for the college’s Gateway financial aid package, which features caps on need-based loans, loan-free packages for low-income students, and a commitment to meet 100 percent of every student's need. In addition, any VCCS student who transfers under the guaranteed admission agreement will have the same opportunities as other William and Mary students for housing, registration, or any other college activities or services. The guaranteed admission agreement is one of several statewide agreements adopted this year with various public and private senior institutions, including Virginia Commonwealth University, Longwood University, Sweet Briar College, the School of Engineering and the School of Agriculture and Life Science at Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia. Work on additional statewide agreements is also under way, says Dr. Sullivan. The VCCS is comprised of 23 community colleges located on 40 campuses across the Commonwealth. Together, Virginia’s community colleges serve more than a quarter-million credit students each year. ### The State Board for Community Colleges is the governing board for the Virginia Community College System, which is made up of 23 community colleges located on 40 campuses across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia’s community colleges serve more than a quarter-million students in credit courses and more than 325,000 in credit and noncredit courses combined. Visit the website at http://www.vccs.edu. |
