Admission Requirements

Students may be admitted to Grayson College by one of the following methods:

1. U.S. High School Graduate: A graduate of an accredited U.S. high school who has never attended an accredited college or university must submit an official transcript from the U.S. high school showing the date of graduation. The high school must be accredited by the Texas Education Agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or the equivalent accrediting agency for other states and regions. (A graduate of a non-accredited or foreign high school must apply for admission by Individual Approval.)

2. GED Admission: An applicant who has passed the Test of General Education Development (GED) may be admitted to Grayson College by providing the Office of Admissions and Records with a copy of the test scores or GED certificate.

3. Individual Approval: An individual eighteen years of age or older who does not have a U.S. high school diploma or G.E.D. (General Education Development) or who is a graduate of a non-accredited or foreign high school may apply for admissions on individual approval. Students admitted under this policy are not eligible for Title IV funds. Anyone admitted without a GED or high school diploma will be strongly encouraged to complete the GED during the first year of his/her enrollment at Grayson College.

4. Transfer from Another U.S. College: An applicant previously enrolled at another accredited institution of higher education must submit official transcripts from all colleges attended.  Students applying as a transfer must have transferable college credit from a U.S. regionally accredited college. 

   • Developmental courses and continuing education courses are not considered transferable.
   • Official test scores must be submitted prior to registration. Transfer students must follow Texas Success Initiative policies for demonstrating college readiness.
   • Students who have been suspended for any reason from another college will not be eligible for admission at Grayson College until they are eligible to return to their previous college or they obtain approval for admission from their Instructional Dean, Director of Success Coaches, or the Registrar. 
   • Grayson College accepts college-level credits from regionally accredited institutions provided that the courses were completed successfully.
   • Transfer credits are evaluated by the Advising Office and submitted to the Registrar’s Office for posting on the academic transcript. 

   • A minimum of 25% of degree requirements must be earned at Grayson College.

5. High School Students: To be eligible for Dual Credit or Early College High School enrollment, high school students must:

   • Be enrolled and recommended by one of our partnering public high schools
   • Complete admission criteria for the college; including dual credit permission form signed by high school counselor/principal
   • Meet the minimum test scores that directly apply to the course

   • Turn all the above into the Grayson College Director of Academic Dual Credit or the Director of CTE Dual Credit.

6. Homeschool and Concurrent Students: To be eligible for concurrent enrollment, high school/homeschool students must complete all standard admissions criteria.
   

7. Readmission: Applicants seeking readmission to Grayson College, having not attended the previous 12 months must reapply through the Office of Admissions and Records. Applicants who have attended any other colleges since their last enrollment at Grayson College must submit official transcripts from those colleges along with scores from a state-approved assessment.

8. Specialized programs: Some programs have additional admission requirements which are listed in the program descriptions under each division. The College reserves the right to require vaccinations, physical examinations, and admission examinations at the student's expense.

9. Non-Citizen Students: It is the goal of Grayson College to make educational opportunities available to all students who can benefit from its programs. With such a goal, however, is the commensurate responsibility to make every effort to assure that students can function within the institution with a reasonable chance for success. The purpose of the admissions requirements for international students, therefore, is to recognize the difficulties students educated in a non-English speaking culture might have, and to establish guidelines designed to afford international students a reasonable assurance that they can function within an English speaking institution of higher learning. The following requirements apply to students who are not U.S. citizens:

   1. Legal Immigrant: Submit a copy of I-551, then meet the same admission requirements as U.S. citizens.
   2. Refugee: Submit a copy of Immigrant I-94 indicating Refugee Visa, then meet the same admission requirements as U.S. citizen.

   3. Non-Immigrant Alien: Applicants seeking an F-1 or M-1 Visa issued by the Department of State must obtain an I-20, issued by the International Student Office.  Any other visa categories or non-citizen applicant should consult with the Director of Admissions for further admissions qualifications.

   Requirements for students seeking an F-1 or M-1 Visa through the issuance of an I-20

   1. Application for Admission.
   2. Non-refundable $100 US Application/Evaluation Fee.
   3. Provide Grayson College an affidavit of support showing sufficient funds to cover anticipated tuition/fees and room/board expenses ($16,500.00 US).
   4. Proof of English Proficiency (one or more of the following):
      • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 500 on paper-based testing or 61 Internet-based IBT.
      • IELTS 5.0 (with a minimum band score of 4.5)
      • Accuplacer Reading (90) Sentence Skills (87) Writing (6)
      • Passing TSI2 scores in both reading (945) and writing (5) administered at a community college in Texas within the last two years
      • Completion of an ACCET- or CEA-Accredited Intensive English Program outside the US
      • Completion of the Grayson College Intensive English Language Program
      • 2 years in an accredited U.S. high school with passing English scores

      The following exceptions apply to the English proficiency requirement:
      

      • Students from Anguilla, Antigua/Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Guyana, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica/other West Indies, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, St. Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad; Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uganda, United Kingdom, Virgin Islands
      • Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university are exempt.
      • Students who have earned a high school diploma from a United States high school and have passing scores on a state-approved assessment are exempt.
      • Students may petition for an English Proficiency exemption with valid reasoning through the Director of Admissions.
   5. A physician’s report or health certificate (in English or with English translation) certifying that the person has no contagious diseases and is in good physical condition; if an applicant is taking medication routinely, the medication and the reason for taking it will be listed.
   6. Proof of medical insurance.
   7. Transcripts: Official transcripts from high school and/or post-secondary institutions, unless when individual approval is utilized. Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an organization that is a member of NACES.
   8. Compliance with all requirements and procedures established for visa category by the Student Exchange Visitor Program, a department of Homeland Security

   Application and documents must be submitted at least thirty (30) days prior to registration.

   While GC complies with all policies and procedures of the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the ultimate responsibility that all regulations are met lies with the student.

Admission Requirements for All Students

All materials required for admission to Grayson College should be on file in the Office of Admissions and Records prior to registration. A new or transfer may be conditionally admitted with unofficial transcripts and will be allowed to register but will be placed on hold until all official transcripts have been received. Conditionally admitted students have one semester to submit official documents and are not eligible for financial aid.

Correspondence pertaining to admission should be addressed to the Office of Admissions and Records, Grayson College, 6101 Grayson Drive, Denison, Texas 75020.

Admission Procedure

Applicants must complete the following steps to begin taking credit classes at GC.

1. Complete the GC application through the Grayson College Admissions Application or Apply Texas website.
2. Determine TSI (Texas Success Initiative) status and schedule an assessment if required. All GC students, unless exempt or TSI waived, must take an approved test for TSI before enrolling. The results of these tests will not be a condition of admission but will be used for placement purposes. See the Texas Success Initiative Requirements section of the catalog for additional information.
3. Provide official high school and/or college transcripts.
4. Provide proof of meningitis vaccination or meet an eligible exception.
5. Meet with a Success Coach to discuss academic plans and register for courses.
6. Pay for classes by the deadline listed in MyViking.

Note: Admission to GC does not guarantee enrollment into Health Science programs that maintain additional entrance requirements.

Admission Requirements for Health Science Students

1. Application — Application forms for individual programs must be completed and submitted with high school or college transcripts or a copy of GED scores to a Health Science Admissions Specialist. Applicants must be eligible for admission to GC.
2. Testing — Acceptable scores on assessment of basic skills as required by the College and individual program requirements.
3. After Acceptance to individual programs students must submit:
   1. Completion of required healthcare provider form and negative tuberculosis test
   2. Current CPR certification (Red Cross or American Heart BLS Healthcare Provider level). Verify acceptable providers with individual health science programs.
   3. Documentation of required immunizations
   4. Students must pass a drug screen and criminal background check (at the student’s expense and completed as scheduled through a GC approved company). Criteria that prevent attendance at clinical sites and/or require withdrawal from the course are stipulated in the related program policies.

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Assessment for All Students

Because Grayson College wants students to experience academic success, new students are asked to take reading, writing, and mathematics assessments to determine levels of college readiness and, if necessary, to place students in courses designed to prepare students for college. In accordance with the Texas Success Initiative, students are required to take a state-approved assessment prior to enrollment at GC or to demonstrate college readiness with performance on the ACT, SAT, or STAAR. With the exception of the Viticulture Level l certificate, students who enroll in Level I Certificate programs are exempt from assessment. U.S. military veterans with DD 214 records on file are also exempt from assessment. Students with deficient scores or who are not otherwise exempt must take the TSI Assessment, which is aligned to the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards. It offers placement scores and a diagnostic profile of students’ college readiness and/or adult basic education levels. The TSI Assessment is offered during all normal testing center hours. No appointment is necessary, and the testing center hours can be found on the testing center’s webpage; a link to this page can be found on the Grayson College homepage. All students will be required to complete a pre-assessment activity before starting their exam, which is primarily designed to help students perform better on the assessment. The test fee is $20 for the whole test or $10 for each part - English language arts with reading (ELAR) and math. Students with a disability are not exempt from the Texas Success Initiative assessment requirement but may receive testing accommodations with appropriate documentation. Assessment scores do not affect admission to the college but are used in the advisement process for course selection. Students demonstrating weak basic skills on a state-approved assessment will receive an individualized academic success plan, which describes the options available for each student to demonstrate college readiness in reading, writing, and math. Test scores needed to demonstrate college readiness are:

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TSI Assessment
Subject	Score
ELAR (English Language Arts with Reading))	945 or higher with essay score 5 or 944 or lower with a remediation diagnostic score of 5-6 and a 5-8 essay score
Mathematics	950 or 949 or lower with a remediation diagnostic score of 6

Currently, students are exempt from the assessment requirements if they meet one of the following criteria. Students must present proof of exemption at the time of registration.

1. Associate's or Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution.
2. College credit hours within the past five years from a private or out-of-state public institution with grades of A, B, or C in approved courses in all three skill areas.
3. A minimum score of 165 on the GED Mathematical Reasoning subject test shall exempt students for the Mathematics part of the TSI Assessment for five years. A minimum score of 165 on the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts subject test shall exempt students for the English Language Arts with Reading (ELAR) part of the TSI Assessment for five years.

 

Eligible test scores indicated below: 

	COMPOSITE	MATH	ENGLISH
ACT (within 5 yrs)	23	19	19
	COMPOSITE	MATH	Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
SAT (within 5 yrs)	1070	530	500  before March 2016 480 after March 2016

 

Assessment waivers are available to students who meet one of the following criteria:

1. Personal enrichment students enrolling in one to two courses on the personal enrichment list for a maximum of two semesters.
2. Visiting/transient students from out-of-state or private college dually enrolled at GC and an out-of-state or private institution, but not seeking a degree from GC. Students must demonstrate enrollment at other schools during the previous long semester each time they register at GC.
3. Students enrolled in one-year certificate programs (15-42 credits) unless otherwise specified for specific programs.
4. Students who are serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces, U.S. reserve component, or are a Veteran and have DD 214 member copy 2 or 4 are exempt from taking the TSI test. Please note that some academic courses require students to demonstrate college readiness before enrolling in them.

Academic Success Plan 

Attendance

Attendance in developmental classes is required. Students who are out of compliance with their Academic Success Plan will be required to enroll in appropriate self-paced developmental classes to regain compliance that semester. Failure to do so will result in being barred from future enrollment in academic coursework until the TSI/College-Readiness requirements are met in appropriate skill areas (or, under special situations, permission is granted by the appropriate Dean.) Students who fail to attend classes by the census date will automatically be dropped as a no-show.

Students who are not TSI exempt must demonstrate college readiness for reading, writing, and math in one of the following ways:

• Passing scores on the reading, writing, and math TSI assessment
• Successful completion of an approved college preparatory class (HB5) in reading, writing and/or math
• Successful completion of a corequisite course in reading, writing, and/or math
• After unsuccessfully attempting the TSI, having a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and completing appropriate high school coursework.

Upon meeting the standards for college readiness, students will not be required to register for developmental courses.

Math Pathways: College level math courses are designed to serve the curriculum needs of unique degrees, however, many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees will require the completion of MATH 1314 - College Algebra. Review the degree plan and/or speak with a Success Coach for more guidance.

Corequisites (Reading/Writing): Students who have been placed in a corequisite course will enroll in an appropriate developmental lab course (INRW) in addition to the college-ready course.  Attendance is required in both the college-ready course and the lab for credit. Upon successful completion of the highest college-ready course, the student will be considered TSI complete in reading and writing and may continue without further developmental English courses.

Students wishing to retake the TSI may do so at any time; however, it is recommended that students work closely with developmental instructors to determine whether they are prepared to pass the test.

College Prep Course and Dual Credit Students

High school juniors who take but do not pass the TSI may be enrolled in a college preparatory class if their high school has agreed to the terms set forth by the memorandum of understanding between Grayson College and participating ISD’s.  Students who earn an A, B, or C in an English or math college preparatory class will be considered TSI complete in that subject area.

Instructional Services (College Support for Online Learners)

Writing Center

The Grayson Writing Center provides consultation for academic and professional writing. Trained consultants act as an attentive and responsive audience to provide feedback at any stage of the writing process for any discipline. Online support is available through the center’s website.

Math Hub

The Math Hub provides a suitably quiet space for students to work on homework or lab work and have questions answered upon request. Our goal is to lead students to do the work. The Math Hub is also equipped with computers for students to use for their math classes, whether it be checking Canvas for an assignment, working online homework, completing an Excel project for Statistics, or watching a math video. Students seeking one-on-one tutoring should visit the Math Hub to sign up for a weekly, one-hour timeslot.

Advising

Grayson College strongly encourages all students, regardless of academic skill level, to seek individual success coaching prior to scheduling classes in MyViking. The advising office is open daily Monday through Friday to students with questions about course transfer, degree planning, transcript evaluation, college catalogs and other facets of college life.

Success Coaches are available to all students and are prepared to assist with career planning, workforce interest tests, college information, advising and evaluation of degree audit, and transcript transfer evaluation. Veterans receiving educational benefits should see a Veterans’ Success Coach located in the Veterans Services Office.

The following students are required to receive academic advising:

1. Students who are entering GC for the first time. New students should contact the Advising Office for degree requirements and planning
2. Students who have not met assessment requirements
3. Students who are required to be enrolled in developmental courses
4. Students who are on academic probation and/or students who are returning from academic suspension
5. Students who desire to change an academic major, update degree audit, or transfer institution
6. Students who are military veterans eligible for veteran’s educational benefits will see a success coach located in the Veterans Services Office

Success Coaches and Faculty Advisors are assigned to all students based on major. Success Coaches and Faculty Advisors assist students with career options, academic requirements, transcript evaluation, and campus and community support services. Advising activities are designed to assist students in the successful completion of their needs and goals. Students who need additional career assistance should seek assistance from the Advising Office located in the Student Affairs Building.

Academic Fresh Start

1. Within their first semester of readmission, students may petition for Academic Fresh Start in the Office of Admissions and Records. Academic Fresh Start is a request to have all academic course credits or course grades earned exactly ten or more years prior to the starting date of the semester in which the applicant seeks to enroll not be considered in the calculation of the grade point average.
2. A student will forfeit the use of all credits earned prior to enrollment under the Academic Fresh Start Policy. Courses taken prior to this time will not be used in the calculations of the student’s grade point average.
3. The student’s record will be inscribed with the notation “Academic Fresh Start Granted (date).”
4. Policies concerning Academic Fresh Start are applicable only to Grayson College. Other colleges may not recognize the reprieve.
5. Academic Fresh Start does not pertain to financial aid at Grayson College.
6. To request Academic Fresh Start, a student must submit a completed application for admission, a written petition for Academic Fresh Start, and all transcripts or prior college or university work to the Office of Admissions and Records prior to the beginning of the semester of application.

Testing Service

The Testing Center provides testing services to meet a wide range of needs. The Testing Center assesses students’ basic skills for planning successful academic programs through the administration of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment. As a support for Grayson College students and faculty, the Testing Center administers make-up exams and exams for internet and hybrid courses. Testing services are extended to the community by the administration of Pearson Vue academic and IT examinations (including GED exams), ACT exams, CLEP (College Level Equivalency Program) exams, Prometric’s Automobile Service Excellence exams, FISDAP (EMT Entrance Exam) and by providing proctoring services for other colleges/universities/agencies. The Testing Center assists GC programs by administering admissions/certification exams such as the HESI Admissions Exam for Associate Degree Nursing, Vocational Nursing, and Radiology programs and TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) exams. Additional services include the administration of tests for students with testing accommodations approved by the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities. Testing Center staff may be able to provide copies of past scores or information on obtaining score reports. Testing services are located in the Success Centers on the Main and South Campuses. The Testing Center is certified by the National College Testing Association and follows the NCTA standards and guidelines.

Dual Credit Enrollment

The Dual Credit program at Grayson College allows high school students to earn high school and college credits simultaneously. Through dual credit agreements, the College and the public school districts in Grayson and Fannin Counties have selected courses that meet both high school and college learning objectives. Depending upon the school district, these classes are offered at local high schools, the South Campus in Van Alstyne, and on the main Grayson College campus. Students interested in participating in this program must meet Texas Success Initiative assessment requirements appropriate for each course or demonstrate college readiness with ACT, SAT, TSI, STAAR, or EOC scores (see requirements below). To enroll in these classes, students must apply to the college, complete a dual credit permission form, register, and pay tuition and fees for the courses. Students are also required to purchase course textbooks. Interested students should contact their high school counselors or principals, attend a GC Dual Credit Parents’ Night, or contact the Academic Dual Credit Director or the CTE Dual Credit Director. Students must meet eligibility requirements set by their high schools to ensure that they receive high school credit for particular courses.

Score Requirements
ACT	A composite score of 23, with a minimum of 19 on English for college readiness in reading and writing; with a minimum of 19 on mathematics for college readiness in mathematics.
SAT	A minimum score of 480 on Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW), and a minimum score of 530 on mathematics.
STAAR	A Level 2 final recommended score on the English II exam; A Level 2 final recommended score on the Algebra II exam.

Concurrent Enrollment

Students still in high school wanting to take college courses for college credit must meet all the requirements of a new student at Grayson College.

Graduation Requirements

Students may apply for graduation using any certificate or degree plan in the catalog for the year they first enrolled at Grayson College or any subsequent catalog provided:

• It is dated no more than five years prior to the graduation date
• The major has not changed
• The student did not stop-out for more than 1 year

Automatic Graduation

Graduation is an automated process at Grayson College. This helps streamline the process for students and ensures that transcripts reflect the earned degree or certificate. Each semester a review of degree audits is completed by the Advising and Registrar’s offices to determine those students who are eligible for graduation. 

Application: Students eligible for graduation must meet with a Success Coach or Faculty Advisor to determine if all degree requirements have been met and complete the application for graduation to ensure student information (address, full name, email, major, etc.) is up to date. It is the responsibility of the student to know the application deadline as published on the college website in the Academic Calendar.

Commencement Participation:  All students who are approved for graduation are invited to attend the commencement ceremony.  Ceremony details can be found on the college website.

Deferral:  In order to postpone graduation, the student must complete a deferral form in the Office of Admissions and Records at the beginning of the semester of eligibility to graduate. Failure to complete this form will result in the degree being automatically awarded.

Summer Completers:  Students who complete  degree requirements in Summer 1 are eligible to participate in the spring commencement ceremony. Those who complete degree requirements in Summer 2 are eligible to participate in the fall commencement ceremony. Diplomas will be mailed approximately 8-10 weeks after the end of the semester.

To graduate from Grayson College with an Associate degree, students must:

1. Meet with a Success Coach or Faculty Advisor to complete a Degree Audit. This will determine if the student has met all the requirements for graduation. The student will then apply for graduation and include the Success Coach or Faculty Advisor’s name on the application
2. Complete the 60 credit hours or more as required for the respective Associate degree
3. Have an overall Grayson College grade point average of 2.00
4. Have earned at least 25% of the total required degree plan hours at Grayson College
5. Successfully demonstrate college readiness in Reading, Writing, and Math
6. If a course substitution is needed, meet with a Faculty Advisor or Success Coach to complete the required paperwork

Health Science Students: In addition to the above degree requirements,  all health science students must earn a grade of “C” or better in each major course on their degree plan and complete any program capstone requirement.

To graduate with honors in an associate/bachelor of science program students must meet the following requirements:

1. Have an overall grade-point average of 3.7 or better based on Grayson College hours only
2. To graduate Cum Laude, have a GPA of 3.70 – 3.84
3. To graduate Magna Cum Laude, have a GPA of 3.85 – 3.99
4. To graduate Summa Cum Laude, have a GPA of 4.00
5. Members of Grayson College honor societies wear honor stoles at commencement. Members of all other student organizations wear honor cords for each organization.  

To graduate from Grayson College with a Certificate, students must:

1. Meet with a Success Coach or Faculty Advisor to complete a Degree Audit to determine if the student has met all the requirements for graduation. The student will then apply for graduation and include the Success Coach or Faculty Advisor’s name on the application
2. Complete all credit hours as required for the respective Certificate
3. Satisfactorily complete the courses in the certificate program with a 2.00-grade point average
4. Have earned at least 25% of the total required degree plan hours at Grayson College
5. Successfully demonstrate college readiness in any subject matter as required by the certificate
6. If a course substitution is needed, meet with a Faculty Advisor or Success Coach to complete the required paperwork

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To graduate with honors for a Certificate of Completion, a student must make a grade of A for all courses in the certificate program.