Catalog 2017-2018 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
Catalog 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admissions, Registration and Records


Return to: Services for Students  


Location:

College Center

Executive Director of Admissions, Registration and Records:

Sarah Ener, 970.339.6366

Registrar:

Stuart Thomas, 970.339.6232

Telephone:

970.339.6404

Email:

admissions@aims.edu

Admission

Aims Community College is an equal opportunity institution. The college prohibits discrimination in its practices, programs, and activities on the basis of age, race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability and is committed to maintaining an environment free from sexual or other harassment and retaliation.

A completed Application for Admission is required for all new students and students returning after an absence of one year. This applies to all students, including those taking courses for self-improvement or personal interest only. No admission fee is required. 

Some programs, such as Radiologic Technology, require a separate, additional application for admission into the program to be submitted to the specific division. Admission to the College does not imply entry into any program which has selective admission standards. The College may deny admission or re-enrollment to individuals who cannot benefit from the programs/courses offered or if an applicant’s mental or physical disability may, in the opinion of the College, appear to be impractical or dangerous.

Some students may be required to enroll in specific preparatory courses in reading, writing, and mathematics in order to advance to college-level courses. (See Assessment Requirements).

Aims Community College does not require (but strongly encourages) immunization for measles or other diseases prior to admission. Students are urged to consult their personal health care provider regarding potential health risks.

Tuition Classification

In general, students pay in-state or out-of-state tuition based on their residency status in Colorado. There are multiple ways to qualify for in-state tuition. The most common methods to qualify:

  • Attend a Colorado high school for at least six academic terms from three separate academic years, graduated or receive a GED, and then immediately attend college in Colorado.  
  • If you are under the age of 23 and do not meet this qualification, you may still qualify if your parent or court-appointed legal guardian lives in Colorado for 365 days before the first day of class and has taken steps to make Colorado their permanent home (such as getting a Colorado driver’s license or I.D, filing Colorado state taxes, registering to vote in Colorado, etc)
  • If you are age 23 or over, you may qualify if you have lived in Colorado for 365 days before the first day of class and have taken steps to make Colorado your permanent home (such as getting a Colorado driver’s license or I.D, filing Colorado state taxes, registering to vote in Colorado, etc)
  • Active-duty members of the armed forces of the United States and Canada on permanent duty station in Colorado and their dependents are also eligible for in-state status, regardless of how long they have lived in Colorado .

In addition, students who qualify for in-state tuition and live in the Aims tax district (which includes most of Weld County and small sections of adjoining Larimer and Adams counties), may qualify for an even lower in-district tuition rate.   

Additional information regarding Colorado residency for tuition purposes can be found at the Colorado Department of Higher Education website http://highered.colorado.gov/Finance/Residency/faq.html .

Initial Classification

Initial Residency Classification for tuition purposes is made at the point of admission based upon information the student supplies in the Application for Admission. Failure to answer all questions on the Application or failure to supply any requested documentation results in a pending residency status and the student will be charged the out-of-state tuition rate.

Changes in Tuition Classification

Students who are classified as “pending” can fill out an Application Addendum and return it to the Admissions, Registration and Records Office for reclassification.  Students will remain responsible for paying their student account based on the out-of-state rate until their Colorado residency is determined.

Individuals who were initially classified as Out-of-State, but feel they meet the requirements for in-state tuition should submit a petition for in-state tuition classification at the Admissions, Registration and Records Office. The burden of proof rests upon the petitioner who has the responsibility to submit a petition with the required documentation by the first day of the semester in which the student plans to attend. Only photocopies of requested documents should be submitted with the petition because all information submitted becomes part of the person’s permanent record and cannot be returned to the petitioner.

Students remain a non-resident until they have received notification from the Tuition Classification Officer indicating a residency change has been approved. Students who are petitioning for in-state tuition classification remain responsible for paying their student account based upon their current tuition classification.

Deadlines

Application Addendums should be returned to Admissions, Registration and Records as soon as possible, but no later than the drop deadline for the current term.

Completed petitions may be submitted to the Admissions, Registration and Records office as early as 90 days prior to the term for which the individual desires a change in classification BUT NO LATER THAN THE FIRST CLASS DAY OF THE TERM. The student should allow a minimum of two weeks for the petition to be processed. If additional information is required, it must be submitted within 15 days from the original petition unless special arrangements are made with the Tuition Classification Officer.

Appeals

Any student who is denied in-state tuition classification by the Tuition Classification Officer may appeal that decision to the Registrar. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Registrar no later than two weeks after the denial decision has been sent to the student. The decision of the Registrar is the final College determination. There can be no retroactive changes in classification.

Campus Tours and Get Started Sessions

Aims provides a virtual tour that highlights each of our sites: Greeley, Fort Lupton, Windsor and Loveland.  Visit our campus virtually at http://www.youvisit.com/tour/aims?pl=v.

If you would like to see the Greeley Campus in person, consider joining us for a Tuesday tour. Tours for prospective students are from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m., and will start in the lobby of the College Center Building.  Prospective students can view Tuesday Tour dates and RSVP at: www.aims.edu/prospective/campus-tour.

Get Started Sessions - Attend a personalized Get Started Session!  During the session, we will walk you through the process of applying to attend Aims, answer your questions, and help you prepare to get started at Aims.

Call or email today:
Mario Gonzalez, Admissions Advisor, Hablo Español
(970) 339-6239, mario.gonzalez@aims.edu

Margaret Dempsey, Admissions Advisor
(970) 339-6477, margaret.dempsey@aims.edu

If you need accommodations, please contact the Disability Access Services office at 970.339.6388 or email disabilities@aims.edu.

Admission Procedure

For Domestic Students:

  1. Submit a completed Application for Admission.
  2. Apply for Financial Aid, if needed. 
  3. If pursuing an Aims certificate or degree program and a high school or other college was previously attended, you may wish to provide an official transcript of high school or college credits or a certified record of GED completion or ACT/SAT scores. This may exempt you from some or all of the assessment test requirement. (see Advising / Assessment ).
  4. Complete the on-line New-Student Orientation located on the Student Tab in your myAims account.  This step is required for students pursuing an Aims certificate or degree.  It is recommended for undecided or personal interest students.
  5. Make an appointment and meet with an academic advisor.
  6. If transferring credits, see the TRANSFER CREDIT section for procedure (see Transfer Credit and Credit for Prior Learning ).
  7. Students under age 18 must have the signature of their parent or legal guardian on the Application for Admission, or submit a signed Parent’s Statement for Applicants Under the Age of 18.
  8. Students under age 16 are required to complete additional steps for admission and registration. Contact the Student Success Center at 970-339-6251 for details.

For International Students:

You are an international student who is seeking admission to Aims Community if you are a non-U.S. citizen or non-U.S. permanent resident and have completed high school. Applicants seeking an F-1 student visa are required to provide:

  1. An International Student Application.
  2. A Financial Support Statement, along with bank statements and letters of Financial Guarantee. 
  3. Proof of English proficiency.   
  4. Official high school transcript verifying proof of graduation/completion.
  5. Official college/university transcripts.
  6. A copy of a valid passport.
  7. Proof of current and adequate medical insurance.
  8. Transfer students must send official college/university transcripts. 

The completed application and supporting documents must be submitted by the posted deadlines:

   Summer semester - March 15
   Fall semester - June 1
   Spring semester - November 1
 

For questions regarding the admission of international students, contact Kristie Herrera, International Enrollment Advisor, at 970.339.6401 or kristie.herrera@aims.edu

Assessment Requirements

Based on the statewide remedial education policy and institutional procedures, students may be required to assess in reading, writing, and math. Assessment is designed to assist students in understanding their current academic levels and to aid them and their advisors in the selection of college courses. New and returning students are responsible for making arrangements at the Testing Center to meet the assessment requirement prior to conferring with an advisor and registering.

The assessment requirement can be met in one of the following ways:

  1. Showing proof of successful completion of an Associates of Arts, Associates of Science, or baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution (excludes Associate of General Studies and Associate of Applied Science graduates), or
  2. Submit transcripts and course descriptions to show proof of successful completion (C- or higher or “S” satisfactory) of equivalent college-level math and writing courses taken within the past 10 years from a regionally accredited institution. The student should submit documentation to the Testing Center as early as possible prior to registration, or
  3. Complete the Accuplacer assessment in reading, sentence skills, and mathematics (scores are good for three years), or
  4. Show proof of minimum ACT, SAT, Compass, or Accuplacer scores taken within the past three years.

Students, whose assessment scores do not meet the Colorado Commission of Higher Education college-level course enrollment standards in English and/or mathematics, must complete developmental education coursework during their first thirty (30) semester hours of instruction at Aims. ESL and GED courses are not included in the 30 semester hour count.

Retests of any or all of the sections will result in a minimal fee per section. The first retest of any section can occur 24 hours after the initial testing. Any additional retest attempts of any section will require a three-month wait period unless proof of successful completion of a college-sponsored remediation program is provided. The Accuplacer may be taken a total of five times in a two-year period. Information regarding Accuplacer testing times/fees can be found at http://www.aims.edu/student/testing/tests/accuplacer/.

Students with mobility, visual, hearing, learning, mental, emotional, speech or health disabilities must meet with Disability Access Services to arrange for special accommodations in testing.

Students should contact the Testing Center for fees and testing times or refer to the web site at www.aims.edu/student/testing.

Refer to the Aims web site for further information on remedial education requirements at Aims.

Registration

After completing the admissions, assessment and advising processes, students must complete the registration process each semester. A Schedule of Classes is available on-line prior to the registration period. Consult the on-line calendar for registration details.

Students must have all financial obligations from prior terms paid before they will be permitted to register for additional courses.

Add, Drop, Withdrawal, Cancellation of Classes and Refunds

Course Cancellations

Aims Community College must retain the customary right to cancel course offerings where enrollment is too low to make a course educationally sound and economically efficient. Course cancellations will result in a full refund.

Adding, Dropping, or Withdrawing from Classes

Adding of classes must be done by the course Add Deadline (within the first 7% of the course). After the deadline has passed, adding courses may be done on an exception basis only if space is available and the instructor has given written permission to enroll.

Dropping of classes must be done by the course Drop Deadline (within the first 15% of the course). Classes dropped by the drop deadline will result in a full refund.

Withdrawing from classes must be done by the course Withdrawal Deadline (after the Drop Deadline, but before the point marking 75% of the course). Withdrawing from a course will generate a final grade of “W” on the student’s academic transcript.  All tuition and fee obligations still apply; a withdrawal does not qualify for a refund.

If the student does not withdraw by the withdrawal deadline, the faculty will assign the final grade earned.  If the student qualifies, the instructor may (at his or her discretion) assign an “Incomplete” as a final grade status (see Grading System ).

Students are responsible for properly adding, dropping, and withdrawing. Students SHOULD NOT expect to be dropped due to non-attendance.  Telephone requests for adds, drops, or withdrawals cannot be accepted.

Withdrawal - From All Classes/From The College

Students withdrawing from all classes and/or from the college must begin the withdrawal process by contacting the Admissions, Registration, and Records Office in Greeley, Loveland, Fort Lupton or Windsor. Telephone requests for complete withdrawal will be taken under extreme circumstances only. Students withdrawing from all classes must complete the exit form which can be found at the Admissions, Registration, and Records Offices on all four campuses. 

Tuition Adjustment Appeals

Students who have withdrawn from course(s) from the college due to extenuating circumstances, may file a Tuition Adjustment Appeal. Tuition Adjustment Appeals must be submitted within one year of the semester being requested and the student needs to supply documentation to support extenuating circumstances. Students can contact the Cashier’s Office or go to http://www.aims.edu/student/cashier/appeals/ for forms, guidelines and additional information.

Refund Regulations

Under specific conditions, the College grants refunds for tuition and course fees to students who drop courses by the specified deadline. Students are responsible for dropping their courses by the published deadline, even if they have never attended. Courses can be dropped on-line or at the Admissions, Registration and Records Offices at any campus. To be eligible for a refund, a DROP must be submitted by the deadline in person or on-line. In cases of emergency, a student may submit a letter to the Admissions, Registration and Records Office. The date the request is received in the Admissions, Registration and Records Office will be used in determining eligibility for the refund. If the student was provided assistance from College funds or funds managed by the College, the refund will be returned to the appropriate scholarship/grant fund or applied to the student’s note in the loan fund. Refunds will be made in accordance with the following schedule:

  • By the Drop Deadline (the point marking 15% of the course): 100% refund.
  • By the Withdrawal deadline (the point marking 75% of the course): no refund.

Cooperative Registration Agreements

Students must have a valid social security number to participate in either cooperative registration agreement.

UNC - Aims

Students enrolled for at least 12 credits and paying full-time tuition at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) or Aims Community College are eligible to take one undergraduate class (maximum 5 credits) at the other school without additional tuition charges. The student pays all applicable course fees. The tuition-free course must be one not offered at the student’s home school during that term. Courses delivered by Continuing Education (credit or non-credit) do not count in the twelve credit full-time requirement and cannot be taken as the free class. Details are available at the UNC Registrar’s Office and at each Aims Admissions, Registration and Records Office on all campuses and on-line at www.aims.edu/student/admissions/coop.

CSU - Aims

Students enrolled for at least 12 credits and paying full time tuition at Colorado State University (CSU) or Aims Community College are eligible to take one undergraduate class (maximum 5 credits) at the other school without additional tuition charges. The student pays all applicable course fees. Courses delivered by Continuing Education (credit or non-credit) do not count in the 12 credit full-time requirement and cannot be taken as the free class. Details are available at the CSU Admissions Office and at the Aims Admissions, Registration and Records Offices on all campuses and on-line at www.aims.edu/student/admissions/coop.