General Admissions Requirements
The college requires that applicants to all programs complete and have the following:
- A completed application form submitted online.
- A U.S. $75 non-refundable application fee payable online via credit or debit card.
- A 500-word Goals Essay (see Writing the Goals Essay below or in the Academic Catalog)
- Receipt by the Office of Admissions of the applicant’s official transcript(s) from an accredited or state licensed institution of higher learning, or its equivalent for international students, as well as any additional completed coursework to be considered for transfer of credit. Official transcript(s) of college level coursework completed to date.
- Access to a computer and the Internet. A Web cam for live class meetings.
- Program Course Study Plan
Master’s Degree Program Admissions Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university school accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or from an appropriately accredited non-U.S. institution.
- A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in bachelor’s degree coursework.
- Miller Analogies Test (MAT) scores – The Pearson Education Inc. MAT is a high-level mental ability test requiring the solution of problems stated as analogies. Performance on the MAT is designed to reflect an applicant’s analytical thinking, an ability that is critical for success in both graduate school and professional life. Applicants to ACAS graduate degree programs must complete this 60-minute computer-based test and achieve a scaled score of 200 or higher or a percentile score of 30 or higher on the MAT. The ACAS Pearson Education school code is 4745.
- Receipt by the Office of Admissions of the applicant’s official transcript(s) confirming that a bachelor’s degree has been conferred by an accredited or state licensed institution of higher learning, or its equivalent for international students, as well as any additional completed coursework to be considered for transfer of credit.
- Receipt by the Office of Admissions of the applicant’s official transcript(s) confirming that a bachelor’s degree has been conferred by a duly State licensed or licensed by accreditation college or university, or its equivalent for international students, as well as any additional completed coursework to be considered for transfer of credit.
- Substitute Exam Scores – The Educational Testing Service (ETS) Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores will be accepted in lieu of the MAT. The minimum achieved GRE score should be 153 on the verbal and 144 on the quantitative portions of the GRE, for an overall minimum total of 297 points. The ACAS ETS school code is 4669. The MCAT and the VCAP examination may be substituted for the MAT.
- Exam Exemption – Applicants who have successfully completed a graduate degree program and who have been awarded a graduate degree from a duly State licensed or licensed by accreditation college or university, or its equivalent for international students, are exempt from submitting the above exam scores.
Bachelor’s Degree Program Admissions Requirements
- The college currently offers a bachelor’s completion degree, i.e. the last 2 years of a Bachelor of Science degree. Only upper level courses and no GENED courses are offered at this time. These credits must be transferred into the program from another institution. The requirements for application to this program are:
- An associate’s degree or at least 60 credits of college credit (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits with at least 16 of these being general education courses) from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional, professional/specialized, or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or from an appropriately accredited non-U.S. institution
- A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in college level coursework.
Associate’s Degree Program Admissions Requirements
The requirements for application to this program are:
- A High School diploma issued by a U.S. Department of Education or State recognized secondary school institution or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) issued by the appropriate authorities or its equivalent. Students must supply evidence of these documents as part of their application for admission.
Professional Development Admissions Requirements
The requirements for application to this program are:
- A High School diploma issued by a U.S. Department of Education or State recognized secondary school institution or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) issued by the appropriate authorities or its equivalent. Students must supply evidence of these documents as part of their application for admission.
Continuing Education Admissions Requirements
There are no special requirements for registering for most professional development or continuing education programs and courses other than providing basic individual and billing information. Refer to this Catalog and the program or courses for professional development and continuing education for more information. Professional development and continuing education courses are not transferable to degree or diploma programs. Students who anticipate using completed coursework to satisfy degree or diploma requirements with the college should apply for regular admission to the academic program of their choice.
International Applicants
ACAS welcomes international students to its Virtual Campus learning environment and its Science Field Station and Reserve in Florida. It is our goal to transfer knowledge and skills to all nations, cultures and societies for the betterment of the world in which we all, both humans and animals, live. Admissions policies and procedures for non U.S. resident applicants are the same as for U.S. applicants, with a few exceptions as noted below.
Applicants Holding Degrees from Non-U.S. Institutions
Applicants who have completed coursework at, or hold an associates, bachelors, or masters (equivalent) degree from, an institution of higher learning outside of the United States that is accredited or recognized by the country\’s higher education authority are encouraged to apply to ACAS programs. Applicants must have their transcript(s) from outside the United States certified for equivalency to U.S. degrees or coursework by a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Applicants who have completed coursework at, or hold degrees from, a post secondary institution in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), New Zealand, or the United Kingdom will normally not need to have their academic transcripts evaluated and certified by a NACES organization. Any applicant seeking transfer of credits from an institution outside the United States into an ACAS degree program must have a course-by-course evaluation of relevant transcripts completed by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. www.ece.org.
English Proficiency
The language of instruction at ACAS is English and academic success depends upon a student’s ability to read, write, understand and converse in English. Applicants who do not possess an associate’s degree or higher from an institution in one of the following English speaking countries: Australia, Belize, the British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Scotland, the United States, or Wales must submit official scores from one of the tests listed below. Scores may not be more than 2 years old. Graduates from colleges or universities where course instruction and evaluation were conducted in English, and for which college or university verification is available (through the International Handbook of Universities, published and edited by IAU/UNESCO, 2003), may request that this requirement be waived. Additional information may be requested from the Office of the Registrar to verify that the instruction was truly conducted in English.
Acceptable English Proficiency Tests
Admission Requirements:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) 550 on the paper-based; 213 on the computer-based.Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) 550 on the paper-based; 213 on the computer-based
- Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)
Minimum score of 82
Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)
Minimum score of 82
- Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
6.5 overall band score
Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
6.5 overall band score
Conditional Admission
ACAS wishes to broaden access to a wide group of individuals who are capable of benefiting from a higher education experience, and thus bring benefit to those they serve or care for. The college therefore values the unique educational backgrounds, life experiences, and professional accomplishments of its applicants. It recognizes that in some cases applicants who do not meet the regular admission requirements can bring a wide variety of educational and professional experiences to the classroom that taken when considered in its entirety may predict their success as a student. It also recognizes that applicants who have not attended school in some time may be missing certain Prerequisites or may have difficulty acquiring official documentation in a timely manner. Accordingly, applicants may be offered conditional admission to the college with a stipulation for academic performance at the level of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, the successful completion of academic progress requirements during the initial term(s) of enrollment, the completion of Prerequisites, and/or other stipulations including receipt of official records and test scores. The college will work closely with applicants admitted in Conditional Admission status to devise and implement a plan for meeting the required stipulations and achieving regular admission status.
Transfer of Credit
Applicants wishing to transfer credits from another institution may request an unofficial evaluation of transfer of credit prior to admission by contacting the Office of Admissions. This can be completed with unofficial or official transcripts. Official notification of credits that have been accepted for transfer to a program normally occurs at the time an offer of admission is made or during the student’s first term of enrollment. Official evaluation of credits for transfer to a program requires the following documentation:
- A copy of the official transcript that reflects the course being evaluated
- For all programs, syllabi for courses being evaluated for transfer into any other program may also be requested.
- For non-U.S. institutions, a copy of the catalog course description.
- Evaluation of credits for transfer from non-U.S. institutions will normally require transcripts to be evaluated and certified by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE, www.ece.org). Transfer of credit documentation, when requested, should be submitted to the Office of Admissions.
- Residency units completed under another school\’s residency program cannot be transferred to the school.
- Official transcripts should be postal mailed directly from your former educational institution(s) to: Office of Admissions American College of Applied Science P.O. Box 825 Crescent City, FL 32112-0825 USA Please be sure that you have submitted an online application to ACAS so that the Office of Admissions can match your transcripts to your application.
Evaluation of Transfer of Credit from Other Institutions
These must meet the following criteria:
- Earned and recorded on an official transcript at a school that was accredited by a regional professional/specialized, or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) at the time the course was completed, or from an appropriately accredited non-U.S. institution.
- Earned within 10 years prior to or after matriculation, but within the time limit for earning the degree, unless noted differently. Please check the Transfer Maximum by Program table that follows for specific time limits for the various schools and programs.
- Earned in courses posting a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher. Credits accepted for transfer to bachelor\’s degree programs must have been earned in courses posting a C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher.
- Earned in a course with content equivalent to the corresponding ACAS course or with content considered to enhance the student\’s ACAS education.
- The school also considers credits for transfer from educational accomplishments attained in extra-institutional settings that are recognized by the American Council on Education\’s (ACE) Center for Adult Learning and Educational Credentials, and in institutions accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
- ACE’s Military Evaluations Program (DANTES) and College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT), as well as other credit-by-examination programs, offer credit evaluations or recommendations for programs offered by the military and by civilian organizations such as businesses, corporations, government agencies, training providers, institutes, and labor unions. Evaluation services are also available for examination programs, for occupations with validated job-proficiency evaluation systems, and for correspondence courses offered by schools accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council.
Credits considered for transfer, which have been recommended or evaluated by ACE or accrediting bodies recognized by CHEA, must meet the following conditions.
(a) The educational quality of the learning experience to be transferred meets the standards of the school.
(b) The nature, content, and level of the learning experience is comparable to that offered by the school.
(c) The learning experience is appropriate and applicable to the school’s programs, in light of the student’s educational goals.
Maximum Transfer of Credit by Program
- Master of Science 9 semester credits or equivalent.
- Bachelor of Science 60 credits from the Associate’s degree level, plus 9 additional credits or equivalent.
- Diploma Programs No credits may transfer from other institutions.
Transfer of Credit from Diploma to Degree Programs
Currently, all diploma (non-degree) program courses will transfer into the Associate in Science degree program in Dog Training, Care and Caregiver Counseling. Reconsideration of a Transfer of Credit Evaluation
Students may request a review of the results of their transfer-of-credit evaluation by submitting a written request to the Office of Admissions within 60 days of receiving the results. Recognizing that transfer-of-credit evaluations are based on a number of important factors, written requests for their review should explain, in detail, the issues or circumstances that led the student to believe the evaluation was flawed or that an error was made during the evaluation process. The outcome of this review is final.
Writing the Goals Essay
Applicants for all degree and non-degree programs must submit a Goals Essay. This essay will serve as a sample of the student’s writing enabling the Office of Admissions to evaluate college-level writing skills and communication style. Essays should be approximately 500 words in length, double-spaced in 12-point Courier, Times New Roman or Ariel font and should contain the following:
- Applicants name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- The program to which the applicant is applying
- The semester in which the applicant intends to begin
- A brief description of the applicant’s education and career background or work experience
- A brief description of the applicant’s personal goals
- A brief description of the applicant’s professional and career goals
- How the applicant intends to affect positive social change, change regarding animal welfare and/or sustaining and improving the environment
- Essays should be submitted at the time of submission of the application.
Admissions Deferral
An offer of admission is valid for one year from the date of admission. If an admitted student does not enroll and register for courses during that year, the student will be required to reapply later and again pay the application fee. Students wishing to defer their admission must notify the school by the 7th day of the semester for which they accepted the admission offer, to avoid notation on their academic record and financial obligation. After the 7th day, new students who are not active in courses will be administratively withdrawn and this will appear as a withdrawal “W” on the student’s transcript. These students are not eligible for an admission deferral and must petition for readmission. Students are financially obligated for the portion of any course(s) taken, as per the college refund policy.
Readmission
Students who withdraw and then wish to return to the college within two terms of the withdrawal date, and who are eligible to return, should email the Office of Admissions and request to return. Students who withdraw and wish to return to the college after two semesters but less than a year from their withdrawal date and are eligible to return, may submit electronically a Petition for Readmission to the Office of Admissions at least 30 days prior to the first day of the month in which they want to return to their program. If approved, they will be re-enrolled without academic penalty. Students who want to return to the college more than a year after their withdrawal date, and are eligible to return, must follow the regular application process. Students being readmitted after more than one year must meet the academic degree requirements within the catalog under which they are readmitted.
Students who withdraw from the college and then want to be admitted to a new program must follow the regular application process. If readmitted, a student’s prior length of enrollment will count toward the minimum college enrollment and progress standards for the receipt of financial aid.
Readmission Decisions
The offer of readmission is based on a careful review of the Petition for Readmission or regular application materials and a comprehensive assessment of the applicant’s prior academic performance and ability to succeed in the program. If an offer of readmission is made, the applicant is required to submit the current semester’s tuition and fees, as well as any previous balance still owed to the bursar’s office at least 15 days before the scheduled start date. The college considers the student officially readmitted on the date specified in the acceptance letter. The offer of readmission remains in effect for 12 months. If a petition for readmission is denied, the applicant must wait a minimum of 6 months (from the prior readmission request) before applying again for readmission.