Admission

1400.200 ADMISSION PROCEDURE

The following general and special admission programs procedures are in place at Wenatchee Valley College (WVC). For additional information contact the admissions office.

A. GENERAL ADMISSION

1. Full-time students who qualify for general admission must submit a completed Washington state community and technical college application form located on the college website. High school and college transcripts may be requested in certain circumstances. WAC 131-12 establishes general admissions standards for Washington community colleges.
2. Part-time students who qualify for general admissions must complete an application form and are encouraged to submit all official transcripts.

B. SPECIAL ADMISSION

Special admission is discretionary and requires the approval of the vice president of student affairs or designee. Special admission is viewed as an enrichment program, and high school students who have fallen behind on graduation requirements are rarely admitted.

The vice president of student affairs or designee must approve students seeking special admission to the college. The college reserves the right to determine admission to the college and/or certain classes. The following conditions apply to all special admission students:

1. Students may need to take WVC's placement tests to determine that they have college level reading, writing and math skills.
2. Once placement scores have been determined, student should contact the office of the vice president of student affairs or designee for a special admission enrollment packet. All special admission students must submit a completed special admission enrollment packet that includes signatures from a parent or guardian, an appropriate high school official, and the vice president of student affairs or designee. In the case of home school students, the standard home school form is accepted.
3. Upon completion of the special admissions enrollment packet, the student and parent or legal guardian must meet with the vice president of student affairs or designee for an interview. The purpose of the interview is:
   
   1. To access the student’s ability to communicate independently on his or her own behalf with college staff.
   2. To determine if the potential student is competent at an appropriate academic level and/or artistic or technical level to be successful.
   3. To determine if the potential student is judged to have the ability and maturity to participate in an adult learning environment.
4. The vice president of student affairs or designee will weigh the student’s previous academic record, test scores, recommendation and interview to determine if an exception to the minimum age requirement is warranted.
5. The vice president of student affairs or designee may grant full admission to the college or admission for one quarter on a conditional basis. There may be further restrictions or limits placed as part of conditional acceptance. The chief student services officer or designee may limit the number of courses taken during a quarter. During the conditional quarter, the student must earn a minimum of a 2.0 GPA in each course. During subsequent quarters, the student must meet the college’s academic standards set forth in the college catalog. The student must adhere to the Wenatchee Valley College Student Rights and Responsibilities and Student Code of Conduct.
6. Admission decisions of the vice president of student affairs or designee are final.

C. RUNNING START ADMISSION

Running Start is a state-mandated program allowing incoming high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn high school and college credit simultaneously by taking college-level classes. Admission requirements for this program include:

1. Being classified as an incoming junior or senior by your participating high school. There are no exceptions to this condition of enrollment. Walking Start – In accordance with Senate Bill 5670, high school sophomores (10th) grade students can take a maximum of 10 credits during the summer quarter before their 11th grade year.
   1. Homeschooled and private schooled students seeking credit through Running Start must enroll through their local public school district or high school.
2. Submit proof of meeting one of the following qualifiers:
   1. High School transcript with cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
   2. PSAT/SAT Reading with a test score of 500 or higher.
   3. ELA Smarter Balanced Assessment test score of 3 or 4.
   4. ACT English test score of 20 or higher.
   5. ACT Reading test score of 21 or higher.
   6. AP English test score of 4 or higher.
3. Submit a completed Running Start enrollment verification form with all necessary signatures for the appropriate quarter.

D. COLLEGE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSION

Wenatchee Valley College may enter into an agreement with a district high school to offer college classes in the high school. The instructor must be a high school instructor who meets the qualifications to be appointed as a part-time faculty member for the college. The established college course outlines are followed to ensure the same student learning outcomes as are achieved in an on-campus class.

Students may enroll in College in the High School (CHS) classes if they:

1. Are high school freshman, sophomores, juniors or seniors.
2. Submit a placement qualifier that indicates readiness for college work.
3. Register according to high school and college processes.

E. ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (ABE) AND HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSION

The State Board of Education has established minimum standards for graduation from high school in Washington state. Adult Basic Education classes assist eligible students to prepare for high school completion, improve English language skills for college or career success as well as improve basic skills for college success. Wenatchee Valley College, in cooperation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, has established the following requirements for those who wish to complete their high school diploma at WVC.

1. Be at least 16 years of age, and
2. Not currently enrolled in secondary school or possess a high school diploma.
3. Who also:
   1. Lacks sufficient mastery of basic education skills to enable the individual to function effectively in society.
   2. Does not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent and has not achieved an equivalent level of education.
   3. Is an English language learner who has limited ability in reading, writing, speaking, or comprehending the English language, and whose native language is a language other than English; or who lives in a family or community environment where a language other than English is the dominant language.
      
      Students who meet these requirements may enroll in adult basic education (ABE) classes at the state ABE tuition rate, plus fees, in order to earn high school credits and complete a high school diploma. Students must attend a high school credit advising session and/or complete the basic skills assessments prior to enrollment.
      
      
4. Individuals under 19 years old enrolling in ABE classes for high school equivalency (i.e., seeking a GED®) or taking high school equivalency tests must complete either:
   1. Request for Approval to Test for High School Equivalency or Enroll in Adult Education Program form (for student who last attended at public, private or tribal school)
   2. Notarized Statement/Letter for Home School Students Taking the Test for High School Equivalency (for students who last received home based instruction)

F. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADMISSION

International students must submit the following items to the enrollment services office.

1. A Washington state community and technical college application form.
2. High school or college transcripts. The translated must be translated into English.
3. A completed declaration and certification of finances form and accompanying financial supporting documents.
4. 1/2-page essay about why you wish to study at Wenatchee Valley College.
5. Evidence of enrollment in an approved health insurance plan.
6. Evidence of English language proficiency. All applicants whose native language is not English should furnish this. Methods of demonstrating proficiency include but are not limited to:
   1. A TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) internet-based score of 42, a computer based score of 83 or a paper based score of 380.
   2. IELTS test score of 5.5 minimum (no band lower than 5.0).
   3. Graduation from a U.S. high school.
   4. Completion of an English as a Second Language (ESL) program.
   5. College level placement test scores.
7. Payment of the non-refundable international student application fee.
   
   Additional information on international student admissions may be obtained from the WVC website or the college catalog.

G. SUMMARY OF ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES FOR GENERAL/SPECIAL ADMISSION

Most students at Wenatchee Valley College are admitted through the general admission process. However, an increasing number are entering through special admission programs. The following guidelines outline how WVC handles admission and enrollment:

1. Admission is primarily based on academic readiness rather than age, as long as the student is at least 17 years old. For instance, a student who has earned a GED is eligible for general admission, regardless of age.
2. Students admitted through general admission can enroll in any course for which they meet the prerequisites.
3. Special admission is selective and requires approval from the vice president of student affairs or their designee. This type of admission is considered an opportunity for academic enrichment. It is not typically available to high school students who are behind on graduation requirements.
4. Running Start is a state-mandated special admission program with very specific entrance requirements that are generally not negotiable.
5. Students younger than typical college age are usually only admitted if they have achieved junior standing in high school, in alignment with Running Start standards.

The table below summarizes the criteria for categorizing students and the procedures that apply to the various admission categories:

	Enrollment Category-Student	Qualifying Criteria
	General admission-matriculating	The age of 18 or older, HS diploma or equivalent* OR student’s HS class has graduated*
	General admission-continuing	The age of 18 or older, HS diploma or equivalent* OR student’s HS class has graduated*
	Special admission-Running Start	Junior/senior standing in HS AND acceptable placement scores and signatures from parent/guardian, HS, and WVC officials**
	Special admission-CIHS	Sophomore, junior or senior standing in HS AND acceptable placement scores and signatures from parent/guardian, HS and WVC officials**
	Special admission-continuing	Junior/senior standing, written approval of parent/guardian, HS and WVC official**

*The diploma must be from an accredited high school. The test of General Educational Development (GED) is the most common equivalent experience to the high school diploma.

**High school official is normally the high school counselor; the WVC official is normally the concurrent enrollment coordinator or a counselor. In some instances, approval of a WVC instructor is also required.

H. LIMITED ENROLLMENT: ALLIED HEALTH AND NURSING

Admission to limited enrollment programs is a separate procedure that can be initiated after admission to the college. The college offers four limited enrollment allied health and nursing programs: medical assistant, medical laboratory technology, nursing, and radiologic technology.  Each program has its own requirements for admissions, but the following items must be submitted for all programs:

1.  A Washington state community and technical college application form.
2. The supplemental application for admissions to the specific programs.
3. Additional documentation, as required by the program.
4. All official college transcripts excluding transcripts from Wenatchee Valley College.
   
   Only completed applications will be considered for admission. More specific information on admission to these programs can be obtained from the allied health and nursing navigator and/or the Wenatchee Valley College website. An acceptance fee is required.

Supersedes: 7.A.05/07/23/39/47
Approved by the president’s cabinet: 8/23/05, 12/15/15, 2/2/16, 2/21/17, 8/19/25
Last reviewed: 8/19/25
Procedure contact: Student Affairs

Related policies and procedures
400.200 Admission Policy