2016-2017 LSCPA Catalog | Page 16

Lamar State College Port Arthur 2016-2017 Catalog Revised 9-13-16 Home School Graduates The State of Texas considers successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education to be equivalent to graduation from a public high school. Therefore, home school graduates that have completed a 'nontraditional secondary education' may register for classes at Lamar State College Port Arthur. Graduates must complete an application and submit an official transcript. Graduates that apply and register after August 22, 2013 must complete the TSI Assessment Test. Readmitting Former Students Former LSCPA students or its predecessors who are not currently enrolled or who were not enrolled during the previous long semester, must submit a new application for admission. Students with unsettled financial debts to any previous institutions or incomplete records will not be allowed to register until the problems are resolved. International Students International students are entitled to all student services and programs for which they are eligible according to law and definition. The College reserves the right to establish policies for selected groups of students if the policies are in the students’ and the institution’s best interest. Applicants will be carefully screened for academic excellence, English proficiency, adequate health, and financial selfsufficiency. International students are encouraged and expected to participate in student activity and organizational programs so as to experience more fully the culture and lifestyles of southeast Texas. It is the student’s responsibility to integrate into the campus environment; however, the College provides an atmosphere conducive to acceptance of internationals and affords them every opportunity to succeed. The College recognizes this responsibility by setting entrance and exit standards for its non-native English speakers that take into account the minimum language skills necessary for success in academic work as well as the minimum standards that a diploma from the College represents. For international students to achieve their educational objectives, certain academic services are essential. The College provides facilities and staff to meet those needs. Moreover, the College recognizes that English language proficiency, and not citizenship or immigration status alone, is a key criterion in determining and meeting the needs of students for whom English is a second language. Individual Approval A person who is eighteen (18) years of age or older may be exempt from the admission requirements and admitted on "individual approval," provided the admitting officer is convinced that the applicant's record indicates ability to complete college level courses. Students admitted on this condition shall be subject to the same policies and regulations as all other students. Ability to Benefit Students entering Lamar State College Port Arthur without passing the General Educational Development Test (GED) or high school equivalent test, receiving a high school diploma, or a postsecondary degree must show the ability to benefit from the course of study they are pursuing. These students must show the ability to benefit from the course of study they are pursuing by passing an independently administered test approved by the Secretary of the Department of Education before enrollment. The College administers tests approved by the Department of Education to students who have been accepted for admission but have not yet enrolled in classes. The Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSI) is administered by the Student Success Center to determine placement in classes and the ability to benefit from programs offered by the College. Classification of Students Students are classified as freshmen or sophomores. For the purpose of determining eligibility to hold certain offices and for other reasons, officially enrolled students are classified as follows: Freshman: completed less than thirty (30) semester credit hours. Sophomore: completed a minimum of thirty (30) semester credit hours with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Early College High School The Early College High School is a partnership between Lamar State College Port Arthur and the Port Arthur Independent School District. Participants in this program are chosen by the school district. Students classified as high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors Page 15 of 135