LEARNING SUPPORT PROGRAM
In accordance with policies of the University System of Georgia, Gordon College offers a Learning Support program. A student’s Learning Support requirements are determined on the basis of SAT/ACT scores, college preparatory curriculum deficiencies, and/or college placement exam scores.
The college placement exam, COMPASS, is a computerized placement exam that tests reading, writing, and math skills.
Placement Exams
The verbal section of the COMPASS tests reading and writing skills and is required for students with college preparatory curriculum deficiency in English and for students who do not have a SAT verbal score of 430 or higher or an English ACT score of 17 or higher.
Effective Spring semester 2007: Students scoring below 78 on the reading portion of the COMPASS must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support Reading by passing the course and scoring 78 or above on the reading portion of the COMPASS.
Students scoring below 65 on the English portion of the COMPASS must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support English by passing the course and scoring 65 or above on the English portion of the COMPASS.
The mathematics section of COMPASS tests algebra skills and is required for students with a college preparatory curriculum deficiency in mathematics and for students who do not have a SAT math score of 400 or higher or a Math ACT score of 17 or higher.
Students scoring below 42 on the math portion of the COMPASS must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support Math by passing the course(s) and scoring 42 or above on the math portion of the COMPASS.
Students scoring below 92 on the reading portion of the COMPASS/ESL must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support ESL reading by passing the course and scoring 92 or above on the reading portion of the COMPASS/ESL. Students scoring below 92 on the English portion of the COMPASS/ESL must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support ESL English by passing the course and scoring 92 or above on the English portion of the COMPASS/ESL.
Students who transfer with an ASSET reading score below 43, ASSET English score below 44 and ASSET math score below 45 must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support by passing the course(s) and scoring 78 or above on the reading section of the COMPASS, 65 or above on the English section of the COMPASS and 42 or above on the math section of the COMPASS.
Credit
Credit earned in Learning Support courses is strictly institutional. While it is counted toward the number of credit hours for which a student is enrolled in any semester, it does not count in a student's grade point average and does not count toward graduation. Students taking Learning Support English may not enroll in college-level English courses (numbered 1000 or above) until they have exited Learning Support English. Students enrolled in Learning Support Mathematics may not enroll in college-level mathematics courses (numbered 1000 or above) until they have exited Learning Support Mathematics, and students enrolled in Learning Support Reading may not enroll in college-level courses in English, social sciences, and physical and natural sciences (numbered 1000 or above) until they have exited Learning Support Reading. Courses that may be taken concurrently with Learning Support courses are listed on pages 230-236 in this catalog.
Policies
The Learning Support program is governed by the policies listed below.
- A student who is required to take Learning Support courses in an area (English, reading or mathematics) may not register as an auditor in any such course in that area.
- During each semester of enrollment, a student must first register for all required Learning Support courses before registering for other courses.
This policy also applies to part-time students. A student who is required to take Learning Support courses may not register as a non-degree student in an effort to defer taking required Learning Support courses.
- Because all Learning Support courses are offered Fall and Spring semesters on the Barnesville campus in the daytime and evening, students who may prefer to take off-campus courses only are not exempt from taking required Learning Support courses, even if these courses are not available at an off-campus location.
- Students who accumulate 20 semester hours or more of college credit and have not successfully completed required Learning Support courses may enroll only in Learning Support courses until all requirements have been successfully completed. Students with transfer credit or credit earned in a certificate or prior degree program who are required to take Learning Support courses for their current degree objectives may earn up to 20 additional hours of college level credit.
- Students with Learning Support requirements who are concurrently enrolled in Learning Support courses which meet their requirements and in college-level credit courses may not withdraw from required Learning Support courses unless they also withdraw from the college-level credit courses. Learning Support students may not register for more than 18 semester hours in any given semester. Overloads will not be approved.
- A more detailed description of all Learning Support policies is available from the office of the Division of Humanities, the office of the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, or any Learning Support faculty member/adviser.