Admission, Registration, and Enrollment

Lee College is an open admission two-year lower-division undergraduate institution. All persons who have at least one of the qualifications listed below are welcome to enroll. Lee College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, disability, race, color, age, religion, national origin, or veteran status in its admission policies or practices.

  1. Persons with diplomas from accredited high schools.
  2. Persons with General Education Development (GED) certificates.
  3. Transfer students with college-level hours earned at other accredited colleges or universities.
  4. International students who meet college and state requirements.

Those who do not meet the qualifications listed above (including persons currently enrolled in accredited high schools) may apply for admission on an Individual Approval (IA) basis (see Individual Approval Admission, below).

Admission to the College does not imply admission to programs such as the Nursing or Honors Programs, which employ special admission requirements (see Enrollment into Special Programs, below). Lee College reserves the right to restrict or limit the enrollment of any instructional program.

The specific provisions and conditions under which students may enroll at Lee College are set forth below:

First-Time-In-College (FTIC) Freshmen

Students may enroll as FTIC freshmen if they have graduated from an accredited high school or earned a General Education Development (GED) certificate. In either case, prospective students must produce high school transcripts or GED certificates no later than mid-term of their first semester (see Documents Needed for Admission to the College, below, and Texas Success Initiatives (TSI) Plan, below).

Transfer/Transient Students

Students who transfer to Lee College from other institutions must have official copies of their transcripts on file in the Office of Admissions and Records. Transcripts used to establish credits for prerequisites may be required prior to registration for classes.

Students who claim to be exempt from Texas Success Initiative (TSI) testing or claim to have met the TSI College Readiness standard in one or more areas, either because of scores earned on TSI approved tests or courses taken at other colleges or universities, must produce transcripts or other documentation no later than the Day of Record (see Texas Success Initiatives (TSI) Plan, below).

Transfer students occasionally enroll with the intent of applying the credits they earn at Lee College to degree plans at other schools. Transfer students with this intent may declare themselves Transient Students when they apply for admission. This will simplify the enrollment process, prevent their transcripts from being evaluated for Lee College programs, and may excuse them from some TSI requirements.

Students Enrolled in Accredited High Schools

Persons who are enrolled in accredited high schools and want to start college classes before high school graduation may apply for admission to the College under the Individual Approval (IA) admissions policies and, if admitted, may earn credits which can be applied toward Lee College degrees or transferred to other institutions (see Individual Approval Admission, below).

In addition, some school districts give high school credit to students who complete certain pre-approved college courses. The authority to grant high school credit for college courses resides in the school districts, not in the College. Therefore, students who wish to receive high school credit in addition to college credit for courses taken at the College must receive permission from their high school.

In general, students who are enrolled in high school and who wish to take college courses are subject to TSIA policies regarding testing and must satisfy the prerequisites for the courses. These students are limited to two college level courses per semester or term. The policies regarding persons who are enrolled in accredited high schools apply to students who take Lee College courses on their high school campuses for dual credit as well as those who take courses at Lee College sites for college credit only (course prerequisites are a part of the course descriptions included in Course Descriptions ).

Impact Early College High School Students should meet with their high school advisor to determine the number of college classes taken each semester and may earn up to 60 semester credit hours prior to their high school graduation. More information on the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District’s Impact Early College High School can be found at www.gccisd.net.

Students Enrolled in “Home Schooling”

Persons who have completed the equivalent of an approved high school curriculum through home schooling may apply for admission to the College under the Individual Approval (IA) admission policies (see Individual Approval Admission, below).

International Students

Applicants for admission to the College who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents seeking to study under a student visa must show that they have completed a course of study equivalent to that of an accredited U.S. high school. If the applicant completed high school outside the U.S., an approved evaluation of the high school transcript must be submitted (see item 5, below). In addition, they must meet the following requirements:

  1. All admission materials must be received at least 45 days before the first class day of a given semester.
  2. All applications must be accompanied by payment of a $50 non-refundable fee.
  3. Students must provide evidence of proficiency in the English language; students may satisfy this requirement by submitting results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Students need a minimum aggregate (TOEFL) score of 530 on the Paper-Based Test (PBT ), 197 on the Computer-Based Test (CBT ), or 71 on the Internet based version (IBT ). On the (IELTS), a score of 5.5 or higher is required.
  4. If the applicant has completed high school outside the U.S., an official evaluation from a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services-approved agency must be sent by the agency directly to Lee College. Original copies of transcripts submitted to the College by the student will not be returned to the student.
  5. Students wishing to transfer college-level work to Lee College from foreign institutions must have their transcripts evaluated by an evaluation service approved by the College. Credit for courses taken at foreign institutions will be awarded according to the policies outlined for transfer students.
  6. Students must provide proof of financial support. A bank statement showing funds on deposit to cover expenses for at least one year of studies (including tuition, fees, books, supplies, and living expenses as calculated by the College) as well as a letter pledging support from the sponsor (if the statement is not in the student’s name) are required. The international student advisor will provide the dollar amount needed at time of admission appointment.

Individual Approval Admission

Individual Approval (IA) admission status is available to college applicants who have not graduated from accredited high schools, do not have GED certificates, and do not have transferable credits from institutions of higher education. The IA admission policies also provide for students who are (or were) home schooled.

The College’s IA admission policies are described below:

    Persons less than 18 years of age who have not graduated from an accredited high school, have no transferable credits from institutions of higher education, attended a non-accredited public or private high school, or were schooled in non-traditional settings:

Prospective students who meet the criteria listed above and have not completed the equivalent of the junior year of high school may be admitted to the College.

Prospective students who meet the criteria listed above and have completed the equivalent of the junior year of high school (16 high school units) will be admitted to the College.

Students who enter the College under these provisions may be restricted to certain classes and/or sections and are advised to take no more than two college-level courses per semester.

Prospective students who meet the criteria listed above, attended private high schools or were home schooled, and can demonstrate that they have completed a course of study equivalent to that of an accredited high school may be admitted.

The decision to admit an applicant under these provisions may be based on written examinations approved by the College and/or the recommendation of the principal or superintendent of the last high school the applicant attended.

Enrollment for Personal Enrichment

Students who are not pursuing certificates or degrees and are not earning credits for transfer to other institutions may enroll at the college for “personal enrichment.” Students who do so may avoid some placement testing but are not eligible for state or federal aid (see Personal-Enrichment/Recreation & Fitness ).

Documents needed for Admission to the College

Application for Admission

To be admitted to Lee College, new students must complete an Application for Admission and provide the residency information cited below. Returning and former students who were not enrolled for one or more semesters/terms during the previous year must also update their Application for Admission and residency information. Applications for Admission may be submitted at www.applytexas.org or obtained in the Office of Admissions and Records.

Establishing Residency Status

Under state law, students who move to the state solely for educational pursuits are not entitled to receive Texas residency tuition rates. Students who claim “Texas residency” must be prepared to show residence in the state for the immediate 12 months prior to the census date of the first term of enrollment. Accepted forms of documentation include records of gainful employment with a Texas address, deed to property in the state, registration to vote, and/or Texas vehicle registration documents. Other documents supporting a residency petition, including commercial apartment leases and utility billing documents, and driver’s licenses, may also be considered. Dependents of Texas residents may also need to present their parent’s tax returns. See the Admissions and Records Office for more information on residency classification. See also “Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid ”.

Official Transcripts

High school graduates who have not attended other colleges must provide an official (sealed) high school transcript (showing date of graduation). Transfer students must provide official transcripts from all colleges previously attended as well as an official (sealed) high school transcript. GEDs earned in Texas will be verified by Lee College; students who earned GEDs in other states must request that official GED transcripts be mailed to Lee College. Registration may be blocked until official transcripts are received, particularly for transfer students. Students must request and pay any fees to obtain these documents. Transcripts submitted to the College will not be returned to the student.

Immunization Requirements

The College reserves the right to request immunization records from all students and to place these records in the students’ files, should the State of Texas mandate such a requirement. The College website contains updates on these requirements.

The college is currently enforcing a meningitis vaccine requirement (required by state law). Restricted programs of the college (such as nursing) may also have additional immunization requirements.

At the time this catalog was printed, the meningitis vaccination requirement affects most students under age 22, but there are some exceptions, and there are exemption options. Students are directed to the Admissions page of the Lee College website, www.lee.edu, for information. Students can also contact the Admissions office at 281.425.6393 with questions.

Registering For Credit

Steps to register:

Adding classes:

Students can add additional classes after initial registration during the registration period. After classes start, registration is limited to schedule changes (add/drops) for those already registered. See limits on class load, Student Life Opportunities, Services, and Policies .

Dropping classes:

Students are responsible for dropping classes. State- mandated refund policies, as well as drop deadline appear in schedules, and on the college website.

Special Registration

Special registrations are noted in class schedules. Special times and locations are available to industrial contract students. For additional information, contact the Office of Industrial Liaison 281.425.6460 or 281.425.6478

Online Registration

Returning students and new transfers who have established their testing status may register online during valid registration periods at www.lee.edu (via the student portal named “myLC Campus”). New students who have completed orientation may also register online. The class schedules contain additional information regarding the registration process and applicable dates.

Course Prerequisites

All courses have prerequisites, which may include a reading, writing, or math level or a specific course. Students are advised to take courses in recommended sequences. (See Course Descriptions listed in this catalog for course prerequisites in Course Descriptions .)

Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Plan

Each public institution of higher education in Texas is required to assess basic skills of admitted degree seeking students in three components: reading, writing, and mathematics. Developmental courses and support are available to those students who test below college level.

New TSI Assessment

Starting on the first day of the fall 2013 semester, all public colleges and universities in Texas changed to a new assessment to measure college readiness for Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) purposes. Affecting only students enrolling in sessions after this date the new TSIA replaces previously approved tests which include Accuplacer, THEA, Compass, and Asset.

Who needs to take the TSIA?

With the implementation of the TSIA, students who test as college ready will be allowed to enter entry level college coursework. All Texas public colleges and universities must abide by the passing scores as set by the state. Information on cut scores and college ready standards are found in the Counseling Center.

Exemptions are outlined below and includes exemptions based on TAKS scores, ACT or SAT scores, Veteran status, and the completion of a degree. Students who are exempt based on these standards will be deemed college ready and eligible for entry level coursework. For information on the TSIA, cut scores, and other information related to testing, contact the Counseling Center.

TSIA scores in the developmental range are good for one academic year. After a year students will be required to test again.

Exemptions

A student may be exempt from the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative based on state approved exemptions.

The following students are exempt from the provisions of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment: