Registration & Scheduling

Registration Process

All students are required to follow the proper college’s registration procedures. Regular registration for a semester or summer session ends with add/drop period.

During the online orientation, students are introduced to the policies, procedures, and academic offerings of the college. They also receive information about financial aid and support services provided by the college. Relevant information in each student’s file (including ACT scores, placement test scores, and any college transcripts) is used by the advisor to guide the student’s decisions and matriculation. The registration process begins during priority and open registation.  Students will be able to add courses up until the end of the Add/Drop period.

Placement

Standardized test scores (e.g., ACT, SAT, Accuplacer) will be valid for placement into courses for five years from the student’s registered semester. (Effective January 2018)

For admission to the practical nursing program, students must have earned the minimum standardized test scores required by the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nursing Examiners (LSBPNE).   Tests must have been taken within three years of the first day of the student’s first semester of the practical nursing program to be valid.  For example, if Practical Nursing classes start on January 8, 2019, then test scores must have been taken after January 8, 2016.   

Student Schedule Changes

The college designates a period during which a student may make schedule changes consistent with the academic plan developed with an advisor. In all semesters, this period ends at the end of the add/drop period. Specific dates are listed in the current Academic Calendar available on the SLCC website.

Courses

Students (first-time freshman, transfer, returning, and continuing) will have access to make schedule changes through their LoLA (Log on Louisiana) accounts.  Courses may be added and dropped until the end of the add/drop period for the current semester. Courses may not be added after the add/drop period.

Changing Sections

Section changes (changing to a different section of the same course) may be completed by first-time freshman, transfer and returning students through their LoLA (Log on Louisiana) accounts if openings exist in the desired sections. Such changes must be made by the deadline for the applicable add/drop period. Continuing students may change sections online using their LoLA accounts.  In unusual circumstances, a student may be permitted to change sections after this date upon approval of the appropriate Divisional Dean.

Dropping Courses

Continuing, first-time freshman, transfer and returning students may drop courses through their LoLA (Log on Louisiana) accounts. When completed during the refund period, the dropped courses will not appear on the students’ transcripts. After the refund period, all students may withdraw from courses with a grade of “W” during the withdrawal period after completing the withdrawal form and submitting it to the registrar’s office. However, please note that the last day for withdrawal from classes using this method is approximately 60 percent into the semester or summer session (consult Academic Calendar). Students who stop attending any course without officially withdrawing, will receive a failing grade (F) in the course. Withdrawing from a course after the schedule add/drop period may reduce the student’s financial obligation to the college and may affect eligibility for current and continued financial aid.

Students are responsible for officially dropping courses; it is not the responsibility of instructors to drop students for non-attendance.

Appealing the Drop Policy

In cases of documented extraordinary circumstances (such as prolonged medical issues, serious accidents, or death in the immediate family), the studen’t Academic Dean may approve withdrawal from a course after the established deadline. Extraordinary circumstances do not include dissatisfaction with an anticipated or actual grade or a decision to change majors.

Students must present documentation of such circumstances within 30 school days of the end of the semester or summer session. Approval of drop does not ensure refund of tuition.

Cancellation of Registration

Students are responsible to ascertain whether they are eligible, scholastically and otherwise, to be enrolled in a particular semester or summer session. Therefore, the college reserves the right to cancel the registrations of an ineligible student at any time during a semester or summer session. (See section on Registration Refund Policy for applicable refund policy.) Other than for scholastic ineligibility, a students’ registration may also be canceled (1) for non-payment or failure to make arrangements to pay any and all fees and/or fines incurred at the college or (2) for violation of the Code of Conduct as noted in the Catalog.

Resignation from College

Consult Academic Calendar for withdrawal deadlines:

• A student who wishes to withdraw from the college must initiate the process in LoLA.
• Students who stop attending all courses without officially withdrawing will earn failing grades in all courses.
• Withdrawing after the refund period will not reduce the student’s financial obligation to the college and may affect eligibility for current and continued financial aid.
• In cases of documented extraordinary circumstance (such as prolonged medical issues, serious accidents, or death in the immediate family), the Vice Chancellor of Student Services may approve withdrawal after the established deadline. Extraordinary circumstances do not include dissatisfaction with an anticipated or actual grade or a decision to change major.

Effects of Cancellation of Registration or Resignation from the College

• A student whose resignation or cancellation of registration is effective on or before the end of the add/drop period will not be listed on any official class rosters and will not earn any grades. However, the resignation/cancellation action will be recorded on the permanent record.
• To attend the college in a subsequent semester or summer session, the student must reapply for admission,
• If the resignation or cancellation of registration is effective after the add/drop period and before the last time in the semester available to withdraw (approximately 60% of the semester), grades of “W” will be recorded in all courses for which the student is registered. In this case, the student may attend the next semester or summer session without reapplying for admission (unless the student attends another collegiate institution and thereby becomes a transfer student).
• Resignation from the college or cancellation of registration does not affect a student’s academic status.

Student Classification

A one credit hour usually represents one hour of class work or two/three laboratory sessions per week for a semester together with the necessary outside preparation. A student’s classification is determined upon registration and again at the end of each semester according to the number of credit hours earned. A student who has earned fewer than 30 credit hours is classified as a freshman. A student is classified as a sophomore after earning at least 30 credit hours.

A student is also classified as full-time or part-time for reporting purposes.  A full-time student is one who is registered for at least 12 credit hours during a regular semester and at least 12 credit hours during a summer session. However, students in their graduating semester may be considered full-time with fewer hours than those listed above.

Credit Load

The maximum credit load that a student may schedule is 18 credit hours during a regular semester and 12 credit hours during the entire summer session. Students who wish to schedule credit loads in excess of the above (up to a maximum of 22 semester hours for a regular semester and 15 semester hours during the summer) must obtain written permission from the appropriate Division Dean.

Experience has demonstrated that the optimum number of class hours is related to the student’s grade point average, employment, and personal responsibilities. For this reason, the following guidelines are strongly advised:

* Without authorization of the appropriate Divisional Dean

Credit load includes all courses audited and all courses scheduled. Courses will be counted in all variations of a semester, including those offered over the main 15-week full term, the late start 12-week part-of-term, the two 8-week part-of-terms and the four 4-week part-of-terms. Further scheduling courses in various sessions may create unresolvable clashes of class times. Consult with your advisor prior to attempting such scheduling.

Registration Holds

A student will not be allowed to participate in Registration until all prior obligations and/or indebtedness to the college has been cleared.

Change of Program/Campus/Catalog

Students who require a change of their program, campus, or catalog should follow the guidelines and steps below.

Guidelines:

• All changes submitted via email must be sent from your my.solacc.edu email. 
• Submissions made in person must be accompanied by photo identification.
• There is no guarantee that earned credit from one program will apply to another program.
• Changes may be limited by program admissions requirements and seat availability.  SLCC cannot guarantee change requests will be approved
• Students should verify their requested update in LoLA.

Effective Date:

Changes of program, campus, and catalog will be effective according to the following timeline:

• Submissions between priority registration and the add/drop period of the start of the student’s semester will be effective within 1-3 business days. 
• Submissions after the add/drop period will be effective at the beginning of the following semester. 
• Students should verify their requested update in LoLA.

Change of Program

Students may change their degree or certificate program.  Students must meet the degree requirements listed in the catalog in effect at the time they change programs.

Students should:

• Complete the change of program form.
• Consult and receive approval of their advisor. 
• Submit the form to registrar@solacc.edu or in person at any of our nine campuses.  

Change of Campus

Students may request a change of campus.  Students must complete the change of campus section on the change of program form and submit their request to registrar@solacc.edu or in-person at any of our nine campuses. 

Change of Catalog

Students’ catalogs are determined at the time of admission.  Students must use their catalog of record.  Students are responsible for ensuring their correct catalog of record is reflected in LoLA.  Students requesting to change their catalog of record should follow the steps below:

Continuing Students:

Continuing students are students with continious enrollment for major semesters (fall or spring) from admission to degree completion.  Continuing students may request permission to use a newer catalog than their original by completing the change of catalog section of the change of program form. Students must have advisor approval to change to a newer catalog.  Once submitted to the registrar’s office, students may not revert to their original catalog.  

Returning Students:

Returning students are students who enroll after missing a major semester (fall or spring). Returning students must reapply to the college and are assigned the catalog in effect at the time of readmission.  

Note: Students in a twelve-month program with interrupted enrollment may not be able to complete their program under their original degree requirements. 

Using an Older Catalog:

Students with interrupted enrollment may request permission to use their original catalog only if the student completed two-thirds (2/3) of the credits required for the degree under the original catalog at the time of the break in enrollment. 

Students requesting to use their original catalog must:

• Submit the program/degree plan form to their Program Dean for approval.
• If approved, the student must submit the form to registrar@solacc.eduor in person at any of our nine campuses.

Registration as an Audit Student

• A student registered for a course may change registration from credit to audit or audit to credit with the permission of the Divisional Dean of the student’s major and of the instructor of the course using the student agreement to audit a course form. Forms for requesting such a change can be obtained on the Registrar’s Office page on the SLCC website. The deadline for any change each semester/summer session is the same as the deadline for the add / drop period.
• A student who is auditing is expected to attend all classes and participate fully in all course activities. Auditing students are not permitted to take the final exam. A student auditing a class who exceeds the instructor’s absence policy or who does not participate in all course activities will earn a grade of “W” instead of “AU.”
• A student auditing a course is not permitted to take an advanced placement examination or credit examination on audited work.
• An audited course may be repeated for credit.

Address or Name Change

At the time of registration, a student’s current mailing address must be given. If a name change is needed, the student must complete a change of demographic form available on Registrar’s Office page of the school’s website, indicating the change(s). Documentation is required in the case of a name change. Students may complete address changes using their LoLA account. The student is responsible at all times for all communications sent to the address currently on file at the college.