Admission Procedures
Kalamazoo Valley Community College prohibits any discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or any other protected characteristic.
Believing that each person has the right to an opportunity to reach one's highest individual potential, Kalamazoo Valley Community College serves students of varying abilities and backgrounds. The major requirement is that the individuals be prepared to study and apply themselves so as to gain full advantage of the opportunities offered.
Admission to Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a privilege that carries with it certain responsibilities. The Institution reserves the right to cancel enrollment and to require withdrawal whenever it becomes evident that the student is not conforming to the Institution's standards of scholarship and conduct.
Admission to the Institution does not guarantee registration/enrollment in all courses or eligibility to be admitted to all programs of study. Many courses have prerequisite requirements and some curricula have specific admittance requirements.
Except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this policy, the following are the requirements for admission to Kalamazoo Valley Community College:
- Graduation from an accredited high school and submission of standardized test scores. Certain departments may require submission of a high school transcript to complete the application process for specific programs (i.e. Dental Hygiene or Respiratory Care).
- Persons who do not have a high school diploma may also apply by submitting evidence of their readiness to pursue the desired studies.
- Foreign students may be admitted after providing:
- Evidence of adequate proficiency in English, and
- Verification that the applicant will have sufficient funds to meet total living and education expenses while attending Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
For the purposes of this policy, the term "student" shall mean those persons who are:
- Enrolled in one or more classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College through the prescribed registration process, including the payment of appropriate tuition and fees.
- Required to take a licensing examination as a precondition to engaging in the profession or vocation for which they have received training at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Graduates, who are no longer taking courses or actively engaged in a program of study sponsored by or offered under the auspices of the Institution, shall maintain student status provided any such licensing examination is taken at the first available date following graduation from KVCC in the course of study or program to which the licensing examination is related.
Persons will maintain the status of a student until such time as they withdraw from all classes or are otherwise not engaged in any program of study sponsored by or offered under the auspices of the Institution or no longer meet the Institution's standards of scholarship and conduct.
Individuals who are in default on a financial obligation to Kalamazoo Valley Community College, as of the first day of the semester in which they seek to enroll, may be denied admission until such financial obligation has been fully satisfied or until alternative payment arrangements satisfactory to Kalamazoo Valley Community College have been arranged.
Registration Information
Registering and Dropping Courses
Registering for a Class
Admitted students enroll in courses by registering on the web or in person. If a student has not been admitted, they should complete an application to the college. Returning students who have not enrolled during the last two years are asked to submit a new application.
All students enrolling at KVCC must have placement test scores on file, or have successfully completed college level English and math classes, in order to meet the minimum college level placement requirements enforced for most classes. Counselors are available to help students select their courses.
Degree seeking students attending college for the first time must participate in an orientation session. Please reference the New Student Orientation web page to find out the steps students need to take or call 269.488.4048 for more information.
General information on registration dates, times, policies, procedures, costs, and course offerings can be found on the registration web page. Students should register according to the published online instructions.
Students are responsible for checking the online schedules to determine specific and current dates for each enrollment period. Information published on the web is subject to change without notice, and these provisions are not an irrevocable contract between the student and the college.
Dropping a Class
Students may drop classes using the self-service feature inside MyValley. They may also drop in person in the Admissions, Registration and Records Office (room 9140) or at the Student Service Center in Anna Whitten Hall on the Arcadia Commons campus. The Refund and Withdrawal chart provides deadlines for registration, refunds and withdrawals.
If a student drops during the refund period, they will be issued a 100% refund and the course will not appear on their transcript. Students removing themselves from a class after the refund period are withdrawing and a "W" is recorded on the student's transcript. A withdrawal does not affect their KVCC grade point average. It is highly recommended that students consult with the instructor and a counselor before withdrawing from a class.
Discontinuing class attendance and/or notifying the instructor is not an official drop. A student must complete the paperwork or use the self-service feature. If a student fails to officially drop a course, registration is continued until the end of class and the grade earned is recorded on the student's transcript.
Dropping or withdrawing from classes may result in a loss or reduction in federal aid eligibility, which could result in an over payment owed to the college and/or the federal government. Students are required to repay over payment amounts in a timely manner.
International students should consult with the International Admissions office before dropping or withdrawing from a class. Dropping or withdrawing might jeopardize a student’s legal status with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The telephone number for the Kalamazoo Valley USCIS Designated School Official is 269.488.4603. The e-mail address is international@kvcc.edu. Please refer to our Dropping or Withdrawing from Classes page for more guidance about additional considerations before making your decision to drop or withdraw from your class.
Class Audit
Auditing a class allows students the opportunity to learn without receiving a grade or credit for successful completion. This option is desirable for exploring topics, refreshing or improving skills, or simply learning for pleasure. Students must meet course prerequisites and pay the full tuition cost. Auditing students may fully participate in the class or selectively choose not to complete assignments or tests. Attendance is expected and students should withdraw if they will not be completing the course. Once a student is classified as auditing, they cannot change back to credit status.
When a course is audited, a "V," representing "audit," will be recorded on the student's transcript in place of a grade. Audited courses do not affect the grade point average, will not fulfill program or degree requirements, will not satisfy course prerequisites and are not transferable. An audited course will not count in credit hour requirements for financial aid, veteran's certification or athletic eligibility.
To audit a class that has been registered and paid, a student must fill out and submit an audit request before or during the first week of class. Audit request forms are available in the Admissions, Registration and Records Office, room 9140 on the Texas Township Campus or at the Student Service Center in Anna Whitten Hall on the Arcadia Commons Campus. The audit request form can also be printed from our website and returned to us before the deadline.
Student Privacy Rights
Notification of Student Rights Under FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution.)
These rights include:
(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) receives a request for access.
A student should submit to the Director of Admissions, Registration and Records a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The Director will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the Director of Admissions, Registration and Records, the Director will advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
Note: Transcripts are only released by signed written request of the student, in compliance with FERPA. Transcripts will not be furnished to any student whose financial obligation to the college has not been satisfied. As per FERPA regulations, KVCC will provide access to a student’s transcript within 45 days of a signed written request to inspect their college record. If a student lives within commuting distance of the college, they will be given visual access to their record in the Admissions, Registration and Records office, Room 9140 on the Texas Township Campus. If the student lives outside of commuting distance, they will be provided with one unofficial copy of their transcript which will be marked as unofficial and indicate that additional copies will become available once their financial obligation is satisfied.
(2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
A student who wishes to ask KVCC to amend a record should write the Director of Admissions, Registration and Records, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
If the college decides not to amend the record as requested, the student will be notified in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
(3) The right to provide written consent before KVCC discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of KVCC who performs an institutional service or function for which KVCC would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the college with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent, or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Upon request, KVCC also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled, or as required by federal or state law or by judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. If information from your record is subpoenaed or required by judicial order, a reasonable attempt to notify you will be made as quickly as possible unless the order or subpoena prohibits such notice.
(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by KVCC to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5920
Phone: 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)
Website: studentprivacy.edu.gov/file-a-complaint
Students who have questions may contact the Admissions, Registration and Records Office by email at arr@kvcc.edu, by calling 269.488.4281, or visiting Room 9140 on the Texas Township Campus.
Release of Directory Information
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that requires Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), with certain exceptions, to obtain a student’s written consent prior to disclosing personally identifiable information from their education records. FERPA also states the college may release information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy without the student’s written consent, unless he or she has requested a confidential hold of this “Directory Information.”
KVCC designates the following as directory information: the student’s name, address, telephone numbers, and date of birth; major field of study and class level; dates of enrollment; full or part time status; degrees, awards, honors conferred and dates received; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; and previous educational institutions or agencies attended.
The primary purpose of directory information is to allow KVCC to include this type of information from your education records in certain school publications (e.g., academic honors or other recognition lists; graduation programs; and sports activity sheets). It also allows the disclosure of information to outside organizations without a student’s prior written consent in response to requests for individual records. Outside organizations generally include, but are not limited to, businesses with which the student has established a relationship such as insurance companies, banks and employers.
In addition to school publications, directory information may also be disclosed in the form of lists to outside organizations without a student’s prior written consent. However, KVCC will only do so, at its discretion, with regard to requests from other educational institutions seeking to provide information to KVCC students regarding educational opportunities. KVCC will not release directory information to outside organizations seeking to use such information for non-educational, commercial purposes.
If a student wishes that the college not release his or her directory information, he/she must inform the college in writing by completing a Confidential Hold form in the Admissions, Registration and Records Office. Upon a student’s admission to KVCC, directory information becomes available for release, but a student may request at any time after being admitted to the College that his or her directory information be kept confidential.
Note: After the first week of classes in a semester, the college may release directory information regarding enrolled students to third parties. Additionally, the college may release directory information regarding graduates to third parties two months after the end of the semester. Students must provide timely requests to keep their directory information confidential in light of these time frames.
KVCC will not consider releasing confidential information, either verbally or in writing, about applicants or students, unless it is expressly allowed within the act (e.g., directory information), or the student has signed an authorization for release of information.
Documents provided to KVCC from an outside organization or individual are considered the property of KVCC, are intended for the college’s use only, and will not be released to the student or anyone else unless compelled to do so by law or court order.
Students who have questions may contact the Admissions, Registration and Records Office by email at arr@kvcc.edu, by calling 269.488.4281, or visiting Room 9140 on the Texas Township Campus.