Mar 28, 2024  
Catalog/Handbook 2015-2016 
    
Catalog/Handbook 2015-2016 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admission - General Procedures


General admission procedures for Bachelor, Associate’s in Arts, and Associate’s in Science degree programsAdvanced Technical and College Credit certificate programs; Applied Technology diploma programs; and non-degree seeking students include the following steps.

Applications for admission are processed year round. However, to complete all admission requirements and be well prepared for course registration, prospective students should apply at least six weeks before open registration for the term in which they expect to attend classes.

Students may apply for admission online at polk.edu. Students should read the information online under the Admission and Aid links and download the Admission Guide to Polk State referred to as the GPS or pick one up at any campus or center. The GPS gives step-by-step instructions for the admission process. Students may also apply in person at any campus or center.

There is no application fee to apply for admission to Polk State College. Applicants are notified of their application status by their primary e-mail account and their newly assigned Polk State College institutional e-mail account at my.polk.edu. All forms, transcripts, and residency documentation may be submitted in the following ways:

  • In-person at the Winter Haven or Lakeland campus or at the JD Alexander Center;
  • Faxed to 863-297-1023
  • Mailed to Polk State College, 999 Avenue H, N.E., Winter Haven, FL 33881-4299;
  • Scanned and emailed to registrar@polk.edu
  • Imaged via smart phone and emailed to registrar@polk.edu
     

Admission requirements are:

  • The Home School Affidavit  can be submitted in the aforementioned methods of document submission.
     
  • It is the student’s responsibility to request that official transcripts be sent directly to the Admission and Registrar’s Office from a high school or state GED office and from all colleges attended. Students may be admitted without official transcripts, but may not be placed into college-level courses until official transcripts have been received and evaluated. Students may also not exercise exemption from developmental education until official high school transcripts are received and evaluated. Students must provide all transcripts before the registration of the second term of enrollment. Without submission of all transcripts at that time, students may not continue enrollment.
     
  • Students new to Polk State College, including dual-enrolled students, must complete an Orientation once the application is submitted online. A detailed admission letter with admission procedures is sent to the student immediately upon submission of an application. The applicant’s admission letter is sent to the personal e-mail address entered on the application. The letter is used as a testing ticket for those required to take college placement tests. Testing is available at the following campuses: Winter Haven, Lakeland, or JD Alexander/Lake Wales. Based on test results, students are placed into appropriate level courses in English, reading, and mathematics. Testing, if required, must be done prior to Orientation. Polk State encourages all students who have not taken college-level English and mathematics to take the placement test as it is an inventory of what concepts the student has mastered and will guide the student in making an informed decision about reading, writing, and mathematics. Transfer students may be exempt from the testing requirement if they have successfully completed college-level English and mathematics. The GPS is available in the Admission and Registrar’s Office at all campuses and centers with further details about admission. All students should refer to the Admission Guide to Polk State.
     
  • Students whose first language is not English must provide documentation of English proficiency. The International and Visa Student section of the catalog provides more details regarding this requirement.
     
  • All students complete academic advising prior to registration. No appointment is required to see an advisor. The Advising Services section of the catalog and the GPS list the hours of operation.
     
  • Students take the Polk State College Orientation for an introduction to College resources, for an interpretation of college placement test scores, for assistance in developing a personalized educational plan, and to learn how to search and register for classes online. There is no cost for the Orientation session. 
     
  • Students should consult the College’s Academic Calendar for important registration dates.

For additional information, students should visit the Polk State College website at polk.edu.