Your Checklist for Enrolling at Trident Technical College

Throughout this Catalog, you will find information, guidelines and policies about enrolling at TTC. Please review all information carefully. Use this simple checklist to ensure that you have completed the enrollment process:

1.  If you are new to TTC, complete the admissions application online at www.tridenttech.edu or submit the paper application prior to the term or semester in which you plan to enroll. The Admissions office will send you a letter with account information for my.tridenttech.edu email and TTC Express. Be sure to log in, as updates and important announcements will only be available through these accounts.

•Begin your Orientation experience after you submit your admissions application.You may complete an online orientation session or visit the Hub at Thornley Campus or the Student Success Center at Palmer Campus, Berkeley Campus or Mount Pleasant Campus for a session.

•Orientation is vital to your academic success. At orientation, you will learn about TTC and its services. To assist you, we offer Navigate, an online advisement tool for academic planning and registration. Navigate provides guidance to ensure that your program of study is a good fit for your goals, connects you to many of Trident Tech’s resources and makes sure you are not missing any steps.

•View the orientation page for more details:

https://www.tridenttech.edu/start/apply/ad_orientation.htm

2.Complete the admission requirements based on your category of admission (see below). Official proof of high school graduation is required for associate degree programs and most certificate or diploma programs. Check individual diploma and certificate program admission requirements listed under the Program Listing in this catalog. If you are applying for financial aid, you must provide official high school transcripts to the Admissions office. Your official high school, GED diploma, or high school transcript, verifying graduation from high school or proof of an associate degree or higher from an accredited college are acceptable forms of proof of high school graduation for admission. A high school certificate of completion is not acceptable proof. An applicant under 18 years of age must be a high school graduate or have a GED, or meet the college’s early admit or dual credit requirements. You also must submit qualifying scores on the SAT (530 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing; 600 Math), ACT (19 English; 22 math), transferrable course work in English and math OR you may take the TTC placement test. Proof of a bachelor’s degree or higher is acceptable proof of English proficiency. You may provide unofficial college transcripts to Admissions to exempt portions or all of the placement test, but official copies are required for transfer credit to be awarded.

You also must provide proof of lawful presence in the United States. (See the
Verification of Citizenship section of this Catalog for more information).

3. Apply for financial aid, starting with the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA). TTC also has a number of campus-based scholarships.

4. Once admitted, contact the Hub at Thornley Campus or the Student Success
Center at Palmer Campus, Berkeley Campus or Mount Pleasant Campus to
receive information regarding your assigned navigator or academic advisor or
go to your profile in Navigate to obtain the information: https://tridenttech.navigate.eab.com/ (supported in Chrome browser).

5. Purchase books for the courses for which you are enrolled.

6. Pay tuition and fees or enroll in a payment plan by the fee payment deadline at Thornley Campus, Palmer Campus, Berkeley Campus, Mount Pleasant Campus or online via your TTC Express account.

7. Obtain a Student ID card.

8. Read all emails from TTC and check your TTC Express account regularly.

Verification of Citizenship

The South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act (S.C. Code Ann. 59-101-430) prohibits those unlawfully in the United States from attending a public institution of higher education in South Carolina and from receiving a public higher education benefit. The act requires all public institutions of higher education to verify that all students are lawfully present in the United States.

Application Status

If you apply and are unable to enroll during the term/semester you indicated on your application and then decide to enroll in a future semester, you will need to complete an Application Update form within three semesters of applying and submit it to TTC’s Admissions office to re-activate your application to the college.

Program Admission Requirements

All students pursuing admission into a specific program should refer to the specific program area for admission requirements, in addition to meeting all college requirements.

Categories of Admission

New Applicant: You are a new applicant if you have NEVER applied to TTC.

Previous Applicant: You are a previous applicant if you applied within the last three years but did not enroll in courses. Previous applicants complete an Application Update form.

Returning Students: You are a returning student if you have previously enrolled in courses at TTC. Returning students complete a Student Information Update form, not an application for admission.

Admit Types

First-Time Freshman: You are a first-time freshman if you have not attended any other approved, regionally accredited post-secondary institution.

First-Time Transfer: You are a first-time transfer student if you have previously taken courses from any other approved, regionally accredited postsecondary institution, and this is your first enrollment at TTC.

Returning: If you have taken classes at TTC since 1985 but have not been enrolled in the past three semesters, you are a readmit student and will need to submit a Student Information Update form to have your TTC student status updated. If you have not taken classes since 1985, you will need to submit a new application for admission. Contact the Admission’s office at 843.574.6558 for more information.

Nondegree: You are a nondegree student if you plan to take courses at TTC without seeking a degree, certificate or diploma from TTC.

High School Students Taking Courses: You are a high school student taking courses if you are still enrolled in high school but wish to start taking courses at TTC prior to graduation. Students of this type will fall into two categories: dual credit or early admit.

You are a dual credit student if you want to earn both postsecondary and high school credits at TTC. You must complete the Dual Credit application, which requires a signature from your high school principal or guidance counselor approving each course you wish to take.

You are an early admit student if you are a junior or senior in high school and do not need high school credit for courses taken at TTC. You must complete the Early Admit application, which requires a signature from your high school principal or guidance counselor approving your attendance at TTC.

Students with Special Admission Requirements

Health Sciences and Nursing: If your intended major or program of study is in Health Sciences or Nursing, you will be required to complete a second application for your program after you have been admitted to TTC. Health Sciences and Nursing applicants must submit a separate Health Sciences or Nursing application online and must successfully complete all additional program requirements to be accepted into a Health Sciences or Nursing program. Health Sciences applicants are required to submit a statement of completion card to the Admissions office after they meet all specified program requirements. Enrollment in each of these programs is limited, and applicants are admitted on a first-qualified, first-admitted basis.

Transient Students: You are a transient student if you are currently enrolled at another college and wish to take courses at TTC to transfer back to your home institution. You must submit a TTC application, pay the application fee and provide proof from your home institution of approval to take the courses at TTC. You are responsible for tuition and fees. Availability of courses is not guaranteed.

International: You are an international student if you are requesting a student visa or transferring from another college under a student visa. A TOEFL score of 500 on the paper-based version, 173 on the computer-based version or 61 on the Internet- based version is required. If you are transferring from another college in the United States, you must submit the Transfer Student Status Verification form from your international student advisor as well as the official transcript from the institution you last attended. International students need to apply at least one semester before beginning classes each term and must provide a current I-20 and a copy of their I-94 card. International students are required to submit a deposit in the amount of tuition and fees for two semesters. These funds remain on deposit with the college and cannot be used for tuition and fees until the second semester is completed. Additionally, international students must provide a signed Affidavit of Support indicating availability of adequate funds for tuition, fees, other educational needs and living expenses for two terms. Deposit and support funds must be in U.S. dollars. TTC’s international students come from more than 20 countries and participate in an active international student organization on campus. All questions about international student admission procedures and instructional fees should be addressed to the international student coordinator at the Main Campus Admissions office. Additional information about the admission requirements for international students is available on TTC’s website, and also at www.uscis.gov. Trident Technical College is required by federal regulations to track and report changes in international students’ enrollment or attendance during the semester. Faculty are required to notify the Admissions office when an international student stops attending a traditional class or stops active involvement in a distance learning class for more than two weeks in terms that are 10 weeks long or longer or for one week for terms that are seven weeks or fewer in length. The college’s international student admissions coordinator will notify the Department of Homeland Security when an international student has ceased attendance or changed enrollment status during the semester.

Other Special Circumstances

Audit: If you want to enroll in curriculum classes without earning credit, you must complete the application process, either as non-degree seeking or declaring a major in a TTC program of study.

Senior Citizen: If you are 60 or older and are a legal resident of South Carolina, you may take selected academic courses at TTC on a space-available basis. Senior citizens using the free tuition benefit may begin registering for classes on the last business day prior to the first day of classes each term up until the first class meeting. You must complete the application process, as either non-degree seeking or majoring in any TTC program of study. In addition, you must complete a certification form in the Business office prior to registration.

DISCLAIMER:

Entry into TTC does not guarantee admission into specific courses or programs. Placement in a specific course is based on standards that will help ensure your academic success.

TTC reserves the right to modify admission policies and procedures as needed to ensure enrollment does not exceed the facilities and resources available.

Residency

TTC determines residency at the time of admission based on S.C. law and Commission on Higher Education regulations at www.che.sc.gov. Documents are required for proof of residency. To resolve your residency status, contact the Admissions office before registering. You must submit a Change in Residency Status form to the Admissions office by the last business day before your first term begins. A dependent student seeking classification as a South Carolina resident will not be automatically disqualified from receiving instate tri-county tuition because of the citizenship or immigration status of their parent(s) or guardian(s). Staff should advise students that the immigration or citizenship status of a student's parents(s) or guardian(s) will not automatically disqualify them from receiving these benefits. For U.S. citizen students with undocumented parents or guardians, state-issued identification documents and other typical indicia of residency may not be available to the parents.In such cases, staff should work with the student to obtain alternate proof of the parents' residence and domicile in South Carolina, including but not limited to the other documents listed in S.C. Code Reg. 62-605(C), as well as utility bills, lease documents, medical and school records, and other records that may indicate domicile. No particular document or combination of documents shall be conclusive in every case; rather, in all case, regardless of the citizenship or immigration status of the parents or guardians, staff shall endeavor to determine whether South Carolina is the true, fixed, principal residence and place of habitation as set forth in S.C. Code Ann. §59-112-lO(D), based on the information and documentation submitted by the student. In all cases, the student has the burden of proving fulfillment of the requirements for instate tuition and attendant benefits.

Placement Testing

Placement testing may be required if students are applying to any of TTC’s associate degree, diploma or certificate programs. The placement test consists of writing, reading and math components. The reading and writing scores are valid for 5 years, and math scores are valid for 2 years from the date of testing. The purpose of the test is to ensure that you are placed into appropriate level coursework. Placement in specific courses is based on standards that will help ensure your academic success. If your reading score is below the minimum requirement you will be referred to an adult education or literacy program. 

Walk-in ACCU-Placer testing is available on Thornley Campus according to the following schedule:

• Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. *
• 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on student holidays
• The placement test is not given on days when the school is closed to the public.
• Saturday testing is available on a limited basis. Please call or visit our website for more information on dates and times of operation.

*Trident Technical College operates on a compressed 40-work week during the summer.  During this time, Friday placement testing starts at 9 a.m. only.

Student holiday hours vary by campus. To schedule a testing time at another campus, please call Palmer Campus at 843-722-5516, Berkeley Campus at 843-899-8079, Mount Pleasant Campus at 843-958-5810, St. Paul’s Parish at 843-323-3800 or Dorchester Quick Jobs Training Center at 843-574-2591. 

A student may be exempt from all or part of the placement test if the student provides any of the following:

• A final, official transcript with a weighted 3.0 GPA from a South Carolina high school within the last 5 years.
• A qualifying SAT or ACT score **
• College transcripts with equivalent English and/or math credits.
• Evidence of a college degree.

**SAT and ACT scores are considered valid for 5 years from the date of testing.

Retesting

If students feel that their  scores have placed them inaccurately, they have the option of retesting. A fee of $25 will be assessed for each attempt. The fee must be paid at TTC’s Business Office and the receipt presented at the time of testing. Each section of the test (Writing, Reading and Math) may be taken a maximum of 3 times in a 12 month period. An appeal can be made under special circumstances for a fourth attempt. This attempt must be taken on a TTC campus, preferably at Thornley. Contact Testing Services, The Hub, or Counseling for additional information.