Open Door Admissions
Southeast Tech maintains an “open door” admissions process. Southeast Tech accepts all students who may benefit from the various kinds of instruction available and are at least 16 years of age, have completed their GED, or are high school graduates. Prospective students who have not completed high school are encouraged to complete their high school education or work toward receiving a GED certification.
Admissions
All applicants for admission into a program of study at Southeast Tech must complete the following steps:
- Submit an online ”Application for Admission” to the Admissions Office.
- Request official high school and/or college transcripts or GED certificate be sent to Southeast Tech. For transfer purposes, an official transcript is required from each college or technical school previously attended. Students currently in high school may submit a partial transcript. Upon their high school graduation and prior to beginning classes at Southeast Tech, they must submit final transcripts.
- Southeast Tech will only accept high school transcripts from high schools accredited by agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education or by the states in which the schools reside unless students are home schooled (see Home School Entrance Requirements) or from a foreign country and have had their education recognized in the United States by ECE for the purpose of furthering their education at Southeast Tech (learn more about ECE at https://www.ece.org/ECE).
- Complete any required assessments (reading, writing, mathematics, etc) or program requirements. Academic preparation courses are available for those who need to improve their skills. Applicants will be notified of assessment requirements after they have applied for admission.
Upon receipt of all application materials and completion of all admission requirements, the Admissions Office will determine acceptance of students into their chosen programs. A $75 nonrefundable registration fee is required prior to enrollment at Southeast Tech.
Whenever the number of accepted students for an academic program reaches the maximum student slots allocated for that program, new applicants who complete the admission requirements for that program will be notified that the program is full and their names will be placed on a waiting list. Students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Financial Aid will not be considered until all admission requirements have been met and the student is accepted into a program of study.
Southeast Tech’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography program admission is a competitive admission process. Please contact the Admission Office for details.
The ACT test is required for students applying to the following programs: Cardiac Sonography, Vascular Sonography, Invasive Cardiovascular, and Electroneurodiagnostic (ENDT) Technology.
Southeast Tech reserves the right to deny admission to students who have been previously accepted into a program and have withdrawn or dropped out of that program.
Southeast Tech offers opportunities through the Hovland Learning Center for individuals to work toward receiving a GED certificate or to do remedial work in skill areas (language, reading, and mathematics) to help students develop the skills necessary for them to be successful in their chosen career area. This “basic skills building” can be done either before a person takes a Southeast Tech course or while they are taking a Southeast Tech course. There is no charge for using the Hovland Learning Center to work on developing basic skills.
Pre-academic classes are also offered in the above areas during specified times throughout the academic year for students needing additional review and assistance. These classes are intended for students who have mastered the basic skills but need refresher help to bring their scores up to expected levels of performance for completing required coursework. All students are required to complete a Southeast Tech determined assessment test for placement into English and Math courses. Students are strongly encouraged to complete this testing prior to attending an Academic Advising and Registration Day.
Online High Schools
Students who desire to complete their high school studies online must choose their school carefully. Many online high schools are not legitimate high schools. These schools promise that students can complete their entire high school career in as little as a few weeks for only a small fee. In addition, while these schools state that they are accredited high schools, their accreditation agencies consist of nothing more than a website and list no employees or contact information. These schools are obviously fraudulent and the diplomas that students receive are not legitimate and may in fact be illegal to use in many states.
Schools such as the South Dakota Virtual School are legitimate, recognized institutions. For students who want to complete their secondary education as quickly as possible, Southeast Tech recommends the GED option. If you wish to be accepted into a legitimate, post-secondary institution anywhere in the nation, you must complete actual testing at an authorized GED testing center. Southeast Tech offers free GED preparation through our Hovland Learning Center in the Mickelson Center which can be reached by calling 605.367.7997.
Home School Entrance Requirements
Home-schooled high school students applying for admission into Southeast Tech have three options to meet the high school diploma requirement:
- Provide a home-school high school record of completion and receive the program entrance scores on the GED exam. The student must also take Southeast Tech’s entrance assessment and meet the required scores for the program.
- Provide a home-school high school record of completion and receive the composite ACT minimum scores required by the program. The student must also take Southeast Tech’s entrance assessment and meet the required scores for the program.
- Provide a home-school high school record of completion that has been certified by an accredited outside educational organization. The student must also take Southeast Tech’s entrance assessment and meet the required scores for the program.
Extended Preparatory Coursework Option
Students who do not meet Southeast Tech program entrance requirements may be eligible for admission via the Extended Preparatory Coursework Option. The Extended Preparatory Coursework Option helps students build foundational skills prior to beginning core program coursework. Students taking the Extended Preparatory Coursework Option may be required to complete additional coursework and receive minimum required grades before becoming eligible to continue into the program.
See the Admissions Office for additional information.
Law Enforcement Science Admission Requirements
All applicants for admission into the Law Enforcement Science program at Southeast Tech must possess or complete the following requirements:
- Students will be suspended from the Law Enforcement program if, for any reason, their driver’s licenses are suspended, revoked, or taken from them during, from, or after the time of their admission. They will be considered for reinstatement after they obtain their licenses again.
- Students with prior military service must provide a certified copy of their DD214 before admission to the program.
- Students must demonstrate a willingness to comply with the program’s appearance requirements and Honor Code.
- After acceptance into the Law Enforcement Science program, students must complete a satisfactory background check. A felony conviction or a conviction for domestic violence, as that term is defined in applicable provisions of federal and state law, prevents students’ admission; convictions for misdemeanor offenses not involving domestic-violence circumstances will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Also after acceptance into the Law Enforcement Science program, students must complete a satisfactory drug test. Students can expect to be asked to submit to drug testing at random times throughout their careers at Southeast Tech.
- Health and Law Enforcement Science Lab Participation Liability Notice
Due to the procedures covered in and the physical participation requirements of the Health and Law Enforcement Science labs, students are required to sign release forms that provide them with a description of the required lab experiences, student lab responsibilities, and/or release of liability to the institution. For more information, see the Health Student Handbook or discuss the liability notice with your program instructor.
Background Checks & Drug Screenings
After students have met the admissions requirements and have been accepted into their programs, Background Checks and Drug Screenings are required for some programs, specifically programs in the Health and Human Services areas. (Additional programs and random drug testing may be added and required as needed.) The results of these checks and screenings may affect a student’s admission into the program, ability to attend a clinical or internship site, take specific courses, or continue enrollment in the program. Results may prevent a person from sitting for a board exam or from gaining employment in a chosen career field. See the Health Student Handbook for additional information.
NOTE: Drug screening results are not appealable.
Immunizations
Due to regulations mandated by the State Health Department, medically signed proof of TWO properly administered MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) immunizations are now required for all new, readmitted, and transferred students. History of these diseases is accepted with medical provider verification. If you have only one immunization, the required second immunization may be administered not less than one month after the first immunization. Students who fail to provide the required proof of immunizations may be refused class registration until in compliance. If you are not able to receive the required MMR immunizations due to medical or religious reasons or if you cannot complete this requirement for other reasons, you may choose to complete the Immunization Exemption Form which may be obtained from Admissions.
Math & English Placement Testing
Students are required to complete a Southeast Tech-determined assessment test for placement into English and Math courses. Placement testing is important as it determines the number of MATH and ENGL/COMM courses students will be required to take. Students are required to complete placement testing prior to attending an Academic Advising and Registration Day.
Southeast Tech accepts ACT, SAT, Smarter Balance, TABE, and ACCUPLACER scores for placement testing.
Students may also use the placement tests to “Test Out” of courses at Southeast Tech. Please talk to an Academic Advisor, Student Success Advisor, or the Southeast Tech Testing Center for assistance with placement scores.
English Considerations:
ENGL 098 - Students who are placed into ENGL 098 must successfully complete this course with a “C” or higher to progress. Students earning an “A” will move directly to ENGL 101T. Students earning a “B” or “C” will move to ENGL 099 and ENGL 101T taught concurrently. Students who receive a “D” or “F” grade must repeat ENGL 098.
ENGL 099 - Students placing directly into ENGL 099 will be required to take ENGL 101T concurrently. ENGL 099 is a co-requisite for ENGL 101T designed to help students succeed in ENGL 101T.
ENGL 201 - Students must earn a “C” or higher in ENGL 101T to take ENGL 201. Students who do not meet this requirement can either repeat ENGL 101T or substitute SPCM 101 for ENGL 201.
COMM 102 - Students requiring non-transferable communications as part of their program will be placed into COMM 102 dependent upon placement scores. If a student has a placement test score that meets the requirement of ENGL 101T, they have the option to take ENGL 101T. The course presents the elements of oral and written communication necessary to succeed in today’s workplace.
Math Considerations:
MATH 100 - This course satisfies the institution’s general education requirements for mathematics for many programs, but it is not a transferable course.
MATH 101/MATH 102T/MATH 116/MATH 120T - Students may be placed directly into one of these courses if they have achieved a sufficient placement testing score. If students have a placement test score that meets the requirements of a higher MATH course than their program requires, they have the option to take the higher level MATH course.
Transfer of Credits Within Southeast Tech
Courses are transferable from one program to another with associate of applied science degree courses generally transferable to other associate of applied science degree programs or to vocational diploma programs, and vocational diploma courses are transferable to other diploma or certificate programs. Students considering such credit transfer should consult a Student Success Advisor to determine which credits will or will not transfer between programs. An audit course cannot be used toward graduation.
Transfer of Credits to Southeast Tech
Southeast Tech will accept credits from any post-secondary institution accredited by one of the major regional accrediting associations( e.g., Higher Learning Commission). Acceptance of transfer credits is contingent upon students having completed a course or courses with a grade of “C” or better, and, that in the judgment of the Registrar, the course credit and content is similar to that contained in the Southeast Tech course for which advanced standing by transfer is being requested. Granting of such credit is at the discretion of Southeast Tech’s Registrar.
Prospective students wanting to know if their college credits will transfer to Southeast Tech may submit their unofficial transcripts to registrar@southeasttech.edu for a preliminary evaluation of their unofficial record. Transferred credits will not be used in determining grade point averages. The maximum number of credits granted for any course cannot exceed the Southeast Tech credit standard for a similar course.
Southeast Tech will register students for required courses based upon receipt of students’ official transcripts and the transfer credits having been approved by the Registrar.
*Students not providing transcripts prior to their first semester at Southeast Tech may find themselves taking and paying for courses that could have been transferred and may experience delays in program completion. Students who remain in a course that would have transferred beyond the drop period will be required to pay for the course.
In some cases, credit may be granted for military service school courses. Students must submit official documents containing specific credit recommendations for their service school training at the time of admission.
A minimum of 25% of a total program must be earned at Southeast Tech and the student must complete 25% of the major courses in the program at Southeast Tech in order to receive a Southeast Tech certificate, diploma, or degree.
Prior Learning Credit
Students may receive credit for past experiences or coursework in lieu of taking comparable Southeast Tech courses. Prior Learning Credit may be obtained through the following methods:
- Credit by department evaluation (life/work experiences or coursework)
- Credit by examination
NOTE: Courses completed through Department Evaluation or Credit by Examination do not count toward Financial Aid full/part-time enrollment requirements. Students who are awarded credit will be required to pay a $50 per course transcription fee.
Prior Learning Credit/Department Evaluation
A person who wishes to obtain Prior Learning Credit by Department Evaluation should first discuss the option with a Student Success Advisor. The appropriate department will review previous coursework accomplished and/or documentation of experiences to determine whether credit may be granted. Documentation should include statements from work supervisors (or the company’s human resources department), work project examples, explanations of work, and/or training experiences.
The applicant will be notified of the results of the evaluation, and credits awarded will be listed on the student’s transcript. No grade will be recorded. Credits granted through evaluation will not be used in the calculation of the student’s grade point average and cannot be used in full-time/part-time Financial Aid calculations.
In cases where students are granted prior learning credit, it will be necessary to complete only those additional requirements of the program in which they plan to enroll. However, at least 25% of the credits for a program must be earned at Southeast Tech, and the student must complete 25% of the major courses in the program at Southeast Tech.
Prior Learning Credit/Credit by Examination
A person may be eligible for credit by examination if:
- Extensive high school work has been completed,
- Competency has been acquired through actual work experience,
- Courses taken at another institution are not transferable, but the content has provided sufficient background,
- Courses taken in a vocational diploma program, which cannot be directly transferred to an associate of applied science degree program, may warrant examination of the person’s competency, or
- A person can demonstrate sufficient competency because of self-study or non-traditional education or training.
Examinations are available for most courses at Southeast Tech. They may be oral or written. In addition to the exam, a skill demonstration may be required. Persons who wish to obtain credit through a formal Southeast Tech exam can obtain information by contacting the Southeast Tech Testing Center during the first week of the semester. A nonrefundable fee of $50 per test-out must be paid in the Business Office prior to testing. All testing must be completed within a week of payment.
Students are not required to enroll in a course in order to take the test-out exam. If students would like to test out of a class they are not currently enrolled in, they may do so throughout the year. Those who are enrolled in a course and are interested in testing ou tof it must do so before the end of the first week of the semester. Students remaining in the class beyond the first week of the semester are no longer eligible for a test-out exam in that class. Test-outs cannot be retaken and students may not attempt to test out of classes that they have previously failed. Credits granted by examination are not used in determining grade point averages and cannot be used in full-time/part-time Financial Aid calculations.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Students may also be eligible for credit through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams, either the General Exams or the Subject Exams. No grade is granted when an exam is passed and credits granted by CLEP are not used in determining grade point average and cannot be used in full-time/part-time financial aid calculations. Students wishing to obtain credit through CLEP exams should visit the College Board CLEP website at https://clep.collegeboard.org/exams.
Advanced Placement Courses (AP)
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are typically offered at the high school level. Students take these courses while in high school and then complete the AP test at the end of them. Students who score “3” or higher and are degree-seeking students at Southeast Tech may be eligible to receive credit.
Students’ AP score reports will be sent to Southeast Tech when they place our school code (7054) on their test registration application. When Southeast Tech receives AP score reports, they are notified in writing of the allowable credits. There is no cost to transcribe AP courses on students’ transcripts. No grade is granted when AP courses are transferred in, and credits through AP are not used in determining grade point averages and cannot be used in full-time/part-time Financial Aid calculations.
Bachelor’s Degree Transfer Options
Southeast Tech offers a variety of opportunities for students to transfer their Southeast Tech credits to colleges/universities. For information please see the Bachelors Degree Transfer Options section of the catalog.
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