Admissions Information

Prospective students at American College of Education complete an admission process to either a specific program or to the College at-large. Each level of entry has requirements addressed in this catalog along with expectations for both professional and personal conduct.

Admissions Requirements

All applicants to academic programs at American College of Education must:

• Complete the Application.
• Submit the application fee. The fee is valid for one year from the date of submission.
• For Post-Baccalaureate Level Applicants (Master’s and Doctorate): Provide official transcripts from a regionally accredited institution indicating successful completion of the level of education required for entry to the program, and credits to be considered for transfer into a program. Coursework completed at American College of Education will also be reviewed from the applicant’s existing file. If requesting credit for university-level knowledge demonstrated by passing grades on the exams offered by the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), scores must be sent direction from CLEP to the Admissions Office.
  
  For Bachelor’s Level and RN to MSN Applicants: Provide official transcripts from an institution that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education indicating successful completion of the level of education required for entry to the program, and credits to be considered for transfer into a program. Coursework completed at American College of Education will also be reviewed from the applicant’s existing file.
• Submit an Enrollment Agreement.

International Transcript Requirements

• Transcripts that are international and/or not in English must be evaluated through an evaluation agency credentialed through National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) (www.naces.org).
• International applicants must request the course-by-course evaluation. The evaluation report must show that the non-U.S. education is equivalent to the education/accreditation level required for the program.

English as Second Language Applicants

All applicants whose degree was earned from a country where English is not the official language must demonstrate competence in the English language in one of the following ways:

• Submission of an official transcript showing a degree from a United States secondary school or a regionally accredited college/university.
• Submission of an official minimum score on the paper or internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.
  • The minimum TOEFL score required for the internet based version is 80, and the paper-based version requires a minimum TOEFL score of 20 for each of the three skills: Reading, Listening, and Writing.
  • The minimum IELTS score required is 6.5. Note: IELTS is not acceptable for Texas programs leading to certification.
  • The testing agency must send test scores directly to American College of Education.
• Applicants to the Texas Educational Leadership program whose first language is not English must submit scores from the Internet-Based (IBT) TOEFL. An overall score of 80, and a score of 26 on the speaking section is required.

Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.

Admission Requirements by Program

Notification of Admission Decision

Once all required admission documents are received, the applicant’s file is reviewed. If the applicant meets the admission requirements, he/she is either fully admitted or provisionally admitted. Applicants are notified of their acceptance through an email. Students who have been provisionally admitted due to missing documents, must fulfill the requirement as specified or be administratively withdrawn from the College.

Enrollment and Registration

Once admitted, students are registered for courses in their degree or certificate program. Students must meet their obligation to pay tuition by the payment deadline in order to maintain access to their courses.

Change of Start Date Policy 

New students, after enrollment at ACE, may encounter circumstances in their lives that could prevent them from starting classes on their expected term start. In these instances, new enrollments can apply to change their start date by submitting a Change of Start Date Request form. The Admissions team will review the Change of Start Date Request form and provide approval if all of the following applies:

1. The student’s initial admissions documents are still current and approved; and
2. The student’s requested new start date is within a time-period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days from the initial application date; and
3. The student’s request will not exceed the maximum number of two (2) changes to the start date within a time-period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days from the initial application date.

New ACE enrollments can submit updated admissions documents for their request to be considered. If the change of start date request exceeds the allowable time period or exceeds the maximum number of two (2) changes to the start date within a time period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days from the initial application date and cannot be approved, the new enrollment will be required to submit a new admission application with the required documents, and pay a new application fee to be considered for admission for the new requested term.

Reinstatement of Cancelled Enrollment

When an individual who was enrolled in courses but cancelled his/her enrollment wishes to begin their studies at ACE, he/she can request for his/her enrollment to be reinstated through submitting a Reinstatement of Cancelled Student form. The Admissions team will review the form and provide approval if all of the following applies:

1. The student’s initial admissions documents are still current and approved; and
2. The student’s requested new start date is within a time-period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days from the initial application date; and
3. The student’s request will not exceed the maximum number of two (2) reinstatement requests within a time-period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days from the initial application date.

Individuals can submit updated admissions documents for their request to be considered. If the reinstatement request exceeds the allowable time period or exceeds the maximum number of two (2) reinstatements within a time period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days from the initial application date and cannot be approved, the individual will be required to submit a new admission application with the required documents, and pay a new application fee to be considered for admission for the new requested term.

Change of Program

After a student is admitted to a program, the student may find that another program is more appropriate. ACE provides a procedure for helping the students make the right choice and facilitating a change, if appropriate.

Applicants admitted as a provisional student-at-large are not allowed to switch programs until they have successfully completed their first three courses taken consecutively.

Academic Qualifications for Change of Degree Program

• Students who have been admitted with or without conditions (except for provisional student-at-large as explained above) are eligible to change their program of study.
• Only courses successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better at ACE may be eligible for application to the new program or the new focus of study.

Change of Degree Program
Students are admitted to a specific degree program based upon their qualifications for the program. When an ACE student seeks change to a different ACE degree program, or wishes to switch to a non-degree option, the student may request the change by completing the Program Change Request Form. The student must meet all current admissions requirements to the new program and submit all required documentation, if not on file.
The request is reviewed and approved by Admissions.

• If approved, the change of degree program will become effective the next term.
• If approved, the student will follow the program requirements for the degree program in effect within the current catalog at the time the change is granted.
• The maximum time to complete the new degree begins with the first term of the new degree program.

Change from Master’s Program to Doctoral Program
Applicants who applied for a master’s program and wish to change to a doctoral program and have not yet matriculated, must pay the additional fee and complete the additional admission requirements before being reviewed for admission. Students who have already matriculated must re-apply to the doctoral program, pay the full application fee, and complete the additional admission requirements before being reviewed for admission.

Change from Non-Degree Certificate to Degree Program
Students admitted to a non-degree master’s-level certificate program who seek to change to a degree program and have not completed the certificate, may request the change by completing the Program Change Request Form and submitting all additional admission documentation required for the new program. The request is reviewed and approved by Admissions office.

• If approved, the program change will become effective the next term.
• If approved, the student will follow the program requirements for the new program of study in effect within the current catalog at the time the change is granted.
• The maximum time to complete the new program begins with the first term of the new program.
• If the student is already in the last course of their certificate, the student will have to re-apply to the degree program of interest.

Change from Student-at-Large to Degree Program
Students who are enrolled as a Student-at-Large and wish to enroll in a degree-granting program must complete their course and apply to the new degree-granting program. If the non-degree seeking student requesting a program change had previously been admitted to the degree program of Interest, the student will be allowed to change programs and not reapply. Students who were admitted as a provisional Student-at-Large, must submit a program change request form after successfully completing four courses taken consecutively to be fully admitted into their previously applied degree program.

• Students must complete an application to the new program and pay the applicable application fee and submit all required documents.
• Student must meet current admissions eligibility requirements of the new program.
• Not more than four previously completed applicable courses with a grade of “C” or better at ACE may be eligible to be applied to the new program as reviewed by the Registration Office.
• The maximum time to complete the new program begins with the first term of the new program.
• If approved, the change of degree program will become effective the next term.
• If approved, the student will follow the program requirements for the new program in effect within the current catalog at the time the change is granted.

Change from Student-at-Large to a Certificate
Students who are enrolled as a Student-at-Large and wish to change their program of study to a certificate program must re-apply. The request is reviewed and approved by Admissions.

• Student must meet current Admissions eligibility requirements of the new program, if applicable.
• No more than three previously completed courses with a grade of “C” or better at ACE may be eligible to transfer to the new certificate program.
• If approved, the change of program will become effective the next term.
• If approved, the student will follow the certificate program requirements for the new program of study in effect within the current catalog at the time the change is granted.

Change of Major or Focus of Study
Students who are enrolled in a program that requires a Major or Focus of Study, who wish to change or add an additional Major or Focus of Study, can do so by submitting a Major or Focus of Study selection form. A few things to note:

• Only courses part of the new Major or Focus of Study will count towards credit requirements.
• A change in Major or Focus of Study may cause a gap in scheduling as these courses are NOT offered every term.

Re-Entry or Readmission after Withdrawal or Administrative Withdrawal

Individuals who have been withdrawn from the College may be eligible to return to the College. The process to re-enter depends on the time away from ACE. If the student’s last date of attendance is less than 365 days from the anticipated return date, the student may apply for re-entry. If this time period is greater than 365 days, they must re-apply to the College.

Re-Entry:

• If the student has been out of attendance less than 365 days, students return to their current program of study if the program version is active. If approved, the student will re-enter under the catalog and tuition in effect when they initially withdrew or were withdrawn. If the version is not active, the student will re-enter into the most current version, catalog, and tuition rates.
• If the program of study has been revised, the student will re-enter into the current version.
• Students who are administratively withdrawn for not meeting required Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be subject to the procedures in the SAP policy.

Re-Apply:

• If the student has been out of attendance more than 365 days, the student will apply and be accountable for all current charges and admissions requirements.
• Students will return to the current program version of study, catalog and tuition at time of re-application.
• If a student left ACE on a SAP status, they will return on that same status and be subject to all related procedures in the SAP policy.

Program Disclaimer

Program requirements may change over time and these changes will be reflected in a catalog or addendum. Students may request to move to a more recent program version by sending an email [[email protected]]. Students may not move to program requirements in an earlier catalog version. Policies, tuition, and fees may change at any time. ACE will give proper notice of these changes via Student/Doctoral Commons and the College’s website and these changes will apply to all students.