Getting Started at CMC

This chapter contains practical information to make sure you get off to a solid start at CMC, including admission requirements and how to apply for admission.

Lessons learned in the mountains can help you achieve your dreams. Don’t let a technicality get in your way. Don’t hamper your education by misunderstanding a policy. Read the policies first.

Regular Admission Requirements

You may be granted regular admission to Colorado Mountain College if you are a high school graduate, or have earned a High School Equivalency Diploma. If you are not a high school graduate, you may also be admitted if you are 17 years of age or older.

Colorado Mountain College is an open enrollment institution. Certain programs may have limited enrollments due to staffing and facility constraints. Students are admitted based upon program admission criteria, and as staffing and facilities permit.

When you apply, providing your ACT or SAT scores is recommended, but not required. These scores are used for advisement and placement. If you are seeking a degree and have not completed ACT or SAT exams prior to enrollment, you may be required to take a placement test.

Other measures, such as evaluation of your high school academic record, may be used for placement. Please contact the front desk staff at the campus you plan on attending for further information.

Immunization Requirement

Colorado Mountain College must comply with state immunization law. This law requires full-time students to provide documentation concerning their immunization against measles, mumps, and rubella. Other vaccinations may be required by your program, a course or by campus. Notification of these requirements will be sent to your CMC email. Questions may be addressed to the Registration Staff at your campus.

Selective Service Registration

Colorado law requires all males between the ages of 18-25 to certify their registration with the Selective Service. If a student is required to be registered and has not, state law prohibits the College from allowing him to enroll.

Process for Underage Admissions

These guidelines DO NOT apply to the dual enrollment classes that are taught at the high school or classes taken at a CMC campus but paid for by your high school as part of the dual enrollment program. For information on dual enrollment, please visit the CMC Dual Enrollment page.

Students wishing to secure a waiver of the minimum age for admissions must meet the following criteria:

1. Students must demonstrate readiness for college-level work by meeting placement scores for college-level English, reading and math if required for the course(s). The student should bring all placement test scores, such as SAT or ACT, to their meeting with a College Counselor/Advisor. If the student does not have placement test scores, they will need to schedule an appointment to take the Accuplacer Placement Test prior to their meeting.
2. Students and their parent or guardian are required to meet with a College Counselor/Advisor or designated staff member to determine eligibility for admission, appropriateness of course selection, review college expectations and complete the Underage Admissions form. The College Counselor/Advisor will consult with the course instructor and provide a recommendation on enrollment. Final approval rests with the Dean of Student Affairs or the Assistant Dean of Instruction.
3. If admission is approved, a responsible parent or guardian must sign the Underage Admissions form, indicating that both the student and the parent have been advised regarding the expectations of the college. Students will also be required to sign a FERPA Release of Information Waiver. The Underage Admissions form is required each semester with updated courses and approvals. 
4. If admission is approved, the campus registration staff will remove the registration hold to allow the student to enroll. The student will be notified by email regarding approval status.

Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act (CEPA)

High school students may take Colorado Mountain College courses. Any high school student who is less than 21 years of age, is enrolled in the 9th grade of high school or higher and meets the course prerequisites, is eligible for the Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment program. This program provides high school students with the opportunity to enroll in postsecondary courses and earn college and high school credit at no tuition cost. Be sure to complete the following steps so you can enter the Dual Credit program:

• Obtain approval from your high school counselor.
• Obtain necessary approvals from your school district.
• Submit the online application found on the CMC Concurrent Enrollment page.
• Take a placement test. You may provide ACT, SAT or Accuplacer scores prior to registration. CMC offers the Accuplacer assessment in English, reading and mathematics for placement purposes. See the CMC  Placement Testing page for more information. 
• Adhere to CMC student rules and regulations as outlined in the Student Handbook.
• Create an academic plan of study with your CMC College Counselor/Advisor that will help you satisfy your graduation requirements.
• Basic skills courses may be offered at some partnering high schools.
• Some schools pay tuition only, and you may be responsible for course fees, program fees or Learning Materials Program fees.

To learn more, read the Concurrent Enrollment FAQ.

It is also possible for high school students to use the Underage Admissions process to take classes at CMC that are not concurrent with their high school classes, and not part of the tuition-free CEPA program.

Academic Placement Testing and Placement Test Requirements

Colorado Mountain College will work with you to determine which classes best suit your academic abilities. If you are transferring credit to CMC or have previous placement scores, check with the Central Admissions Office or your campus admissions staff to determine whether you need to provide additional information. For students within five years of their high school graduation, CMC can use your final high school transcript to attempt to determine placement. If insufficient information is available, CMC will use the Accuplacer Placement Test by College Board to determine placement. In some cases, other placement measures may be used, such as evaluation of your work history or prior learning experiences.

If an Accuplacer test is needed, students are encouraged to prepare before taking placement tests by utilizing a study guide, practice tests or the free study app available at the College Board website. Students needing accommodations for testing must first contact the Access Coordinator at their campus to request accommodations for the Accuplacer Placement Test.

If you do not meet the minimum competency standards established by the College, you may be required to complete prerequisite courses or take support courses concurrently with college-level courses. These courses will help you to develop the skills you need to succeed in college-level courses.

Math Support Options 

Supplemental math classes are provided to help you succeed in your college-level math classes. Supplemental courses are taken concurrently with your required math course to provide support and additional instruction to help students master the material. Additionally, developmental math classes are offered to help prepare you for a college major. The developmental math classes will help you build the knowledge and skills needed to successfully achieve your academic and career goals. See the CMC Classes page to find class descriptions for corequisite courses MAT 1100, MAT 1110 and MAT 1130.

English Support Options 

Supplemental English courses may be taken concurrently with courses that require a student to be at college-level for reading and writing. Based on your Accuplacer score, you may be placed in an ENG 1000 Academic Literacy & Success Skills class that can be taken concurrently with a college-level course such as Communications, Science, Social Science, Arts and Humanities, or Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. Additionally, based on your Accuplacer score, you may be placed in a corequisite ENG 1001 Academic Writing Skills class that is taken concurrently with an ENG 1021 course. The supplemental English classes prepare students to succeed in college-level courses. See the CMC Classes page to find class descriptions for corequisite courses ENG 1001 and ENG 1021. 

For complete information including how to register for the Accuplacer, test prep resources and exemptions from placement testing, go to the CMC Placement Testing page. 

Transferring Credits into Colorado Mountain College

Transfer Evaluation and Reporting Process

Students can send official transcripts directly from their previous institution to the Registrar’s Office at CMC.

Official transcripts can be directly emailed by the previous institution to registrar@coloradomtn.edu, or mailed to:

Colorado Mountain College
Registrar’s Office - Transcripts
802 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Once received, CMC processes the transcript to determine whether it is official and whether the originating institution is regionally accredited. You are notified via the email used on your application when your evaluation is in process and again when completed.

To evaluate your transcripts for transfer, the evaluator will look up the course description of the courses you have taken at your previous institution from the catalog year you took them. The content description will then be compared to CMC’s current catalog course descriptions to see if the content matches to determine if there is an equivalent course. A Transfer Evaluation Report will be prepared. Regular academic courses completed with a grade of C- or better are generally accepted in transfer. CMC does not evaluate courses in which a grade of D+ or less was received (or a P grade, where P can be equal to D+ or less level work). Equivalent courses are awarded where possible. Not all courses have an exact equivalent, but transfer level elective credit in the same general area may be allowed. See below for courses not accepted. Once the report is completed, the equivalent credits are posted to your student record, and you are notified via email.

Please make an appointment with your Counselor/Academic Advisor to discuss how your courses transferred and create a plan to succeed in your educational goals. If you wish to have a copy of the Transfer Evaluation Report, please contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@coloradomtn.edu. 

Credits Not Accepted Into Colorado Mountain College

Certain courses are not accepted or will have no equivalent at CMC. For example:

• Developmental college courses such as developmental English, remedial mathematics, remedial reading, developmental reading and remedial science. However, they may be used for placement purposes.
• Vocational, career and technical courses not equivalent in content and/or level of Colorado Mountain College courses.
• No more than 20 quarter or 13 semester credits completed by correspondence at another institution.
• Religious courses which are not secular in content.
• Technology courses over 10 years old.
• Health Courses (CPR, First Aid, etc.) over three years old.
• Graduate-level work.

Courses that pertain to certain degree programs at CMC are forwarded to the designated Program Director for review:

• Nursing
• Vet Tech
• CLETA
• Early Childhood/Education

Upper-level courses, taken over 10 years ago, may be forwarded to the relevant Department Dean and reviewed on a course-by-course basis.

If your college was accredited by a nationally recognized agency and is not a member of the Association of Schools and Colleges, please contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@coloradomtn.edu to confirm whether your credits are transferrable. If it is determined that the credits are not transferrable, you may attempt to have the learning recognized through Prior Learning Assessment.

Transfer Evaluation Appeals Process

If you are not satisfied with the completed Transfer Evaluation Report, you may submit a Request to Re-Evaluate Transfer Course to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@coloradomtn.edu. The evaluator will review the appeal (consulting faculty and/or academic administration as appropriate) prior to making a final decision. 

International Transcript Evaluation Process

International transcripts are evaluated for Colorado Mountain College by a service agency. The fee for this service is paid by the student directly to the service agency. Translations of your transcript and copies of course descriptions and/or syllabi from your previous courses may be required. For more information, please visit the Transferring to CMC FAQs or contact the Registrar’s Office at Colorado Mountain College at registrar@coloradomtn.edu. 

Prior Learning Assessment - Awarded Credit

There are two types of credit that can be applied toward completing a degree program at Colorado Mountain College:

• Earned Credit: The result of a student’s successful completion of a class at Colorado Mountain College, or transferred from another college as earned credit.
• Awarded Credit: When a Prior Learning Assessment corresponds to equivalent courses at CMC.

Colorado Mountain College recognizes that learning can take place in environments outside the traditional classroom. To recognize this learning and to equate it with traditional classroom learning, we utilize the following methods of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA):

• Standardized National Exams
• Challenge Exams
• Credit for Life Experience (Portfolio)
• Credit for Military Service & Training

Up to 50% of coursework toward a degree or certificate can be awarded credit. However, awarded credit cannot be used toward meeting the minimum number of CMC earned credits required for a certificate (10 credits), associate degree (15 credits) or bachelor’s degree (30 credits). For transfer students, a minimum of 10 college-level credit hours must be earned at Colorado Mountain College. For those certificates requiring a total of 10 credits or less, all classes must be taken at Colorado Mountain College. Awarded or PLA credit may not be used to fulfill this requirement. For more information, see the CMC Credit for Prior Learning page. 

Standardized National Exams

Certain courses have nationally-recognized examinations that satisfy certain course and program requirements. Colorado Mountain College recognizes and accepts exam results for CLEP, AP, DSST, Excelsior College Exam and IB to award credit. Please contact your College Counselor/Advisor to inquire about the acceptance and the required minimum score of a specific subject matter exam through one of these national testing agencies. Test scores can be emailed to registrar@coloradomtn.edu, or mailed to: 

Colorado Mountain College
Registrar’s Office
802 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

See the CMC Standardized National Exams page for more information.

Challenge Exams

Challenge Exams are utilized for guaranteed transfer courses or for courses that have no national exam equivalents. You may take a challenge exam in lieu of taking a course. Contact a College Counselor/Advisor at your campus for details. If you successfully complete a challenge exam with a grade of C- or better, credits for the course will be posted to your transcript with a notation indicating the credit was awarded by examination. Challenge exam grades of D or F will not be posted to your transcript. 

After meeting with your College Counselor/Advisor, they will coordinate with Academic Affairs to secure an approved method for the exam. After the examination has been established, you must make payment for the exam to registration staff. The non-refundable fee is either 50% of your normal tuition rate for the class, or 50% of the in-state tuition rate, whichever is lower. You must be currently enrolled in other classes at Colorado Mountain College to qualify for a challenge exam. Current high school students may be granted an exception to the enrollment requirement when testing as part of a high school class.

You may take as many approved challenge exams as you wish, however, you may attempt only one exam per semester for each course. Only 50% of coursework toward a degree or certificate can be awarded credit.

See the CMC Challenge Exams page for more information.

Portfolio

There are many adults who have thought that some of their non-college learning experiences (prior experiential learning) are equivalent to what is taught in college and that they should receive college credit for those experiences (which can be applied toward a college degree). Colorado Mountain College recognizes that many of these prior experiences are worthy of college credit.

Portfolio development is designed for those individuals who have prior learning that cannot be measured by testing such as standardized or other competency exams. However, credits will not be awarded simply for a student’s years of experience. Rather, the student will be required to document and/or demonstrate what important knowledge, skills or competencies they have attained as a result of these experiences and align these with student learning outcomes for particular courses.

Credit for Military Service and Training

Credit may be awarded for certain types of military service and schools. The training/schooling must be approved and listed in the current Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experience in the Armed Services, prepared by the American Council on Education (ACE). The recommendations provided by ACE are used by CMC for the transcript evaluation process. These credit recommendations appear on the service member’s Joint Services Transcript (JST).

Request transcripts for Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Card via the Joint Services Transcript website.

Request transcripts for Air Force via the Community College of the Air Force or Air University websites.

Application Process

Applying for admission to Colorado Mountain College is easy, and there is no application fee. Students who wish to take credit classes may be required to demonstrate proficiency in college-level English, reading and mathematics prior to enrolling in college-level courses. Below is an overview of the admission process. For additional detailed information, please visit the CMC Admissions page.

New Student: “I have never attended college before.”

1. To apply, complete and submit the Admissions Application.
2. If you have graduated from high school in the past five years, submit a high school transcript to Registrar’s Office, 802 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 or by email to joinus@coloradomtn.edu.
3. Students who have taken AP, CLEP, DSST and IB tests may be awarded credit that may count toward graduation. Submit your official test scores to the Registrar’s Office for evaluation.
4. Submit your ACT or SAT scores if taken within the last five years. These tests are not required for admission; however, test scores, class grades, GPA and optional self-assessment help College Counselors/Advisors recommend class placement. 
5. Take the Accuplacer Placement Test (if necessary) available at any CMC campus.
6. Colorado law requires all college students born since January 1, 1957, to have had two immunizations each against measles, mumps and rubella. You must provide proof of these immunizations before you will be allowed to register for classes. This law affects all residential and commuter campuses. Send proof of immunization to your campus. Other vaccinations may be required by your program, a course or by campus. Notification of these requirements will be sent to your CMC email.
7. Schedule an advising appointment with a CMC College Counselor/Advisor at the campus you plan on attending.
8. Arrange financing to pay for your college expenses. Financial Aid Specialists and Account Managers are available to assist. 

Transfer Student: “I am transferring from a college or university to CMC.”

1. To apply, complete and submit the Admissions Application.
2. Have your transcripts from your previous college(s) sent to the CMC Registrar’s Office. For more information about the transcript evaluation process visit the Transfering Credits Into Colorado Mountain College section above.   
   The institution should send your official transcript directly to registrar@coloradomtn.edu or by mail to Registrar’s Office, Colorado Mountain College, 802 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. A transcript delivered to you instead of to the College is not considered official.
3. Take the Accuplacer Placement Test (if necessary) available at any CMC campus.
4. Schedule an advising appointment with a CMC College Counselor/Advisor at the campus you plan to attend. 
5. Colorado law requires all college students born since January 1, 1957, to have had two immunizations each against measles, mumps and rubella. You must provide proof of these immunizations before you will be allowed to register for classes. This law affects all residential and commuter campuses. Send proof of immunization to your campus. Other vaccinations may be required by your program, a course or by campus. Notification of these requirements will be sent to your CMC email.
6. Arrange financing to pay for your college expenses. Financial Aid Specialists and Account Managers are available to assist. 

Returning CMC Student: “I have not taken classes at CMC in over one year.”

If you have been away for a year (three or more semesters), you will need to be re-admitted to Colorado Mountain College, as required by state law. Please refer to the Continuous Enrollment & Catalog in Force  section of this catalog.

1. Reapply Online - it’s free!
2. Once you have been re-admitted, you can register for classes online through Basecamp using your original username and password. If you cannot remember your Basecamp username, it will be emailed to you shortly after you reapply. You can also use the CMC Identity or Password Manager to retrieve your information or reset your password.  
3. Schedule an advising appointment with a CMC College Counselor/Advisor.
4. Arrange financing to pay for your college expenses. Financial Aid Specialists and Account Managers are available to assist.

High School Dual Credit/Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEPA)

If you attend a qualifying in-district High School, begin by completing the CMC Concurrent Enrollment Program Application. Schedule an advising appointment with your high school counselor or with a CMC College Counselor/Advisor at the campus you plan to attend. For information on dual enrollment, please visit the CMC Concurrent Enrollment page.

International Student Admission (F1 or M1 Student Visa)

Colorado Mountain College is a member of the Colorado State Consortium to promote international education, “Study Colorado.” CMC is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). International students must submit an International Student Admission Application and all supporting documentation prior to the application deadline.

1. Complete and submit the International Student Admission Application and supporting documents. Deadlines are May 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester.

2. Submit official college/university transcripts (if applicable). International transcripts must be certified and translated into English. Please request the “Catalog Match” translation. Visit the Educational Perspectives website for information. The student is responsible for all fees associated with translation services.  

3. If your native language is other than English, you must provide evidence of your English language proficiency through one of the following methods:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - 61 or higher on the iBT, or 500 or higher on the written test. If the written test is taken on or after October 2017, please contact Admissions.

• The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) test - minimum score of 6.5, with no band below a 6.

• Duolingo - 90 or higher.

• English proficiency exam exemptions include passing the coursework of an English Language School in the U.S., passing the English as a Second Language course at CMC, having attended Secondary School at a fully English speaking school for at least one year, previous coursework at a U.S. college, SAT English score of 470 or higher or ACT English score of 18 or higher. 

• Since Colorado Mountain College does not offer an intensive course/program in English as a Second Language for F1 students, all students must have proof of English proficiency prior to acceptance to be issued a Form I-20.

4. Financial certification verifying the financial resources to pay for one full year of living and studying in the United States. International students must also provide proof of adequate private insurance of their own.

5. The CMC designated school official will send you your Form I-20 after we receive items one through four above if you meet admission requirements. Form I-20 is required to obtain a visa or to transfer from another school.

6. Out-of-state tuition and fees apply to International Students. Federal financial aid is not available for international students, but they may apply for a limited number of CMC scholarships, or arrange a payment plan.
7. We strongly recommend that international students live in on-campus housing. Housing information will be mailed with letters of acceptance or upon request.

Helpful online information for international students is available on the CMC International Students page.

Selective Admissions Programs

You might be admitted to the college, but not accepted to a particular program due to enrollment limits or academic requirements. In this event, a College Counselor/Advisor will help you plan a schedule for overcoming scholastic deficiencies or will suggest alternative courses or programs.

In programs where enrollment is limited due to academic requirements, meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission to these programs is based upon academic and personal qualifications considered necessary for successful practice in the occupation. For further details about programs with limited enrollments and specialized admission requirements, please contact the Central Admissions Office at joinus@coloradomtn.edu.

Evaluating the Validity of High School Completion and Diploma

Colorado Mountain College does not require a high school diploma for admissions purposes to the college. Students can self-report their high school diploma for purposes of placement or potential scholarship opportunities. If there is reason to believe a student’s high school completion is not valid, the Registrar’s Office will contact the Department of Education in the state the student has claimed to have graduated. If the secondary school is not a valid institution the Registrar’s Office will remove the high school information from the student record and notify the Office of Financial Aid.

Sex Offender Reporting Policy

Federal law requires that sex offenders register if working at or attending an educational institution. This law instructs the educational institution to notify students of the method to access this information. Colorado Mountain College requires sex offenders to meet with the Assistant Vice President of Student Services or designee prior to their enrollment. The names and Colorado Mountain College locations of registered sex offenders enrolled at CMC are listed on the CMC Student Services page each semester. For more information, please contact the Assistant Vice President of Student Services office at (970) 947-8351. In addition, the Colorado Department of Public Safety maintains a website providing a Colorado Sex Offender Search for those registered in Colorado.

Information concerning persons who are required by Colorado law to register as sex offenders, including registered sex offenders who are enrolled, employed or volunteering at Colorado Mountain College, may be obtained from your local Police Department or the County Sheriff’s Department.