River Parishes Community College (RPCC) maintains an open admissions policy, providing access to higher education for all individuals who meet the minimum requirements. The admission policies and resources outlined in this section explain the procedures, eligibility criteria, and documentation needed for enrollment in credit and non-credit programs. Whether you are a first-time college student, transfer student, or returning learner, these guidelines will help you navigate the admission process and begin your educational journey at RPCC.

General Admission to the College

River Parishes Community College (RPCC) is committed to equal opportunity in admission, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. As an open-admissions institution, RPCC welcomes all eligible applicants. Individuals seeking admission to a degree-granting program must complete the online Application for Admission and submit the following documents:

• Proof of Immunization or Waiver
  As required by Louisiana law (R.S. 17:170), all students born after 1956 entering any school within the state for the first time must either:
  1. provide proof of immunization (or an immunization program in process) against vaccine-preventable diseases according to a schedule approved by the Louisiana Department of Health; or
  2. sign a waiver claiming exemption from the immunization record requirement.
     The Immunization Compliance Form (which has a section for a physician to complete) and the Immunization Waiver Form are accessible on the RPCC website.
• Proof of Selective Service Registration (applicable to males between the ages of 18 and 25 only)
  In accordance with Louisiana law (R.S. 17:3151), male applicants between the ages of 18 and 25 will be allowed to schedule and take classes, but must provide evidence that they have registered with Selective Service before they will be considered eligible for financial aid. RPCC routinely cross-references applicant files with the Selective Service database. RPCC will contact applicants via email who need to submit proof of Selective Service registration. If an applicant is contacted, acceptable documentation may be a copy of the applicant’s Selective Service Registration Card or a printout from the Selective Service website indicating the applicant’s registration status. The following students are exempted from this requirement:
  • Males currently in the armed services and on active duty
  • Veterans of the armed services who submit a copy of their DD214 discharge certificate
  • Males not yet 18 years of age
  • Males born before 1960
  • Non-citizens who first entered the U.S. after they turned 26

Following receipt of an Application for Admission, applicants will be admitted in one of the following categories:

• Full Admission- The applicant has submitted all required documentation and has been fully admitted to River Parishes Community College.
• Provisional Admission- The applicant has not yet submitted all required documentation. Students admitted under provisional status are not eligible to receive federal financial aid until all admissions requirements are met.
• Not Eligible for Enrollment- The applicant is currently ineligible to enroll due to an active suspension from another institution, a hold on their RPCC account, or prior expulsion from RPCC.

Exceptions and Limitations to the General Admission Guidelines

Admission without a High School Diploma

A high school diploma or state-approved equivalency (such as the HiSET or GED in Louisiana) is not required for admission to RPCC for individuals over age 16. However, students without a diploma or equivalent are not eligible for federal financial aid. RPCC’s Work Ready U program offers adult education and HiSET/GED preparation for those seeking to earn a high school equivalency. Students may also enroll in both Work Ready U and college credit courses and could qualify for the “5 for 6 Scholarship,” covering up to six credit hours. For more information, contact any RPCC campus and ask about Adult Education services.

Selective Admission Programs

While RPCC is an open admissions college, certain programs may have additional requirements. The following programs are selective admission:

Practical Nursing

To be considered for admission to the Practical Nursing program, an individual must submit the following:

• Test Scores (must be no more than 3 years old)
  • Accuplacer NG Reading = 255 OR ACT Reading = 20
  • Accuplacer Writing = 250 OR ACT English = 18
  • Accuplacer NG QAS Math = 245 OR ACT Math = 18
• Proof of High school/GED/HiSet completion

International Students

RPCC is not authorized by the United States Government to issue the immigrant form I-20.

Dual Enrollment High School Students

Dual Enrollment is the enrollment of a high school student in a college course for which dual credit (both college and high school credit) is attempted and recorded on both the student’s secondary and postsecondary academic record. High school students may apply for Dual Enrollment with written approval from their high school principal/counselor and legal guardian(s). All RPCC coursework will become part of the student’s permanent college record. Upon graduation from high school, the student may apply for admission to RPCC as a regular freshman.

Dual Enrollment students who wish to enroll in courses on the Louisiana Board of Regents Master Articulation Matrix must meet the following criteria per the Louisiana Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Policy 2.22:

1. have and maintain a cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.5 (verified by the high school) to initiate or continue dual enrollment at RPCC;
   and
2. demonstrate subject-specific readiness in Mathematics (for mathematics and science course) or English (for English, foreign language, history, social science, humanities, or arts survey courses) through either:
   1. Subject-specific minimum scores on any assessments listed as follows:
      or
      1. ​Mathematics: Accuplacer Next Generation (NG) - 250 Applied Algebra, 263 College Algebra; ACT - 19 Applied Algebra, 21 College Algebra; SAT - 510 Math​
      2. English: Accuplacer NG - 250 Writing; ACT 18 English; SAT 500 ERW

   2. High school counselor recommendation based on overall student performance and grade trends in the subject

Early College Option

The Ascension Parish School Board and River Parishes Community College have partnered to create the Early College Option (ECO) at RPCC. ECO students attend high school on the campus of River Parishes Community College, complete the TOPS Core Curriculum, and the Louisiana University Diploma requirements, while also being dually enrolled in college courses. Students earn both a high school diploma and an Associate Degree concurrently. To learn more about the Early College Option at RPCC, visit the Early College website. 

Student Type Classification

Based upon information provided on the Undergraduate Application for Admission and from the National Student Clearinghouse, each applicant will be classified using one of the following student type classifications:

• First-Time Student - A student who has never attended a college or other postsecondary institution. This includes students beginning in the fall who first enrolled during the preceding summer, as well as those entering with college credits earned prior to high school graduation.
• Transfer Student - A student enrolling at RPCC for the first time who has previously attended another postsecondary institution. This includes students beginning in the fall who transferred from another institution during the prior summer.
• Returning Student - A student who was previously enrolled at RPCC but has not attended for a major term (fall or spring).
• Visiting Student - A student enrolled in one or more courses at RPCC while maintaining enrollment at another college or high school. This includes cross-enrolled students, high school students, and those attending RPCC for summer only.
• Other - A student whose enrollment status does not fall under any of the categories listed above.

Orientation and Advising

New Student Orientation serves as the starting point for integrating first-year and transfer students into the academic, cultural, and social environment of the college. It provides a comprehensive overview of campus services that support students’ educational and personal goals and helps them understand the advising process and course selection. Orientation is offered in multiple formats.

Additional Resources

• For additional information about transferring credit from another institution or receiving credit for prior learning, see the Academic Policies page within this catalog.
• For additional information about placement requirements and English and mathematics courses, see the Academic Policies page within this catalog.