Monday through Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Hours subject to change without notice. Please go to www.smc.edu/admissions.html for updates.
Monday – Sunday: 1:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
You may enroll at Santa Monica College if you:
• Have graduated from high school, or
• Are 18 years of age or older, or
• Are 16 years of age or older and submit your “Student Score Report” for passing the California High School Proficiency Examination, and
• You meet the residency requirements (see “Residency” link at Information & Policies) and can profit from the program.
Continuing Students do not have to reapply for admission. If you have never attended Santa Monica College (New Student) or have been away for two or more consecutive semesters (Returning Student), you must first:
• File an application for admission online at www.smc.edu/admissions (we began processing Fall 2004 applications on January 15, 2004);
• Complete the assessment in English, ESL, and math; and
• Arrange for transcripts of high school and previous college work to be sent to the Admissions Office. These should be received no later than Thursday, August 19, 2004. We recommend that you request all transcripts at least four weeks before the start of the semester.
You will be mailed an admission letter. Please review the letter for information on orientation, assessment, and enrollment.
After your orientation, you will be able to access your enrollment information by computer. On the date and time of your enrollment, please log on to the Student Self-Service System at www.smc.edu/admissions.html or call the enrollment telephone line at (310) 434-4333. There is no need to come to campus to enroll.
Santa Monica College defines an “international student” as a student attending the College while on an F-1 student visa. The international student application is available at the International Education Center and may be requested by calling (310) 434-4217, or may be downloaded from our website www.smc.edu/international. International students can apply online on our website. Applications must be submitted by June 30, 2004, for the Fall 2004 semester; and November 15, 2004, for the Winter 2005 session.
All international students must enroll in and complete a course load of twelve (12) or more units in the Fall and Spring semesters in order to maintain their F-1 visa status.
• Students with F-1 visas from other schools may enroll at SMC on a limited basis. Please consult with the International Education Center for more information.
• Students with other types of visas (not F-1) may enroll through the Admissions Office. If you are currently on a B visa, you cannot enroll until you have obtained an F-1 student visa or changed to another visa.
If you are receiving Veterans Administration (VA) educational benefits, please see the Veterans Counselor before beginning any application procedures.
VA regulations not only require students receiving VA educational benefits to meet the same academic standards as all other students at SMC, but also place certain restrictions on those students. Students who fail to achieve a semester grade point average of 2.0 (C) will be placed on academic probation. After two semesters on academic probation, students will lose their VA educational benefits. (see “Veterans’ Services” link at Information & Policies)
If you wish to use the special counseling and admissions services provided through the Center for Students with Disabilities, call (310) 434-4265 before you start admissions procedures. The TDD number is (310) 434-4273. For more information see the “Center for Students With Disabilities” link at Information & Policies.
Printed SMC materials are available in alternate media upon request. To request publications in alternate formats for disability accommodation, e-mail DSCcontact@smc.edu or call (310) 434-4265.
If you have been disqualified or dismissed at any college (including SMC, if you have been away from SMC for one year or longer), you must file:
• An SMC Admission Application, and
• A Petition for Readmission.
You may file the SMC Admission Application and Petition for Readmission online. Go to www.smc.edu and click on “New Students Apply Online.”
If you intend to submit these forms in person (i.e., not online), you will be required to complete and file the Petition for Readmission in the Transfer/Counseling Center. The decision on your readmission will be sent to you by mail, along with any further instructions.
If you wish to be reinstated after being away from SMC for one semester or less, you must see a counselor and submit the Petition for Readmission in person in the Transfer/Counseling Center.
As part of the readmission process, you are required to submit all transcripts (official or unofficial) from previous colleges or universities attended. Please submit transcripts to the Transfer/Counseling Center, ATTN: Readmission Committee, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405.
Please see “College Policies” link at Information & Policies for more information
The Assessment Center is located in the Liberal Arts building, Room 109. Assessment services are available on a walk-in, first-come/first-served basis during normal testing hours. Assessment testing hours for Fall are Monday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m., to 6 p.m. Hours are subject to change, so please call (310) 434-8040 or visit our website www.smc.edu/assessment for up-to-date information. Please note that there may be an extensive wait during heavy testing periods.
Assessment is essential in evaluating your skill levels and assisting you in your selection of coursework to ensure your success. Assessment in English or ESL and in math is required if you plan to:
• Enroll in any English, ESL, or math course with required or recommended assessment skill levels; or
• Enroll in courses with recommended English or math preparation.
Assessment in English or ESL and in math is mandatory if you are:
• A first-time college student enrolling in more than six (6) units during your first semester at SMC, regardless of your academic goals; or
• A continuing student enrolling for your second semester at SMC who has not completed the assessment process; or
• Enrolling in an English, ESL, or math course for the first time (even if you are not a first-time college student).
Based upon your assessment scores, you will receive an English, ESL, or math placement recommendation.
A placement waiver will be issued if you meet our “Assessment Exemptions” as indicated below, or have already completed applicable coursework with a C (2.0) or better (you must provide a college transcript, AP report, assessment results, or other official documentation as proof). Furthermore, you are exempt from assessment if you have received an AA or higher degree from a US-accredited institution. If you are planning to transfer, we strongly suggest that you discuss your plans with a counselor.
Please note that although you may be exempt from assessment, you must successfully complete or receive waivers for any required prerequisite courses (or their equivalent) for English, ESL, or math classes. For further information, please consult with a counselor at the Transfer/Counseling Center.
In addition to exempting students with AA or higher degrees from assessment, Santa Monica College provides placement recommendations and assessment/prerequisite waivers based on past coursework or assessments from other colleges. For example:
• You may be exempt from the English or ESL assessment if you have completed a college-level English or ESL composition course with a grade C (2.0) or better;
• You may be exempt from the math assessment if you have completed a college-level course with a grade C (2.0) or better (consult with a counselor if unsure);
• You may be exempt from assessment or selected prerequisites if you have completed applicable college-level courses with a grade C (2.0) or better (or “Credit”), and the courses are equivalent to SMC courses that require or recommend assessment skill levels; or
• You may be exempt from assessment or receive waivers for selected prerequisites if you have participated in another college’s assessment program within the past year or received a particular score on a College Board AP test. For example:
• Passing the UC Subject A Exam (Analytical Writing Placement Exam) within the last calendar year will place you into English 1;
• You may use Cal State’s Entry Level Math (ELM) test score if you took the test within the last calendar year and you identify a course equivalent;
• You may use Cal State’s English Placement Test (EPT) score if you took the test within the last calendar year and you identify a course equivalent;
• You may use the assessment score from another community college if you took the test within the last calendar year, an equivalent course can be identified, AND you have not enrolled in and completed any English, ESL, or math classes at SMC (W grades included);
• A score of 3 on the College Board’s AP English Examination will place you into English 1;
• A score of 4 or 5 on the College Board’s AP English Examination will waive the English 1 requirement; however, SAT scores will not be honored;
• A score of 3 on the AP Calculus AB test will qualify you for Math 7;
• A score of 3 on the AP Calculus BC test will qualify you for Math 8;
• A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus AB test will qualify you for Math 8;
• A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus BC test will qualify you for Math 11.
Before enrolling in Chemistry 11, you must either satisfactorily complete Chemistry 10 or pass the Chemistry 10 challenge exam. Testing appointments are scheduled through the Assessment Office, located in Room 109 of the Liberal Arts building, or through our webpage www.smc.edu/assessment.
Many students use Santa Monica College as the freshman and sophomore years of a four-year college plan. In fact, SMC is a leader in transferring students to their junior year at four-year colleges and universities, including the UC and CSU systems. Each of these institutions has a list of courses that must be completed to satisfy requirements for:
• general education,
• proficiency, and
• lower division pre-major requirements.
How credit for a course at Santa Monica College transfers to your future school depends on how that school will accept the course and how clearly defined your transfer goal is.
Typically, for admission to the UC or CSU system, you will need to have completed 60 (for UC) and 56 (for CSU) or more units of study with the appropriate grade point average. However, these institutions do not look just at the number of units you have completed—they also look at how to apply those units to your educational goal (e.g., how many of the units meet your general education requirements, how many of these units meet your pre-major requirements, and so on).
Santa Monica College has already worked out transfer agreements—called articulation agreements—with most local colleges and universities on how the units of credit transfer to meet your graduation requirements. You can look up transfer information yourself (go to www.assist.org), but you will probably find it much easier to use the assistance of a counselor at our Transfer/Counseling Center. For information, or to schedule an appointment with a counselor, please call (310) 434-4210.
For the safety and well-being of our students, Santa Monica College strongly recommends that any student with a health problem fill out a “Confidential Health History” card in the Health Services Center or the Center for Students with Disabilities. This health history card alerts instructors to any health concerns/illnesses a student may have and how to help if the student develops any health-related difficulty in class.
Throughout the year, some classes will be meeting at off-campus locations. Santa Monica College will not be providing transportation to these sites, and all transportation arrangements are the responsibility of the student. Although College staff may assist in coordinating this transportation or may recommend travel time, routes, caravaning, etc., these recommendations are not mandatory. Santa Monica College is in no way responsible and assumes no liability for any injuries or losses resulting from this non-District-sponsored transportation. If you ride with another student, that student is not an agent of, or driving on behalf of, Santa Monica College.
Santa Monica College may sponsor voluntary field trips in which you may want to participate. According to the California Code of Regulations (Subchapter 5, Section 55450), if you participate in a voluntary field trip or excursion, you are deemed to have held harmless the District and its officers, agents, and employees from all liability or claims which may arise out of or in connection with your participation in this activity.