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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


WELCOME

Welcome to “everything you always wanted to know about MPC but didn’t know whom to ask”! The information provided here is intended as a quick reference source for students who need answers to questions ranging from how to get in to how to get out -- and everything in between. You may want to browse through the whole guide, or you may want to click on a topic from the menu that’s of particular interest or importance to you at this time and get right to it. Whatever method you choose, we hope you’ll find this information helpful as you head toward your educational and career goals.

One cautionary note: This guide is NOT intended to replace seeing a counselor! It is strongly encouraged that you establish a regular advisement routine with a counselor at MPC whom you trust and with whom you are comfortable. If you are “assigned” to a counselor the first time you seek advisement, and it’s not a good match, don’t be afraid to ask to see a different counselor the next time. It’s your right, and it’s good practice for becoming an aware, assertive consumer. Establishing a working relationship with a counselor will help you more often than you can probably even imagine at this time, but as you go through this student guide,
you’ll notice a number of situations where a counselor’s assistance is not only advisable, but required. You’ll also notice that there are quite a few counselors to choose from at MPC, especially if you’re eligible to participate in one or more of the student support programs that will be described later in this guide. And all of us want you to succeed! 

Are you ready? Then read on...

GETTING STARTED (aka: MATRICULATION PROCEDURES)

The dictionary defines matriculation as the process by which a person enrolls in a group, especially a college or university. With the passage of the Matriculation Act in 1986, the California Community Colleges were mandated to provide educational services necessary to optimize student success, to help students establish realistic educational goals, and to ensure that students have equal educational opportunity.

There are many components to the matriculation process at MPC, but the following five concern students most directly: admission, assessment, orientation, advisement, and follow-up counseling. Each of these areas will be described below in a question-and-answer format which will, hopefully, make it easier to find the information you’re looking for. Just remember: if you don’t find what you want or need in this guide, you can always ask a counselor!

Admission: Application and California Residency Status

1. Who is eligible to enroll at MPC?

Anyone at least 18 years of age or a high school graduate may enroll. Completion of a GED or the California Proficiency Exam is equivalent to high school graduation. Students still in high school or even elementary and middle school may also take classes for college credit at MPC, with permission from their parents and their school principals.

2. What’s the first thing I need to do to enroll?

Complete an “Application for Admission” and turn it in to the Admissions & Records Office. Your information will be entered into the school’s student data base, and then you’ll be able to access other services and programs.

3. Can I be turned down for admission?

Not if you are at least 18 years old or a high school graduate.

4. What if I used to go to MPC and am coming back; do I have to re-apply?

Yes. If you were not enrolled in the semester just prior to when you want to come back, you have to submit the “Application for Admission”; otherwise, you would be a continuing student and would only have to submit the “Continuing Student Update” form.

5. If I enroll for the first time at MPC in the summer, am I a new student or a continuing student in the fall semester?

You are considered a new student.

6. What is the “Statement of Legal Residence” for?

This form is used to determine whether you are a legal resident of the State of California and, therefore, entitled to the lower fees for enrollment. Non-residents pay much higher fees than California residents.

7. How do I prove I’m a resident of California?

If you’ve lived in California all your life, there’s not really a problem. If not, some of the things you may need are a California driver’s license that you’ve had more than a year, or show that you’ve filed a California State Tax Return a couple of times, or prove that you registered to vote in California more than a year before you applied to MPC.  NOTE: These are just very general guidelines; ONLY the Admissions & Records Office staff can determine your residency status.

8. What if I just turned 18 and couldn’t register to vote more than a year ago?

If you’re under 19 years old and not married, your resident status will be according to your parents’ or legal guardian’s information, as provided on the “Statement of Legal Residence.”

9. Do I have to be a citizen of the U.S. to enroll at MPC?

No, but depending on what type of visa you have, you may have to pay non-resident tuition. If you have a permanent resident visa, you’ll need to meet the California residency criteria as mentioned above to pay the resident fees. If you have a student visa, you will be classified as an International Student and will have to pay non-resident fees, regardless of how long you may have been in California.

10. What fees do I pay if my mom is in the military and stationed near MPC?

Dependents of active duty military personnel may be exempt from non-resident tuition for one year from the date of arrival in California, depending on your relationship to the active duty military person and your age. Complete the “Military Residence Statement” included in the Schedule of Classes, be sure to get all appropriate signatures, and give it to the Admissions & Records Office. 

11. If I start out at MPC as a non-resident and do everything to establish California residency that I have to, will I be re-classified automatically?

No. You will need to complete a “Request to be Classified as a California Resident” form and submit it, with appropriate documentation, to Admissions & Records.

Assessment

1. What is “assessment” and why do I have to sign up for one of these sessions?

Assessment is part of the matriculation process and consists of an English Placement Test and a math placement procedure. All new students, unless exempt, have to go through assessment to determine what level of English and/or math they should start with at MPC.

2. Who could be exempt from taking the English Placement Test?

a. Those who earned a grade of C or better in an English prerequisite course at another college (transcript required);
b. Those who received a minimum score of 3 on the English Advanced Placement Test (test scores required);
c. Those who scored at the 50 percentile or higher on the English CLEP (test scores required).
d. Those who were assessed at another community college within the past year, as long as they were tested in both reading and writing (test scores required) and have not completed a college-level reading or writing course.

3. Who could be exempt from going through the math placement procedure?

a. Those who earned a grade of C or better in a math prerequisite course in high school or at another college (transcript required);
b. Those who received a minimum score of 3 on the Math Advanced Placement Test (test scores required);
c. Those who scored at the 35 percentile or higher on the Math CLEP (test scores required).

4. Is there any other way to get out of the assessment session?

You can be waived from assessment if you choose to enroll in the most basic level of English courses (ENGL 321 and ENGL 322) and enroll in a math course no higher than Beginning Algebra (MATH 261). It’s not advisable to take this option, especially for English, but it is your right. You understand that if you choose this option for English, you would have to take six English courses just to graduate from MPC! If you’re planning to transfer, it becomes eight English classes. Probably better to do the assessment...

5. If English is not my native language, do I have to take the English Placement Test?

Yes, but you may want to take the English As A Second Language Test instead of -- or in addition to -- the assessment given native speakers of English. If you took both, you could compare the results and, with the help of counselors and instructors, choose the sequence and type of English courses that would be best for you.

6. What happens if I don’t think the scores are right and that I should be able to enroll in a higher level English course?

Technically, you cannot challenge the placement results; however, if you believe you have the ability to succeed at a higher level of English than assessment would indicate, you may initiate “Prerequisite Challenge Procedures” with the English Department. You will have to demonstrate that you already possess the skills taught in the English “placement” course and, therefore, have met the prerequisite for the course in which you wish to enroll. Pre-requisite challenge procedures are described in the Schedule of Classes and the Catalog.

7. How do I sign up for assessment?

Dates and times for assessment sessions are published in the Schedule of Classes, but you need to sign up for one of these sessions by going to the Assessment/Career Center in the Humanities Building, Room 207, or by calling (831) 646-4027 or 646-3022.

Orientation and Registration Planning

1. What is Orientation?

Orientation is your first opportunity to learn a lot about MPC: what majors we offer and how to choose an educational goal; what support services are available; how to read the MPC Catalog and the Schedule of Classes; what it takes to get a Certificate, Associate Degree, and/or transfer to a four-year college or university; and much, much more. You’ll be given a copy of Making College Count: A Handbook for New Students as well as other important, useful materials.

2. What happens during the Registration Planning Session?

For many of you, this will be your first opportunity to interact with a counselor at MPC.  It won’t be a long session, but the counselor will help you choose the courses you want to take during your first semester at MPC and, using results of the placement tests, show you the sequence of English and/or math courses you will need for your educational goal. The counselor will also start an “Individual Education Plan” with you and recommend that you make an appointment later in the semester to develop this plan further.

3. Do all new students have to go through orientation and registration planning?

Actually, no. Some students may be waived from all the matriculation steps (called the STEP Program) if they meet the following criteria:
a. Already have an Associate Degree or higher;
b. Are concurrently enrolled at another college;
c. Are concurrently enrolled in K-12;
d. Are only taking courses for personal interest, job advancement, or to maintain a professional license, and the courses don’t have English or math prerequisites;
e. Are planning to only take courses for non-credit (400 level).

4. If I’m exempt from the STEP Program, does that mean I can register for any course I want?

Not if the course has a prerequisite. You may still need prerequisite verification and/or assessment, especially if you want to take an English or math course. In that case, you would only be exempt from the Orientation and Registration Planning steps.

5. How can I prove that I took a prerequisite course at another college?

You will need to have that college send an academic transcript to MPC’s Admissions & Records Office. Some schools charge for this, so you may want to call first and find out.  Most transcript requests have to be in writing and include fee payment if required.

6. Can’t I use my own copy of my classes and grades from that college?

You may use “unofficial” transcripts for advisement purposes and to have prerequisites verified, but if you want any of the courses you took at the other college to count toward a certificate or degree at MPC, you will need to have that college send official (college to college) records directly to MPC. The only exception to this would be if your copy is in an envelope from the other college and sealed with the words “Official Transcript” across the envelope flap which would be obvious if opened or tampered with. You could take that unopened envelope to Admissions & Records, and it would be official.

7. Do I have to have high school transcripts sent to MPC, too?

Some prerequisites may be satisfied with high school courses and/or test scores. It’s a good idea to have your high school transcript sent to MPC for other reasons, too; for example, they may be needed to verify completion of the UC transfer foreign language requirement or show you meet certain eligibility requirements for programs such as EOPS.

8. If I went to more than one high school, do I have to get transcripts from all of them?

Usually you just need to have records sent from the last high school attended since most will send transcripts which include courses, credits, and grades from all high schools attended.

9. If I went to more than one college, will the last one I attended include all the courses I took at the other colleges?

No. Some colleges will show that a certain number of units or credits were transferred in when you enrolled in that college, but they will not show a detailed description of course titles and grades. You will need to have official transcripts sent from each college attended if you want the courses to count toward a certificate or degree at MPC. 

10. What happens during Registration Planning if I don’t have any transcripts from other colleges available?

Basically, you won’t be able to take any courses that have prerequisites without records to show that you met those prerequisites at the other college(s). So, for your first semester, you may be restricted to courses that have no prerequisites -- or you can opt to take the prerequisite courses over again at MPC, but this would only be advisable if you believed you needed to refresh your skills in that subject area anyway.

Registration: General Procedures & Fees

1. Now that I have a schedule planned, how do I register?

MPC offers several methods of registration. The easiest is the Automated Telephone Registration system (ATR for short), available to continuing students and new students who have submitted an Application for Admission and followed the STEP Program as described earlier. There are also mail-in registration, in-person registration, and late in-person registration. 

2. How do I know when to register?

Deadlines for ATR, mail-in, and in-person registration are published in the current Schedule of Classes for each semester or session. Late in-person registration is always the first week of the semester or session; however, it is strongly recommended that you do NOT wait till the first week of classes to register! Why wait and have to take the left-over courses? Get the classes, times, and instructors you want by registering early!

3. Do I have to pay for my classes the same day I register?

That really depends on the method of registration you choose. Mail-in registration forms must include a check or money order for the correct amount. For in-person registration, you may pay by check, money order, cash, or VISA/MasterCard. If you use the ATR, you may pay by VISA/MasterCard when you call, or you may pay by check, cash, or money order at Fiscal Services within five (5) days of registering by phone. (NOTE: it is five calendar days, not workdays, so holidays and weekends are counted!) If the Fiscal Services Office is closed when you come in to pay, you may attach a check or money order to the “ATR Payment Slip” (included in the Schedule of Classes) and put it in the locked drop-box located right outside the Business Classroom Building, near the entrance to the Fiscal Services Office.

4. How much does it cost to register at MPC?

For California residents, the fees are $18 per unit for enrollment plus $10 for the College Center Fee and $12 for the Health Fee during the fall and spring semesters. (In summer, the College Center Fee is $5, and the Health Fee is $8.) For non-residents, the fees are all 
of the above plus $149 per unit of coursework. Fees are subject to change without notice. 

5. One of my friends told me he only had to pay $10 to register at MPC. How can I get in on this deal?

If you are eligible for a “Board of Governors Fee Waiver” (commonly called a BOG), you would only have to pay the College Center Fee to register at MPC, regardless of how many units you take. The application form is included in the Schedule of Classes. You must complete this form and submit it to Student Financial Services. Staff there will determine if you are eligible for a BOG and, if you are, put this information on the college’s data base. Once your name is entered there, you would only have to pay $10 to register.

NOTE: You only need to apply and become eligible for the BOG fee waiver once each academic year. For BOG eligibility, the academic year begins in the summer, so if you get a BOG in Summer 1999, for example, you won’t need to re-apply until Summer 2000. However, if for some reason you don’t get a BOG until Spring 2000, you would still need to re-apply in Summer 2000 for the following academic year.

6. What if I’ve already paid my fees and then find out I’m eligible for the BOG?

You should submit an application to Student Financial Services for a reimbursement. It can take several weeks to get your money back. Obviously, it’s better if you apply for the BOG fee waiver before you register! 

7. My cousin just moved here from Vietnam and speaks very little English. She’s also not a California resident yet. Are there any courses she can take until she’s a resident that wouldn’t cost too much?

Beginning (basic) level English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are offered for non-credit under the 400 number. These courses could help your cousin start learning English, and since they are not for credit and won’t even appear on a transcript, the non-resident tuition is not charged. Your cousin should contact both the ESL Department and the Admissions & Records Office before trying to enroll at MPC.

8. Do I have to get a Student Body Card?

The ASMPC card is optional. It costs $5 and entitles you to free admission to athletic events, discounted admission for other ASMPC sponsored events, eligibility for ASMPC emergency loans, and discounts for goods/services from many local merchants.

9. Do I need a Student Body Card to check books out of the Library?

No, but you will need to get an MPC Library Card. Go to the Library and fill out a card request form, and you’ll be issued a Library Card on the spot. NOTE: You will need to show your current MPC registration receipt (schedule of classes) to get the card.

10. If I register and pay all the fees and then decide not to go to MPC this semester, will I get a refund of my fees?

No fees are automatically refunded. You have to complete an “Application for Refund” form and submit it to the Admissions & Records Office by the end of the semester/session for which you are requesting a refund. This is for enrollment fees. There are specific 
deadlines for refunds of the College Center and/or Health fees which are published in the Schedule of Classes. NOTE: A refund processing fee of $10 will be withheld from the total of enrollment fees for all courses you dropped and were not cancelled by the College.

11. Do all students have to pay the College Center and Health Fees?

Students who are enrolled in Living Room Series and/or weekend courses only and will not be on the main campus during the school week do not have to pay the College Center or Health fees. NOTE: This exception may not automatically be noticed when you register. If you plan to take LVRM and/or weekend courses only, you may want to register in-person and be sure to tell the Admissions & Records staff member of your status before any fees are calculated. 

Registration: Prerequisites & Other Enrollment Problems

1. When I tried to register, I was told I couldn’t get the English class I wanted because I didn’t have the prerequisite completed. I know I tested into this class, so how do I get it cleared for registration?

Prerequisite verification may be done by Counseling Services staff or by an individual counselor. Take your copy of your English assessment results/recommended placement to the Counseling Services main desk, and the staff there will help you. (If you can’t find the results, Counseling staff can look it up or contact the Assessment Technician.) Individual counselors are also able to verify prerequisites. It’s the same procedure whether it’s through assessment results or transcripts from high school or another college. It’s your responsibility to provide a transcript if that is what is needed for prerequisite verification.

2. I wanted to register by phone for 19 units but couldn’t. What’s the problem?

Students who want to enroll in more than 18 units must get approval from a counselor.  You would be better off in this situation to register in person or by mail, making sure to get a counselor’s signature on the Registration form before you get in line or mail in your registration form.

3. I’m a first-time college student. I applied, took the placement tests, went through orientation and advisement. I wanted to register by phone but couldn’t; why not?

First time students need to get an “Authorization for Telephone Registration Priority” form signed by a counselor and submit it to the Admissions & Records Office before they may use the ATR to register. It shouldn’t take more than a day for this process to be completed.

4. I used to go to MPC and am returning after two years. I completed the application and all the other forms but was told I still couldn’t register. What’s that about?

There are several reasons for which you may be blocked from registering if you are returning to MPC (or even continuing at the College):
a. If you owe any money to the College, for any reason, you cannot register until you clear up this debt;
b. If you were dismissed from MPC for academic or progress reasons, you have to complete, with a counselor, a “Petition for Readmission” and submit it to the Admissions & Records Office. Your petition will be reviewed by the Academic Council, and you’ll be notified of approval/denial. If approved, you can register; 
c. If you are attempting to register after the third week of instruction, you will need to complete the “Academic Council Petition Form To Register After The Official Registration Deadline” and submit it, with all required instructors’ signatures, to Admissions & Records. This form will be reviewed by the Academic Council and, if approved, you’ll be notified and then allowed to register. 

4. Is it possible to register for two courses if their times overlap a little?

Only if one of the instructors is willing to let you miss that part of his/her class that conflicts with another and signs a “Conflict Permission Form” for you before you register.

5. What can I do if the classes I really want are all full?

You may be able to get into those courses by going to them the first day of school and asking the instructors if they are willing to let you in. They will need to sign your registration form (if you’re not registered at all yet) or an “Add/Drop” form if you have some
classes but want to add more. It is the instructors’ decision; if they can’t add you, you’ll have to choose other courses. Advice? REGISTER EARLY FOR THE NEXT TERM!

6. Do I have to get the teacher’s signature to add a course that’s not full?

Yes, you will need the instructor’s signature starting with the very first week of instruction unless the course doesn’t start until later in the semester or it’s an “open entry” type course (check the Schedule of Classes). NOTE: After the third week of instruction, you will not only need the instructor’s signature on the Add/Drop form, but you will also need it on the “Academic Council Petition Form To Register After The Official Registration Deadline” and wait for approval before you’ll be able to add a regular semester-length course. There are special conditions attached to this petition form, so the best course of action is, once again, to register early!

7. Do I need the teacher’s signature to drop a course?

No. 


8. If I decide not to show up for a class I registered for, will the instructor drop me?

Usually, yes, but it is strongly recommended that you drop the course yourself. It’s very easy to do, especially using the ATR, as long as you meet the drop deadlines. For regular semester-length courses, you can drop during the first four weeks of instruction and get
no grade at all. The course(s) won’t even show up on your transcript. After that, you have until the end of the 12th week to drop and get a “W” (Withdraw). If you miss that last deadline (always published in the Schedule of Classes), you will have to get a grade.
NOTE: There are different deadlines for shorter length classes; check with Admissions.

9. If I register for some courses and know in advance that I’ll miss the first day or two of classes, will the teachers hold my place?

They don’t have to, and if the courses are popular ones that are usually full, they probably won’t. You can try writing a note to each instructor explaining why you’ll be absent, but there’s no guarantee the instructors will save your place if you miss the first day of school.  Advice? Unless the reason for being absent is very serious and absolutely unavoidable, you should always plan to attend all your classes right from day one! 

Grading Policies & Procedures

1. Can I repeat a course for a better grade?

That depends on the course and the grade you got. If it’s a course that’s “repeatable” under normal circumstances, all grades will be counted in cumulative records. If the course is not normally repeatable and you earned a D or an F in it, you may repeat the course for a better grade. (If a course is repeatable, it will be described as such in the MPC Catalog and the Schedule of Classes.)

2. If I do repeat a course that I got a D or F in and get a better grade, will the bad grade be taken off my transcript?

The course that was previously taken and the grade of D or F does not “disappear” from the transcript. What happens is that the units and grade points from the first attempt are subtracted and only the repeated grade and units are calculated into the cumulative GPA and unit totals. NOTE: This process does not occur automatically; you will need to tell Admissions & Records that you repeated the course and ask that the records reflect this.

3. If I repeat a course at MPC that’s the same as one I took at another college and got a D or F in, will that change my GPA and unit totals at the other college?

No. MPC is not allowed to change the records of any other educational institution.


4. What if I get a C in a course that’s really important for my major and I want to repeat it to try for a better grade?

After one year has passed since taking the course, you may petition the Academic Council for permission to repeat the course. This petition is available from Admissions & Records, requires a counselor’s signature, and must be returned to A & R. NOTE: There have to be extenuating circumstances before approval is granted, so be prepared to show why you really need to repeat this course.

5. Can I get “credit/no credit” or “pass/fail” instead of a letter grade?

That depends on the course. In both the MPC Catalog and the Schedule of Classes, the grading options for each course are listed: “LG” = Letter Grade only; “C/NC” = Credit or No Credit only; “LG-C/NC” = Letter Grade or Credit/No Credit. If the course offers
both grading options, and you want to take it for C/NC, you need to fill out and submit to Admissions & Records a “Credit/No Credit Authorization Form” within the first 25% of the course or by the end of the fourth week of the semester, whichever comes first. Check the Schedule of Classes for the deadline for semester-length classes; if you miss the deadline, you’ll have to get a letter grade.

6. How many classes can I take for Credit/No Credit to graduate from MPC?

A maximum of 20 units of “CR” units may be applied toward an associate degree at MPC.  NOTE: Certain majors require letter grades in all courses for which a letter grade is an option. Be sure to check with your major department before taking courses for “C/NC” to
be sure the department will accept these units.

7. If I’m not doing well in a course, and it’s too late to drop it, should I take an “Incomplete”?

Technically, if you are not doing well in a course, you should not be allowed to get an “Incomplete”! This grading option was designed to help students who were successfully getting through a course but, due to unusual and serious circumstances such as illness, injury, or a death in the family, could not finish the last two or three weeks of the class and/or take the final exam. In any case, an “Incomplete” is something you would have to arrange with the individual instructor. 

8. If I do get an “Incomplete” grade, should I register for the course again?

No. See the instructor to find out what needs to be finished to get the grade changed.  (Ask the instructor for a copy of the “Incomplete Grade Form” submitted to A & R.)

9. Will I be able to register for a course if I have an “Incomplete” in a prerequisite course?

No.

10. How do I get the “Incomplete” changed to a grade?

Once you have finished everything required by the instructor for the “Incomplete” to be cleared, the instructor -- and ONLY the instructor -- submits a “Change of Grade” form to the Admissions & Records Office. This form cannot be picked up or returned 
to A & R by a student; it has to be handled by the instructor himself/herself.

11. I heard that I only have one year to finish an “Incomplete”; what happens if I can’t do it by then?

You can petition the Academic Council for an extension of time to finish the “Incomplete” and submit the request through Admissions & Records. It would be advisable to get the written support of the instructor and/or a counselor for your petition.

12. What happens to an “Incomplete” if I don’t petition for an extension of time and still don’t finish it in one year?

In most cases, an “Incomplete” that is not finished in one year is automatically changed to an “F” unless the instructor specified a different grade on the Incomplete Grade Form given to Admissions & Records when the course was originally taken. If you get an “Incomplete” you should always ask the instructor what you have to do to finish the course and what grade you will get if you don’t finish the work.

Advisement/Follow-up Counseling

1. I looked at the MPC general education requirements, and I took CSIS I for “Communication and Analytical Thinking” section. So why do I still have to take math?

All colleges offering degrees have graduation requirements that are potentially separate from general education requirements. At MPC, there’s a graduation requirement that specifically deals with math proficiency at a level not less than Beginning Algebra (MATH 261) which may be satisfied by passing this course (or a higher level) with a C or better at MPC or at another college; by successfully challenging the course by exam; or by providing test results that show a score of 3 or higher on the Math Advanced Placement Test, 35 percentile or higher on the Math CLEP, 490 or higher on the math section of the SAT (460 if test taken prior to April 1995), or 17 or higher on the math section of the ACT.

2. If I take MATH 261 for the “Communication and Analytical Thinking” general education requirement, will it also satisfy the math proficiency graduation requirement?

Yes.

3. If I satisfy the math proficiency requirement for graduation by my scores on the SAT or ACT, will that also satisfy the “Communication and Analytical Thinking” general education requirement?

No. However, a score of 3 or higher on the Math AP may be used for this purpose. The Math CLEP may also be used, but the score must be at the 50 percentile, which is higher than needed to meet the graduation proficiency requirement (35 percentile).

4. Can I use English AP or CLEP scores for both proficiency and general education?

Yes, with appropriate scores. However, with CLEP, you may get units/credit that count for graduation purposes at MPC only. You cannot CLEP out of English 1A for transfer.  With an AP score of 4 or higher, you may get credit for English 1A at the transfer school.

5. What is meant by “challenge by exam” mentioned as a way to fulfill the math and/or English graduation and general education requirements?

MPC, like most colleges, has procedures for students to challenge courses and get credit for them by taking an exam through the appropriate academic department. This is true for many courses, not just math and English; however, the course you want to get this kind of credit for must be on the list titled “Courses Which May Be Challenged By Examination At Monterey Peninsula College.” This list is available from a counselor, but the application form must be picked up at Admissions & Records and returned to that office for approval. 

6. How many units can I get credit for by “testing out” of the courses?

A maximum of 30 units of college credit may be awarded through any combination of examinations including Advanced Placement (AP), CLEP, Challenge by Exam procedures, USAFI/DANTES, and CEEB Achievement Tests.

7. How do I know what classes to register for every semester?

During your first semester at MPC, you should make an appointment with a counselor to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that is appropriate and workable for you. You may have started an Ed Plan with a counselor during a Registration Planning session, but now’s your chance to have it customized to fit your needs and goals. Ideally, a comprehensive Ed Plan will show you all the courses you need for your major, general education, prerequisites, basic skills, etc. -- and in the sequence that you should take them. Once you have a good Ed Plan set up, registration each semester or term becomes easier. You’ll still need to select the days and times and instructors from the Schedule of Classes, and the IEP may need to be revised occasionally, but at least it gives you a place to start. 

8. I have an Ed Plan that I did with my counselor, but I receive TANF benefits, and my case worker told me I need a “CalWORKs” education plan. Where do I get that?

Your first stop should be a meeting with the MPC CalWORKs Coordinator whose office is located in the College Center. From there, you’ll be referred to a counselor to complete the CalWORKs Education Plan. Best to call and make an appointment with the counselor to whom you are referred because the CalWORKs Ed Plan is a bit more complicated than a regular IEP and will take at least an hour to complete.

9. I’m a veteran and I want to use my educational benefits, and I was told I need a special education plan for that. Where do I start?

Your first stop will be a meeting with the Veterans’ Representative whose office is in the Student Services Bldg., near Counseling. From there, you’ll be referred to a counselor to complete the Veterans Education Plan. This cannot be done on a drop-in basis or during the first three weeks of classes. Make an appointment with the counselor to whom you are referred and plan on it taking at least an hour to complete the Veterans IEP.