Matriculation Rights and Responsibilities

Matriculation is a process that assists you in choosing, planning, and achieving your educational and career goals. It is Palomar’s way of supporting your right to succeed in college. Matriculation is a partnership between you and Palomar.

Palomar College agrees to

• Help you register for appropriate classes
• Provide you with an orientation and information on services available, and possible majors and/or careers
• Provide access to counselors and instruction

You agree to

• Decide upon your major and goal
• Participate in orientation
• Meet with a counselor to develop an educational plan by the time you have completed 15 units
• Attend and complete courses to make the best use of the time you spend at Palomar
• Prior to registration, all non-exempt students must complete the following steps that apply:
  Fill out an application for admission online
• Send in all transcripts or previous assessment scores and request an evaluation for equivalency

New, returning, or transfer students who may be exempted from the matriculation process are students who

• Already have an associate degree or higher
• Are attending Palomar for personal enrichment
• Are enrolled only in non-credit courses
• Are taking classes only to upgrade job skills
• Are enrolled in apprenticeship or other special vocational education programs
• Are concurrently enrolled in another college or university

Exempt students are not required to participate in the matriculation process but are encouraged to see a counselor at any time.

The college may suspend or terminate services to any student who fails to fulfill his/her responsibilities. However, the college may never suspend or terminate any service for which a student is otherwise entitled under any other provision of law. In addition, students may challenge any matriculation requirement or regulation using the petition process.

Enrollment restrictions

Many courses and education programs of study have enrollment conditions such as prerequisites, co-requisites or advisories on recommended preparation. These faculty-approved conditions are considered necessary and appropriate to ensure that you are adequately prepared to succeed in the course or education program. It is your responsibility to meet any and all enrollment conditions.

Advisory on Recommended Preparation

Recommended preparation is a condition of enrollment that you are advised, but not required, to meet before or in conjunction with enrollment in a course or education program. If you believe that you have satisfied the advisory by means other than the stated advisory, please consult with the appropriate department to determine your readiness to enroll in the course or educational program.

Other Limits on Enrollment

Enrollment in certain courses or educational programs of study may require tryouts, auditions or may be limited by health and safety considerations, facility limitations, faculty workload, the availability of qualified instructors, funding limitations or legal requirements imposed by statutes, regulations or contracts. All such limitations are in conformity with the provisions of Title 5, Section 58106, California Community College Board of Governors.

Prerequisites

A prerequisite is a condition of enrollment that you are required to meet in order to demonstrate current readiness in a course or education program. You may be required to show proof of meeting the prerequisite. Failure to meet the stated prerequisite may result in being administratively dropped from the course.

Co-requisites

A co-requisite is a condition of enrollment consisting of a course that you are required to simultaneously take in order to enroll in another course. Failure to enroll in the stated co-requisite will result in being administratively dropped from the course.

You may not be permitted to enroll in a class for which you cannot demonstrate that you have met the prerequisite or are enrolled in the corequisite. If it is determined after a course begins that you have not met the prerequisite, you may be dropped from the course.

If you are currently enrolled in a prerequisite course at Palomar College, you will be permitted to enroll in the next level course on the assumption that you will pass the prerequisite course with a C or better. If you do not successfully pass the course (receive a grade of D, F, FW, NC, I, EW, or W) you will be dropped from the next level class.

Challenging a Prerequisite

In certain prescribed instances, prerequisites and co-requisites may be challenged.

A prerequisite or co-requisite challenge requires written documentation, explanation of alternative course work, background, abilities, or other evidence showing adequate preparation for the target course. A Prerequisite or Co-requisite Challenge Petition can be obtained from the Admissions Office, in the Counseling Center, or at a College Center office.