Foothill has an open-door admission policy for all high-school graduates and non-graduates who are 18 years of age or older. Students enrolled in the junior and senior year of high school may attend Foothill College with written parental and school permission. Forms for parental and school permission are available in the Admissions & Records Offices at both Foothill campuses or online at: http://www.foothill.edu/reg/

Special admission procedures such as additional testing, application forms are required for admission to a number of career programs. Some of these programs begin only in the Fall Quarter. You must complete all special admission requirements in the preceding Spring Quarter.

Programs in this category include:

BioHealth Programs	Other Programs
Biotechnology Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene Paramedic Pharmacy Technician Primary Care Assisting Radiation Science-Ultrasound Radiologic Technology Respiratory Therapy Technology Veterinary Technology	Foothill Theatre Conservatory

Residency Requirements

Foothill College generally serves the communities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, and our sister school, De Anza College, generally serves the cities of Cupertino and Sunnyvale. Both colleges, however, accept students from outside these cities.

If you are an out-of-state student, you are considered a non-resident until you have satisfied current California residency requirements. This rule applies to visa-holding non-citizens eligible to establish residency. Non-resident tuition is required of all students in this category.

If you are an international student with an F-1 Visa, you may be eligible for admission only if you have completed the required special admission procedures. To request an International Student Application Packet, call the International Student Admissions Office, (650) 949-7293

General Registration Information

If you are a new or former student, you must submit the Application for Admission by the quarterly deadline published in the Schedule of Classes and online. We encourage you to complete the application, complete the assessment process and submit necessary transcripts as early as possible.
Students planning to transfer to Foothill are advised to submit transcripts from high schools and colleges previously attended.

If you plan to receive veterans benefits, apply for financial aid or earn a degree or certificate, you must
submit transcripts. Request previous institutions to send your transcripts directly to the Foothill College Admissions & Records Office, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills,
CA, 94022-4599.

To register for Foothill College classes, follow the telephone registration instructions or online registration instructions published in the Schedule of Classes and online. To plan up to one year of classes, consult the Foothill Web site. The Schedule of Classes for the current academic year is posted online. Online information is subject to change. We encourage you to check the Web site frequently. For more information, call the Admissions & Records Office at (650) 949-7325.

Classification of Enrolled Students

Matriculated Students: Students who have filed an application for admission, enrolled in the college, and:

• submitted high school and other transcripts, or
• met with a counselor, counseling associate, or career advisor to examine educational opportunities, or
• announced an intention to study for a degree or certificate, or
• begun a series of introductory or general education courses or special courses, or
• begun a series of special courses leading to a certificate or degree.

Freshmen: Students with fewer than 45 units of college credit.

Sophomores: Students who have completed 45 or more units of college credit and have not received a degree.

Full-Time Students: Students carrying 12 or more units.

Academic Prerequisites, Credit and Placement

Prerequisites

Many courses require the student to have completed prerequisites to enroll. These prerequisites are listed under each course description in the catalog and the Schedule of Classes.

Before registering by telephone, you must call the Matriculation Office at (650) 949-7512 to verify that you have satisfied necessary prerequisites for: Chemistry 1A, 1B, 10, English 1A, 1B, 110, 100, ESL 26, 25, 137, 146, 147, 156, 157, 166, 167, Math 2, 9, 10, 11A, 51, 101, 102, 105 and 200.

YOU MUST CALL the Matriculation Office before you call to enroll. Do not wait until the last minute to call for prerequisite verification because there may not be sufficient time to clear you for the class you want before the registration period.

The college has the authority to drop you from any course if you have not met the necessary prerequisites.

Students who submit written evidence or evidence by performance of sufficient competence through previous training or experience may be permitted to enroll in a course without completing the listed prerequisites if authorized to do so by the instructor or counselor and by the chairman of the appropriate Division.

Challenging Prerequisites

You may challenge prerequisites and corequisites if you can demonstrate that:

• You have the knowledge or ability to succeed in the course without the prerequisite or corequisite.
  
• You will be subject to undue delay in attaining your educational goal because the prerequisite or corequisite has not been made reasonably available.
  
• The prerequisite or corequisite is unlawfully discriminatory or is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory manner.
  
• The prerequisite or corequisite has been established in an arbitrary manner.

To challenge a prerequisite, see your counselor and complete a Prerequisite Challenge Petition prior to the first day of the quarter. Advisories, when made, are listed as recommendations following prerequisites and are published in this catalog, Schedule of Classes andonline. To schedule a counseling appointment, call (650) 949-7423.

Open Course Policy

It is the policy of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District that, unless specifically exempted by statute or regulation, every course, course section or class reported for state aid, wherever offered and maintained by the district, shall be fully open to enrollment and participation by any person who has been admitted to the college and who meets such prerequisites as may be established pursuant to regulations contained in California Administrative Code Title V commencing with Section 55200.

Enrolled Student Classification

You are a matriculated student if you have filed an Application for Admission, enrolled at Foothill and have done one of the following:

• Submitted high school and other transcripts;
• Met with a Foothill College counselor, counseling associate or career advisor to examine educational opportunities;
• Announced an intention to study for a degree or certificate;
• Begun a series of introductory, general education or special courses; or
• Begun a series of special courses leading to a certificate or degree.

Exceptions to Admissions & Registration Policies

To request an exception to a published policy, you must file an exception petition. These forms are available in the Admissions & Records Offices on either campus or online at: http://www.foothill.edu/reg/index.php .

General Program Requirements

All beginning freshmen must enroll in the CNSL 50: Introduction to College course, or demonstrate proof that they have completed an equivalent course. If you are eligible for ENGL 1A, you should complete this course by the end of the third quarter of enrollment; you may take a speech course first. If you are eligible for ENGL 110 or 100, you should complete these courses during the first or second quarter.

You may receive up to 10 quarter units of credit for each score of 5, 4 or 3 on College Entrance Board Advanced Placement Tests. Your Foothill transcript will show units but will not indicate grades. The Evaluation Office, located in the Student Development Center, Room 1930, provides information on how the advanced placement scores are marked on transcripts and the equivalencies for the University of California and California State University.

You may receive up to nine quarter units for each of five general CLEP tests completed with a score of at least 500. Your Foothill transcript will show elective unit credit for each successful test score. These units may also be used to fulfill certain general education requirements.

If you want to transfer credit from an armed services school or other special institution, you may apply through a counselor. It’s possible these credits will be accepted toward the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree once you have successfully completed a minimum of 15 units at Foothill.

Unit Limitations

An average class load is 15 units per quarter. The maximum number of allowable units per quarter without a counselor’s approval is 20 units. If you intend to enroll in more than 20 units, you must obtain a counselor’s approval and submit a petition to the Academic Council. The maximum number of allowable units for Summer Session is 12 units. To complete the petition process, schedule a consultation with a Foothill counselor by calling (650) 949-7423.

Credit From Other Institutions

Foothill accepts credit from institutions accredited by one of the six regional accrediting associations or follows the recommendations of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

Credit by Examination (Challenge)

Regularly enrolled students may be permitted to obtain credit by examination in subject matter fields in which they are especially qualified through training or experience, but for which credit or advanced placement has not been given. Unit credits for courses successfully challenged will not be awarded until students have successfully completed 15 units of additional work at Foothill College.

Challenge is limited to those courses recommended by the Divisions and approved by the Dean. There are special limitations for challenging foreign language courses, courses that depend on laboratory or activity experiences, or courses in a sequence. Students may not challenge a course at a lower level than one they have successfully completed in the same department. The examination may include written, oral, or skill tests, or a combination of all three, and will be sufficiently comprehensive to determine that the student has essentially the same knowledge and skills as a student who successfully completes the course. A student is not permitted to obtain credit by examination unless enrolled in the course and fully informed by the instructor of the requirements for successful completion. The grade received is entered on the student's permanent record.

No course may be challenged after the class has met for two weeks. Courses may not be challenged during Summer Session. Credit by examination may not be gained in a course that the student has failed. Units of credit received through this procedure may not apply toward the minimum of 24 resident units required at Foothill College for the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science Degree. A maximum of 20 units of credit may be earned by examination.

Although the University of California and the California State Universities accept, within certain limitations, appropriate credits obtained by examination, there is no guarantee by Foothill College that other institutions will do so.

Petitions for credit by examination may be obtained from the student's counselor during the first week of classes, and the examination will normally be completed by the end of the second week. Units earned under credit by examination will be identified on the student's transcript.

High-School Completion at Foothill

Although Foothill College cannot grant a high school diploma, many high schools in the area recommend that students 19 years of age or older complete their high school requirements by taking college courses. A student who chooses to obtain a diploma in this way should obtain a statement from the principal or a counselor of the high school indicating:

• The subject necessary for completion of the requirements for graduation and the number of quarter credits in each.
• Suggestions of Foothill College courses that may satisfy these high school requirements.
• The total number of quarter credits required, including electives.
• Acceptance of credit for courses taken at Foothill.

Upon completion of the college courses, the student should request that the Foothill College registrar send a transcript of the college record to the high school. The diploma will be issued in accordance with the procedures of the high school.

All credit courses taken at Foothill count as college credit, whether or not the high school counts the coursework toward high school requirements.

Honors Institute Eligibility

Students with strong academic motivation and ability are offered special class sections taught by faculty selected for their special interest in working with honors students.

To qualify for the Honors Institute, students must satisfy each of the following requirements:

1. Academic Excellence.
   1. For continuing Foothill College Students a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA in 10 or more units completed at Foothill College
   2. For students NEW to Foothill College. Provide evidence of one of the following:
      1. Minimum 3.5 cumulative high school GPA; or,
      2. SAT total of at least 1200; or Enhanced ACT Composite of 26+; or,
      3. Minimum reading score of 41 on Foothill College Assessment Test; or,
      4. Minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA in 10 or more units completed at another accredited college or university.
2. Writing Proficiency.
   Honors courses typically require substantial writing and critical thinking. Provide evidence of one of the following:
   1. Minimum score of 590 on SAT I Verbal test; or,
   2. Minimum AP English score of 3; or,
   3. Minimum score on Foothill Assessment Test of ENGL Read (32) and ENGL Writ (58); or,
   4. Completion of English 1A or with a grade of B or better.
3. Letter of Recommendation. Please have someone who can attest to your academic strength and ability to successfully complete honors courses submit a brief letter of recommendation. The recommendation form is available both on-line and at the Honors Institute office, room 5426.
4. Please include a paragraph describing your interest in the Foothill College Honors Institute, including what you hope to gain from your participation as well as what you believe you will contribute to the program. (You may use a separate sheet if you like).
5. *Optional Supplemental Information:
   While I do not currently meet the minimum qualifications for participation in the Honors Institute, I believe I am a good candidate for the program because...

*NOTE: Students who do not meet each of the requirements they may provide supplemental information stating why they believe they are a good candidate for the program .

Students must maintain a 3.30 minimum cumulative GPA while enrolled in the Honors Institute.