HACC offers several courses designed for students who need to sharpen their skills for college-level work. Students who would benefit from developmental courses are identified through the HACC's placement testing. Students who score below a certain threshold in two or more areas are required to enroll in a 3-credit First-Year Seminar (FYS), offered through the Foundational Studies discipline, before attempting their 13th credit. Students should consult with their academic advisor to determine if this 3-credit FYS is required.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
HACC offers instruction in English for either credit-based academic purposes and/or as a focus on community, college, and career noncredit options. For further information on HACC’s ESL opportunities visit www.hacc.edu .
GED® Testing
HACC’s Harrisburg Campus administers General Educational Development (GED®) testing on a regular basis. Those who achieve a satisfactory overall score on all 4 exams receive a Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma. This diploma, issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and regarded as the equivalent of an earned high school diploma, certifies that the recipient meets the high school graduation requirements set by the State Board of Education. The Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma is also issued to applicants who successfully complete 30 semester hours of college-level course work.
To be eligible for GED testing, a Pennsylvania resident must be 18 years of age or older and must not be enrolled in an approved or licensed secondary school. Persons 16 and 17 years of age may take the GED tests at the written request of an employer who requires a high school equivalency diploma; a college, technical/trade school or university official who requires GED test scores for admission to their institutions; a recruiting officer of the armed forces who requires a high school equivalency diploma for enlistment; or a director of a state institution for residents, patients or inmates who is requiring testing for persons prior to their release or discharge from the institution. It should be noted that the Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma is issued only to persons 18 years of age or older. GED testing is available on-campus or remotely and is scheduled and paid for at www.ged.com . An admission ticket and current photo ID are required for testing. The test consists of four subjects and costs $30 per subject. Email ged@hacc.edu or call 717-780-1160 for GED test and free test preparation class information.
Application and Admission InformationApplicants who meet the following criteria will be admitted to the College:
Earned a high school diploma or received a General Education Development Diploma (GED)
Satisfied the conditions for early admission of secondary school students
Are 18 years of age or older
Who should apply for admission to the college?
Anyone who has never previously applied for credit courses
Anyone who has previously applied for credit courses but never took classes
Anyone who previously studied at HACC but has not attended for five or more years
How to apply for admission to the college:
Complete and submit the online application for admission found at www.hacc.edu . Apply as early as possible to ensure that there is adequate time to complete the enrollment process.
Submit a high school transcript or copy of high school equivalency diploma if you are taking any credit classes at HACC
Submit an official college transcript if you are:
Transferring credits to HACC
Seeking acceptance to a selective program
Other documents may be required for the following admission types:
College in the High School and Dual Enrollment Programs – Students seeking enrollment into college courses at HACC while attending high school.
Guest Student Admissions – Students currently enrolled at another institution and taking courses at HACC to fulfill the home institution’s degree requirements.
International Student Admissions – Students seeking enrollment with an F-1 Visa need to complete the International Admissions Application. Please contact the International Admissions Coordinator for an application at 717-780-2403.
Permanent Resident/Non- Resident – Those living in the United States who are not U.S. citizens are required to submit either a copy of their permanent resident card or a current visa with the application for admission. A non-resident alien is defined as a person who is not a citizen and who is in the United States on a visa or temporary basis without the right to remain indefinitely.
How to apply for financial aid:
The Financial Aid Department encourages all students to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA). Students should apply at www.fafsa.gov .
Who to contact for more information:
The College welcomes and encourages future students to visit any campus and learn more about HACC. Call 800-ABC-HACC or meet an admissions counselor by visiting https://www.hacc.edu/Admissions/MeetYourRecruiter/index.cfm .
Where do I find an application?
Once a student is admitted to the College, a welcome email is sent. The welcome email includes the student’s assigned HACC ID as well as information on the next steps of the enrollment process. Please find more information and admissions steps located at www.hacc.edu/Admissions .
Placement Testing
HACC wants to ensure students have the necessary skills to succeed in college-level courses. Some students may need to take placement tests to assess math and English skills. Students who meet one or more of the following criteria, are exempt from taking math or English placement tests:
*Math scores must have been recorded within the past five years; eligible for MATH 100, 103, 104, 111, 113, 114 and 202
**English scores must have been recorded within the past 10 years; eligible for ENGL 101
If exempt from math and English placement testing, you are eligible to enroll in college-level math and English courses.
Students who have completed a baccalaureate degree and provide transcripts are exempt from English placement testing, but depending on the program of study, may need to take the math placement test.
Students who are interested in studying English for Academic purposes or are English language learners, must take the Accuplacer ESL placement tests, unless they present acceptable TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, or Duolingo scores.
All students are allowed to retake a placement test. For the Accuplacer tests, a fee of $25 will be charged upon the third attempt.
A student with a documented disability who requires special assistance with testing should contact Student Access Services to schedule testing. HACC offers several developmental courses designed for students who need to sharpen skills for college-level work.
New Student Orientation
After placement testing and before registering for classes, new student orientation helps students start or continue their educational journey. New Student Orientation programs are specifically designed and implemented in order to prepare students to transition into and through college, acquiring the skills and knowledge requisite for success and completion.
New Student Orientation is a mandatory part of the enrollment process. Not attending an orientation could impact or delay the enrollment process. Shortly after activating their myHACC accounts, students will be sent an email with instructions on how to schedule an orientation and complete any required placement test(s). Please note this email will only be sent to the student’s HAWKMail email address. Students are encouraged to check their “All Mail” tab if the email does not appear in their primary inbox.
New student orientation is offered in a variety of modalities (remote via Zoom, in-person at rotating campuses, and a self-paced online option via D2L/Brightspace). The orientation is approximately 1.5-2 hours and is designed to help students transition to college successfully. New student orientation will include:
If a student needs disability-related accommodations for orientation, please contact orientation@hacc.edu at least five business days before their scheduled orientation date.
Students also have access to Orientation Homebase , a one-stop location to access need-to-know information about being a student at HACC, links to essential services and resources, and contact information for HACC offices.
For more information or to contact the New Student Orientation office, please visit the New Student Orientation webpage at www.hacc.edu/Admissions/Orientation or contact New Student Orientation at orientation@hacc.edu or (717) 780-2513.
Meeting with an Advisor
Advising is an important part of the educational experience. The student and advisor can discuss program objectives and the student’s goals to develop an educational plan that fits the student’s needs. Students are highly encouraged to meet with an advisor prior to each semester until graduation or the student’s educational goals are met. Students who choose to register without seeking advice or register in classes not recommended by their advisor assume full responsibility for their actions. To learn more about advising, please visit our webpage at www.hacc.edu/advising or call us at 717-780-2498.
Students should refer to the Academic Programs of this catalog, or go to www.hacc.edu for information on the suggested sequence of courses for the program they are pursuing and planning suggestions for those students who plan to transfer to another college after completing their education at HACC. Class schedules and details on the course modality options (on campus, remote, and online learning) are available at www.hacc.edu/courseschedule .
Registration includes the selection of and registration for classes, and the payment of tuition and fees. Registration generally begins several months prior to the start of classes and ends the day prior to the start of class. Early registration is encouraged, and full payment is not required until the tuition due date. Registration, dates, times, deadlines, and details about registration methods can be found online at www.hacc.edu .
In order to be considered a full-time student in a fall or spring term, a student must be enrolled in courses totaling at least 12 credit hours. Recommended sequences of classes are generally based on at least 15 credits per term in order to facilitate timely completion of a program. Students who wish to schedule more than the normal load during term must obtain approval from their academic advisor. It is recommended students plan weekly study time of at least two hours for each hour of class. It is unwise to plan work and study totaling more than about sixty hours a week.