FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE OFF-CAMPUS SITES.

Where are the off-campus sites located?  The WSCC PTA Program operates a maximum of two (2) off-campus satellite labs.  Currently those off-campus labs are scheduled to meet at Bevill State Community College – Hamilton Campus (BSCC-H) in Hamilton, Alabama and at Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC) in Rainsville, Alabama.  Both campuses are approximately 90 miles from WSCC – BSCC-H to the northwest and NACC to the northeast.

Why is the WSCC PTA Program expanding?  Currently we are serving students from both of these communities through our linkage agreements, many of whom commute daily to WSCC.  With the cost of gas and other costs rising, it just makes sense to conduct PTA lab classes at a facility near those students. 

How do the off-campus sites differ from the on-campus program?  Essentially there is no difference other than the fact that students admitted to the off-campus locations will attend labs at an off-campus site.  They will experience the same curriculum, the same lab activities, the same instructors, the same high-quality PTA educational experience as their on-campus peers.  Our accreditation standards require that any expansion must guarantee the same education experience as that obtained on-campus. 

Are the off-campus sites accredited?  The PTA Program at WSCC has applied for approval of these expansion locations.  This application for approval will be reviewed at the end of October 2008.  It is anticipated that approval will be granted and the first off-campus groups can begin January 2009.  In the event that approval is not granted, admission to the off-campus locations will be delayed.  All necessary steps have been taken to assure that approval will be granted and a delay is not expected. 

How many students will be accepted at each location?  The PTA Programs plans to admit 10 students to each off-campus location for a total of 20 students.  Ten students is the size of the typical lab group that the program uses, allowing for an optimal student to instructor and student to equipment ratio. 

If I am accepted to an off-campus location, will I be a WSCC student?  Yes.  The PTA Program and any expansion location(s) are accredited through Wallace State Community College.  The PTA Program will simply be “borrowing” space from a sister institution.  Students admitted to the PTA Program will continue to register through WSCC, coordinate financial aid through WSCC and receive the benefits and services available to all WSCC students.  Most students will continue to take the prerequisites courses at their home institution but once they are accepted into the PTA Program, they become a WSCC student.

Will off-campus students be required to come to WSCC?  Yes.  Currently the plans are for students admitted to the off-campus sites to be on-campus in Hanceville one day per week.  This will allow students to take advantage of equipment that cannot be moved or to take advantage of WSCC services.

Is the application deadline and start date the same?  No!  Students applying to an off-campus location must submit a PTA Program application prior to November 1.  The off-campus locations will start in spring semester.  This will allow the PTA Program to admit two classes per year rather than just one.  The on-campus program will continue to use a June 15^th application deadline and start in the fall semester with 30 students.  The off-campus sites will use a November 1^st application deadline and start in the spring semester with 20 students. 

Will the off-campus schedule and progression be the same?  Students at the off-site locations will take the same PTA Program classes, in the same order, as the on-campus students.  However, the off-campus locations will start in the spring semester, continue in the fall and graduate the following spring semester.  This three semester progression (spring – fall – spring) is different from the on-campus program progression (fall – spring – summer). 

      Off-Campus Progression (November 1 application deadline)

YEAR 1          Prerequisite Classes (See Suggested Progression for details.)

Are the admission requirements different for the off-campus locations?  No, the admission requirements are the same regardless of location.  You must still complete the same prerequisite classes prior to the application deadline, have a minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, score a minimum of 18 on the ACT, and complete a minimum of 24 observations hours at 2 different facilities. 

If I am admitted to an off-campus location, where will my clinical rotations be?  The PTA Program has an extensive clinical network throughout north and central Alabama, southern Tennessee, eastern Mississippi, and western Georgia.  Because students at the off-campus locations will be in clinicals at different times from the on-campus group, we will continue to use the same clinical facilities.