§ 6-60-208 - Requirements.
6-60-208. Requirements.
(a) (1) Beginning with the 2002-2003 academic year, any public school student who graduates from a public high school after May 1, 2002, must have successfully completed the core curriculum recommended by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board after consultation with the State Board of Education and pursuant to 6-61-217 with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in order to be eligible for unconditional admission as an undergraduate to a public four-year institution of higher education.
(2) Nothing in this subsection (a) shall prevent a student from enrolling for the purpose of obtaining a degree or a certificate offered by a public four-year institution.
(b) (1) Subject to subsection (c) of this section and beginning with the 2002-2003 academic year, any public school student who graduates from a public high school after May 1, 2002, must have successfully completed the core curriculum recommended by the coordinating board after consultation with the state board and pursuant to 6-61-217 in order to be eligible for unconditional admission to a public two-year institution of higher education.
(2) Nothing in this subsection (b) shall prevent a student from enrolling for the purpose of obtaining a degree or a certificate offered by a public two-year institution.
(c) (1) (A) The colleges and universities shall develop standards for collegiate admissions based on the mission of each institution and establish a conditional collegiate admissions process for each institution, subject to the recommendations of the coordinating board.
(B) The colleges and universities are hereby directed to establish standards for conditional admission for public school students who have not completed the core curriculum, subject to the recommendations of the coordinating board. At a minimum, these conditional admissions standards shall require the following:
(i) For a public school student seeking an associate of arts degree or a baccalaureate degree who failed to successfully complete the core curriculum, completion of twelve (12) hours of core academic courses and any necessary remedial courses with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale; or
(ii) For a public school student seeking a diploma, a technical certificate, or an associate of applied science degree who failed to successfully complete the core curriculum, completion of six (6) hours of core academic courses, six (6) hours of technical courses required for the diploma, technical certificate, or associate of applied science degree, and any necessary remedial courses with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
(2) (A) Conditional admissions standards should appropriately reflect the mission of each institution and shall be implemented by the institutions as a condition of receiving state funds.
(B) If the coordinating board does not approve the conditional collegiate admissions standards and process for an institution, no state funds shall be used to subsidize or pay for any portion of the cost associated with the conditional students.
(3) The admissions criteria set forth in this section shall not apply to those individuals who graduate from a public high school prior to May 1, 2002.
(d) (1) Beginning with the 1997-1998 academic year, conditional admissions standards for nontraditional students shall be based on the student's score on the American College Test composite or its equivalent as defined by the Department of Higher Education, which shall issue guidelines to assist two-year and four-year institutions of higher education in developing conditional admissions standards.
(2) As used in this subsection (d), "nontraditional students" shall include those who are home-schooled or who attended private or parochial secondary schools.
(e) Nothing in this section shall prevent an institution of higher education from setting higher admissions standards for enrolling freshmen.
(f) Nothing in this section shall prevent a student from enrolling for the purpose of obtaining a degree or a certificate offered by a public two- year or four-year institution of higher education.