Rock Valley College offers a wide variety of courses that lead to a college degree or certificate program in a transfer or career area. If you will be a new student (attending Rock Valley College for the first time) who will be taking courses in order to complete a transfer/career degree or certificate (i.e., credit courses), you will need to follow the checklist below.

Students who are interested in community or continuing education courses have a simplified checklist: (1) apply for admission, (2) register, and (3) pay for classes.
Checklist

1. Submit the application for admission. Some programs have limited enrollments and require additional materials. There is no application fee.

2. Submit high school transcript or GED completion certificate to the Records and Registration Office.

3. Complete placement testing at our Testing Center. For an appointment, call (815) 921-2380. All new students are required to test in the areas of English, mathematics, and reading unless they meet one of the following waiver requirements:

• Completed a bachelors degree or higher
• Successfully completed college-level coursework in the areas of Math and/or English
• Received a specific ACT/SAT in Reading, English or Math- See the Testing Center page for cut-offs

If you meet any of the above waiver items, you must submit appropriate documentation to the Admissions and Records office for verification as soon as possible.

4. Register for and attend an Educational Planning Session. The session will assist you with your transition to Rock Valley College. You will receive information regarding the registration process, residency, tuition options, prerequisites, deadlines, and other essential Rock Valley College information. You will receive a course catalog with information on our transfer and career education programs. You will also learn about our course schedules and Online Services. Learn more about Educational Planning Sessions or you can register for a session now or call (815) 921-4094.

Attending an Educational Planning session is mandatory for all new students.

5. Register and Pay for your classes.

Other important information

Transfer Students

If you have attended another college or university and will be transferring credits to Rock Valley in order to complete a Rock Valley degree or certificate program, you should contact us to request to have your prior credits evaluated. This will help us determine what, if any, of your courses meet our requirements. Request your college/university send your transcripts to Rock Valley College, Attention: Records and Registration Office, 3301 North Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114. Call us for an evaluation at (815) 921-4250.

Summer School Students

We welcome students attending other colleges and universities to take courses at Rock Valley during the summer semester. Students who have never attended RVC before should follow these steps:

• Apply for Admission at www.rockvalleycollege.edu/application OR in person at the Information Desk located on the first floor of the Student Center.
  
  
• Take the placement test if necessary OR supply a High School ACT and/or SAT, or official College Transcripts. (college transcripts must be sent to RVC by your college, we do accept transcripts hand delivered)
  
  
• Complete Educational Planning Session (EPS) – please email rvc-eps@rockvalleycollege.edu from your current college email account to complete the EPS dedicated to summer students only.  If you have any questions, contact the First Year Experience office at 815.921.4094.
  
  
• Verify course transferability with your currently enrolled institution.
  
  
• Meet, if needed with an Academic Advisor/Counselor regarding Rock Valley College courses.
  
  
• Register for Classes- see registration information located in the Rock Valley College Credit Schedule.
  
  
• Get your RVC student photo ID at the Information Center after you register for classes.
  
  
• Arrange payment by the payment deadline-see tuition, fees and payment information located in the Rock Valley College Credit Schedule.
  
  
• Purchase books/supplies-see bookstore information located in the Rock Valley College Credit Schedule.
  
  

Concurrently enrolled high school students

High school students age 16 and over may enroll concurrently at the college if they obtain written approval of their high school principal or counselor. These students will need to follow the application procedures as stated above. Students enrolled in dual credit courses need to apply for admission and complete the appropriate placement testing. For information on dual credit courses students should contact their high school guidance counselor or the Rock Valley College High School Connections office.

To receive more information about Rock Valley College, complete an Information Request Form. If you are not sure who to ask or where to go, contact the Recruitment & Admissions office at (815) 921-4250 or RVC-Admissions@rockvalleycollege.edu