Learning Support Program in English and Math

Mission Statement

The learning support program contributes to the Gordon State College mission by providing supportive access to high quality post-secondary education through improvement of foundational skills.

A student's Learning Support requirements are determined on the basis of SAT/ACT scores, the high school grade point average, and/or college placement exam scores.

Academic Advising is a critical component of the educational experience.

CLICK HERE for advising information for Learning Support Students.

Students with the HOPE scholarship may have learning support requirements. However, all students may opt for further testing to assess learning support placement. If you have test scores, they may exempt you from learning support requirements. For an initial evaluation, you may email an unofficial copy of your scores to Dr. Steve Raynie. If the scores exempt you, you will need to have an official score report sent to the college. Alternately, you may attempt exemption by taking the Accuplacer test. Contact Gordon State College's Testing Center for information about Accuplacer testing. 

Learning Support Placement (Effective Spring 2024)

Learning Support placement is determined according to these criteria:

Placement Criteria and Courses Approved For Students in Learning Support

Course Descriptions

ENGL 0999 Support for English Composition

Co-requisite: ENGL 1101

Credit Hours: (2-0-2) for institutional use only

This Learning Support course is intended to provide corequisite support for students requiring remediation in reading and or writing while they are enrolled in ENGL 1101 - English Composition I. Topics will parallel those being studied in ENGL 1101 and will include the essential reading and writing skills needed to be successful in ENGL 1101. This course focuses on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on exposition, analysis, and argumentation. The course also includes introductory use of a variety of research skills.

MATH 0996 Support for Elementary Statistics

Co-requisite: MATH 1401

Credit Hours: (2-0-2) for institutional use only

This Learning Support course is intended to provide co-requisite support for students requiring remediation in mathematics while they are enrolled MATH 1401, Elementary Statistics. Topics will parallel those being studied in MATH 1401 and will include the essential quantitative skills need to be successful in MATH 1401. Topics will include sampling and data, graphical and numerical descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis, basic probability theory, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing.

MATH 0997 Support for Quantitative Reasoning

Co-requisite: MATH 1001

Credit Hours: (2-0-2) for institutional use only

This Learning Support course is intended to provide corequisite support for students requiring remediation in mathematics while they are enrolled in MATH 1001 - Quantitative Reasoning. Topics will parallel those being studied in MATH 1001 and will include the essential quantitative skills needed to be successful in MATH 1001. Among the topics to be discussed are logic, basic probability, data analysis and modeling from data.

MATH 0999 Support for College Algebra

Co-requisite: MATH 1111

Credit Hours: (2-0-2) for institutional use only

This Learning Support course is intended to provide corequisite support for students requiring remediation in mathematics while they are enrolled in MATH 1111 - College Algebra. Topics will parallel those being studied in MATH 1111 and will include the essential quantitative skills needed to be successful in MATH 1111. This course provides an in-depth study of the properties of algebraic, exponential and logarithmic functions.

STAR 0098 - Students Taking Academic Responsibility for College Success

Credit Hours: (1-0-1) for institutional use only

This course is designed to teach strategies for creating success in college and in life through increased self-awareness and enhanced commitment to life-long learning. Topics include personal responsibility; self-motivation; goal-setting; priority management; learning styles; decision-making; engaging the academic community; interpersonal communication; note-taking and other study skills; test-taking strategies; stress reduction strategies; critical thinking; problem-solving; and the power of positive thinking. Readmitted students returning from academic suspension must complete this course. Please note, however, that students returning from Learning Support suspension are NOT required to enroll in STAR 0098.

Credit

Credit earned in Learning Support courses is strictly institutional. While it is counted toward the number of credit hours for which a student is enrolled in any semester, it does not count in a student's grade point average and does not count toward graduation.

Policies

• During each semester of enrollment, students must first register for all required Learning Support courses before registering for other courses. This policy also applies to part-time students.
• Students with Learning Support requirements in both math and English may defer math until the second term of enrollment.
• Students who are required to take Learning Support courses may not register as non-degree students in an effort to defer taking required Learning Support courses.
• Since Learning Support math courses are offered fall and spring semesters on the Barnesville campus in the daytime and evening, students who take off-campus courses only are not exempt from taking required Learning Support courses, even if these courses are not available at an off-campus location. Evening students needing English may defer one semester if the course is not offered.
• Students who are required to take Learning Support courses in English or mathematics may not register as auditors in any such course in that area.
• 30-Hour Rule: Students who accumulate 30 semester hours or more of college credit and have not successfully completed required Learning Support courses may enroll only in Learning Support courses until all requirements have been successfully completed. Students with transfer credit or credit earned in a certificate or prior degree program who are required to take Learning Support courses for their current degree objectives may earn up to 30 additional hours of college level credit.
• Learning Support students may not register for more than 18 semester hours in any given semester. Overloads will not be approved.

Learning Support Standards of Progress

In addition to the Academic Standards of Progress and in accordance with policies of the University System of Georgia, students enrolled in one or more Learning Support courses must comply with progression requirements of the Learning Support program.

Students who require support in their degree-credit gateway course will begin in one of the co-requisite pairs (ENGL 0999 / ENGL 1101, MATH 0997 / MATH 1001, or MATH 0999 / MATH 1111).

Time spent in Learning Support course work in a disciplinary area shall be cumulative within the University System of Georgia.

Readmission

Students who have been suspended from the University System and who wish to re-enter the Learning Support Program to complete requirements may submit new test scores after a period of one year, provided no college courses in the University System have been taken during that time. The student will be bound by the most current current Learning Support guidelines. Students who do not exempt following retesting may be considered for readmission under the current Learning Support guidelines. Readmitted students are subject to the 30 hour limit on college-level coursework and may take only required Learning Support courses if they had earned 30 credit hours during their previous period(s) of enrollment.

Students who have not been suspended and who wish to re-enter the Learning Support program to complete requirements may submit new test scores if they have not taken any college courses in the University System for a period of one year. Students will be bound by the most current Learning Support guidelines.