Section 451.500  Student Admissions Standards

a)         The school shall provide to each prospective student its specific admission requirement for each course of instruction.  Such requirements shall include evidence of satisfactory completion of secondary education or the GED examination, and/or other evidence predicting probable success of the student in the course of instruction.  Schools not requiring successful completion of high school or the GED shall provide the Superintendent with evidence (e.g., letters or similar communications from employers) that such completion is not normally required for persons seeking placement in the occupations for which it trains students.  The school shall maintain verifiable evidence that each student meets the school's admission standards for the course of instruction in which enrolled and that the admission standards provide reasonable indication of the student's potential for successful completion of the course of instruction.

b)         A school shall evaluate each applicant's qualifications prior to his/her acceptance or rejection and shall, for seven years, maintain records of this action for the superintendent's inspection.  The records should include specific, verifiable evidence that each student admitted has sufficient aptitude to meet the school's standards for admission into the course in which the student has enrolled.

c)         When the school admits an applicant who does not meet all of its admissions standards, it shall record the reasons why the student was permitted to enroll and so inform the student.

d)         A school may require applicants who do not meet its requirements for admission to satisfactorily complete remedial instruction prior to full admission status.

e)         As evidence of student qualification, the school may use such devices or combination of devices as aptitude and ability test results, transcripts, letters of recommendation, proof of previous successful experience in the field, questionnaires, and structured admissions interviews.  It may include records of such abilities or qualities as analytical thinking, problem-solving, personal responsibility, evenness of performance, motivation, maturity, promise in the field, leadership abilities, energy, self-confidence, relation of ability to achievement, written/oral expression, mathematical skills, dexterity and coordination, mechanical aptitude, and originality and imagination.

f)          For a distance education course of instruction, an admissions test conducted on-line must include a verification of the student's identity.

g)         A school shall not refuse to admit applicants on account of race, color, creed, sex, physical or mental handicap unrelated to ability, religion, or national origin (Section 16(11) of the Act [105 ILCS 425/16(11)).

h)         Whenever required for licensure or entry into the field for which the applicant is to be trained, the school shall require evidence of a satisfactory physical examination or other specific qualification, such as bonding, prior to admitting the applicant.  For example:

1)         Applicants for truck driving schools shall meet the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Secretary of State requirements prior to acceptance.

2)         Applicants for flight programs shall meet the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration prior to acceptance.

i)          A school shall not enroll an applicant under the age of 16 or an applicant enrolled in an elementary or a high school in Illinois unless it has established through verifiable and recorded contact with responsible school officials (school superintendent, school principal or designee) that, based on academic performance, the course will not be detrimental to the student's regular school coursework.

j)          If a school enrolls students in courses of instruction preparing graduates for occupations generally requiring satisfactory completion of the twelfth grade or the GED, it shall require the applicant to provide evidence of equivalent life experience or to furnish an official high school transcript from a recognized high school, a copy of the GED certificate, or a statement signed by the applicant that attests to graduation and includes the date of graduation, name, address, and telephone number of the high school last attended.

k)         A school, through its catalog/bulletin or similar descriptive literature, shall inform each applicant prior to enrollment about:  

1)         its specific admissions requirements for each course of instruction that the applicant is considering;

2)         the general requirements for entrance into the occupations for which the student seeks training;

3)         its placement service, if a placement service is provided.  Statistics for the most recent 12-month reporting period of July 1 to June 30 preceding the date of the school's application for annual renewal of its certificate of approval shall be provided for each course of instruction that the applicant is considering.  These statistics shall address each of the categories enumerated in Section 15.2 of the Act [105 ILCS 425/15.2]. In the absence of placement statistics for a new course of instruction, the enrolling representative shall disclose to the student the placement statistics which represent the aggregate of all courses of instruction (Section 15.2 of the Act);

4)         its policies and procedures, if any, for granting advanced standing to qualified prospective students who have previously completed training and/or work experience in the field of intended study;

5)         its policies, if any, for shortening the period of study and reducing the cost of instruction for students admitted with advanced standing.

l)          A school shall not represent or imply that:  

1)         its graduates will be able to secure positions in a particular field because of completion of one or more of its courses of instruction if such positions are available only to persons with additional training and experience;

2)         it will accept a limited number of persons from a geographical area;

3)         it will accept applications for enrollment for only a limited period of time unless this fact can be verified;

4)         its credits are acceptable for admission or advanced standing at any school, college, or university unless it has previously filed evidence (e.g., a letter or some form of communication attesting to the transferability of the credits) to this effect with the Superintendent;

5)         applications must be submitted by a certain date to be acceptable for student admission unless this fact can be verified;

6)         any commodity or service is free when in fact such commodity or service is regularly included as part of the cost of instruction.

m)        An out-of-state truck driving school shall disclose to its applicants prior to enrollment that graduates of such schools should normally have attained the age of 21 prior to completion of the course of instruction.  Such schools admitting students between the ages of 18 and 21 shall require all applicants to sign a statement of understanding that employment with truck driving companies operating interstate is not possible until the applicant attains the age of 21.

n)         Home study/in-residence and distance education/in-residence schools shall restrict admission to the number of students who can begin in-residence study within approximately 60 calendar days after successful completion of home study or the distance education portion.

o)         Home study, home study/in-residence, and distance education schools shall not distribute or provide access to the first lesson until the applicant has been accepted by the admissions officer at the school's principal place of business.

1)         Distribution of or access to the first lesson shall be no later than ten business days following the official date of admission.

2)         Home study schools shall not distribute more than approximately 20 percent of the total number of home study lessons in the course of instruction to the student at any one time.

(Source:  Amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 7229, effective May 1, 2000)