Joint Admissions Agreement FAQs

The Joint Admissions Agreement (JAA)

among R.I.’s State Colleges and University:

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) for Students

1. What is the Joint Admissions Agreement (JAA)?

The Joint Admissions Agreement (JAA) allows you, as a CCRI student, to enroll in the

JAA and be admitted conditionally to RIC or URI. By enrolling in the JAA and

successfully completing all of the program requirements including a JAA Transition Plan,

and earning a 2.4 Grade Point Average (GPA), you will earn 60 credits that will be applied

toward the bachelor’s degree in a specified program. The JAA is a curriculum document,

not a financial document; you must speak to the financial aid office at RIC or URI to get

information on tuition, eligibility for in-state tuition, and financial aid. Although students

may transfer among the public institutions in a variety of ways, the purpose of the JAA is

to facilitate the transition from the associate’s degree at CCRI to the bachelor’s degree at

either RIC or URI.

2. What are the benefits of enrolling under the JAA?

If you enroll in the JAA with the intent to transfer to RIC or URI and complete an

associate’s degree at CCRI in one of the designated transition plan programs, you will:

• Earn 60 credits that will be applied toward your baccalaureate degree program at RIC

or URI.

• Gain the benefits of advisement from CCRI and from RIC or URI while you are a

student at CCRI.

• Register for courses at the same time as other students at RIC or URI who have the

same number of credits.

• Not be required to pay the admission application fee at URI or RIC.

• Receive invitations to a special orientation and other events on the URI or RIC campus.

• Gain eligibility for the Joint Admissions Award for Academic Achievement if your

grade point average (GPA) is 3.0 or higher when you graduate from CCRI.

3. Who can participate?

CCRI students are eligible to sign up for the JAA if the following criteria are met:

• You plan to transfer to RIC or URI.

• You declare General Studies as your major at CCRI.

• You know the major you want at RIC or URI and there is a valid Transition Plan for

that major. Go to RI Transfers (www.ribghe.org/ritransfers.htm) and click on JAA

Transition Plans for the most current list of majors.

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• Please note that residency requirements and tuition rates are established by CCRI, RIC,

and URI, and you should discuss these matters with a financial aid advisor.

• To be eligible you must sign the JAA application before earning 30 college-level

credits (including credits earned while in high school from dual enrollment, college

enrichment, IB, or AP, from CLEP, or military training).

• JAA is a program for first-time college students. Students who earned college credits

while enrolled at a regionally accredited postsecondary institution, other than CCRI, are

not eligible. However, students who earned college credits while in high school

(through dual enrollment, college enrichment, Advanced Placement, or International

Baccalaureate programs), and credits earned through CLEP or military training, if less

than 30 total credits would be eligible to apply to JAA. Students who attended a

postsecondary institution not accredited by a regional accrediting agency and who did

not receive transfer credit would be eligible to apply for JAA.

4. How can I get information about the JAA?

• Once you attend CCRI, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the JAA at

orientation and at JAA information sessions.

• Contact the CCRI JAA Coordinator by sending email to [email protected] or by calling

825-2384.

• Information on the JAA is also available at the Office of Enrollment Services,

Advising and Counseling Center, and the RI Transfers Web page

(www.ribghe.org/ritransfers.htm).

5. What if I have questions about JAA?

• Ask general questions about JAA by sending email to the CCRI JAA Coordinator at

[email protected] or by calling 825-2384.

• Contact the Advising and Counseling Center at any Community College of Rhode

Island campus. Call to make an appointment to speak with an advisor at the CCRI

campus you attend: in Lincoln, call 401-333-7160; in Newport, call 401-851-1625; in

Providence, call 401-455-6063; and in Warwick, call 401 825-2301.

• Contact the RIC JAA advisor, by calling 401-456-8083 or by sending an email to

[email protected] and the URI JAA advisors, by calling 401-874-4076 or 401-874-4810 or

by sending an email to [email protected].

6. What steps do I take to participate?

• Make an appointment to discuss JAA and other transfer options by contacting the

Advising and Counseling Center at the CCRI campus you attend: in Lincoln, call 401-

333-7160; in Newport, call 401-851-1625; in Providence, call 401-455-6063; and in

Warwick, call 401 825-2301.

• Advisors have the JAA applications and you can fill out an application when you have

your advising meeting. Complete the JAA application form and return it to the CCRI

Office of Enrollment Services. Students who enroll under the agreement will receive a

letter of acceptance to confirm enrollment.

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• Sign the last page of the Student Guide and return it to the Advising and Counseling

Center.

• Obtain and keep all of the JAA documents and information including: a copy of your

Transition Plan, the Student Guide, and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). This

information is accessible online at RI Transfers (www.ribghe.org/ritransfer.htm).

• Follow the requirements of the JAA to ensure the maximum number of credits will be

applied toward the bachelor’s degree when you transfer.

7. When should I apply for the JAA?

You can apply for the JAA once you have enrolled at CCRI and before you have earned 30

credits. In order to guarantee that you will receive 60 credits applicable to the bachelor’s

degree, you must complete the requirements of the JAA and one of the Transition Plans.

The earlier that you sign up, the greater the likelihood that you will not accumulate excess

credit not applicable to the bachelor’s degree. However, the associates’ degree must be

completed within five years from the date that you sign the application. If you are

undecided on attending RIC or URI, or what Transition Plan you want to follow, or you are

taking developmental courses or attending part-time, you should discuss with your advisor

when to sign up for JAA.

8. What are the requirements to maintain eligibility for the Joint

Admissions Agreement?

• Meet with a CCRI and a URI or RIC advisor every semester to choose courses that

fulfill the requirements for the JAA Transition Plan at CCRI. Attending JAA Days is a

convenient way to meet with your RIC or URI advisor. To arrange an appointment

with an advisor at CCRI to discuss JAA issues, contact the Advising and Counseling

Center at the campus you attend: in Lincoln, call 401-333-7160; in Newport, call 851-

1625; in Providence, call 401-455-6063; and in Warwick, call 401 825-2301. For the

RIC JAA advisor, call 401-456-8083 or send an email to [email protected]. For the URI

JAA advisors, call 401-874-4076 or 401-874-4810 or send an email to [email protected].

• You must earn an associate’s degree by completing one of the specified JAA Transition

Plans within five years of officially enrolling in the JAA.

• You must graduate from CCRI with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.4 or higher to

gain admission into RIC or URI.

• You must submit an official CCRI transcript, the Intent to Enroll form, and an

enrollment deposit to URI or RIC by the published deadline.

• You must meet all academic and non-academic requirements for enrollment at the

baccalaureate institution.

9. How do I know which programs are included in the JAA?

The most current listing of the JAA Transition Plans can be found on the RI Transfers Web

site (www.ribghe.org/ritransfers.htm) and in the online edition of the Transfer Guide for

Students (www.ribghe.org/transferguide.htm

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10. What if I want to participate in the JAA, but I haven’t decided on

my intended major?

If you are thinking about different areas that interest you and have not decided on a major,

then you are not yet ready to sign up for the JAA. But remember that you are eligible to

recommendations on which general education courses to take while you are deciding. By

beginning with your general education requirements, you can sample a variety of subject

areas and have time to consider which subjects you would enjoy learning more about. You

can talk to the career counselor at CCRI about aptitude and interest testing that may give

you direction in choosing a major. With the help of the advisors, you can choose courses

that interest you, and these courses can become the basis of a major or a minor when you

go to URI or RIC. When you decide on your major, ask your advisor if a Transition Plan

exists for that major.

11. If I need to take developmental courses before beginning college-

level courses, when should I sign up for the JAA?

Complete the developmental course requirements first and then decide on a JAA Transition

Plan before signing up for the JAA. Remember you can earn up to 30 credits of college-

level courses before you have to sign up for the JAA.

12. What if I decide to change from one JAA Transition Plan to

another while at CCRI or change majors once I transition to RIC or

URI?

If you change from one JAA Transition Plan to another at CCRI or change majors once you

transition to RIC or URI, the courses that you took under the first plan would be evaluated

to see if they could be applied to requirements in the new major, to general education

requirements, or to elective credit within the degree program. It is likely that you will need

to take additional courses to meet the requirements of the new Transition Plan and major.

Remember, however, that to maintain your eligibility under the JAA and receive the

benefits of this program, you would have to choose another major that has a JAA

Transition Plan.

13. What if I don’t know whether I want to attend URI or RIC to

complete the bachelor’s degree?

Because the JAA Transition Plans and the general education programs are specific to RIC

or to URI, you need to decide on your major and where you plan to attend for the

bachelor’s degree before signing up for the JAA. Since you are eligible to apply for JAA

before earning 30 credits, you should speak to your advisor at CCRI about taking general

education courses that would be applicable to either RIC or URI while you consider where

you want to transfer. Remember, the earlier that you decide on your Transition Plan and on

attending RIC or URI, the greater the chance of completing your bachelor’s degree without

excess credits and possibly additional costs.

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14. What if there are additional admission requirements or a waiting

list to enter a specific program at RIC or URI?

You must meet the requirements for admission into specific majors that are established for

all students. These requirements could include preparing a portfolio of work, earning a

GPA higher than 2.4 (the minimum to transition under the JAA), or another requirement.

Under the JAA, if you wish to enter a program that is full, you are considered to be on the

waiting list from the date you sign the agreement. You should contact the RIC or URI JAA

advisor upon first enrolling in the JAA to determine if there are additional program or

degree requirements.

15. What if I enroll under the Joint Admissions Agreement and decide

to transfer to a college or university other than RIC or URI?

The JAA Transition Plans include many general education courses which may transfer to

another college or university. However, each institution decides on the acceptance of

credit. To ensure that credits will transfer, after selecting an institution for transfer speak to

an admissions advisor at that institution as soon as possible.

16. Does my financial aid automatically continue when I transition to

RIC or URI?

No, you still need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

To determine what financial aid is available and receive answers to questions regarding

tuition, make an appointment with a financial aid advisor at RIC or URI as soon as

possible. Please be sure that you submit the FAFSA form by the deadline for transfer

students.

17. Will my tuition change when I transition from CCRI to RIC or URI?

Yes, your tuition will change. The CCRI tuition rate, residency rules (eligibility for in-state

tuition), and financial aid award do not carry over to URI or RIC. Each higher education

institution establishes the rate of tuition, the availability of financial aid, and the policy on

who qualifies for in-state tuition. It is important for you to consult with a financial aid

officer at RIC or URI about questions in regard to tuition.

18. Do I have to enroll under the Joint Admissions Agreement if I

want to complete a bachelor’s degree at RIC or URI?

You can transfer to RIC or URI without being enrolled in JAA. If you don’t enroll under

the Joint Admissions Agreement, you would follow the regular procedures established by

URI or RIC in accordance with the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education

(RIBGHE) policy for transfer student admission. Make an appointment with an advisor in

Advising and Counseling to discuss your transfer options. You can see how specific

courses or programs transfer by looking at the current Transfer Guide for Students

(www.ribghe.org/transferguide.htm

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19. If I am enrolled in the JAA and decide to transition to RIC or URI

before earning the associate’s degree at CCRI, what happens?

To earn all of the benefits available from enrollment under the JAA, you are required to

complete the associate’s degree and a JAA Transition Plan. However if you transfer before

earning an associate’s degree, all of the courses that you successfully completed at CCRI

will be evaluated for transfer into your degree program at RIC or URI.

20. As a JAA student, can I use services available to students at RIC

or URI while I am a student at CCRI?

As a JAA student you would be able to access some services at RIC or at URI at the

discretion of the institutions. For example, access to the university or college library is

available to all Rhode Island residents. Eligibility to live in campus residences and

participate in campus health care while enrolled at CCRI are not included in the JAA

agreement. If you are interested in accessing other services at RIC or URI, contact the JAA

advisor at that institution for a list of the services that are available to JAA students. JAA

students will be charged fees for all services that also require the payment of fees by RIC or

URI students.

21. Can I participate in the JAA if I have earned credit from another

college, AP, CLEP, military training, college courses in high

school, or another source?

You can participate in JAA if you have earned credits from dual enrollment, college

courses taken in high school, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, CLEP or

military training as long as you sign the JAA application before you have earned a total of

30 credits. However, if you have earned credit at another accredited college, even if you do

not plan to transfer the credit, you are not eligible for JAA.

22. Are there any special financial aid benefits for JAA students who

graduate with a CCRI GPA of 3.0 or higher?

Yes! Academically successful CCRI students who are enrolled in the JAA are entitled to a

tuition reduction (tuition only, not fees) through the Joint Admissions Award for Academic

Achievement (JA-AAA) when they enroll at RIC or URI. To qualify for the JA-AAA, students

must complete JAA and institutional requirements, earn an associate’s degree from CCRI, and

graduate with at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA). The amount of the tuition reduction for

the first year at URI or RIC depends on the students’ CCRI GPA upon graduation:

• A CCRI GPA of 3.0 results in a 10% reduction

• A CCRI GPA of 3.25 results in a 20% reduction

• A CCRI GPA of 3.5 or above results in a 30% reduction

Students who earn and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA while at RIC or URI can renew the tuition

reduction for a second or third year. If the GPA earned at RIC or URI is 3.0, but not as high as

at CCRI, the amount of the tuition waiver may be reduced according to the

criteria outlined

above. Consult an advisor or financial aid officer at the senior institution for more information.