Admissions & Records

Matriculation refers to the services Merced College provides you to enroll and matriculate.  Matriculation steps include the application, orientation, counseling and advisement (including the abbreviated student education plan and comprehensive student education plan), and follow-up and referral. The intent of these services is to increase your opportunity for success in your academic pursuits. You are required to become a matriculated student unless you meet the exemption criteria.

Merced College Responsibilities

Merced College provides an orientation to college programs, services, and procedures; a placement process; pre-enrollment counseling/advising and course selection; a suitable curriculum or program of courses; quality instruction; and continuous follow-up on student progress with referral to support services when needed.

Student Responsibilities

As part of the matriculation steps, students agree to express a broad educational intent at the time of admission; declare a specific educational objective within a reasonable period of enrollment; complete the Placement Questionnaire or other assessments; confer with counselors for registration approval and discussion of educational and vocational choices; attend classes (including orientation) and complete assigned course work; seek out support services as needed; and complete courses and maintain progress toward an educational goal.

You are a matriculated student if you have completed the orientation, placement process, and have met with a counselor to complete an abbreviated
or comprehensive student education plan.

You are an exempted student if you have an AA/AS or higher degree (and can provide documentation); are enrolling at the college for a reason other than career development or advancement, transfer, attainment of a degree or certificate of achievement, or completion of a basic skills or English as a Second Language course sequence; are enrolling at the college solely to take a course that is legally mandated for employment or necessary in response to a significant change in industry or licensure standards; has enrolled at the college as a special admit student (K-12).

As an exempted student, you are not required to complete the Placement Questionnaire or other assessments; college orientation; and confer with counselors for registration approval.  However, you may participate in any or all of these services if you choose to do so.

To become a matriculated student, you must complete the following steps. To begin the matriculation process,  visit the Apply Today page.
The steps are listed as follows:

1. Apply Online – complete our online application
2. Complete a Placement Questionnaire – complete online questionnaire
3. Complete Orientation – complete our in-person or online orientation
4. Meet with a Counselor – meet with a counselor to plan courses you will take
5. Register for Classes – register for classes through the Merced College Portal

Note: Please identify any special needs accommodations required when you make any of the above appointments.

• Complete the online Placement Questionnaire.  Merced College uses a Placement Questionnaire for course placement in English and math.  Most students will immediately receive placement results based on their answers to the Placement Questionnaire.  The questions you will answer pertain to the high school GPA, English and math courses taken in high school, and grades in those courses.
• We recommend you refer to your high school transcript to answer the Placement Questionnaire accurately.  You can only submit the Placement Questionnaire once.
• You can go to the Welcome Center in the Lesher Building, Room 102 (lower level) for assistance with the Placement Questionnaire.
• Register for classes based on your priority group date on the Merced College website or at the registration counter in the Lesher Student Services Center.
• Pay fees, according to the fee payment schedule in place at the time you register, at the Student Fees counter in the Lesher Student Services Center.

Download Courses Related in Content Listing

• Courses Related in Content

About Course Repetition

The Board of Governors has changed the regulations for course repetition. The changes were made first and foremost to limit the number of times a student can enroll in the same or similar courses in physical education, visual and performing arts. In addition, changes were made to clarify the limited circumstances under which a student could enroll more than once in the same course. The regulations set upper limits on the number of times and circumstances in which a district may permit a student to enroll in the same credit course.

Active Participatory Courses in Physical Education, Visual and Performing Arts
Title 5 sections 55000, 55040, and 55041, now identify and limit the number of times a student can enroll in active participatory courses in physical education, visual and performing arts that are related in content. A course related in content includes any course with similar primary education activities in which skill levels or variations are separated into distinct courses with different student learning outcomes for each level or variation. Students are limited to four semester or six quarter enrollments in all levels and/or variation. ALL GRADES COUNT, INCLUDING F, W, FW, or NP.

This represents a set of skills or a body of knowledge that one must possess prior to enrolling in a course. Without these skills a student
will unlikely receive a satisfactory grade in the course or succeed in the program. Students will not be permitted to enroll in these courses and programs
without the prerequisite.

Corequisite – One-way

This represents a course whose content is dependent on a main course; however, the contents of the main course can stand
alone. These courses do not necessarily need to be taken during the same semester.

Corequisite – Two-way

These are paired courses that are part of the same sequence and must be taken during the same semester.

This is an audition or try-out requirement associated with public performance or intercollegiate competition, honors courses, or
blocks of courses intended for a cohort or group of students (such as a nursing program).

This is a course, skill, or status which is strongly recommended but not required. Students with the advised skill will probably have a better
understanding of the course material.

Students who believe they have met the requirements (or if one of the conditions below exists) may challenge a prerequisite. A challenge petition can be
obtained from the Counseling Office. The form will explain what must be done. Students may challenge the criteria for a course if they:

1. Believe they have the knowledge or ability to succeed in the course but have not completed the pre- or corequisite;
2. Believe that, although not having met the health or safety pre- or corequisite, feel they don’t pose a threat to themselves or others;
3. Believe they will be subject to undue delay in reaching the goal of their educational plan because the pre- or corequisite course has not been made reasonably available, or the course has been limited to a special group of students and there are no other courses which would fulfill the requirement.
   (Students must attach a copy of their “Student Educational Plan” to be eligible to file a challenge based on this condition.);
4. Believe that the pre- or corequisite was established in violation of Title 5 regulations or in violation of district-approved policies;
5. Believe it is unlawfully discriminatory or is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory manner.

Supporting documentation MUST be attached to all challenges submitted. Challenges may be filed at anytime during the registration period. Upon
completion of the challenge procedure, the challenge will be reviewed and the student will be advised of the determination within five working days. For
more detailed information on the challenge process, call the Counseling Office at (209) 381-6478.