Qualifying for Priority Registration
Enrollment priority is provided for Sierra College students who are:
- Earning a degree or certificate
- Working on transferring to a four-year college or university
- Advancing their career
Priority registration is maintained by keeping a cumulative Sierra College GPA of 2.0 or a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher. If you lose your priority registration, your registration time will be after all new students have registered.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Priority Registration Determined?
Registration is given to students in the order of priority listed below (within each category, priority is assigned by the number of units completed at Sierra College). Priority registration is determined by the following categories:
Priority 1 (Category 1)
- Students who are eligible for and receiving services through CalWORKs.
- Students who are eligible for and receiving services through Student Accessibility Services (SAS).
- Students who are eligible for and receiving services through Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOPS).
- Foster youth or former foster youth students up to and including the age of 24 by the first day of the term.
- Veterans and Members of Armed Forces or State Military Reserve (have priority for 4 academic years). Must be honorable, general, or other honorable discharge.
- Must be a resident of California.
Priority 2 Student groups in the following order:
- Category 2. College-authorized: Intercollegiate Athletes and TRiO students
- Category 3. Continuing, returning, and Ghidotti students
- Category 4. New students: must have completed orientation, assessment, counseling/advising and a student education plan
Priority 3
- Category 5. Students who have lost enrollment priority
- Category 6. All other students (including but not limited to Academic Enrichment)
Is it possible to lose Priority Registration?
Yes. Priority registration is lost when you have been on academic probation for two consecutive semesters, or when you accrue more than 100 completed units of degree applicable coursework at Sierra College.
If you have a term GPA of 2.0, you will not lose your priority registration. The college has elected to process an automatic appeal on your behalf.
What is Academic Probation?
A student is placed on academic probation when they have attempted at least 12 semester units at Sierra College and have earned a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0. You will be limited to taking 13 units per semester. If you are on academic probation, you need to be very careful about the grades you receive in your classes. The counseling office has many services available to help you improve your academic standing.
Can I Lose Enrollment Priority after One Semester at Sierra College?
No. Academic probation does not begin until you have attempted 12 units of credit at Sierra College.
The 100 Unit Limit Rule
What is the New Rule Regarding the 100 Unit Limit?
Students who accumulate more than 100 units of degree applicable units at Sierra College will lose priority registration.
Is this a New Rule from Sierra College?
This is a new law which all community colleges in California must follow.
Does this 100 Unit Limit and Academic Probation Rule Apply to All Continuing Students, Including Veterans, Foster Youth, SAS, and EOPS?
Yes. Academic probation and unit limits will be applied to all student groups, including veterans, foster youth, SAS, EOPS, TRiO, Student Athletes, CalWORKs as well as non-resident students.
Do all Credits get Counted in the 100 Unit Limit?
No. Only degree applicable units earned at Sierra College count toward the 100 unit limitation. Please see your counselor for more information on which course units are defined as degree applicable.
Will my Transfer Units Count from Another College or University?
No. Units from courses taken at another college are NOT counted within the 100 unit limit. Only degree applicable units earned at Sierra College are counted towards the 100 unit limit.
Are “Ws” Counted in the 100 Unit Limit?
Yes. All Withdrawal grades for degree applicable units count toward the 100 unit limit.
Do Units that I am Currently Taking Count Towards the 100 Units?
No. Units currently in progress (IP), the classes you are currently taking, are not counted because they have not been completed at the time that you will be eligible to register for the next semester.
How can I Appeal my Loss of Priority Registration?
A priority registration appeal process is available for:
- Students who lose enrollment priority because they have completed over 100 degree applicable units. Example reasons are: due to extenuating circumstances that can be verified (accidents, illness, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control), or
- Students who have applied but have not received SAS services in a timely manner.
To appeal, you must submit this petition to the Admissions and Records office. The petition will be reviewed by a committee, and the committee decision is final. The deadline for this appeal is 2 weeks from the date registration times are posted in mySierra.
How do I Earn Back my Priority Registration?
Registration priority can be restored when you are no longer on academic probation. Registration priority loss which occurs if you accumulate 100+ units may never be restored.