Registrar

Student Records and Transcript Request

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for the maintenance of the permanent academic records of students. Academic records include a history of all course work attempted and completed, grades received, transfer and alternate credit granted, and academic honors awarded. Accessing, copying, transferring, or destroying student academic records must be carried out in strict compliance with applicable federal and state regulations,). All records for applicants who do not enter school are kept for one year. Such records are not covered by FERPA. All academic records for matriculated students, including non-degree-seeking students are kept onsite for a period of at least five years from the last date of attendance.

Transcript of Record

A transcript of record is permanent documentation of a student's academic record maintained by Post University. A transcript of record generally contains a listing of all courses taken, grades received, honors, and the degree conferred.  Post University defines an official transcript as one bearing the seal of Post University and the signature of the Registrar. 

An unofficial transcript is marked as unofficial and includes verbiage such as Student Copy or Issued to Student.  Unofficial transcripts are available to active students through the Student Portal.  Inactive students are directed to request transcripts by completing and submitting the request form located on the Post University website at:  https://post.edu/student-services/registrar/registrar-forms/.  Post University may withhold transcripts for failure to meet financial obligations.

Students may have an official transcript mailed to other institutions, prospective employers, or other authorized agencies by completing the Transcript Request form, or by visiting: https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/33197/account

American Sentinel College students may request to have an official transcript emailed/mailed to themselves, other institutions, prospective employers, or other authorized agencies by visiting: https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/1348648/account.

On the reverse side of the transcript is a key of terms and definitions which helps clarify the information contained in the transcript. The key may contain, define, or describe:

• Academic Calendar (and its definition)
• Date of last revision to the key
• Definition of academic terms
• FERPA re-disclosure statement
• Grading system
• Institutional policy on recording all courses attempted
• Institutional policy on withdrawals, transfer credits, incompletes and repeated courses
• Method of certification as an official transcript (card stock used, embossed seal, etc.)
• Method of GPA calculation
• Warning against alteration or forgery

Transcripts may be withheld for failure to meet financial obligations.  All transcripts generated to the students by the Records Coordinator will be stamped as "issued to student". 

Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (Buckley Amendment)

In accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Section 438 of the General Education Provisions Act, 20. USC 1232g, commonly referred to as the Buckley Amendment or FERPA) Post University has adopted the procedures below to protect the privacy rights of its students. FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. Educational records are defined as records directly related to a student and maintained by the institution or by a party acting for the institution. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review your education records (with certain limited exceptions) within 45 days of the day Post University receives your request for access. Students should submit requests to the Office of the Registrar in writing, identifying the records you wish to inspect. The Office of the Registrar will arrange for access and notify you of a time and place where the records may be inspected.
2. The right to request the amendment of your educational records if you believe them to be inaccurate. You should submit any such request to the Office of the Registrar in writing, clearly identifying the records that you want to have amended and specifying the reasons you believe them to be inaccurate. The Office of the Registrar will notify you of its decision and, if the decision is negative, of your right to a hearing regarding your request for amendment.
3. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Post University to comply with the requests of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605

4. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in your education records, except to the extent FERPA authorizes disclosures without consent. One such exemption permits Post University to disclose personally identifiable information in education records to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is any person employed by Post University in an administrative, supervisor, academic, or support staff position; any person or company with whom Post University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent) or a member of the Board of Trustees. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record to fulfill the official's professional responsibility.

Another exception permits Post University to disclose your directory information to anyone within the Post University community and to the public. Post University has designated the following as directory information:

All other student information will not be released to students, parents, or outside agencies unless accompanied by a written release of information, signed by the student, which complies with the requirements of FERPA, unless the disclosure of information is authorized by FERPA.

Course Registration

Returning students are required to register prior to the start of each semester or term. Students may register through their Academic Advisor or Academic Success Counselor or online through the student portal. Whether students register in person or online, they must communicate with their Academic Advisor or Academic Success Counselor prior to registration. No credit will be given for a course unless the student is officially registered in that course prior to the close of the Add/Drop period.

Main Campus students who wish to take Accelerated Degree Program classes must maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than a 2.75 and must complete the request form with their advisor and gain the approval from their Academic Dean.

Main Campus and Accelerated Degree Program Registration Process

Post University has updated its online registration system. When students log in through the my.post.edu portal they can visit My Academics on the left side and view their course schedule as well as reserve courses for future terms. Currently reserving courses is a limited function that only students from the Accelerated Degree Program are permitted. Students should consult with their Academic Success Counselor before reviewing the registration site. They can provide a quick walk through and confirm that the reservation has gone through. Academic Success Counselors are also happy to work with students to register or change their schedules. Currently they work closely with each student and keep them registered ahead for courses and confirm their schedules as the term gets closer. If at any time you have questions on your courses, or your degree progress please call 203-591-7101 or e-mail [email protected].

American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Science Registration Process

American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences students register through the online registration system found on their student site. Once students are enrolled, they must register for their courses within the stated registration period for any given term as provided in the Academic Calendar on the public website. Courses are offered to provide students with convenience and flexibility to complete their studies. Concurrent course registration occurs when a student registers for more than one course in an 8-week term and registers for one or more courses in a subsequent month. For term-based programs, at no time may a student be registered for more than four courses concurrently in a 16-week period. Concurrent course registration cannot violate progression or prerequisite requirements. Concurrent course registration is subject to course availability. In unique cases and with prior approval of the Dean, a student may register for more than four courses in a 16-week period.

However, students should note the requirements and prerequisites for each class when reviewing the academic catalog for each course in order to be very clear on specific faculty expectations. When students log in through the student site at my.americansentinel.edu, they can select "Register Now" on the "I want to" drop-down menu. If a student is confused about the course, they need next, he or she should consult with their Student Success Advisor before registering. They can provide course guidance, a quick walk through of how to register, and confirm that the registration has been processed. If at any time you have questions on your courses, or your degree progress please call 303-557-9830 or e-mail [email protected].

Registration Deadline

Students must register for courses by the end of the current term/semesters ADD/DROP period. See the Academic Calendar  for more details. 

Schedule of Course Offerings

The Office of the Registrar, with approval from the Deans, are responsible for developing schedules of course offerings each term and working with faculty leadership to ensure classes are available to all necessary parties. Not all courses may be offered every term. Last-minute changes to schedules are avoided whenever possible but may be necessary to accommodate staffing and class size. The dean or designee is responsible for making the final decision to add, cancel, combine or split courses based on enrollment, academic effectiveness and other factors. Students will be given prompt notification of schedule changes

Transfer of Credit Policy and Procedures

Within the limits stated below, Post University permits credits earned at an institution accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be considered for transfer credit. Courses must be similar in nature, level, and content to a course in our curriculum and applicable to one of our academic programs. The following database maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, provides students with a list of accredited American institutions: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation. All prospective students are strongly encouraged to review this database to ensure the institution from which they seek to have credits accepted is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Prospective students are advised that the review of their credits for transfer consideration is no guarantee that they will be accepted.

The Office of the Registrar administers the transfer of credit. Questions regarding the transfer of credit policy and procedures should be directed to this office. In the case of questions regarding the viability of the transfer credits under evaluation for transfer consideration, the final decision will be made after consultation with Post University's Provost's office. For graduate programs, the final decision will be made after consultation with the Program Chair.  

The evaluation of credit for transfer consideration is one that is taken seriously by Post University. Students are encouraged to provide all requested documentation to ensure that the process is completed as expeditiously as possible. To begin the process, all undergraduate and graduate on ground and Accelerated Degree Program students must request official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions from which they wish to have earned credits considered. After receipt of all documentation, the approval process will take three days. Any credits accepted will calculate into the student's pace of completion but will not count in the cumulative grade point average.  It is highly recommended that transcripts from other institutions of higher education be submitted to Post University during the student's first semester/first two terms.

American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Science Transfer of Credit Policy

If a student transfers to American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Science at Post University from another institution, the transfer credits accepted by the college will count as total semester credits attempted and total semester credits completed. The grades from such credits will not be included in the calculation of minimum cumulative GPA.

If a student is readmitted to American Sentinel College, credits that are applicable to the student's current program will count as total semester credits attempted, and credits from the College will count toward the student's minimum cumulative credits completed at American Sentinel College. The grades from such credits will be included in the calculation of minimum cumulative GPA at American Sentinel College.

If a student changes programs, college credits applied to the new program will count as total semester credits attempted and toward the student's minimum cumulative credits completed at American Sentinel College. The grades from such credits will be calculated into the minimum cumulative GPA.

General Provisions

The dean or designee, in conjunction with the Registrar, is responsible for documenting procedures for transfer of external credit, which is made available to students in the academic catalog. For information regarding the awarding of credit of prior educational experience not meeting the criteria for transfer of external credit, see the section on proficiency credit.

General Criteria for Evaluating External Transfer Credit

All evaluations are based on the unit's credit (i.e. quarter or semester hours.) Courses must equal to 4 or more quarter hours to be considered for transfer. See chart below.

• American Sentinel College's Registrar's Office evaluates work completed elsewhere. The evaluator bases their decision on course content, age, and other factors as appropriate. Additional documentation, such as course descriptions and/or syllabi, may be requested. Courses specific to a business or technology major taken more than 8 years prior to enrolling are less likely to transfer due to changing technology and business practices, however the final decision will be based on a variety of factors.
• All evaluations are based on the unit's credit (i.e. quarter or semester hours). Courses must be equal to four or more quarter hours to be considered for transfer. See chart below.
• The courses must have been college level. Credits earned in developmental or remedial course work and English-as-a-Second-Language courses may not be transferred.
• The undergraduate course must have been completed with a grade of C or better. A numeric average of 70 percent or better is required for schools not using a traditional grading scale.
• The graduate course must have been completed with a grade of B or better. A numeric average of 83 percent or better is required for schools not using a traditional grading scale.
• Credit earned at foreign institutions must be externally evaluated by a foreign credential evaluator approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (unless the school has a trained foreign credential evaluator). See www.naces.org or www.aacrao.org for a list of approved evaluators.
• Military course work must be evaluated according to the criteria of the American Council on Education.
• Provided all course objectives are met, a mismatch of one unit of credit between the degree program course and the external course is allowed.
• One quarter-hour is equivalent to two-thirds of a semester hour. Quarter hours are converted as follows:
  • Quarter credit hours x 0.67 = Semester credit hours
• Students wishing to receive transfer credit for coursework completed prior to being admitted to American Sentinel College should provide transcripts for evaluation during the application process. These requests will be processed at no charge to the student. After admission to the university, any requests for transfer credit evaluation for courses completed prior to being accepted by the university will be assessed a $50 transcript evaluation fee per transcript. The fee is charged regardless of the transfer credit evaluation outcome.

Maximum Allowable Transfer Credits

Credits may be transferred from other institutions to count toward required credits for graduation from American Sentinel College. Transfer credits may include a combination of credits for prior education, professional certifications and life-work experience. 

• Bachelor's Degrees: Up to 75 percent* of the required credit hours for graduation may be transferred.*
• Master's Degrees: Up to 50 percent* of the credit hours required for graduation may be transferred. Exception: Transfer credit is not accepted in project-based degree programs.  Transfer credit will not be awarded for more than 3 specialization specific courses.
• MSN-NP Specialty Track: A maximum of 18 credits is allowed as transfer credit for the first 6 MSN core courses. Transfer credit will not be awarded for any NP specialty courses. All transfer courses must have been taken within the last 3 calendar years with a grade of B or higher. Transfer requests from other institutions require Director approval after review of the course description, syllabus, and student transcript. Students who have earned an MSN degree will be awarded a block transfer credit for N503/N515PE. Students who have earned and MSN NP degree within the past 5 calendar years will be awarded prior learning assessment credit for N502, N503, and N515PE.
• Doctoral Degrees: Up to 14% (6 credits) of the required hours for graduation may be transferred.

*A maximum of 25 percent of the total program credit hours in a student's bachelor's or master's degree program may be from professional certifications, prior learning assessment and test outs.

Core Course Requirements

The core course requirements cover the knowledge and technical skills required for success in a program's major subject and, typically, only course credit may be awarded in these areas. For this type of credit, the transfer credit evaluator must validate the comparability of the external course work with the specific course. Discipline credit may be awarded for core course requirements when the dean deems it appropriate.

General Education Requirements

American Sentinel College believes in the importance of general education helping broaden students' perspectives and extend their range of learning. The college's catalog defines the courses within the general education curriculum. Discipline credit may be awarded when a transferred course falls within the same discipline as a specific degree related course even if it does not meet the strict requirements for a specific course. In most cases, American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations are accepted for general education credit.

Provisions for Students Possessing Bachelor's Degrees

The general education component of a bachelor's degree granted by a regionally or nationally accredited school will be recognized by American Sentinel College so applicants holding a bachelor's degree in another field will be automatically awarded 30 general education credit hours to meet the degree requirements for the RN to BSN.

Credit for Prerequisite Courses

Advanced courses frequently have prerequisite courses that cover material required for the subsequent course. For this reason, if a student receives transfer credit for an advanced course, transfer credit is not awarded for the prerequisite course if the student did not take the corresponding course. Additionally, the requirement to take the prerequisite course will not be waived. Students who believe they have mastered prerequisite course material may request proficiency examinations.

Transfer Credit Documentation

The awarding of external transfer credit will be clearly documented in each student's file. Student files will include an original transcript(s) from the previous institution(s).

Transfer Credit Policy Doctoral Courses

American Sentinel College accepts a maximum of two three-semester credit courses into the doctoral program. Transfer credits will be accepted only for doctoral (700 level) courses that are equivalent in content to required courses in the DNP curriculum. Courses that are dually applied to a Master's and Doctorate program at an educational institution and Master's-level courses do not qualify for transfer credit into the DNP program. Credit cannot be awarded for experiential learning for the DNP program.

Articulation Agreements

American Sentinel College maintains lists of acceptable courses from other institutions to promote consistency and reduce the effort involved in the transfer credit process. Formal articulation agreements require the approval of the president and the chief academic officer. The University does not currently have articulation agreements with any other universities.

Transferability of American Sentinel College Credit

American Sentinel College has no control over whether or not another institution of higher education will accept its credits as transfer credits. Decisions about transfer of credit are made by the receiving institution.  For additional information related to the transferability of credits, visit www.chea.org, https://www.hlcommission.org/Policies/publication-of-transfer-policies.html, and read the handbook on the Fundamentals of Accreditation

Alternative Credit Options

Within the limits stated below, Post University provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate college-level proficiency in certain subjects where learning has occurred in non-traditional ways, such as advanced placement courses, on-the-job training, standardized examinations, or work experience. Students earn course credits by examination or portfolio, but no grade is assigned. The maximum number of credits that may be earned through any combination of CLEP, DANTES, or Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is 15 credits toward an associate degree and 30 credits toward a baccalaureate degree.

Policy for Verifying Student Identity

The United States Department of Education (ED) requires that all institutions offering distance education courses certify that the student registering for a course is the same student who participates in the course or receives course credit.The ED requires that one or more of the following mechanisms be employed:

1. A secure login and pass code;
2. Proctored examinations; or
3. Copy of a government issued photo ID; Passport, Driver's license, military ID collected at the time of enrollment
4. New or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying student identification.

All methods of verifying student identity in distance learning protect the privacy of student information. There are no fees associated with the verification of student identity. Personally identifiable information collected by Post University may be used, at the discretion of the University, as the basis for identity verification.

​In compliance with these federal requirements, Post University has adopted the following policy.

1. All students will be issued a unique e‐mail account with a secure logon and pass code upon being admitted to an online program. This username and password will remain in effect throughout the student's tenure at Post University. All e‐mail communication between Post University and the student will be through this e‐mail account.
2. All electronic courses at Post University will be offered through a learning management system (LMS), which students will access with their secure unique logon and pass code. All users of the LMS are responsible to comply with Post University's Policy Governing Information Technologies (IT) Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) Support. This policy is located within the catalog on the public website. Students are held responsible for knowledge of the information contained within this policy. Failure to read the guidelines, requirements, and regulations will not exempt students from responsibility.
3. Unauthorized use of an ID belonging to another user, unauthorized reading, use of, or deletion of private files or email belonging to another user, sharing user IDs and pass codes with other users or any other person and any attempt to circumvent system protection and security features is prohibited.
4. Users are responsible for maintaining the security of usernames, pass codes, and any other access credentials assigned. Access credentials may not be shared or given to anyone other than the user to whom they were assigned to for any reason.
5. Instructors will emphasize the academic integrity policy in their syllabi and use normal pedagogical practices (reviewing student writing samples, conferencing with students in person or through Internet technology, etc.) to verify student identity.
6. Instructors may, at their discretion, require proctored examinations or use other technologies that are effective in verifying students' identities.

Failure to comply with this policy will result in disciplinary action, including loss of computing privileges and  other sanctions deemed necessary.  Any student found to have permitted another person to represent them for any portion of an online course will be subject to dismissal from the course and may not be permitted to take any other online courses at or through Post University.

The Information Technology Department is responsible for issuing student email and LMS login and pass code information. The Office of the Provost is responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of this policy and that Deans and Program Directors are informed of any changes in a timely fashion. Deans and Program Directors are responsible for ensuring that faculty are aware of this policy and comply with its provisions. Deans and Program Directors are also responsible for ensuring that academic awards and degree programs within their units comply with the provisions of this policy.