Network and Computer Systems Administration

Program Admissions Requirements

When the student is interested in pursuing admission, they must meet the following requirements:

• The prospective student must meet with an Admissions Advisor and Financial Aid Representative or Veteran School Certifying Official to explore programs and eligibility.
• Pass Entrance Exam: Prospective students must pass the EduReady Assessment entrance exam to show proficiency in English and Mathematics with a score of 75 or above. If they fail the exam the first time, prospective students can take it again on the next business day. If they fail a second time, the student may not enroll. After 30 days, the student may reattempt the exam. Prospective students enrolling in the Pharmacy Technician or AAS Pharmacy Technology programs will pass the Wonderlic entrance exam prior to enrollment (Minimum Scores: Verbal - 200 / Quantitative - 140).
• Provide Proof of Eligibility: The prospective student must present proof of eligibility (POE) such as a high school diploma, high school transcripts with a graduation date, a GED® or their equivalent. Other equivalents are a certificate or other official completion documentation demonstrating that the student has passed a state-authorized examination, such as the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) or the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET).
• Asher College does not have a vaccination policy.

Additionally, Asher College accepts the following as Proof of Eligibility: an associate degree; a bachelor's degree; passing an Ability to Benefit Test (ATB) prior to July 1, 2012; enrollment in an Eligible Career Pathways Program (ECPP); foreign high school or college documentation evaluated by an approved translation service; and 18 years of age or has a parent or legal guardian present to sign the Admissions paperwork on behalf of the student.

Following completion of the prior steps, if the prospective student meets the admissions requirements, as demonstrated through the interview, entrance exam, and the ability to meet the financial obligations, they are eligible for admission.

English Proficiency

Asher College does not provide English-as-a-Second-Language instruction. All courses are taught in English. We require students to speak English when an instructional setting necessitates the use of English for educational or communication purposes.

Admissions Process

The admissions process consists of an exchange of information between the applicant and Asher College. An admissions advisor conducts a personal interview with each applicant to assess individual career goals and training needs. After the advisor assesses the applicant's goals, the advisor will enroll the applicant as an IDL or Hybrid student in the desired program, selecting one of our scheduled start dates that is convenient for the student. When a prospective student arrives at Asher College or attends a virtual meeting, they complete an application (internally referred to as a “lobby form”). During the interview the Admissions Advisor discusses individual needs and career goals, the student's background, the Asher College culture and blended learning model, hybrid delivery pros and cons, the need for a computer at home, career services, requirements for admissions, an overview of programs/certifications/testing/career opportunities, and a tour of the facility. If the prospective student would like to explore financial aid eligibility, they are introduced to a Financial Aid Representative, or if they are a veteran, the School Certifying Official (SCO). The prospective student can take an entrance exam on campus or virtually.

Hybrid Preparedness

For a prospective student to enroll in Hybrid delivery for their program, they must successfully complete a personal interview with their Admission Advisor to determine if the prospective student can benefit from distance education. Students acknowledge they have a laptop computer and internet access to complete courseware, discussions, assignments, and exams (Chrome Books and Macs are not compatible with Asher College's Learning Management System), minimum hardware and software for video conferencing, ability to use email as the primary method of institutional correspondence, and ability to browse the Internet and configure basic browser settings. If the student does not have a computer that meets the requirements, the student must complete all their course work on campus.

Delivery: Hybrid (blended) with an on-campus attendance obligation each week.

• Full time = 24 hours/week — 49 weeks
• ¾ time = 18 hours/week — 65 weeks
• Half time = 12 hours/week — 98 weeks

Prerequisites: High School Diploma, HS Equivalent or Proof of Eligibility.

Academic Quarter Credit: 80.5 QCH.

The Financial Aid (FA) Department will discuss financial options with prospective students prior to enrolling into Asher College. Financial aid personnel can answer questions and provide information about financial aid programs, the application process, and related deadlines. This practice enables applicants to evaluate their options for tuition financing.

Payment Methods

Payment methods are: Check, Credit Card, Third Party Payments, Federal Loans and Grants, Private Loans, and Other. Terms are dependent upon agreement with students and any third-party participants.

Financial Aid Programs

Asher College participates in the following Federal, State and Private financial aid programs:

• Federal Pell Grants are a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college.
• Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Federal PLUS Loans are offered to parents of students enrolled at least half time, or graduate and professional students, at participating and eligible post-secondary institutions.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.
• TFC Credit Corp originating, servicing, and managing tuition receivable and institutional loan programs for post-secondary institutions.

To apply for Federal Financial Aid, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit their federal income tax return for the most recent tax year or submit a non-filing statement. Financial aid is not guaranteed from one award year to the next; students must re-apply for every academic year they attend school.

Veterans Assistance / GI Bill®

Individuals interested in receiving student assistance from the VA should contact the Veterans Administration Office in the student's locality to determine eligibility for benefits. The school will assist in preparing the necessary forms. Asher College requires veteran students to submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for entitlement to educational assistance before the first day of class.

The Asher Advantage Scholarship Program

The Asher Advantage scholarship is available to all prospective students. The scholarships are based on eligibility and require prospective students to fill out a FAFSA and Scholarship Request Form. Once the student has completed 80% of their program, Asher College disperses scholarship awards to the student's tuition account. Scholarship has no cash value and cash is never disbursed to the student in place of the scholarship. At the 80% completion point of the program, the student must have a 2.75 GPA or better for the scholarship to be awarded.

Asher College Curriculum Delivery

Asher College uses a hybrid (blended) model to deliver instruction for all programs. The hybrid delivery model has an on-campus attendance obligation during each week of a student's program. All General Education courses for the Associate of Applied Science degree programs are taught in IDL (Interactive Distance Learning) delivery; General Education courses are delivered from the main campus in Sacramento, CA.

Engagement in on-campus activities has shown to be critical for creating the most conducive and supportive environment for our students' success. In our experience, the most successful students attend on-campus instruction 2 to 3 times per week. Students are monitored by Academic Activities and Regular Substantive Interaction with faculty. Academic Activities are defined as labs, events, assignments, homework, unit exams and final exams.

Asher College's implementation of Hybrid methodology includes video events, webinars, one-on-one virtual meetings using Microsoft Teams or Zoom, discussion boards and other virtual solutions. The live virtual events are scheduled weekly and posted for students to access through the Asher College Student Portal. Live academic events are generalized into 5 areas: Lectures (specific to curriculum), Workshop (specific to a course), Roundtable (facilitator engaging students to share information on the course), Tutorial (PowerPoint presentation with interaction), and Tutoring (one on one).

If a student cannot attend a live virtual event, they may watch the recorded event and schedule a one-on-one meeting with an instructor to receive credit for the event attendance. Students are provided any physical course material needed prior to beginning a course and have access to all lesson plans and digital course material for any currently enrolled or previously taken course through the student portal. In general, lab classes are a maximum of 12:1, and on-campus events are a maximum of 26:1.