Step 1: Apply to VWCC & File for Financial Aid

Begin your application process here! You should also file for financial aid, regardless of your financial situation.

Step 2: Take Your Placement Test (VPT)

PLEASE NOTE: If you graduated high school in the last five years with a 2.7 GPA or higher, please meet with a New Student Advisor prior to placement testing.

The VPT is a computerized test including two separate assessments, English and math. Each test may take between 2 and 3 hours to complete.

Placement testing is required of:

  • New students who are seeking a degree or entering a program of study.
  • Students planning to receive financial aid.
  • Students entering the first semester of mathematics or English courses (including transfer students who do not have credit in mathematics or English).

Placement tests are given in the college’s Testing Center and no appointment is necessary. Refer to the Testing Center website for hours of operation. More information and practice questions can be found here.

Please remember the following:
  • The VPT is untimed. Spend as much time as you need to complete either portion of the test and consider taking the mathematics portion on a different day than the English portion.
  • You may use the calculator on the computer.
  • You may enlarge the screen to fit your visual needs.

Step 3: Meet with a New Student Advisor and Register for Classes

New Student Advisors are available in Chapman Hall C105 to help individuals on a first-come, first-served basis. New students are required to see a New Student Advisor in the Advising Center while currently enrolled students should see their Faculty or Program Advisor. For more information on advising and registration, please visit the Academic Advising website.

Step 4: Connect with the Office of Disability Services

1. Complete the New Student Intake Form

Click here to access the New Student Intake form.

2. Provide Documentation

In accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide acceptable documentation of his/her disability to the Office of Disability Services (ODS). You may upload documentation within the New Student Intake Form (preferred), US mail, fax, or deliver this documentation to our office. If submitting them outside of our online intake form, please be sure to provide your contact information with the documentation you submit to our office. Please refer to our Documentation Guidelines for more information.

3. Meet with ODS Coordinator

After completion of the new student intake and submission of documentation, ODS will contact you to schedule an appointment. If you have not been contacted by our office within one week of submitting your documents, please call 540-857-7286 or email us at disabilityservices@virginiawestern.edu.

4. Receive Your Accommodation Access Plan

After meeting with the ODS Coordinator, students will be provided with an Accommodation Access Plan. This plan will detail the specific accommodations the student will be requesting for each class. An Access Plan must be requested and provided to their instructor(s), by the student, each semester.