El Centro College - Paralegal

Paralegal

EL CENTRO COLLEGE ADMISSION

Applicants to the Paralegal Studies Program must meet college admission requirements as outlined in the El Centro College Catalog. You may download and print a DCCCD College Application for Admission form. (Adobe Acrobat must be installed on your computer to download this form.) Applicants must have graduated from high school or completed the General Education Development (GED) Certificate to be granted college admission and enrollment in the Paralegal Studies Program.

NOTE: Placement into certain college level courses, including English and Algebra, may require assessment testing either at El Centro College or on a proctored basis at a college convenient to the student's location. Students who reside in Texas must comply with TASP (Texas Academic Skills Program) requirements.

COUNSELING AND TRANSFER OF CREDIT

The Program Director and other faculty members of the Program are available to meet with students to evaluate the student's educational background, work experience, grades received in the paralegal courses, and general demeanor. Based on these factors, the student will be counseled and advised on how to move through the Program, develop successful study and testing strategies, and how to develop job search skills.

In addition to Program staff assistance, several College Counseling Department members work closely with the Program Director in advising students wishing to transfer courses (in and out of the Program), developing degree plans for entering students, and offering assistance, as needed, in other activities involving paralegal students.

Students may also consult Dr. Bettie Tully, the College Ombudsperson, who can provide guidance and counseling if conflicts occur between teacher/student, student/student, and teacher/administrator.

ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS

An articulation agreement is a contract between educational institutions under which a four-year university agrees to accept certain credits from a two-year community/junior college toward specified degrees. The Program currently has articulation agreements in place with:

Dallas Baptist University
Texas A&M at Commerce (formerly East Texas State University)
Texas Wesleyan University
Texas Woman's University
University of North Texas
University of Texas at Arlington

TASP (TEXAS ACADEMIC SKILLS PROGRAM)

Potential applicants who are Texas residents must meet TASP guidelines. TASP is required by state law to ensure students enrolled in Texas public colleges possess the academic skills needed to perform effectively in college-level coursework. TASP includes a testing component designed to identify and provide information about the reading, writing, and math skills of students.

The Paralegal Studies Program is an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree program. The Program is nationally recognized and approved by the American Bar Association.

The program is designed to prepare individuals to assist and perform, under the supervision of an attorney, the legal functions traditionally undertaken by either an attorney. The program does not qualify a graduate to take a Bar exam, represent clients in court, or give legal advice.

The curriculum includes a combination of legal theory, principles, procedures, practical applications, and production of legal documents. Courses are offered on both day and evening schedules.

Throughout the metroplex of the legal community, Cooperative Work Experience/Internship placements are available to students as an elective. Students intern in private and public legal agencies, corporate law departments, and law firms. Feedback from our students and their supervisors has been instrumental in ensuring that the Program provides students with desired job skills and has helped foster community cooperation and interest in the Program.

The courses Introduction to Paralegal Studies and the Introduction to Law are the two prerequisite courses to all of the other Program courses except Legal Research and Writing.

Students are encouraged to follow the designated sequence of courses, but may take various courses in different order depending upon their work schedule and approval of the Program Director.

ESTIMATED EXPENSES

Tuition costs vary with residency, according to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board guidelines. Please refer to the current College course schedule for tuition information.

Other costs to consider:

Transportation to college and cooperative work experience education workplace
Parking fees
Textbooks

FINANCIAL AID

Students interested in applying for financial assistance should start their application process at least 4-6 months before they expect to attend classes. Visit the ECC Financial Aid Office in A034,

The application process requires a student and his/her family to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, (FAFSA).. The FAFSA is a financial statement that assesses the family's "ability to pay" toward college costs. If a student qualifies for financial aid, a financial "award package" is designed consisting of various funds such as grant funds, a work program, and/or student loans. Most students should expect to provide some "self help" toward meeting their expenses.

Application deadlines for funding are as follows:

For Fall semester - May 1
For Spring semester - October 1
For Summer semesters - April 1

Applications completed by these dates will receive the major portion of available funding. File applications completed after these deadlines will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until all remaining funds are exhausted. Every request will be acknowledged to assure the student: a) if any additional data is needed, b) of processing status, and c) of final results. Please allow 3-4 weeks for processing in the Financial Aid Office.

El Centro College offers funding from federal, state, and institutional resources including:

Pell Grants
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)
College Work Study (CWS), both on and off campus
Work as student assistants
Short-term, emergency loans
Texas Guaranteed Student Loans (TGSL)
Over 40 scholarships based on academics, talent, or financial need

Eligibility criteria varies with the funds available. The Financial Aid Office's objective is to match each student's eligibility for these various funds in a manner that provides equity and consistency of treatment to all students within the guidelines of each funding program.

Counseling staff is available by appointment to discuss financing options and college planning for anyone in the community. Please call the El Centro Financial Aid Office at 214.860.2099 to schedule an appointment or to request further information.

Online resources for financial aid include: