Support Programs

Adult Education

H. Councill Trenholm State Community College offers GED preparation, Non-Traditional High School Diploma, and career preparation services in Bullock, Elmore, Macon, and Montgomery counties. In addition, Trenholm State offers flexible class times, including distance education, to meet the needs of the College’s service area.

Adult Education classes are available at no charge to persons who did not complete high school or who function below a high-school level. Individuals interested in adult education must be at least 17 years of age and not enrolled in high school. The program provides services to lower-level learners and higher-level learners preparing to take the General Education Development (GED) exam for high school equivalence. Trenholm’s program offers students opportunities to enhance their basic language, math, science, social studies, reading, writing, and computer literacy skills. The program also provides services for non-English speaking adults through English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.

The program also offers Family Literacy activities and the WorkKeys® Assessment. WorkKeys® is a system that measures “real-world” skills critical to job success. Persons interested in adult education programs or services should contact the administrative office at 334-420-4348 or 334-420-4351 and speak with a staff member about classes and other opportunities.

GED Testing

H. Councill Trenholm State Community College is an official GED State Test Center. Examinees must present two forms of identification: a state-issued picture I.D. and a social security card to sit for the exam. The minimum age to take the GED Test is 17. AN APPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED TO TAKE THE GED TEST. To schedule a GED test date, please go online to www.ged.com to register, pay and select a test date that is convenient for you.

Disability Services (ADA Accommodations)

The Office of Disability Services at Trenholm State Community College is a student-centered, nurturing unit serving as the central campus resource for students with disabilities who wish to request academic accommodations. In collaboration with students and instructors, our staff coordinate accommodations and support to ensure that students have equal access to an education, campus resources and activities. Trenholm State Community College ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and students seeking accommodations on the basis of disability are required to submit documentation of their disability to the Office of Disability Services. The Office of Disability Services is responsible for determining the acceptability of documentation and reserves the right to require additional information.

Students with disabilities may be eligible for services such as extended time to complete tests, use of assistive technology, tutoring, and individualized registration assistance. The College also has an ongoing partnership with state and private rehabilitation agencies, as well as with a variety of counseling service and outreach agencies to assist students with disability support services.

For information about accommodations and assistive technologies available to students with disabilities, please contact the ADA Coordinator by email at ada@trenholmstate.edu or by phone at (334) 420-4418. Additional information regarding the policy and documents required to obtain academic accommodations is provided on the College’s Students with Disabilities website.

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center (SSC) is a comprehensive one-stop shop for academic support services on campus. It is designed to provide a wide range of support services and resources which include tutoring, counseling, mentoring, advising, success coaching, academic success workshops and events, testing, student retention planning and monitoring, faculty/staff awareness activities, career services, collaboration and resource sharing, and other academic support services that improve academic success and to meet our students’ needs.

The mission of the Student Success Center (SSC) is to provide a consolidated and integrated center to enhance the academic development of students and reinforce the student-centered learning environment at Trenholm State. With an emphasis on academic readiness skills and best practices, the SSC is committed to student persistence, retention, and graduation from the institution. Furthermore, through proactive, intrusive, and innovative solutions, the Student Success Center provides opportunities for students to achieve learning goals and develop as life-long learners. For more information, contact the SSC office by email at ssc@trenholmstate.edu, or visit our website at www.trenholmstate.edu/ssc.

ACCUPLACER Testing

Trenholm State offers placement testing services to support students’ academic endeavors. Students not meeting the college readiness criteria must complete the ACCUPLACER Placement Test before enrolling in English or mathematics courses.  The ACCUPLACER Test is a computerized assessment of the subjects of Math and English used to ensure proper enrollment in courses. Students who are required to take the ACCUPLACER Placement Test will be contacted via email by the Student Success Center Testing Services, informing the student of their testing requirements and how to register for the test.  

The ACCUPLACER Test is free of charge to students who will take the test for the first time, but students who retest must pay a $10 fee per section and will need to complete remediation. Retesting fees must be paid in the Business Office prior to retesting. For more information on the ACCUPLACER Test, visit our website at www.trenholmstate.edu/ssc, or email testingservices@trenholmstate.edu. 

Policy on Placement Testing

No tests are required for general admission to Trenholm State Community College but may be required for placement in college-level courses. However, students must have applied for enrollment to the Admissions Office and must present photo identification at the time of testing.

First-time college students may have ACT, SAT or GED (2014 series) scores considered for placement in college-level English and math if those scores have been earned within 5 years. If test scores are not available or not at the appropriate level, then students who have graduated high school within 5 years with a 2.75-grade point average (GPA) may have their grades in English IV (senior English) and Algebra II considered for placement in college-level English and math. Students must have the results of their ACT, SAT or GED and high school transcripts forwarded to Trenholm State to be used for placement purposes.

First-time students without proof of appropriate ACT, SAT or GED scores, those with scores below the established guidelines, or those without proof of a 2.75-grade point average or higher on their final high school transcript, must register online to take the ACCUPLACER Placement Assessment in writing and mathematics prior to meeting with an advisor to enroll in Math and English courses.

Students who transfer from a regionally accredited college without a C or better in a degree-creditable English composition and college-level algebra course and without exemptions as listed below, will be required to take one or both parts of the placement test.

All entering students who enroll in associate degree or certificate programs will be assessed at the appropriate level as indicated by the assessment results.

The following students are exempt from the placement test:

• Any student with acceptable ACT scores, final high school GPA and/or course grades, within five years of enrollment. However, students who wish to improve their course placement may take the state placement test
• Any student who has an associate degree or higher
• Any student who transfers degree-creditable, college-level English or mathematics courses with a grade of “C” or better from an accredited institution
• Any student who has successfully completed required developmental coursework at another Alabama Community College System college or an accredited college. Course descriptions from institutions outside of the Alabama Community College System must be reviewed
• Any student who scores 165 or higher on the Mathematical Reasoning or Reasoning Through Language Arts subject tests of the 2014 series GED
• Any transient student with documentation
• Any student who is enrolling for personal enrichment purposes only
• Any student who is enrolling in short-term certificate programs having no English, Reading, or Math requirements

Click on the link https://www.trenholmstate.edu/uploads/ files/ACCUPLACER_Exemptions.pdf. for more details on exemptions.

Ability-to-Benefit Testing

An applicant can enter certain programs without a high school diploma or GED certificate. Applicants applying to H. Councill Trenholm State Community College under this provision must pass the Ability-to-Benefit Test. The College will notify all applicants prior to enrollment each semester of the time, date, and place for the scheduled Ability-to-Benefit examination. For additional information, please contact the Office of Admissions at (334) 420-4310.

If testing or retesting for the Ability to Benefit, all three sections of the test must be taken in one testing session. The fee for retaking the Assessment is $24.00 and must be paid in the Cashier’s Office. Please discuss taking a retest with testing personnel before paying the fee. Retest scores will replace previous scores.

Testing Services

The following testing services are available at H. Councill Trenholm State Community College. Please call the numbers listed below for additional information.

Commercial Driver’s License	(334) 420-4411
Road Test
Certified Electronic Technician (CET)	(334) 420-4284
High School ACT Exams	(334) 420-4254
National Radio and Telecommunication Engineers	(334) 420-4284
Class I, II, III & IV Electronic Technician Testing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) GRE License Testing	(334) 420-4284
EPA Refrigerant Recovery Exam	(334) 420-4361
ACCUPLACER Testing	(334) 420-4418
ACT WorkKeys Testing	(334) 420-4418

Guidance and Counseling

When personal difficulties interfere with academic success, students are encouraged to utilize services of the Student Services department. Trenholm State staff are available to provide counseling, guidance and referrals for outside agencies when needed. Staff are available in the Student Services Building (Building F) on the Trenholm Campus and on the Patterson site by appointment. Assistance can be obtained through the Retention/Advising Specialist at (334) 420-4463.

Career Planning and Job Placement

Career Services provides guidance to all students and alumni through opportunities to explore and choose career paths that are of interest to them, along with helping prepare students for the workforce through training and enhance job search skills. 

Additionally, the Career Services Office provides students with direct access to work-study, internships, externships, co-op, part-time and full-time employment opportunities through an online student job board, messaging through student notifications and via email. An attempt is made to refer students to positions that will benefit them financially and educationally. Other services include resume and cover letter development assistance, interview preparation, mock interviews, career fairs, internship and co-op opportunities, business dress advice, career and employer literature, on-campus interviews, and employability skills workshops. Students and alumni in need of assistance should contact the College’s Career Services Office by phone at (334) 420-4499 or by email at careers@trenholmstate.edu.

Upward Bound

Upward Bound is a federally funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and matriculate to institutions of postsecondary education. Upward Bound provides virtual and in-person support to high school students from low-income families and families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. Participants in the program are provided access to academic instruction in mathematics, science, English, literature, and foreign language. In addition, students are provided access to student support resources such as tutoring, counseling, mentoring, cultural enrichment college tours, career exploration, financial literacy and ACT boot camps during the regular academic year and summer sessions. For more information, contact Upward Bound at 334-420-4330 or 420-4239.

Ready-to-Work

The Ready-to-Work Program provides participants with the basic skills and competencies required for quality employment with most businesses and industries in Alabama. Successful completion of this program results in the award of an Alabama Certified Worker Certificate. Participants in the program must meet certain eligibility requirements. For information, call (334) 420-4299.

Title III Program

The Title III, Part B, Strengthening Historically Black

Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program is funded by the U. S. Department of Education and is one of many initiatives funded by the federal government as part of a mission to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to strengthen the physical plants, financial management, academic resources, and endowment-building capacity. The Title III Program is specifically designed to assist HBCUs in funding activities that will help the College to fulfill its mission and continue to fulfill the goal of quality in educational opportunity.

The United States House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 2486, the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act on December 10, 2019. The H.R. 2486 amends Higher Education Act (HEA), Title III, Part F to permanently reauthorize funding for minority-serving institutions of higher education and increases the authorization of appropriations for Pell Grants.

Continuing Education

The mission of the Office of Workforce Development at Trenholm State Community College is to meet the workforce development needs of business, industry, local governments, and individuals by providing skills training for in-demand careers and lifelong learning opportunities through professional development. As an integral component of the Office of Workforce Development, Continuing Education plays a vital role in achieving this mission.

The vision of Continuing Education is to be recognized as the preferred provider for excellence in workforce development training, entrepreneurship enhancement, and community service. This vision is accomplished by delivering quality and relevant workforce education. Continuing Education is designed to extend the resources of Trenholm State Community College to the community-at-large by providing programs and services with an emphasis on work skills upgrade, work-related training, or personal development.

Non-Credit Continuing Education programs are designated as Fast-Track Career Training and typically lead to a certification for successful completers. Features of these programs include:

• Offered during the day, evening, and weekends
• Course can be completed in short time spans, in as few as 6 weeks up to 6 months
• May require high school diploma or GED equivalent
• Open to all age groups
• Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding and scholarships opportunities may be available

For more information, visit www.trenholmstate.edu or call (334) 420-4400