News Article

With students starting their post-secondary educations this week, many don’t realize they can apply for programs until mid-September. For some, enrolling at post-secondary institutions won’t be possible because they don’t meet the entrance requirements for admission into college or university.  Fortunately, College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Comprehensive Arts and Science Transition (CAS Transition) certificate program can help.

Offered at 11 of the college’s campuses, CAS Transition was designed to meet the needs of high school and Adult Basic Education graduates (and mature students) who do not meet admission requirements for College of the North Atlantic or Memorial University. Its design is flexible, allowing students to get just the courses required for admission, then transition into their regular college or university program.
 
“For those who graduate from high school and don’t meet entrance requirements for college or university, CAS Transition is a great way for them to become eligible,” said Chris Mercer, registrar at CNA. “Whether you need just the one course or many, the program is designed to help students get in, get the credentials they need, and quickly move on to the post-secondary option of their choosing.”
 
Melvina Parsons of Grand Falls-Windsor is a living example of that.
 
Parsons was among the first CAS Transition students, enrolling in the program in 2005 so that she could get the courses she needed to enter the Western Regional School of Nursing operated by Memorial University’s Sir Wilfred Grenfell campus.
 
Through CAS Transition, she was able to complete courses in math, chemistry and biology and enroll in nursing school.
 
“Currently I’m employed as a nurse with Central Health after successfully completing my degree,” she said. “When I left the college in Grand Falls-Windsor, I registered with the school of nursing and had no academic challenges. Many thanks to the CAS Transition program for allowing me to reach my potential!”
 
Sheila Singleton, registrar pro tempore for Memorial, says the province’s public university recognizes the valuable role the CAS Transition program plays for students looking to enroll.
 
“We appreciate the disappointment felt by applicants when they learn that they are not eligible for admission to Memorial. So we stress that it’s about their preparation for post-secondary studies and suggest paths that will lead to that preparation and greatly enhance the likelihood of their future success,” said Singleton. “The University Senate has recognized that the CAS Transition program provides the preparation needed for admission, and we promote it on our website and in our letters to applicants to whom we can’t offer admission. It’s a great example of the College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University working together to create a strong post-secondary system for the province.”

Seats are still available until Sept. 17 in many CAS Transition offerings. For information on CNA’s CAS Transition program, visit www.cna.nl.ca   or call 1-888-982-2268.
 
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Media Contact:
 
Glenda McCarthy
Public Relations Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.6408
glenda.mccarthy@cna.nl.ca