EARLY ADMISSIONS PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS
In June 2003, the PSIA-Eastern Board of Directors approved a pilot program which allows exceptional Alpine members and non members to accelerate the certification process without the required waiting period. This pathway, called Early Admissions, is for individuals who are or have been a national team athlete, high level coach, NCAA athlete or coach, certified pro from a foreign country, or an exceptionally strong skier and teacher with years of experience who, for whatever reason, never joined PSIA. While there are no set parameters as to who is eligible for application, all candidates are required to submit a portfolio documenting his/her skiing, racing, teaching, and coaching experience. Each candidate is also asked to submit two letters of recommendation. If you feel you have the experience and credentials to pass through the certification levels in one season, you are invited to take advantage of the Early Admissions program and submit a portfolio.
In order to qualify for the Early Admissions Program, you must submit the following to the PSIA-Eastern office with your application:
- A $50 non-refundable fee: Required with the application to cover the added administrative expenses of tracking Early Admissions individuals through the season and getting them into exams in a timely fashion.
- One letter of recommendation from the applicant's Ski School Director.
- One additional letter of recommendation documenting the applicant's exceptional skiing skill, teaching and coaching ability, and training.
- One cover letter detailing why the applicant believes he or she qualifies for the Early Admissions program.
- One skiing resume.
- One completed application for the candidate's first Early Admissions event.
All of the items listed above must accompany the candidate's first application and the application and complete portfolio must be received prior to the first event deadline.
Upon review and acceptance of the candidate's portfolio and application, the member will receive a confirmation card with an Early Admission number. This number must be present on all applications for Early Admission events. This number will help the office be able to track individuals in the program.
A member can try to go as far as he/she can in one year. Individuals will have to attend every event required of any other certification candidate, including all prerequisites.
If at any point along the way a candidate is unsuccessful at an exam, the Early Admission program ends for that season at the last certification level they successfully attained. If the candidate successfully attained Part 1 of an exam, (s)he also retains that part for that season and the following two (the same policy as for all other exam candidates).
An Early Admission candidate who had been unsuccessful at an exam the previous season may reapply for the program the following year ($50 non-refundable application fee required again) if (s)he did not get as far as desired the first season. After two unsuccessful exam attempts (at any level), the applicant must enter the traditional certification pathway and their Early Admissions bid has ended.
All required prerequisites must be attended.
|
