All classes for the Medical Laboratory Technology program are offered online. There are four clinicals for the MLT program that can be offered in the fall, spring, or summer semesters of the degree plan. These clinicals require students to attend 96 hours onsite at a clinical facility.

Students may start in either the fall or spring semester. Please note that there are several courses that are only offered in either the fall or spring semester.

For the Medical Laboratory Technology program, the students once graduated can apply for either the ASCP (American Society for Clinical Pathology) or AMT (American Medical Technologies Exam).

The Medical Laboratory Technology Program is an open program. Once you have completed all admission requirements and have been accepted to Panola College, there is nothing extra you must do in order to be enrolled in this program. Just contact the Academic Administration office to get registered for classes.

Yes! For example, if you volunteer at the concession stand or work a booth at Potlatch as part of a high school organization, you can count those same hours towards the volunteer hours needed for the Promise Program. You cannot count the hours that are required for participation for your organization or hours when you received compensation.

Yes! We want to share your volunteer service opportunities with our Promise Program scholars. All submissions should come from verified organizations and follow the rules below. 

You can complete the Promise Program: Volunteer Opportunity Submission Form here.

Rules for Volunteer Service Opportunities for Promise Program students:

1. Scholars should not be used in place of student workers. 

2. Scholars may not receive any compensation for volunteer hours.

3. Student's volunteer verification form must be completed by May 15 each year. Please keep this in mind when submitting the form.

Other important information:

• All submissions will be reviewed to ensure they meet the requirements. 
• Completion of this form does not guarantee volunteers or that your opportunity will be posted. Students will reach out to you in regard to their willingness to participate. 
• Submissions should be received at least two weeks or more prior to the event.

No. Participation in the Promise Program is NOT a commitment to attend Panola College. It is an opportunity to earn the Panola College Promise Scholarship, as needed. If you decide not to attend Panola College, you are free to withdraw from the Promise Program at any time.

• Submit the Volunteer Service Verification Form by May 15 each year.
• Submit all service hours for Panola Promise on this electronic form.
• Submit the form after all 25 hours of volunteer service projects are completed.
• All submissions should total 25 or more hours to meet the requirement.
• Volunteer hours are self-reported.
• You will need the name of the person you volunteered with and their phone number to complete the volunteer form.
• Volunteer hours can be the same hours completed for another organization. For example, if you volunteer at the concession stand as a band member, that will also count towards your volunteer service for the Promise Program.

• Twenty-five (25) service hours or more in your sophomore year of high school.
• Twenty-five (25) service hours or more in your junior year of high school.
• Twenty-five (25) service hours or more in your senior year of high school.

After you complete the pledge form, you will receive an email confirmation letting you know we received your pledge. Our offices will begin verifying students' eligibility with the high school after the pledge has closed on November 30. This process involves multiple offices at Panola College and your high school and may take us a few weeks. You can expect an email with more information about your eligibility in January.

If you are a current high school sophomore, live in Panola County, and have a 2.0 GPA or higher, we recommend that you start working towards your 25 volunteer service hours as soon as possible. You must complete all 25 hours by May 15 of each year.

Once you receive confirmation that you are enrolled in the Promise Program, you and your parent/guardian will receive 4 to 5 emails and text messages each year with information and reminders about the program. 

• Must start classes in the Fall semester after high school graduation.
• Must enroll in the Learning Framework course and a math course (if required for the degree program) in the first fall semester.
• Must enroll in a minimum of 9 semester hours.
• Must attend an academic advising session each semester.
• Must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
• Must complete the general scholarship application by March 31 each spring before attending the fall semester.

Hours must be volunteered, and students may not receive any payment or reward for participating. Providing false information will result in the student's disqualification from the Promise Program. 

Some examples of Volunteer/Community Service:

• Helping at a nursing home
• Volunteering at a food pantry
• Assisting a civic organization
• Tutoring
• Community clean-up
• Volunteer with a church group
• Assisting with community projects

The Panola College Promise will support students’ success in completing a certificate, degree, or transferring to a four-year university. The Program covers the tuition and fees for every eligible Panola County high school graduate for up to three consecutive years immediately following graduation.

The Program provides a scholarship that is a last-pay scholarship only covering tuition and fees not already covered by other scholarships or federal and state grants. Any federal, state, or institutional awards or scholarships granted to the student will be applied to the tuition and fees first. The Panola College Promise will be the final resource applied for in-district tuition and fees at Panola College.*

The Program will cover up to 66 course hours or six consecutive 16-week terms, whichever happens first.

Students that do not complete the required course(s) in their first fall semester will be ineligible for additional scholarships.

*It is not a requirement to receive federal, state, or other institutional awards to receive the Panola College Promise. Textbooks and supplies are not covered under this program.

Timeline to earn volunteer hours

August 1 to May 15 during your sophomore year:

June 1 to May 15 during your junior year.

June 1 to May 15 during your senior year.

Volunteer hours must take place during the appropriate academic year. Students cannot use volunteer hours accrued during their freshman year or the summer after their freshman year. After enrolling in the program in the fall of their sophomore year, students can count their summer volunteer hours for the next year.

All 25 volunteer service hours must be completed between August 1 and May 15 your first year and June 1 and May 15 each following year.

Academic & Technical

• Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) (RN)
  • Licenced Vocational Nursing (LVN)
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA)
  • Emergency Medical Sciences (EMT) / Paramedic
  • Health Information Technology
  • Medical Assistant
  • Medical Laboratory Technology
• Education
• Fine Arts and Humanities
• Kinesiology
• Science and Mathematics
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Computer Information Technology
• Cybersecurity
• Business
• Cosmetology
• Energy
  • Electrical and Instrumentation
  • HVAC
  • Petroleum Technology
  • Agriculture
  • Welding Technology

Workforce and Continuing Education

• Nurse Aide (CNA)
• Medication Aide
• Patient Care Technician
• Phlebotomy Technician
• EKG Technician
• Dental Assistant
• Pharmacy Technician
• Professional Truck Driving (CDL)
• Paraprofessional Certification

Eligible students must:

• Reside in Panola County while in the program.

• Register for the program by November 30 of their sophomore year of high school.

• Complete 25 hours of volunteer service by May 15 each year of high school.

• Maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher in high school.

• Submit the FAFSA and complete Panola College's general scholarship application by March 31, their senior year.

Contact the admissions office at admissions@panola.edu

Contact the admissions office at admissions@panola.edu

Contact Distance Learning at dl@panola.edu

Contact the admissions office at admissions@panola.edu from your Panola email address. If you are a dual credit student, you must contact your high school counselor

To order your transcript online click here

Contact Distance Learning at dl@panola.edu

If the class is offered both online or face to face, it is possible to switch up to the last day to registration.   

The first day of fall 2021 is August 18, 2021 and ends on December 7, 2021.

For fall 2021 the last day to add a class is 8/23/2021. To withdraw from a class, review the drop date list at

Any time after Apr. 7, 2021.

Student IDs can be replaced at MCC, SRTC, and Student Center. If you are dual credit student, please contact your high school counselor.

It depends. Contact the department that has the hold on your account. You can check on your hold by visiting your Campus Connect account.

Contact the admissions office at admissions@panola.edu

All campuses are operating as normal and offer both options for most classes.

Financial aid is available for summer course.  To see if you qualify,  complete the summer I and II financial aid applications starting in April.

You MUST be enrolled in 6 credit hours to qualify for loans:

• Complete "Applying for Financial Aid" steps first
• Complete the Entrance Counseling 
• Complete the Loan agreement for Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan (MPN)
• Complete the Direct Loan Request form

See "Apply for a Student Loan" for more information on the Financial Aid page.

Maybe. This is different for each individual student. Please contact the financial office to find out how dropping a class affects your personal financial aid.

Applying for Financial Aid

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
2. Complete the additional paperwork required by the Department of Education --  you must log into Student CampusConnect to complete missing documents

Fall 2021 financial aid excess funds will be dispersed on September 30, 2021.

The FAFSA and all necessary paperwork should be completed before your bill is due for the semester.

Here is the link to the scholarship webpage

You can find your log into Student CampusConnect and select "Review Financial Aid".

The financial aid office can help you! Call us at 903-693-2035 or email us fao@panola.edu.

You can print one directly from your Student Campus Connect

You can print one directly from your Student Campus Connect

Fill out the application at

Fill out the form to request an appointment or call us at 903-693-2048

Fill out the form to request an appointment or call us at 903-693-2048.

Contact student services at 2048 to find out your tutoring options

Yes

Yes

M-Th 7:30 am- 5:00 pm; F 7:30 am - 12:30 pm

Contact disability support services at 
Telephone: (903) 693-2046
Fax: (903) 693-2031
dss@panola.edu

December 9, 2021

August 14, 2021

When you register for your final semester complete the application here 

When you register for your final semester complete the application here 

When you register for your final semester complete the application here 

Contact disability support services at 
Telephone: (903) 693-2046
Fax: (903) 693-2031
dss@panola.edu

Visit our virtual career coach at

Contact the testing center at 903-693-2036 or find out more info here

Contact the testing center at 903-693-2036 or find out more info here

Yes, absolutely! All textbook ordering information can be found here.

Bring your student ID card with your number on it, and show it to the cashier.  For online orders, choose “Financial Aid” as the form of payment and make sure you include your student ID number in your information.

All textbook ordering information can be found here.

We often hear that textbooks cost too much.  To see the textbook pricing is explained in detail, please visit 

All planned holidays will be listed under announcements on our website here. 

Nothing but the textbooks.  You do not need anything else.  

To see the full refund policy, please visit

All textbook ordering dates can be found under the “Announcements” section at the top of the  Panola College Store website here.

Textbook buy back for fall 2021 will be Dec 2, 9am - 4pm; Dec 3, 9am - 11am; Dec 6 - 8, 9am - 4pm

The only textbooks in the library are those that instructors have placed on reserve. Email library@panola.edu to ask about which ones. 

Yes, you must purchase a print card from the business office. A print card is $30 and covers 250 pages worth of printing.

Email library@panola.edu for assistance. 

Laptops are available on a first come first serve basis to students enrolled in the current semester. Email library@panola.edu or stop by to see if there is one available.

Your student ID is your library card. 

Email library@panola.edu for assistance. 

The library is not currently open on the weekends.

The library closes at 5:00 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 12:30 p.m. on Fridays.

The library opens Monday-Friday at 7:30 a.m.

Faxing is available at the College Store in the Charles C. Matthews Student Services Building.

Printers are located on each Panola campus. There are 2 on the main campus. One is on the first floor of the library next to the art gallery and the other is in the Dr. Gregory S. Powell Science Center building.

A scanner is available on the second-floor of the library in the computer area.

User name: your entire PC email address
Password: your PC student ID #
Click here: 

User name: your PC student ID #
Password: Last 4 digits of your social security #
Click here:

Contact IT support @ email_support@students.panola.edu

Contact Distance Learning at dl@panola.edu

The testing center hours vary at each location. Check out the hours here

Just bring your student ID

Carthage - Panola College Testing Center

1109 West Panola Street
Gullette Building, Room 107
Phone: (903) 693-1159
Email: pc-testing@panola.edu

Center - Shelby Regional Training Center

678 Roughrider Drive
Phone: (936) 591-9075
Fax: (936) 591-9056
Email: srtc-testing@panola.edu
TSI testing available

Marshall - Marshall College Center

1300 E. Pinecrest Drive
Phone: (903) 935-5039
Fax: (903) 938-3845
Email: mcc-testing@panola.edu
TSI testing available

Yes.  Hybrid and web-enhanced courses are a part of our curriculum.  None of our classes are exclusively online, aligning with our philosophy of experiential learning.  Our four program hybrid courses expand and strengthen the instructional content and include weekly face-to-face instruction and lab engagement time. 

Yes, applicants must obtain full admission to Panola College, complete the prerequisites listed on the Admission Criteria page in the "How to Apply" dropdown on the OTA Program homepage, and must have a core curriculum course GPA of 2.50 or better.

A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to take the NBCOT exam or obtain state licensure.  Based upon the nature and severity of criminal activity, fieldwork sites may refuse to allow a student to participate.  The OTA faculty and staff will be happy to assist you with questions regarding criminal history, certification and licensure.

All Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements must be met within the first year of the OTA program (prior to the beginning of the third semester).   For specific information regarding TSI, click here.  Students applying to the OTA program who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher are TSI exempt for the OTA program.

Because clinical practicum space is limited, students are admitted on a competitive basis. Preference will be given to applicants who have met TSI requirements. Students will be selected based on several factors such as residency, interview performance, and any combination of high school, GPA or equivalent, college GPA and TSI scores; see  the Admission Criteria page in the “How to Apply” dropdown on the OTA Program homepage for more details.

Occupational therapy practitioners provide unique services by using occupations or activities to promote recovery, health and wellness. For example, while a PT or PTA might work with a client on how to use a walker or cane, an OT or OTA would help that same person figure out how to use that walker or cane safely when doing laundry, preparing meals, accessing tight spaces such as the bathroom, etc.

The program is two years.

The OTA program enrolls up to 24 new students each Fall semester.

Occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives

Based on the philosophy of experiential education (Association for Experiential Education, 2022) each OTA course emphasizes “learning by doing” through the use of hands-on learning activities that require problem-solving and learner reflection.  Furthermore, courses in the OTA program are facilitated utilizing a Team-Based Learning™ approach.  According to the Team-Based Learning Collaborative, “Team-Based Learning is an evidence-based collaborative learning teaching strategy designed around units of instruction, known as “modules,” that are taught in a three-step cycle: preparation, in-class readiness assurance testing, and application-focused exercise” (Team-Based Learning Collaborative, 2022).   As such, faculty members strive to provide meaningful, engaging learning activities (occupations) that facilitate a collaborative and interactive approach to the teaching-learning process. Clinical courses in the OTA program involve a service learning component, where students learn through engagement in projects designed to enhance the lives of local residents.   This program is designed for active learners who are ready to experience education beyond the lecture podium.

Not quite.  You have to first get a license to practice.  Licensure is the governmental (state) regulation of practice, designed to protect the health and welfare of the citizens of a state against unscrupulous or incompetent practice by persons who have not met prescribed qualifications. In Texas, occupational therapy assistants are required to obtain a license to practice from the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners before practicing. Failure to do so renders both the individual as well as his/her employer (if applicable) liable for misdemeanor charges and fines. The Board maintains certain rules and regulations that govern eligibility for a license, as well as requirements for licensure renewal.  For additional information, contact the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners at 333 Guadalupe, Suite 2-510, Austin, Texas 78701-3942 Tel. (512) 305-6900. If you have been charged or convicted of a felony offense, you might not be eligible for OTA licensure in Texas and for certification by the National board for Certificate in Occupational Therapy.

Not quite.  Upon completion of the OTA Program, graduates will be able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states, including Texas, require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.  A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to take the NBCOT exam or attain state licensure.  

The application is located on our website and is available from January to May.  The application should be filled out and submitted online. The due date is mid May.  The specific date will be posted on the application.

Not necessarily. Admission to the OTA program is on a competitive basis.