First-Year
admissions

Smiling student with painted flowers on his cheeks

Start Your Application

There are two ways to apply.

Ready to transform your life? A À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ State education has the power to do that.

Let’s make sure you’re in the right place to start.ÌýYou're a First-Year applicant if you are:

  • Applying to À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ State directly from high school and have never attended college after high school graduation
  • A Dual Enrollment Program student taking college courses at a college or university as part of your high school experience
  • FREE

    To Apply

  • Test

    Optional

  • Nov. 15

    Early Action

  • Essay

    Optional

Virtual Info Session for First-Year Students

Application Deadlines

Enrolling in the fall Deadline
Early Action November 15
Learning Disabilities Program applicants, to receive priority consideration February 1
Urban Education Program applicants, to receive priority consideration February 1
Nursing applicants (freshmen only) February 1
Last date to apply and have application fee waived March 1
Enrolling in the spring Deadline
Admissions begins reviewing applications for spring freshmen Early October
Last date to apply for admission starting in the spring semester December 15

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First-Year Application Checklist

  • Start your application. There are two ways to appy.
    or
    Ìý
  • Official High School Transcript(s)
    First-Year applicants must submit an official high school transcript, beginning with grade 9 and including first-quarter senior year grades. Early Action applicants are NOT required to submit first-quarter senior year grades.

    Applicants who attended more than one high school are required to submit official high school transcripts from all high schools attended.

    Applicants who earn a high school equivalency diploma (GED) are required to submit an official GED scores report and an official copy of their high school transcript(s).
  • SAT and/or ACT Scores (optional)

    À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ State College Board code: 3523
    À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ State ACT code: 1912
    Test-Optional Policy

    The SAT/ACT requirement is waived for those applicants to the Learning Disabilities Program or for those applicants who wish to receive the SAT/ACT waiver through the general admission application process. These applicants must submit a full battery of diagnostic testing (including both cognitive and achievement testing) administered within the last 3 years in lieu of the SAT and/or ACT scores.
  • College Essay (optional)
    Students are not required to submit an essay with their application to À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ State but may submit one if they choose. There is no specific essay question that students must answer; students are welcome to submit an essay with a topic of their choosing.

    Students applying to the Learning Disabilities Program and the Urban Education Program are encouraged to submit an essay.
  • Letters of Recommendation (optional except for special admission programs)
    Students who wish to submit letters of recommendation are welcome to do so. Recommendations should come from educators (teachers, advisors, guidance counselors, etc.) and students should submit no more than 3 letters of recommendation.Ìý

    Students applying to the Learning Disabilities Program are encouraged to submit letters of recommendation. Students applying to the Urban Education Program are required to submit 2 letters of recommendation with their application.Ìý

Dual Enrollment

If as part of your high school experience you have taken college courses for credit at a participating college or university, you must also submit:

  • Complete list of college courses attemptedÌý
  • A final, official college transcript(s) of the dual enrollment experience upon completion

Homeschooled applicants

Homeschooled applicants are subject to the same admission requirements as other First-Year applicants. Students are required to submit an official transcript with all courses attempted, grades, and credits; SAT/ACT scores are optional.

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First-Year Admission Standards

All First-Year applicants are reviewed for admission based on their high school record.ÌýFirst-Year applicants must meet the established by the in order to qualify for admission to a state university.Ìý

Required Preparatory Courses

Specific majors may require additional courses beyond the minimum 17 courses as listed above and may require a higher grade point average and SAT/ACT scores.

Art and Music majors also require an art portfolio review and an audition as part of the admission process.
First-YearÌýapplicants also must complete the following 17 college preparatory courses (year-long academic courses, or the equivalent) prior to starting at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ
English 4 courses
Mathematics (Algebra 1 & 2; Geometry or Trigonometry, or comparable coursework) including mathematics during the final year of high school 4 courses
Sciences (from Natural Science and/or Physical Science and/or Technology/Engineering, including 3 courses with laboratory work) 3 courses
Social Sciences (including 1 course of U.S. History) 2 courses
Foreign Language (in a single language) 2 courses
Electives (taken from the above list or from the Arts & Humanities or Computer Sciences) 2 courses

Sliding Scale for First-YearÌýApplicants to a State UniversityÌý

À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ is a test-optional institution.Ìý For students who elect to submit test scores, the DHE has a sliding scale that students must meet to be eligible for admission to the state universities.

The DHE policy does not allow applicants with a recalculated grade point average below a C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) to be accepted to any Massachusetts state university under any circumstances.
Campuses Weighted Average GPA Combined NEW SAT Score
(Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing and Math)		 ACT Score
2.51 – 2.99 990 19
2.41 – 2.50 1030 20
2.31 – 2.40 1070 21
2.21 – 2.30 1110 22
2.11 – 2.20 1140 23
2.00 – 2.10 1180 24
After You Apply

À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ maintains and promotes a policy of equal education opportunity for all students, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, physical handicap, or national origin.

The rules, regulations, policies, fees, and other charges, courses of study, and admission and academic requirements that appear in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s recruitment brochures were in effect at the time of publication. They are published for informational purposes only, and do not constitute a contract between the College and any student, applicant for admission, or other person. Whether noted elsewhere in these brochures or not, the College reserves the right to change, eliminate, and add to any existing (and to introduce additional) rules, regulations, policies, fees and other charges, courses of study, and academic and admission requirements. Whenever it does so, the College will give as much advance notice as it considers feasible or appropriate, but it reserves the right in all cases to do so without notice.

After Acceptance, Before You Start

Accepted First-Year students must submit a final official high school transcript, indicating successful completion of all high school requirements and the receipt of their diploma.

Accepted First-Year students attending Massachusetts public high schools must present evidence of passing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) prior to enrollment.Ìý Students who are exempt from the graduation requirement due to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be required to submit evidence of passing the MCAS.

Have questions? We're here for you!

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Contact us

Undergraduate Admissions
Horace Mann Center
333 Western Avenue, À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ, MA 01086