MASSACHUSETTS STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITY

NEW MINIMUM ADMISSIONS STANDARDS

 

A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS

 

            Admission Standards for Massachusetts State Colleges and UMASS are going up, beginning with students who apply for college in the Fall of 1997.  You should learn about the new requirements and staff now to take the classes you need to make it to college.

 

Required Courses

 

            To be considered for acceptance to a Massachusetts State College or any of the four University campuses, you need to take the following 16 courses in high school.  A course is equal to one full school year of study.

 

  • English                          4 Courses
  • Mathematics                 3 Courses (Algebra I & II and Geometry, or Trigonometry, or comparable coursework)
  • Sciences                       3 Courses (including two with laboratory work)
  • Social Sciences             2 Courses (including one in U.S. History)
  • Foreign Languages        2 Courses (in the same language)
  • Electives                       2 Courses (from the above subjects or from the Arts & Humanities, or Computer Sciences)

 

            These courses must be college preparatory level -- if you are not sure whether a course is college preparatory, check with your guidance counselor to be sure it will count toward the 16 courses you need.

 

Required Grades

 

            You also need to do well in your college preparatory courses – you should earn grades of (B) or better in most of them.  The required average grade for the State Colleges will be roughly a (B-), and for the University the required average grade will be a (B).  On a 4.0 grading scale (where (A)=4.0, (B)=3.0, (C)=2.0, and (D)=1.0), the State College requirement will be a 2.6 grade point average (GPA) in 1997, and a 2.7 GPA in 1998.  For the University, the requirement will be a 2.75 GPA in 1997, and a 3.0 GPA in 1998.  In calculating your GPA, you will be given extra credit for accelerated courses.

 

Test Scores

 

            If your grades are lower than required, you may be able to make up for them by earning high scores on the SAT or ACT tests.  If you think this might apply to you, see your guidance counselor for more information about required test scores.

 

            If you earn the required grades, you still need to take the SAT or ACT tests and have your scores sent to the college or colleges to which you are applying.  There are no minimum scores you need to earn.

 

Exceptions

 

            Students who do not meet these requirements still should applyk, since the State Colleges and University may admit some students based on factors other than those outlined here.

 

SEE YOUR GUIDANCE COUNSELOR FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO THINK ABOUT YOUR FUTURE!