Admissions

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions serves as the primary campus contact for all prospective degree students seeking information concerning undergraduate enrollment procedures or regarding opportunities for prospective students at SUNY Oswego. Students may contact the office at:

OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS
229 Sheldon Hall
SUNY Oswego
Oswego, NY 13126-3599

Phone 315.312.2250
Fax    315.312.2250
admiss@oswego.edu
www.oswego.edu/admissions

Admission to Oswego is based upon the applicant’s academic and personal qualifications and is made without regard to sex, race, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical disability. Oswego seeks men and women of ability and promise who have the capacity for intellectual growth and the motivation to achieve.

Admission as a Freshman Student

Applicants for admission as freshmen must meet the following minimum requirements:www.oswego.edu/apply

1. Have a high school diploma awarded upon completion of an accredited high school course of study, or have a high school equivalency diploma. A minimum combination of seven units of college preparatory mathematics and science as well as the study of a foreign language is recommended.
2. One or more units of Technology Education are recommended for applicants to programs in the Technology Department.
3. Submission of the SAT of the College Entrance Examination Board or the ACT of the American College Testing Program. Students who completed high school at least three years prior to the date of their application are exempt from the SAT/ACT requirement. The Committee on Admissions considers the highest SAT Critical Reading and the highest Math score (the Writing component is not considered) as well as the highest ACT Composite score.

The most important criteria for admission to the freshman class is the secondary school record (pattern of coursework, high school grade point average, rank in class) with standardized test scores considered (SAT or ACT) only in combination with the school record.

Recognizing that some students acquire excellence outside formal academic experience, Oswego is prepared to admit a percentage of the freshman class using a combination of traditional and nontraditional academic criteria. To be admitted under this supplementary category, students must demonstrate outstanding capabilities in one of the following categories: leadership, specialization in an academic area, creative expression and performing arts, athletic ability. Students may also be considered on the basis of altered-career orientation and/or unusual circumstances interfering with past performance. Evidence must be submitted for evaluation for admission in this nontraditional category. Examples of such evidence include recommendations; portfolios; interviews; essays and other information.

An examination of the profile of the 2014 entering freshman class gives a picture of the academic achievement of students enrolled at Oswego. The middle 50% of students enrolling as freshmen at Oswego had grades of 86 - 92 (3.1 to 3.7 on 4.0 scale) and the mean GPA was 90 (3.5). The middle 50% of students enrolling as freshmen had standardized test results as follows: SAT 1020 - 1190 (Critical Reading and Math; Writing is excluded) and ACT Composite 22 - 26. The mean SAT for Critical Reading and Math was 1100 and the mean ACT Composite was 24. Approximately 49% of the freshman applicants were accepted for admission.

Application Procedures for Freshmen

SUNY Oswego accepts either the Common Application or the SUNY Application, either of which may be found at www.oswego.edu/apply.

Priority dates for submitting an application for admission are January 15 for the fall semester and December 15 for the spring semester. Applications are welcome after these dates but are considered on a space available basis.

Early Admission

Oswego State is prepared to consider enrolling a limited number of students via its Early Admission Program, which combines the final year of high school with the first year of college. Requirements and guidelines for Early Admission are as follows:

• Students must have completed their high school studies through the junior year, demonstrating a high level of achievement; all courses typically necessary for admission must be completed;
• Official standardized exam results (SAT or ACT) are required;
•  Students must study full-time (12 credits or more each term) at the College;
• The high school counselor must submit a letter in support of the student’s plan for early admission, indicating what specific college courses should be taken, and certifying the school’s intent to grant the high school diploma upon successful completion of the student’s freshman year at the College;
• It is the student’s responsibility to follow the school counselor’s academic plan;
• Financial aid is typically not available to students until the high school diploma has been awarded.

Early Decision Option for Freshmen

Students who decide that Oswego is their first-choice college may choose to apply for early decision. Early decision candidates may apply to other colleges. However, if admitted to Oswego under early decision, applicants must agree to attend Oswego and withdraw all other applications. Applicants for early decision must have the following information on file in the Oswego Office of Admissions no later than November 30:

1. Common Application or SUNY Application;
2. High school transcript or SUNY Online Academic Record (SOAR)
3. Official results of either the SAT or ACT; test score results are acceptable if sent direct from the testing agency to Oswego admissions, or if placed on the official high school transcript or SOAR.

Early decision candidates will be advised of their admission status by December 15. If accepted, candidates will be expected to submit deposits for tuition and housing by January 15 for the following fall term.

Home-Schooled Student Admission

In addition to the materials required of other freshman applicants, students who have been home-schooled will need to submit documented proof of successful completion of the home-school curriculum, local school district records certifying the home school program was the “substantial equivalent of a high school course of study”, or in some cases a GED. For more information contact the Oswego Office of Admissions.

SOAR (SUNY Online Academic Record)

SUNY Oswego will review freshman applicant information as provided via the SOAR for purposes of admission. However, students who have already graduated from high school at the time of applying are expected to submit final, official high school transcripts. However, students who submit information via the SOAR for admission purposes must be sure that self-reported data matches official records. All enrolling freshmen are required to submit final, official high school transcripts and SAT/ACT results; SOAR errors and/or omissions could lead to revocation of admission and/or scholarship.

Notification of Admission

Notification of decisions on completed applications for the fall semester will be mailed after January 1st, and will continue on a rolling basis; candidates for the spring semester will be notified after October 15.

In order to confirm attendance at the College, admitted students are required to submit a tuition deposit of $100 (plus $100 for housing, if applicable) which must be received by the College by May 1, or thirty days after acceptance, whichever is later. Deposits for the spring semester are due thirty days after acceptance to the college. These deposits are applied against fall or spring semester charges. Some students will not submit a deposit, but willinstead submit an “intent to enroll”. The tuition deposit of $100 and the housing deposit of $100, if applicable, are refundable until May 1. After May 1, deposits are refundable in accordance with the College’s refund policy as described in the Welcome Brochure. Deposits for the spring term are refundable until thirty days after acceptance. 

Transfer Student Admission

Admission as a Transfer Student

Applicants who have earned more than 11 credit hours at another college or university, following completion of their high school diploma or its equivalent, will be considered for admission as transfer students. In addition to completing the SUNY Application or the Common Application for admission, transfer students must submit an official transcript from each college or university previously attended. Those students with a gap in their education will often be required to submit a transfer supplement.  Transfer students who have completed fewer than 30 credit hours at the time of their application must also submit an official high school transcript.

Transfer applicants for the fall semester who have a completed application on file in the Office of Admissions by March 1 will be given priority for admission. Applicants for the spring semester who file by December 15th will be given priority for admission. While applications submitted after these dates are welcome, they are considered as space remains available. The cumulative grade point average earned in previous college work is the primary criteria used in admitting transfer students.

A profile of the 2014 entering transfer class indicates students generally had a cumulative GPA of approximately 2.5 or higher and the mean GPA was 3.0. Transfer students seeking admission to the School of Education and Department of Biological Sciences programs may need a GPA higher than applicants to other majors; contact the Office of Admissions for details.

Policy for Evaluation of Transfer Credits

For all transfer students an initial degree audit will be completed upon request, or following submission of the required admissions deposit. All credit is tentative until approval from the deposit following enrollment. All course work completed with a passing grade from regionally accredited institutions will transfer to Oswego, as described in the “Requirement Guides for Transfer Students” below. Courses completed at another institution transfer only as credits; grades do not transfer.

Acceptance of transfer credits from non-accredited institutions is tentative until successful completion of one full-time semester at Oswego, after which equivalency credits will be determined by the Registrar upon consultation with the major department.

Some training courses provided by the Armed Forces may be the equivalent of college courses and transfer credit may be obtained by presenting an official military transcript to evaluate the credits to the Office of Extended Learning. A guide provided by the American Council on Education is used to determine what credit might be granted. Blanket credit is not granted for military service. Credit will be granted for all courses sponsored by the United States Armed Forces Institute which are college level and which are completed with a satisfactory end-of-course examination.

Requirement Guidelines for Transfer Students

Transfer students must consult with their major department’s chairperson or advisement coordinator to determine the remaining requirements of the major field and the general graduation requirements of Oswego.

Students who transfer to Oswego must complete the following graduation requirements:

1. Complete a minimum of thirty credit hours at Oswego.
2. Complete all of the requirements of the major department and the College.
3. Earn a minimum of one-half of the major and concentration requirements at Oswego.
4. Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours from an accredited four year institution.

Please note that simply compiling credits will not assure candidates of meeting bachelor’s degree requirements. Students should be certain that they are aware of their graduation requirements. They should consult this College Catalog and Degree Works and be sure to meet with their academic advisor during the scheduled advisement period for transfer students.

Two year college transfer students should recognize that since they are required to complete 60 credit hours (30 at Oswego) from a four year institution, a maximum of 62 credit hours of two year college transfer credit may be applied toward the Oswego bachelor’s degree.

Four year college transfer students, since they must complete 30 credit hours at Oswego, may apply up to 92 credit hours of transfer credit toward the Oswego bachelor’s degree.

www.oswego.edu/international

Oswego welcomes students from other countries who qualify for any of the programs offered. Admission procedures for international students are handled on an individual basis. International students desiring admission should visit the Office of International Education and Programs web page for more detailed information and the necessary application forms. International students who have completed do not speak English as their native language must present the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination, or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or ELS Level 112 or better or the EC Intermediate Level.

Oswego offers a program of deferred admission whereby once admitted, students may request that their admission to the College be deferred up to one year. Freshman and transfer students who are approved are guaranteed a place for the future term and are free to pursue a period of work, service, or travel before formally enrolling at the College. During this period students are assured that their future enrollment at the College is secure provided their academic status has not changed.

www.oswego.edu/eop

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Oswego is designed to serve students who are both educationally and economically disadvantaged. The ultimate goal of EOP is to make higher education possible for students who lack the credentials for traditional college admission, but have the potential for academic success.

EOP at Oswego is structured to offer every student a range of exciting opportunities as well as all the assistance students may need in the pursuit of their academic goals. EOP provides the tools for students to meet their academic potential: tutoring, supplemental instruction, workshops, and access to campus resources.

Key services provided to EOP students include, but are not limited to, a mandatory pre-freshman student summer program; academic planning counseling services; and other enrichment opportunities.  Although EOP students receive additional financial support toward meeting a small portion of their college expenses, EOP is not a financial aid or scholarship program. To receive financial aid, EOP students are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Oswego welcomes and encourages non-degree students to enroll in appropriate classes on a space-available basis. Enrollment in a course or series of courses does not imply acceptance or continued access to a department or program in the future. Registration as a non-degree student is coordinated by the Registrar’s Office.  Advisement for non-degree students regarding available courses may be obtained through the Office of Extended Learning, COMPASS, the Student Advisement Center, or the Office of Admissions. Vocational Teacher Preparation non-degree students will be advised by and complete admissions materials in that department. Note that mail-in registration will require the designation of alternative choices. The Registrar’s Office will limit the number of credit hours which a non-degree student may take to eleven credits per term and twenty-two total credits; any additional credits require acceptance as a matriculated student or approval by the Office of Admissions.

Oswego offers college courses for superior high school students. High school junior or senior students may enroll in college courses during the academic year concurrently with their high school enrollment or during the summer sessions between the junior and senior years of high school.                                                                                           
To be approved, high school students must have an outstanding high school record and must have the recommendation of their high school principal or guidance counselor. Further information may be obtained from the Office of Admissions or the Office of Extrended Learning.

www.oswego.edu/visit

Prospective students and their parents are strongly encouraged to visit the campus and discuss college plans with an admissions counselor. The Office of Admissions offers individual appointments from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday. Tours of the campus, as well as group information programs are held on a regular schedule during the academic year, including selected Saturdays. Interested students and parents should contact the Office of Admissions well in advance for an appointment. A schedule of visitation options as well as an opportunity to schedule visits online is available from oswego.edu/visit.