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    315.312.3260
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 students of ability and promise who have the capacity for intellectual growth and the motivation to achieve.

Admission as a First-Year Student

Applicants for admission as freshmen or first-year students must meet the following minimum requirements: www.oswego.edu/admissions/apply-now

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. 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 component score for: 1. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 2. Math (the Essay component is not considered) as well as the highest ACT Composite score.

The most important criteria for admission to the first-year class is the secondary school record (pattern of coursework, high school grade point average) 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 first-year 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 2019 entering first-year class gives a picture of the academic achievement of students enrolled at Oswego. The middle 50% of students enrolling 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 had standardized test results as follows: SAT 1100 - 1230 (Evidence-Based Reading, Writing and Math) and ACT Composite 22 - 26. The mean SAT for Critical Reading and Math was 1150 and the mean ACT Composite was 24. Approximately 55% of the first-year applicants were accepted for admission.This data excludes students admitted via special programs.

Application Procedures for First-Year Students

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

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 Action

Early action is a non-binding, early application/notification program that provides the earliest notification opportunity for first-year applicants. Early action applications must be submitted by November 15 and decision notification will be sent by December 15. Admissions standards for this program are the same as regular decision, but will not allow for consideration of senior midterm grades or late fall standardized testing.

Home-Schooled Student Admission

In addition to the materials required of other first-year 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 or TASC. For more information contact the Oswego Office of Admissions.

Early Admission

SUNY Oswego 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 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.

Notification of Regular or Rolling Admission

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

Deposit

In order to confirm attendance at the college, admitted students are required to submit an admission deposit of $100 which must be received by the college by May 1, or thirty days after acceptance, whichever is later. Deposit for the spring semester is due thirty days after acceptance to the college. This deposit is applied against fall or spring semester charges. Some students will not submit a deposit, but will instead submit an “intent to enroll.”

The tuition admission deposit of $100 is refundable until May 1. After May 1, tuition deposits are refundable in accordance with the college’s refund policy as described in the Welcome Brochure. Deposit for the spring term is refundable until thirty days after acceptance.

Transfer Information

Admission as a Transfer Student

Applicants who have taken 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 be required to submit a transfer supplement.  Ultimately, all transfers who enroll will need to provide proof of high school graduation, or its equivalent.

Admissions decisions for the fall semester will begin to be announced on January 15th.  Completed applications after that date will be considered on a rolling basis as long as space remains available. Admissions decisions for the spring semester will begin to be announced in October and will continue to be announced on a rolling basis as long as space remains available. Scholarship decisions for eligible students are typically announced approximately two weeks after the admissions decisions, and as funds remain available.

A profile of the 2019 entering transfer class indicates the cumulative GPA for all students was approximately 3.0. Individual students needed to have a minimum GPA of 2.3, although some departments had slightly higher minimum requirements for admission. Please contact the Office of Admissions for details.

Policy for Evaluation of Transfer Credits

For all transfer students, an initial degree audit will be completed after acceptance to SUNY Oswego. An unofficial degree audit can be requested prior to the application process. All credit is tentative until approval from the department following enrollment. All course work completed with a passing grade from regionally accredited institutions will transfer to Oswego, as described in the “Requirement Guidelines 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 and 42 upper division credits.

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 throughout the academic year.

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 60 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 90 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 applied and 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 an equivalent assessment considered on an individual basis.

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. First-year 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 that they submit an Application Update form and their academic status has not changed. Anyone wishing to earn any college credits during the deferral period must have the course(s) approved in advance.

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 or the Office of Admissions. Undeclared advisement is coordinated through Career Services in the Compass. Career and Technical Educator 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 Extended 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 and Sundays. 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.