| 2001/2003 Undergraduate Catalog |
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2. Complete and submit application forms, together with a non-refundable fee of $30, early in the senior year. Freshman candidates are urged to initiate the application process as soon as possible for the fall semester. Candidates for spring semester are encouraged to submit applications by November 1. Final dates for receiving applications in the Office of Admissions for any entry period are subject to change without notice.
* Shippensburg University subscribes to the CEEB fee waiver program. This program provides waivers for those students for whom the fee is judged a hardship. Students should request submission of the fee waiver form through the guidance counselor.
3. The secondary school transcript form must be requested from and sent by the counselor directly to the Office of Admissions for the paper and on-line applications. The time required for processing an application can be reduced if the application and transcript are mailed together, directly from the secondary school.
4. All applicants are required to submit at least one set of scores on the SAT I: Reasoning Test of the College Entrance Examination Board or American College Test. Arrangements should be made with the guidance counselor to take the SAT I during the junior and senior year. Applicants who graduated from high school more than two years ago are exempt from this admission requirement.
5. SAT II: Subject Tests are not required for admission. However, if submitted, these scores will be used to assist in course placement.
6. Although the university does not require specific numbers and types of high school courses, we strongly urge students to pursue a typical college preparatory program in senior high school which should include: four years of English, three years of social sciences, three years of sequential mathematics, three years of laboratory science, and two years of one foreign language.
7. Applications will be considered by the Office of Admissions on a rolling basis. The applicant will be notified after the application is complete.
8. When approved for admission to the university, each student will be required to make a non-refundable confirmation deposit. Those students admitted to the residence halls will make an additional non-refundable room deposit. The deposits are payable to Shippensburg University and will confirm the intention of the student to become a matriculated student. Deadlines for submitting the confirmation deposits: April 1 or, if admitted after March 1, the deadline prescribed in the offer of admission letter. Extensions of the confirmation deposit date may be requested by sending a letter to the Dean of Admissions.
9. A personal interview is not required for admission but in some situations is advisable. Please write or call in advance to arrange an appointment.
10. A medical form will be forwarded to all successful applicants following receipt of the confirmation deposit. Completion of the medical form is required for enrollment.
11. A favorable admission decision is based upon the student’s qualifications at the time of the offer and is contingent upon his or her maintaining those standards through graduation from the secondary school. The student must request the final transcript (including date of graduation) be sent to the Office of Admissions. Failure to submit a final transcript will result in a “hold” on the applicant’s file.
12. All admitted freshmen will be required to take a placement test prior to enrollment in English. Additional testing may be required in reading and mathematics. Notification of test dates, and which exams must be completed, will be provided after admission.
13. Orientation programs are held in the summer and prior to the beginning of fall semester. An orientation program is also held at the beginning of the spring semester.
2. Request high school records, SAT I (or ACT) test scores, and all college transcripts to be sent to the Shippensburg University Office of Admissions. School transcripts must be sent directly from the school and/or college offices to the Shippensburg University Office of Admissions. The Shippensburg University Office of Admissions may waive the submission of high school records and SAT I scores prior to the admissions decision for students who have successfully completed 30 or more credit hours of college-level work. In addition, applicants who graduated from high school more than two years ago are exempt from this admission requirement.
3. An offer of admission is based upon the student’s qualifications to date and is contingent upon continuing to meet those standards for enrollment. For a transfer student, it also is required the final transcript indicate a cumulative grade point average comparable to that which the student possessed when originally offered admission. Transfer students presently enrolled at another institution are responsible for ensuring the Office of Admissions receives a final transcript upon completion of their programs. Failure to submit a final transcript will result in a "hold" being placed on the applicant’s file.
4. If admitted, the dean of the college you will be entering will evaluate your transcript to determine the amount of transferable credits. In most cases, this official evaluation of your transcript will be mailed to you along with your letter of admission.
5. When admitted to the university, each student will be required to make a non-refundable confirmation deposit. Those students admitted to the residence halls will make an additional non-refundable room deposit. The deposits are payable to Shippensburg University and will confirm the intention of the student to become a matriculated student. Deadlines for submitting the confirmation deposits: April 1 or, if admitted after March 1, the deadline prescribed in the offer of admission letter. Extensions of the confirmation deposit date may be requested by sending a letter to the Dean of Admissions.
6. A personal interview is not required for admission but in some situations is advisable. Please write or call in advance to arrange an appointment.
7. A medical form will be forwarded to all successful applicants following receipt of the confirmation deposit. Completion of the medical form is required for enrollment.
8. All transfer students seeking a degree must plan on:
a. A minimum program of 45 semester hours at Shippensburg.
b. All course selections subject to prior approval by the appropriate academic dean.
9. Admitted transfer students who have not completed the appropriate courses in English or mathematics will be required to take placement tests prior to enrollment. Notification of test dates will be provided subsequent to transcript evaluation.
10. Orientation programs are held in the summer, prior to the beginning of fall semester, and at the beginning of the spring semester.
*If you are attending a State System of Higher Education university, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Community College, Lackawanna Junior College, Hagerstown Community College, Carroll Community College, Howard Community College, Frederick Community College, or Allegany College of Maryland please refer to page 23 for important additional information.
Once admitted, all transfer students are expected to maintain the same academic standards required of those students already enrolled in the university.
Shippensburg University supports transfer students and the Academic Passport. The Academic Passport is a transfer program designed to promote and facilitate the transfer of students and to support the transfer of undergraduate courses earned by students at other universities. This encourages a seamless transfer for students into Shippensburg University.
You are eligible for the Passport if you are a graduate of one of the above named community/junior colleges holding an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree or are an incumbent student of a State System university with 12 credits or more of college level work.
1. Students Transferring with an Associate Degree
a. All students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher and the A.A. or A.S. degree must contain a minimum of 30 hours of liberal arts course work. Capacity limits and/or higher admissions standards may apply to certain high demand academic programs.
b. Up to a maximum of 45 general education credits and liberal arts course credits earned at the two-year college will be used to meet lower division university general education requirements. A course by course match will not be required. Vocational, technical, and career courses will not be used to satisfy general education requirements.
2. Intra-System Transfer
a. System university students who have attained a GPA of 2.0 or higher in a minimum of 12 credit hours of college level course work will hold an Academic Passport enabling transfer to any other System university. Capacity limits and/or admissions standards may apply to certain high demand academic programs.
b. Up to a maximum of 45 general education credits and liberal arts course credits earned at the sending university will be used to meet lower division university general education requirements. A course by course match will not be required.
3. Students Transferring without an Associate Degree (These students are ineligible for an Academic Passport.)
a. Community/junior college students who seek to transfer without a degree may apply to and be accepted by Shippensburg University.
b. Students seeking to transfer course credits without the completed A.S. or A.A. degree must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.2 or greater in all college-level course work presented for transfer for each institution attended. Capacity limits and/or higher admissions standards may apply to certain high demand academic programs.
c. A maximum of 45 credits in courses designated by and credited as general education by a community/junior college will be applied to meet university lower division general education requirements. A course by course match will not be required.
Students from community/junior colleges and State System universities may transfer credits in courses where the grade of “D” is earned only if the student has an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher from each institution attended. Some academic programs at Shippensburg University may require the student to repeat certain courses in which a “D” grade was earned.
Transfer credit will be awarded for equivalent Shippensburg University courses whenever appropriate. If there is not an equivalent course, credit will be awarded based on the academic discipline and type of course. Developmental and vocational courses will not be accepted as transfer credit.
If you feel the original evaluation of your transfer credit is not correct, you may request another review. Shippensburg University will work with transfer students to ensure credit is awarded in the most appropriate way possible
Shippensburg University welcomes applications from students who have been homeschooled. Please review the guidelines under the freshman/transfer sections as well as the following information:
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Interested high school seniors, transfer students, and undergraduates enrolled at Shippensburg University may obtain an application form from the Honors Program, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299, (telephone: 717-477-1604).
The early admission of full-time students should be reserved for those high school students who, in the judgment of both the secondary school official and the university, are clearly outstanding academically and who demonstrate the personal maturity necessary for successful adjustment to the university. Normally such students will have exceeded the academic limits of their secondary schools and will have attained a level of maturity greater than that of their chronological peers. They should be able to logically justify reasons for early entrance. Since an assessment of social maturity is a consideration, the university requires a personal interview of all early admission candidates. With the needs of the student in mind, the institution is obligated to consider whether the first year of the university or the last year of the secondary school will be more beneficial for the student, given the student’s academic ability and maturity.
Below are listed the usual academic guidelines for the selection of students through Early Admission:
1. Rank in the upper 10 percent of the high school class.
2. College Board SAT I scores totaling at least 1200 with a verbal score of at least 550.
3. Must have followed a college preparatory or academic high school program to the end of the eleventh year with at least three years of English, three years of college preparatory mathematics, and at least two laboratory sciences, including biology, two social sciences, and two years of the same foreign language.
4. A letter of recommendation from the high school guidance counselor or principal.
5. A letter from the candidate’s parents supporting the application for early admission.
6. A personal interview with a member of the admissions staff.
7. The high school must agree to issuing a high school diploma to the student upon successfully completing the freshman year as a student at Shippensburg.
The Dean of Admissions may use early admission as a desirable option for those mature and academically talented students who are fully ready for the university. However, it is not in the best interest of those not fully qualified either academically or personally to apply for early admission. Please write or call the Office of Admissions for information pertaining to application procedures.
This special form of early admission may be desirable in individual situations as long as the student is capable of handling the academic demands involved. Students should first exhaust all other course options in high school before considering special student status. The following guidelines apply for special students:
1. Must have completed at least the 10th year of high school.
2. The submission of the high school transcript, SAT I scores, and special student application form. College Board SAT 1 scores should total at least 1100.
3. The submission of a letter of support from secondary school officials.
4. Must meet those academic requirements which apply to regular freshmen.
Please write or call the Office of Admissions for information pertaining to application materials and procedures.
Improvement of basic skills and self-motivation is a requisite for survival in college and is the philosophy of the residential Pre-college Experience Program. The goal is to help incoming students improve their skills in preparation for enrollment in the fall semester. To achieve this goal, the program has several objectives: 1) to provide an extended orientation to college life, 2) to evaluate students’ academic strengths and weaknesses, 3) to develop sound study habits, 4) to improve basic skills, 5) to help students create and develop realistic expectations of themselves and the university. The program begins in late June, and is free to students who qualify under the guidelines of the Act 101 Program legislation.
Students who successfully complete the summer program may be admitted to Shippensburg in the fall semester. Support services during the academic year include personal counseling, financial aid advising, academic advising, career counseling, instruction in survival skills and academic intervention (early alert warning system). Students are referred for tutorial assistance to the college-wide Learning Assistance Center, and to the academic departments.
The administrative unit of the Academic Success Program houses student records and is responsible for ongoing planning, program development, staff development, and program evaluation.
This non-degree status is for those who wish to add to their specific subject area knowledge, to review or improve certain skills, or to broaden their interests. Non-degree students will be scheduled after degree-seeking students to ensure space exists for regularly admitted students. Contact the Registrar’s Office for more information.
Non-degree students who wish to matriculate must apply through the regular admission process. All prerequisite course work requirements of degree-seeking students apply to non-degree students. A maximum of 30 credit hours earned in non-degree status may be credited toward an undergraduate degree.
Individuals who apply for regular admission and are denied may not attend the university as a non-degree student.
International students are required to pay out-of-state tuition and are not permitted to work off campus without proper authorization. Limited on-campus employment is sometimes available for qualified students after their first semester. All international students are required to carry adequate health and accident insurance.
Immediately upon arrival on campus, holders of F-1 and J-1 visas are required to report tothe International Student Advisor, 210 Old Main, bringing with them their passport, I-94, I-20 (for F-1 students), and IAP-66 (for J-1 students).
Further questions regarding international students at Shippensburg University should be addressed to the Office of International Student Services, 329 Horton Hall, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299 USA, 717-477-1125.
Any non U.S. citizen eligible for an F-1 undergraduate student visa may apply for this scholarship making formal application to the university. However, only a limited number of scholarships are available in any given year. Once an international student has been granted a tuition waiver, the scholarship is renewable on a semester-by-semester basis for as long as the review committee considers reasonable for the completion of the student’s academic program. This renewal is contingent upon full-time student status, an acceptable quality point average, and participation in the Shippensburg International Student Organization. If a student is seeking fall admission, application for the waiver should be made by March of the same year. If a student is seeking spring admission, application for the waiver should be made by October of the previous year. Applications for the scholarship can be obtained by contacting the International Student Services Office, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299.
For more information on applying, see the section "Readmission of Students" in the Academic Policies and Procedures chapter or contact the Registrar’s Office at 717-477-1381.
Undeclared students should be aware there is no assurance they will be able to declare any major they choose. Programs with limited capacity may be restricted or closed.
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