11.04.99.R0.01 Undergraduate Admission

Effective: September 1, 1996

Revised: December 2002

Supplements System Policy: System Policy 11.04

1. This is an official statement of university requirements relating to the admission of undergraduates, effective fall 1996.

2. Students must file an application for admission with the university Admissions Office and submit a $25.00 non-refundable application fee by the published deadline.

3. Freshman Admission: High School Graduates

Admission to Texas A&M University-Commerce (A&M-Commerce) for graduates of accredited high schools is based on one of the following (3) criteria and item (a) below:

a. Students Must

1) have an SAT combined verbal and math score of 920 or greater or an SAT combined verbal and math score of 830-910 and a probability of 50 chances out of 100 of achieving a 2.00 average at A&M-Commerce based on the College Board probability chart.

2) submit an ACT composite score of 20 or greater, or an ACT score of 17-19 and a probability of 50 chances out of 100 of achieving a 2.00 average at A&M-Commerce based on the ACT probability chart.

3) be first-time freshman who graduate in the top 25% of their graduating class
from an accredited public or private high school in Texas. Students in this
category are automatically admitted, but must submit ACT or SAT scores.

The probability for SAT scores will be formula-computed from rank in high school graduating class and SAT test scores; the probability for ACT scores will be formula-computed from grades on high school transcript and ACT test scores.

b. Entering freshmen must have successfully completed the following courses in high
school:

3* units (years) Math--Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry
4 units (years) English
2 1/2 units (years) Social Studies
2 units (years) Natural & Physical Sciences (Laboratory)

*Higher level math courses such as trigonometry, pre-calculus, analytic geometry, and calculus can replace any math course identified above.

In addition, the university recommends taking elective courses in areas such as foreign languages, speech, math, and computer science.

c. Applicants whose date of graduation from high school is five years or more prior to the date of application are exempt from providing ACT/SAT entrance scores as well as the core curriculum requirement, but must submit evidence of competency in reading comprehension based on scores from a reading test. Additional diagnostic tests will be administered for advisement and placement.

d. Students who transfer fewer than 21 semester hours from an accredited college must qualify for admission either by submitting acceptable SAT or ACT scores or as GED students. For GED admissions procedures, see below.

4. GED Applicants

To be admitted under a GED certificate, students must be 18 years of age or older at the time of enrollment at A&M-Commerce or enrollment must be after the student’s class would have graduated from high school.

a. Students with a GED certificate whose high school class graduated less than five years prior to the date of application must meet freshman admission requirements.

b. Students with a GED certificate whose high school class graduated five years or more prior to the date of application must submit evidence of competency in reading comprehension based on scores from a reading test. Additional diagnostic tests will be administered for advisement and placement.

5. Admission with Distinction

Students are eligible for admission if they earn

a. an ACT composite score of 26 or more or

b. an SAT combined total of 1180 or more.

6. Freshman Students Who do not Meet the Standard Admission Requirements

Students who do not meet standard admission requirements may be admitted provisionally in two ways:

a. Students who do not rank in the top twenty-five (25%) of their high school class may be admitted to the university in the spring semester. They will be classified as provisional students and must enroll in designated English and math courses as prescribed by the Academic Advising Office. They may enroll in no more than fourteen (14) hours.

Spring provisional students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better; they must also have a “C” or better in their English and Math courses. Students who fail to meet these requirements will not be allowed to enroll the following semester.

b. All other students who do not meet Standard Admission Requirements may be admitted in the summer terms as summer provisional students. They will be required to enroll in at least three (3) courses which will require two summer sessions to complete. Their courses will include the appropriate English and math courses as determined by placement tests and an elective course prescribed by the Academic Advising Office. A grade of “C” or better is required in each course taken by summer provisional students for their continued enrollment in the fall semester.

All provisional students must be advised through the Academic Advisement Office.

7. Transfer Admission

A transfer student is defined as a student seeking first-time admission who had previously attended an accredited institution of higher learning and is eligible to return to that institution.

A transfer student must meet the following requirements:

a. File application for admission to the University Admissions Office and submit the $25.00 non-refundable application fee by the published deadline.
b. Submit an official transcript from each institution previously attended.
c. Meet freshman admission requirements if 21 or more semester hours (excluding developmental courses) have not been passed at prior institutions.
d. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on all college work attempted.

Courses taken at junior or community colleges cannot transfer as advanced hours (course numbers beginning with a 3 or 4 indicate advanced hours).

Students attending institutions participating in the Northeast Texas Transfer System (NeTTS) receive automatic admission to A&M-Commerce with the provision that they complete an associate of art/science degree. Students who have taken courses beyond those required for the associate’s degree must have at least a 2.0 GPA in those courses.

Students on Academic suspension from another institution are ineligible for admission to A&M-Commerce until their designated suspension period has passed. When the period of suspension has passed, the student may be considered for admission.

8. International Student Admission

An international student is any degree-seeking student holding a non-immigrant visa.

Residents of foreign countries who wish to enter the University should apply to the Office of Admissions well in advance of the semester they plan to attend. (Graduate students should apply to the Graduate School.) All admissions requirements are to be completed a minimum of three months prior to the beginning of the semester. Every applicant must show evidence of:

a. scholastic ability;

b. proof of financial support; and

c. an adequate command of the English language as demonstrated by a score of at least 500 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)paper version and 173 – computer version.

All international students are required to purchase hospitalization insurance ($10,000) and repatriation insurance ($3,000). Proof of this insurance or equal coverage must be presented before registration can be completed.

International students who hold F-1/J-1 visas are not eligible for non-degree or provisional student status.

9. Readmission

Students who have attended A&M-Commerce in prior semesters may not be required to apply for admission if they

a. are currently enrolled and wish to register for the next semester or

b. were enrolled for the spring semester, do not attend a summer session but enroll for the fall term. If they attend another institution during the summer, students are required to report that attendance by providing transcripts of their summer work.

All other transfer students, those who have not enrolled at A&M-Commerce for at least one long term, must submit a readmission application and provide an official transcript for any work taken at other colleges/universities.

10. Concurrent Admission

High school seniors may enroll in college-level courses beginning with the summer session following their junior year. These students must:

a. qualify for standard admission with a minimum composite score of 20 on the ACT or 920 combined on the SAT or have a grade average of “A” (90%) in high school work through the junior year, including selected core courses in English, math, history, and laboratory science;

b. qualify for college-track courses; they may not enroll in remediation courses as concurrent students; and

c. submit a letter of recommendation from the principal and/or counselor.

Concurrent students may enroll in as many as two freshman classes per semester.

References: Prior ETSU Policies V E 16 and Policy B-26 approved February 22, 1984; revised August, 1992, May 23, 1995, and Fall 1996; Procedure A11.15

Contact for Interpretation: Director of Admissions