Admission of Students

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• Requirements
• Transfer Admission
• Deferred Admission
• International Student Information
• Interested in Admission?

Saint Michael’s College’s admission standards are competitive. Each application is reviewed closely according to the criteria outlined below in order of importance.

Overall high school record and strength of college preparatory curriculum (including the senior year of high school). Students should challenge themselves with the highest level of the coursework suitable to their abilities. The number of honors level and Advanced Placement courses in a student’s background are considered in the decision-making process. Applicants should have at least sixteen Carnegie Units of college preparatory course work in high school including some combination of the following (in order of importance).

Four years of English;
	While courses like speech and other English electives are interesting, students are recommended to take those in addition to (not as replacements for) English courses with a strong emphasis on writing and the reading of literature.
Two to three years of the same foreign language;
	A minimum of two are required, but it is highly recommended that applicants pursue as many years of language as possible.
Three to four years of theoretical mathematics;
Three to four years of science, including at least two lab sciences;
Three to four years of history and social sciences.

High school rank in class or relative standing in the class as indicated by quartile, quintile or decile is also considered in conjunction with the quality of the curriculum attempted and the overall strength of the high school.   For students who choose not to submit standardized test scores (see below) the high school record will be the most important factor considered.

Beginning with students applying for fall 2011 entrance to Saint Michael’s we have adopted a “standardized test-optional” admission policy. Applicants have the following options:

Submit official scores from either the SAT or the ACT with Writing. Students will be given the benefit of the best combination of sub scores from all test dates or:

Select “test optional” on the application supplement and your candidacy will be evaluated on the basis of all writing samples including your “Short Answer,” your Personal Essay and your answer to “Why Saint Michael’s” as well as your high school transcript and letters of recommendation. Course selection, including level of challenge and overall course selection throughout high school will be of primary importance in the evaluation process.

SAT subject tests are not required but applicants may wish to submit scores from foreign language exams in order to satisfy the College’s language proficiency requirement.  Applicants who wish to apply under the test optional provision may submit their SAT subject or AP language test scores post admission.

Application essay (required) and any submitted writing samples (optional).

Letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, coaches and employers.

The applicant’s record of extra curricular interests, activities and talents.

Saint Michael’s students tend to be active, engaged members of our residential college community bringing to the campus a commitment to work hard academically and to contribute to the life of the College. When an application is reviewed by the admission committee, several factors are taken into consideration. As noted above, the student’s high school record is treated as the most important factor in the decision process. Each applicant’s achievement in a well-rounded, rigorous program taken throughout high school is considered. Students who have challenged themselves by selecting honors or AP level courses or taking extra years of a foreign language, for instance, will be strong applicants, provided they are making successful progress. Accepted students generally rank in the top 25 percent of their high school class.

For students who elect to submit test scores, both the test scores (either SAT or ACT with Writing) and how the scores relate to the student progress in class work are considered.  The middle 50 percent of accepted students last year scored between 1570 and 1870 on the SAT CR, SAT M and SAT WR and the average ACT composite was 25. Saint Michael’s considers the highest section scores across all SAT test dates.  For more information on the SAT, consult the College Board Web site at collegeboard.com. For more information on the ACT, consult the ACT website at ACT.org. The Saint Michael’s codes are 3757 for the SAT and 4312 for the ACT.

Teacher and counselor recommendations are often helpful in understanding how well a student has handled the various aspects of high school work, from class participation to reading and writing assignments. Applicants should provide 1-2 recommendations from current or recent teachers or their guidance counselor. Additional recommendations from coaches, employers and other people who know applicants well are also considered, but should not replace those from high school teachers. In addition, each applicant’s essay will be carefully considered as a required part of the application. Additional graded work will be added to applicant’s files.

A student’s extracurricular resume is another factor in the admission process. Saint Michael’s seeks to enroll students who will be active contributors to the campus community and therefore seeks to admit applicants who show strong qualities in leadership, character and involvement in activities such as volunteer programs. An interest in an unusual hobby, performance in high school theater productions or a part-time job to help with school expenses are also considered.

Note: Saint Michael’s College supports the efforts of secondary school officials and governing bodies to have their schools achieve regional accredited status to provide reliable assurance of the quality of the educational preparation of its applicants for admission.

Home-schooled students should have completed the necessary high school graduation requirements; standardized test scores are often more heavily relied upon when the application is reviewed.

As always, if an applicant submits copies of academic work or curriculum, it will be taken into consideration. Home-schooled students often submit a detailed extracurricular resume that further adds dimensions to their personality and character. Applicants who have taken the initiative to be active in their local community in varying capacities are urged to detail that involvement.

Students seeking to transfer to Saint Michael’s College must be in good standing, academically and otherwise, at the institution they have previously attended. Credit may be transferred for work completed at accredited colleges with a grade of C- or better, provided that the courses correspond to offerings at Saint Michael’s. Credits are considered for transfer only if an official transcript of such credits is submitted by the applicant prior to admission. A transfer student may be required to pass an examination to determine his/her readiness to enter a course or program. No advanced standing is officially recorded by the registrar until the transferred student has successfully completed one full year at Saint Michael’s College. The remaining requirements to be fulfilled by transfer students to qualify for graduation from Saint Michael’s will be determined on an individual basis.

All students who transfer must be in residence at least one full year preceding their graduation. They must earn a minimum of thirty credits, including at least eighteen credits in their major, at Saint Michael’s College. The transfer application deadline is March 15.

Approximately one hundred thirty applications for transfer were received for September 2009; of those applications, seventy-eight were offered admission.

Students who have been accepted for admission to Saint Michael’s may request that their enrollment be postponed for up to one year. A $500 non-refundable registration deposit is required to reserve this place at the College. A letter of intent to enroll must be received by the Director of Admission by November 1 for the spring semester or May 1 for the fall semester. Students who defer their enrollment beyond one year forfeit their registration deposit and must formally reapply for admission.

Saint Michael’s College has been actively involved in the education of international students for over fifty years. During this time students from over fifty countries have earned their undergraduate degrees here. Our current undergraduate population includes international students from fourteen different countries.

International students whose native language is not English are asked to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Information on this test may be obtained at United States embassies and consulates or by writing directly to TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08541, USA. As an alternative, student may submit IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores. Information on this exam can be found at www.IELTS.org. Students applying to the undergraduate program must also submit an application as well as official academic records from all secondary schools and universities attended.

There are two ways for international students to pursue an undergraduate degree at Saint Michael’s College. First, if students receive a score of above 79 (iBT), 550 (paper), or 213 (computer) on the TOEFL, or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.0-6.5, and have demonstrated acceptable academic achievement, they may be considered for full-time admission to the undergraduate program. Second, for students who may need to improve their language skills, Saint Michael’s offers the Academic English Program (AEP) that provides specialized classes emphasizing English as a second language. Students who demonstrate the required level of academic achievement and English proficiency while in the AEP will have the option of entering the degree program.

Financial aid is generally not available to international students. International students must submit evidence of financial support for their educational and living expenses while at Saint Michael’s College.

The next step is to complete and submit the Common Application and the Saint Michael’s College Supplement application form, available from the Office of Admission at www.smcvt.edu or www.commonapp.org, and the application fee of $50. Upon receiving these we will begin to process the application. The Early Action I deadline is November 1, while the Early Action II deadline is December 1. The deadline for regular notification of the admission decision for the fall semester is February 1. Applications submitted after that date will be considered on a space available basis. The transfer deadline is March 15th.

Applicants should have high school transcripts and, if you wish test scores to be considered, SAT or ACT with writing scores forwarded to this office at the address below. When an application is received an acknowledgment is sent by email. Students may also check the status of their application on our web site at www.smcvt.edu/admission/application/adm_status.asp. If that acknowledgment is not received in a reasonable amount of time, applicants should contact the Office of Admission by phone or email.

Each application for admission is reviewed by an admission committee.

A limited number of spaces may be available at the beginning of the spring semester. Applications for the spring semester should be submitted by November 1.

Saint Michael’s subscribes to the Candidate’s Reply Date Agreement, allowing applicants until May 1 to make their decision about attending. For an additional application or information, please write, call, or contact us through our Web site:

Director of Admission
Saint Michael’s College
One Winooski Park
Colchester, Vermont 05439
800-SMC-8000; FAX: 802-654-2906
Main Number: 802-654-3000
E-Mail: admission@smcvt.edu
World Wide Web: www.smcvt.edu/

For those who plan to visit the campus, the Office of Admission is located in the Hoehl Welcome Center. The hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the academic year, and several Saturday programs are offered. Please check our Web site for the most up-to-date visitor information. Please call to make an appointment.