Admission

Application Procedures and Deadlines

Admission from High School

• Full Admission ( Regular Freshman Admission)
• Limited Freshman Admission
• Alternatives for Home School Applicants and Others
• Joint Enrollment and Post-Secondary Options
• Early Admission
• Advance Placement Opportunities

• Transfer Freshman Admission Standards
• Transfer Admission Standards for Sophomores and Upper Classmen

• Nontraditional Freshmen Admission Standards
• International Students Admission Standards
• Transient Students
• Non-Degree Students
• Auditors
• Registration Fee Waiver for Senior Citizens
• Readmission
• Sources For Test Scores and Required Forms
• Appeals

Kennesaw State University welcomes applications from all qualified students regardless of race, sex, religion, disability, or cultural background. Admission to Kennesaw is based on a number of factors depending upon your category of entry and previous educational experience. The university's admission requirements have been developed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Board of Regents of the University system of Georgia.

Applicant credentials must indicate a reasonable chance of successful completion of academic work at Kennesaw State University. Admission decisions are based on your previous record of appropriate academic preparation, academic performance, test scores, personal qualities and experience.

It may become necessary to request additional testing for a more accurate assessment of your ability to succeed or to qualify for study at the university level or for placement. If your file is not completed in time for such testing to be scheduled prior to registration, it may be necessary to update your application to a future semester.

Admission is a selective process and meeting minimum requirements will not necessarily guarantee acceptance.

Approval for admission is valid only for the term or terms specified at the time of acceptance and does not imply that approval will be granted for a term not specified. Any changes in your record due to completion of additional course work prior to enrollment or a change in semester of entry for which approval has not been given will necessitate a new review of your application file.

Admission to Kennesaw State University as an undergraduate student does not automatically admit the individual to teacher education, nursing, or business programs. Separate application processes are required for formal admission to such professional programs, and such admission decisions are typically made after a prescribed amount of course work has been completed with satisfactory grades by the applicant. Details of such program-level admission requirements can be found in the section of this catalog which outlines degree program requirements.

Application Procedures and Deadlines

Applications for admission and all required credentials (such as transcripts and test scores) must be submitted by established deadlines. New applications received after the deadline dates listed below will be processed for the following term. The following dates are tentative until final decisions are established regarding confirmed registration dates for each term.
 

Fall Semester, 2000
Spring Semester, 2001
Summer Term, 2001 
Fall Semester, 2001

7/07/2000
10/30/2000
3/30/2001
7/06/2001

7/21/2000
11/17/2000
4/13/2001
7/13/2001

Unless otherwise noted for a specific category of applicant, the application file for admission is complete and ready for university review when the Office of University Admissions (Kennesaw State University, 1000 Chastain Road, Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591 has received the following:

1. A completed Undergraduate Application for Admission to Kennesaw State University
2. A $20.00 nonrefundable application processing fee (check payable to Kennesaw State University)
3. Official scores on all required college entrance tests (typically SAT or ACT; some applicants may also be required to have SAT II subject test scores, TOEFL scores, or placement test scores)
4. Official high school and college transcripts mailed directly from those institutions
5. A valid Certificate of Immunization (measles, mumps, rubella) - preferred by the application deadline

At any time during the application or enrollment process, the University may require any applicant to appear for a personal interview and/or to take standardized achievement, assessment, placement, and psychological tests which it deems appropriate in arriving at a decision regarding the applicant's general qualifications for admission. The University reserves the right to withdraw admission prior to or following enrollment if the student has falsified application materials or otherwise demonstrated ineligibility as determined by the standards of the University or Board of Regents.

Upon acceptance and prior to enrollment, any student with a documented disability or special need must notify the University of any particular accommodations required. Please contact the assistant director for Disabled Student Services in the Student Development Center at (770) 423-6443.

Requirements for Admission from High School

Applicants are again reminded that university admission is a selective process and that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Applicants with the strongest credentials for admission will typically be given preference when acceptances are restricted due to space and resource limitations and to a larger number of qualified applicants than can be reasonably accommodated by the university.

The College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) and the Freshman Index are two key factors considered in freshman admissions decisions. Completion of the University System of Georgia's College Preparatory Curriculum requirements at a regionally accredited or University system recognized high school is expected of most successful traditional freshman applicants. A minimum of 15 CPC units (Carnegie units which equate to four years of completed high school study) are required in the following subject areas:
 

The Freshman Index is a weighted formula which adds 1) the applicant's highest SAT-Verbal score, 2) the highest SAT-Math score, and 3) the recalculated high school grade point average (HSGPA) multiplied by 500. The University Admissions Office recalculates your academic HSGPA and includes only acceptable academic units while excluding other high school courses such as physical education, vocational courses, ROTC, drivers education, etc. from the recalculation.

Regular freshmen are typically applicants who will be first-time college students and who apply soon after completing high school.

KSU's minimum requirements for admission as a regular freshman include the following:

1. Graduation from a regionally accredited high school or a high school accredited by the Georgia Accreditation Commission or from a public school under the authority of the state department of education.
2. Completion of at least the 15 required units in the University System's College Preparatory Curriculum
3. Have a Freshman Index of at least 1940 with a SAT-Verbal of at least 510 (ACT 22) and a SAT-Math of at least 470 (ACT 20), and an academic HSGPA of at least 2.0

Limited Freshman Admission Standards

The University System permits KSU to admit a limited number of traditional freshman each year who do not meet all of the minimum requirements listed above, but whose records are sufficiently strong to show promise for success at the university. The minimum requirements for limited freshman admission in 1999-2000 include the following:

1. Graduation from a regionally accredited high school or a high school accredited by the Georgia Accreditation Commission or from a public school under the authority of the state department of education.
2. Completion of at least 14 of the required University System CPC units (and make up for CPC deficiencies with additional course work and/or learning support requirements, none of which count toward degree completion)
3. Have a Freshman Index of at least 1830 with a SAT-Verbal of at least 430 (ACT English 18), a SAT-Math of at least 400, (ACT Math 16) and a HSGPA of 2.0
4. Pass standardized placement exams in writing and mathematics for applicants with SAT-Verbal scores less than 510 (ACT 22), SAT-Math scores less than 470 (ACT 20), (or be subject to additional academic assistance course requirements which do not count toward a degree)

Kennesaw State recognizes the choice and rights of a family to home school their children. However, home school applicants cannot meet many of the standard requirements for regular or limited freshman admission.

Such applicants are not graduates of a regionally accredited or University System recognized high school; they have not completed the prescribed Carnegie units of the College Preparatory Curriculum; and they have no grades in CPC and other appropriate academic courses, precluding the calculation of a Freshman Index.

Nevertheless, the University System of Georgia permits such applicants to be admitted if they demonstrate sufficient CPC preparedness on appropriate standardized subject matter tests (specific SAT II subject exams) and meet or exceed the required minimum scores on the SAT I or ACT.

SAT II subject exams for Fall 1999 include five of the following:

• English Writing
• American History and Social Studies
• Math I C
• Biology/Chemistry/Physics
• English Literature or World History

This alternative approach for handling exceptions for home school students waives the high school graduation requirement, the academic HSGPA requirement, the Freshman Index requirement, and the Carnegie unit requirements of the CPC in exchange for satisfactory performance on additional standardized testing, which validates college preparedness.

Prospective home school applicants are encouraged to contact the Office of University Admissions at least six months prior to the planned date of entry to obtain information and direction as to how to pursue these alternatives and exceptions for admission.

High school graduates who did not complete all of the required College Preparatory Curriculum units may also be granted an exception to that requirement if they validate their college preparedness in their deficient subject areas with satisfactory scores on the appropriate standardized tests (SAT II subject exams).

With appropriate administrative concurrence, the University Admissions Office reserves the right to make other exceptions on a limited basis to specific requirements when, in the professional judgment of the Director of Admissions, the special circumstances and offsetting strengths of a particular application file warrant such exceptions.

The JEHP gives outstanding high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn high school and college credits concurrently, as well as participate in enrichment activities reserved exclusively for Honors students. Eligible high school juniors may participate in JEHP on a restricted basis. In addition, qualified JEHP students attending public high schools may have their University tuition subsidized by the PSO tuition grant program. (JEHP students must pay related mandatory fees and purchase textbook materials.)

All applicants must have their high school counselor's approval before they seek to fulfill high school graduation requirements by enrolling in freshman college courses at Kennesaw State University. To be admitted to the JEHP, students must have a completed application file for admission, earned at least a 3.0 academic grade point average in high school and have a minimum combined score of 1100 on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), with subpart minimum of 530 on the verbal and 530 on the math sections of the test; or a composite score of 25 on the American College Test (ACT), with subpart minimum scores of 24 verbal and 24 math, and be on track to graduate with a college prep diploma.

In addition, each student involved will be expected to satisfy the following requirements at Kennesaw State University:

1. Students lacking a fourth year of English will complete English 1101 and 1102. Some students may be required to take an additional literature course to satisfy high school unit requirements.
2. Students lacking the high school's American Government requirement will complete Political Science 1101 (American Government).
3. Students lacking the high school's economics requirement will complete Economics 1100.
4. Each applicant must be recommended by the high school guidance counselor, who will also verify that the courses completed at Kennesaw State will satisfy the remaining requirements for high school graduation.
5. Complete a Joint Enrollment Consent Form showing parent, counselor, student and KSU agreement to proceed.
6. Joint enrollment students participating in the Post-Secondary Options Program must submit the appropriate PSO voucher to the KSU Student Accounts Office to cover tuition charges.

This program allows exceptionally qualified students to be fully admitted to their freshman year of college without having graduated from high school. With the permission of their parents and high school principal/faculty, applicants may gain limited admission to this program by submitting an academic 3.5 GPA and SAT or ACT equivalent scores of no less than 700 verbal (ACT 33) or 700 mathematics (ACT 34). Students who meet these requirements may enroll in any course that the respective SAT score(s) support.

Students with a combined SAT of 1360 or 95th percentile (ACT 31) may be allowed to enroll in any appropriate level course and be exempted from high school graduation admission requirements. Such students are eligible for full standing freshmen admission, however, parental and high school written approvals and an interview are required.

Students participating in this program are encouraged to make arrangements if possible with their local high school to receive a diploma with their graduating class. (Students not receiving a high school diploma or GED may be ineligible to participate in government financial assistance programs, selected scholarships or certain employment.)

Kennesaw State University welcomes students who have pursued accelerated academic course work while in high school or through recognized national standardized programs. Such programs include College Board's Advance Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and Defense Activity for Nontraditional Educational Support (DANTES).

CLEP exams are administered nationally through Educational Testing Service (ETS) testing centers, or through the University's CAPS Center for currently enrolled students only. AP tests are given at many high schools throughout the country and qualified applicants are advised to take these tests in the spring of their senior year in high school. CLEP and AP credits do not count toward the KSU residency requirement or grade-point average.

In addition, students who have pursued advanced and rigorous college preparatory course work in high school and who have performed well in those courses may be exempted from equivalent prerequisite courses at KSU and continue their studies at more advanced levels. Approvals for such waivers may be secured from the Dean of General Education and Undergraduate Studies or the appropriate Academic Department Chair.

Transfer applicants for admission are students who have earned college credit elsewhere at collegiate institutions accredited in a manner acceptable to KSU and wish to transfer to KSU with all acceptable credits to continue their collegiate studies.

KSU's Office of the Registrar conducts transfer evaluations and accepts transfer credit only from such approved institutions, only in courses comparable to KSU courses or in subject fields appropriate for KSU degrees, only when the grades earned are sufficiently high for the transfer courses to meet KSU degree requirements, and only when the grades on all acceptable credit for transfer average 2.0 or better. Course work completed more than 10 years prior to admission to Kennesaw State University may not be accepted for transfer unless its currency is validated by the appropriate university officials.

Students planning to transfer from another college must make arrangements for each college previously attended to forward a complete official transcript to the Office of Admissions at Kennesaw State University. Official transcripts are required, regardless of the applicant's wishes concerning transfer credit, and must be mailed directly from the sending institution to the Office of University Admissions.

Transfer students' records will be evaluated in the same manner as Kennesaw State University resident students. If admitted, transfer applicants who are eligible to reenroll at their last college or university attended and have cumulative grade point averages less than 2.0 will be placed automatically on academic probation at KSU. Transfer students admitted on academic probation must complete 12 semester hours at KSU with at least a 2.0 grade point average before probationary status is removed. Failure to maintain a 2.0 average in any semester while on academic probation will result in academic dismissal from the University. Refer to the section labeled "Academic Policies" for a more complete discussion of the Academic Probation/Dismissal Policy.

Transfer applicants who have been academically dismissed from their previous institution may not enter Kennesaw State until they are fully eligible to return to their former institution and/or have been out of school an amount of time equal to that of a Kennesaw State student in a similar dismissal status.

Students transferring from another institution in the University System of Georgia must have satisfied any and all developmental studies requirements before being admitted to KSU.

Transferring students taking physical education hours at one institution will not be required to duplicate these hours at KSU. However, students taking an orientation course at another institution may be required to take the KSU 1101 orientation course.

All admission application deadlines cited earlier apply to transfer applicants. All of the documents cited earlier and required for a complete application file apply to transfer applicants with the following exceptions:

• High school transcripts are not required for applicants with 30 or more semester hours of acceptable transfer credit. (All college and university transcripts are required, however.)
• SAT I or ACT scores are not required for applicants with 30 or more semester hours of acceptable transfer credit.
• Freshman transfer applicants may be required to take the College Placement Examinations (CPE) or COMPASS in English and/or math depending upon SAT/ACT scores.

Applicants with fewer than 30 semester hours of acceptable transfer credit must meet the same admissions requirements identified earlier for freshmen admitted from high school. However, freshman transfer applicants who graduated from high school prior to 1988 are not subject to the completion of the University System's College Preparatory Curriculum requirements. Freshman transfer applicants may be required to take the College Placement Examinations (CPE) or COMPASS in English and/or math depending upon SAT/ACT scores.

Transfer applicants with sufficient transferrable hours to be classified as a sophomore, junior or senior at KSU must have completed any and all developmental studies requirements prior to admission and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in the previous institutions attended.

KSU has a number of special admission categories other than those for freshmen and transfer applicants.

Nontraditional Freshmen Admission Standards

Nontraditional freshmen are those students who have not attended high school or college within the previous five years and have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester hours of college credit, and who hold a high school diploma or have satisfactorily completed the GED.

Applicants eligible for review in this category are exempt from the SAT/ACT and College Preparatory Curriculum requirements. However, nontraditional students admitted in this category will be required to take at no charge the University System of Georgia's Collegiate Placement Exam or COMPASS examination. Test results may place the applicant in the Learning Support program for extra non-degree course work in reading, writing and mathematics skills. Adult nontraditional applicants may choose to qualify as regular or limited freshmen by meeting the appropriate criteria as described earlier.

Kennesaw State University supports international education and the philosophy that cross-cultural understanding is vital for creating mutual respect, appreciation and understanding of diversity. The presence of international students fosters cultural exchanges, which are beneficial to the student body and to the community at large.

International students may enroll in any program of study offered at Kennesaw State University. There are no residential living accommodations on the campus. However, there are private apartment complexes within walking distance north of the campus. International students and all other students must make their own arrangements for living accommodations and transportation. There is limited county bus service to the campus.

KSU has no designated financial assistance for international students. All international applicants must pay nonresident fees unless the individual receives one of the nonresident fee waivers available to international students through the KSU International Center. International applicants must present documented evidence that they have sufficient funds to meet their educational and living expenses.

All international students requesting admission to Kennesaw State University must submit the following credentials at least two semesters prior to the semester of enrollment:

1. A completed Undergraduate Application for Admission.
2. A $20 nonrefundable application processing fee (check payable to Kennesaw State University)
3. Sworn affidavit of support from the applicant's financial sponsor.
4. A letter from the sponsor's bank showing that funds (in U.S. dollars) are available for one year of support.
5. Official or certified true copies of all high school and/or college/university records with a certified English translation. International students are required to have an official evaluation of credentials done by an outside agency at the student's expense. You may contact: 1) World Education Svcs., Inc., P.O. Box 01-5060, Miami, FL 33101. (800) 937-3899; south@wes.org 2) Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc., P.O. Box 92970, Milwaukee, WI 53202. (414)289-3400; eval@ece.org; or a service accredited by N.A.C.E.S.
6. Official score of 195 or more on the computer based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam or 525 on the paper exam. Students who fail to meet the English proficiency requirement for admission are encouraged to enroll at the ESL Language Center in Atlanta, proficiency certification by ESL of level 109 meets the English language requirements for admission.*
7. Official scores on the Scholastic Assessment Test, or American College Test.
8. A valid Certificate of Immunization for measles, mumps and rubella.

• completed an ESL program which documents English proficiency at levels comparable to the TOEFL requirement;
• completed and transferred the English composition courses (I and II) for the core requirement at the college level;
• satisfactory scores on the SAT II test of English usage;
• a SAT I Verbal score of at least 500, or
• English as his/her native language

International students with a student visa are required to be full-time students (at least 12 semester hours) for two consecutive semesters, excluding summer term of the academic year in order to maintain F-1 status with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. The University is required to notify the U.S. Immigration Service whenever a student's load drops below 12 semester hours.

Also, upon arriving at Kennesaw State University, all international students are required to come by the Admissions Office and have their passports, I-20 ID, and Arrival-Departure Record copied and placed in their student files.

This procedure facilitates the replacement of a lost Arrival-Departure Record and is required by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. International transfer students applying to Kennesaw State University from other educational institutions in the United States are also required to have their passports, I-20 ID copy and Arrival-Departure Record copied before enrollment.

Transient Students

A student who has been enrolled in another college or university and who expects to return to that college or university may apply for temporary (one term) admission and registration at Kennesaw State University as a transient student. In fairness to its degree seeking students and because of limitations on available space, KSU must give its regular students higher priority for registration than transient students. Transient students have no guarantee that space will be available in the classes they seek.

In addition to completing an application for admission and paying the application fee, a prospective transient student must present a written statement from the registrar of the institution last attended recommending his/her admission as a transient student and stating that the student is academically eligible to continue college study. A student who is ineligible to return to the institution formerly attended will not be admitted as a transient at KSU.

Enrollment at KSU as a transient student ordinarily is limited to one semester, unless special permission is granted in advance by the Director of Admissions. Transient students wishing to continue at KSU beyond the initial semester of entry must reapply for admission and present a new written statement of permission from the previous institution's registrar. Transient students desiring to continue as transfer students must reapply for admission in that category through the Office of Admissions and furnish all required documents and transcripts by the published deadline. For purpose of admission or readmission as a transient student, the summer term will be treated as a semester.

Non-Degree Students

The non-degree category exists for those students who have previously earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and who wish to enroll in undergraduate courses for personal or professional reasons instead of degree completion. Students applying for non-degree status must submit an application for admission, the $20 nonrefundable application fee, and an official transcript from the institution that awarded the initial degree. Non-degree students who later wish to pursue another undergraduate degree at KSU must meet all pertinent transfer admission requirements.

Auditors

Auditors attend classes and may participate in course assignments but are not graded and do not receive degree credit for completing the audited courses. To be admitted as an auditor, the individual must complete an application for admission, pay the $20 nonrefundable application fee, submit a MMR Certification, and produce an acceptable high school (or college) transcript which reflects graduation.

Students are not permitted to receive retroactive credit at any future date for their participation in a course as an auditor nor change from an audit to a credit status while enrolled in a course. Audited courses are counted at full value in computing the student's load for fee purposes. A student wishing to change his/her classification from an auditor to a degree-seeking student must reapply for admission in the appropriate category and meet all pertinent requirements.

Audited courses do not qualify for educational benefits under the social security laws, veterans and other federal and state programs.

Pursuant to the provisions of an amendment to the Georgia Constitution, legal residents of Georgia who are 62 years of age or older at the time of registration for courses may have their semester (including summer term) tuition and fees waived (with the exception of the parking and technology fees). A driver's license or birth certificate must be presented to the Admissions Office at the time of application for admission or to the Registrar's Office once the individual turns 62 to qualify for this waiver of registration fees.

A student who remains out of the University for more than one calendar year must apply for readmission. This application must be received by the Office of University Admissions by the established deadline for the semester or summer term readmission is requested. Academically dismissed and transient students must also reapply according to posted deadlines. Official transcripts from each college/university attended since the student was last enrolled at Kennesaw State University must be received by the Office of Admissions by the established deadline.

College Entrance Examination Board  
Box 6200 
Princeton, NJ 08541  
(609) 771-7600 or (770) 908-9737  
www.collegeboard.org
KSU's Institutional Code: 5359.

American College Testing Program 
3355 Lenox Road NE, #320  
Atlanta, GA 33026-1332  
KSU's Institutional Code: 0833
(404) 231-1952

Formal appeals of the University's admission decision may be filed with the Office of Admissions or KSU's Academic Standing Committee. Contact the Office of University Admissions for additional instruction on the appeals process.