Admissions Information, Admission Procedures and Deadlines, Admission from High School, Regular Freshman Admission Standards (Full Admission), Limited Freshman Admission Standards, Alternatives for Home Schooled Applicants and for Others, Joint Enrollment/Early Admission/Post-Secondary Options, Advanced Placement Opportunities, Admission from Other Colleges, Transfer Admissions, The Award of Transfer Credit, Special Admission Categories, Regents Engineering Transfer Program (RETP), International Students, Graduate School Admissions, Graduate Certificate Program Admission Requirements
 

Admissions Information

General Information
Admission to Southern Polytechnic State University is made without regard to race, nationality, sex, or religion. Admission to Southern Polytechnic State University is based on a number of factors depending upon your admissions type of entry and previous educational experience. The admission requirements for the University have been developed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia.

Falsification
Approval for admission is valid only for the term specified at the time of acceptance and does not imply that approval will be granted for a term not specified. The University reserves the right to withdraw admission prior to or following enrollment if the student becomes ineligible as determined by the standards of the University of the Board of Regents or if the student has falsified application materials.

Other Admission Requirements
SPSU reserves the right to require any applicant for admission to take appropriate standardized tests in order that the institution may have information bearing on the applicant's ability to pursue successfully the program of study for which the applicant wishes to enroll.

Special Students
Special students and all other students of classifications not covered in these policies shall be expected to meet all admission requirements prescribed by Southern Polytechnic State University.

Appeals
Formal appeals of the University's admission decision may be filed with SPSU's Director of Admissions. Contact the Office of Admissions for additional instructions on the appeal process.
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Admission Procedures and Deadlines

General Information
All applications for admission to Southern Polytechnic State University must have all required credentials on file in the Admissions Office by the application deadline date for the semester in which the applicant plans to enroll.

The application deadline dates for each semester are as follows:
 

All international applicants are required to submit all admissions documents to the Office of Admissions at least three months before the registration date of the semester in which the student plans to enroll.

Required Documents
Unless otherwise noted for a specific admission type/category, the application file is complete and ready for review when the Office of Admissions (Southern Polytechnic State University, 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, Georgia 30060-2896) has received the following:

• A completed Undergraduate Application for Admission to Southern Polytechnic State University
• A $20.00 non-refundable application processing fee (check made payable to Southern Polytechnic State University)
• Official scores on required college entrance tests (typically SAT or ACT.  Some applicants may also be required to present SAT II subject test scores, TOEFL scores, or COMPASS scores)
• Official high school and college transcripts (mailed directly from those institutions)
• A valid Certificate of Immunization (measles, mumps, rubella)

Admission from High School
The College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC), SAT/ACT scores, and the high school grade point average are all key factors considered in freshman admission decisions.

College Preparatory Curriculum
In order to be admitted, freshmen are required to complete the University System of Georgia's College Preparatory Curriculum requirements at either:

• A regionally accredited high school
• Or a University System recognized high school

Regular Freshman Admission Standards (Full Admission)
Regular freshmen are applicants who are recent high school graduates and who will be attending college for the first time.

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

1. Graduation from

• A regionally accredited high school
• Or from a high school accredited by the Georgia Accreditation Commission
• Or from a high school accredited by an approved University System of Georgia agency
• Or from a public school under the authority of the State Department of Education

3. An academic High School GPA of at least a 2.5

4. Minimum scores on the ACT or SAT as follows:
 

Limited Freshman Admission Standards

Limited Admissions
The University System permits SPSU to admit a limited number of traditional freshman each year who do not meet all the minimum requirements listed above, but whose records are sufficiently strong enough to show promise for success at the University.

SPSU's minimum requirements for limited freshman admission include the following:

1. Graduation from:

• A regionally accredited high school
• Or from a high school accredited by the Georgia Accreditation Commission
• Or from a high school accredited by an approved University System of Georgia agency
• Or from a public school under the authority of the State Department of Education

3. Have an academic High School GPA of at least a 2.5

4. Minimum scores on the SAT or ACT as follows:
 

A freshman applicant may apply as early as the end of his or her junior year in high school. After the receipt of all required documents, (juniors should include their planned senior year subjects on their high school transcript), the Admissions Office will notify the applicant of his or her admission status.
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Alternatives for Home Schooled Applicants and for Others
Applicants, including home schooled students, who have not graduated from an approved or accredited high school, may validate the CPC requirement in an alternative way.  These students should submit a portfolio of high school level work that substantiates completion of college preparatory courses equivalent to those listed in the CPC table above.  Please see the admissions office for further information about the portfolio.

Minimum SAT or ACT test scores for these students are (valid for admission during the 2003-2004 school year only):
 

Joint Enrollment/Early Admission/Post-Secondary Options
Southern Polytechnic State University recognizes the need to provide academically talented high school students with opportunities for acceleration of their formal academic programs. There are three programs available to talented students:

Joint Enrollment
A joint enrollment student continues his/her enrollment in high school as a junior or senior and enrolls in courses for college credit.

Early Admission
An early admission student enrolls as a full-time college student following completion of the junior year in high school.

Post-Secondary Option
Post-Secondary Options (PSO) is a joint enrollment program designed for juniors and seniors in Georgia public high schools.

Under the PSO regulations, students simultaneously receive high school Carnegie unit credit(s) and college credit hours. Under the PSO program, partial or full tuition for classes taken by the student at Southern Polytechnic State University is paid for with funds generated by the Quality Basic Education funding formula. Interested students should contact their high school counselor.

Admission Requirements
Admission requirements for joint enrollment or early admission are:

• Minimum scores of
500 on the SAT I Verbal (21 ACT-English)
500 on the SAT I Math (21 ACT-Math)
• Minimum academic high school GPA of 3.0
• On track for completion of CPC requirements by the end of the senior year in high school
• Written consent of the parent or guardian (if student is a minor)

• English

Minimum required score of 530 on the SAT I Verbal (23 ACT-English)
• Social Studies

Minimum required score of 530 on the SAT I Verbal (23 ACT – English)
• Mathematics

Minimum required score of 530 on the SAT I Math (22 ACT-Math)

Students who do not necessarily meet all of the above criteria but who demonstrate very high academic abilities through their SAT performance may be permitted to enroll in appropriate college courses. Specifically:

• Students with a score of at least 700 on the SAT I verbal (31 ACT-English) may be permitted to enroll in courses that require advanced verbal ability.
• Students with a score of at least 700 on the SAT I Math (31 ACT-Math) may be permitted to enroll in courses that require advanced mathematics ability.
• Students with a total score of 1370 on the SAT I (31 ACT-Composite) may be permitted to enroll in appropriate courses.

Advanced Placement Opportunities
Southern Polytechnic 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 Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• College Board's Advanced Placement (AP)
• International Baccalaureate (IB)

Advanced Placement Program
Students may receive college credit for certain courses based on scores of the Advanced Placement (AP) Exam as follows:
 

Official results must be sent directly from the Admissions Testing Board of the College Board to SPSU for credit to be awarded.

International Baccalaureate Program
Students may receive college credit for certain courses based on scores of the International Baccalaureate Exam as follows:
 

Official results must be sent directly from the Admissions Testing Board of the College Board to SPSU for credit to be awarded.
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Admission from Other Colleges

General Information
Transfer applicants for admission are students who have earned college credit at regionally accredited collegiate institutions and wish to transfer to SPSU to pursue a degree.

Students planning to transfer from another college must have transcripts sent directly from all colleges attended to our admissions office without regard to the applicant’s wishes concerning transfer credit for courses.

The application deadline dates for each semester are as follows:
 

Required Documents
Unless otherwise noted for a specific admission type/category, the application file is complete and ready for review when the Office of Admissions (Southern Polytechnic State University, 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, Georgia 30060-2896) has received the following:

• A completed Undergraduate Application for Admission to Southern Polytechnic State University
• A $20.00 non-refundable application processing fee (check made payable to Southern Polytechnic State University)
• Some applicants may be required to present TOEFL scores, or COMPASS scores
• College transcripts (mailed directly from colleges attended)
• A valid Certificate of Immunization (measles, mumps, rubella)

Transfer Admissions

Transfer Freshman Admissions Standards
Applicants with fewer than 30 semester hours of acceptable transfer credit will be considered under the following policies:

• Applicants must meet the same admission requirements as freshman admitted from high school.
• Applicants must have completed and exited all required remedial courses at their previous institution.
• Applicants must not be on dismissal from their previous institution.
• Applicants must have at least a 2.0 cumulative college GPA.

• Applicants must have completed and exited all required remedial courses at their previous institution
• Applicants must not be on dismissal from their previous institution
• Applicants must have at least a 2.0 cumulative college GPA

The Award of Transfer Credit
This section describes the procedure used to review and determine acceptance of transfer credit for students enrolling at Southern Polytechnic.

Policy for Acceptance of Transfer Credit
The policy regarding the acceptance of courses by transfer is to allow credit for:

• University-level courses completed with a grade of "C" or better
• Courses from programs that have been accredited by regional accreditation authorities

In order for transfer credit to be evaluated:

• An official transcript, requested by the student, must be on file in the Office of the Registrar
• The student must be accepted for admission

Southern Polytechnic reserves the right to test the proficiency of any student in course work transferred from another institution when such course work was not taken as a part of the University System of Georgia Core Curriculum Program. Therefore, Southern Polytechnic reserves the right to disallow transfer credit in such course work if the student cannot demonstrate acceptable proficiency.

The total amount of transfer credit acceptable to Southern Polytechnic is subject to the university's regulations related to the residency requirements applicable to the degree sought (see Academic Regulations for residency requirements).

Each Department Chair recommends the specific credit for corresponding work completed by students at other institutions, and it is then approved for transfer by the registrar. The total amount of recommended credit shall not exceed that allowed by the registrar.

Except for the transfer of core courses as required by the University System of Georgia, transfer credit will not be allowed for courses completed at another institution that have been failed at SPSU.
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Special Admission Categories
SPSU has a number of special categories other than those for freshman and transfer applicants.

Nontraditional Freshman Admission Standards
Nontraditional freshman are those students who:

• Have not attended high school or college within the previous five years
• Have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester hours of credit
• Hold a high school diploma from an accredited secondary school or a GED certificate which satisfies the minimum requirement of the State of Georgia

Transient Students
Transient students are those students attending Southern Polytechnic State University for a limited period of time, usually one semester, and who are expected to return to their previous college at the beginning of the next semester.

Transient credit earned at Southern Polytechnic State University may not be applied toward the residency requirement.

A transient applicant must submit to the Admissions Office:

• An application
• A transient letter from the Registrar of his or her college (good for the semester of application only)
• A certificate of immunization
• A $20 nonrefundable application processing fee (check made payable to Southern Polytechnic State University).

Post-Baccalaureate/Non-Degree
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 this non-degree status must submit:

• An application for admission
• The $20 non-refundable application processing fee
• An official transcript from the institution that awarded the initial degree
• The certificate of immunization

Audit Students
Persons not seeking a degree from Southern Polytechnic State University yet wishing to gain knowledge from courses taught here may apply for admission as audit students.

An audit student is required to file:

• An application form
• A $20 nonrefundable application processing fee
• Official proof of graduation or official copy of scores on the GED test
• A certificate of immunization

Students Sixty-two Years of Age or Older
Citizens of the State of Georgia who are 62 years of age or older may attend Southern Polytechnic State University without payment of fees (except for supplies and laboratory or shop fees) when space is available in a course scheduled for resident credit.

To be eligible for participation under this amendment to the Georgia Constitution, such persons:

• Must present a birth certificate or other comparable written documentation of age to the Registrar’s Office at the time of registration
• Must meet all University System and Southern Polytechnic State University admission requirements,
• Must meet all University System, Southern Polytechnic State University, and legislated degree requirements if they are degree-seeking students

Regents Engineering Transfer Program (RETP)
SPSU participates in the Regents Engineering Transfer Program.  Students who wish to pursue an engineering degree may begin coursework at SPSU and later transfer to Georgia Technical Institute.  Courses available include the University System core (areas A-E) and selected engineering courses.  For additional information contact the RETP coordinator at 678 915-3172.

International Students

Admission of Students with Non-U.S. Academic Credentials
Admission of students whose secondary education was completed outside of the United States system of education may be considered for admission with:

• Acceptable foreign credentials
• English language proficiency as described below

Foreign Credentials
Students seeking to gain admission as freshmen must have:

• Academic performance as described by a certificate, diploma, or other documents deemed generally equivalent to U.S. college preparatory studies
• Official or certified true copies of all secondary school records, with a certified English translation

English Proficiency
Non-native speakers of English may be exempted from the SAT requirements; however, they must take the following tests with minimum scores as indicated:
 

The COMPASS is given on the campus of SPSU.

Academic Admissibility of Transfer Students

Foreign Credentials
Students seeking to gain admissions as transfer students must have:

• Academic performance equivalent to a 2.0 transfer grade point average from all colleges/universities previously undertaken by the student
• Official or certified true copies of all secondary school records, with a certified English translation is required

English Proficiency
Students whose first language is not English and whose language of instruction throughout secondary school was not in English are required to demonstrate English proficiency.

Non-native speakers of English who:

• Transfer from institutions of higher education outside of the U.S. where English was not the language of instruction
• Have less than 30 semester hours of college credit

The COMPASS is given on the campus of SPSU.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants
In addition to meeting the regular admission requirements, international applicants needing a student visa (F-1 or J-1) must complete a Financial Affidavit.  The Financial Affidavit must show ability to meet the financial obligations of tuition, fees and living expenses before an I-20 or acceptance letter will be issued.

Current (less than one year old) letters of financial support must accompany the Financial Affidavit. Financial Affidavit forms are available in the Admissions Office.

All international students must purchase medical insurance made available through Southern Polytechnic State University.

Sources for Test Scores and Required Forms
 

NOTE:   Joint Enrollment/PSO Forms can be obtained from your high school counselor's office.
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Graduate School Admissions
Each graduate school at SPSU has unique admissions criteria.  However all require at least:

• An application to graduate school
• Two official transcripts from each previous college attended
• A certificate of Immunization

Materials received after the deadline dates will be processed, but may not be processed in time to allow students to begin the term.

International applicants applying from outside of the United States must submit all admissions documents, including immunization certificates, at least 60 days before the above deadlines.

Specific information on admission to individual programs can be found in their respective areas of the catalog.

International Students
International applicants who do not possess a bachelor's degree from a college within the United States must submit the following additional information to the Admissions Office:

• An official transcript (translated into English) of college-level education
• Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• An affidavit indicating financial security

A minimum TOEFL score of 213 on the computer version or 550 on the paper version is required.

International students on F-1 and J-1 visas must purchase medical insurance made available through Southern Polytechnic State University.

International applicants applying from outside of the United States must submit all admissions documents, including Immunization Certificate, at least 60 days prior to the deadline dates.

Transfer Credit
Students may wish to transfer credit from other graduate programs in which they have been enrolled. Transfer credit is limited to 25% of the total hours required in a program of study, and is subject to the discretion of the head of the program. Students may apply for transfer credit if:

• The student was enrolled as a graduate student
• The course was completed with a grade of "B" or better
• The course was not used toward a degree
• The course is equivalent to one offered in a Master of Science program at SPSU
• The course credit was earned within the last five years

Post-Baccalaureate Students
Students who are interested in taking graduate classes for personal growth or professional development, but are not interested in a degree program, may be admitted as post-baccalaureate students provided:

• They hold a recognized bachelor's degree
• They gain program approval

• A graduate application form
• A $20 nonrefundable application processing fee (check made payable to SPSU)
• An official transcript showing completion of a bachelor's degree or higher from a recognized institution
• The certificate of immunization

Graduate credit earned as a post-baccalaureate student may not be used in a degree program, except that up to 8 hours may be counted only with the permission of the program where the degree is housed.

At the discretion of the program where a given Master's program is housed, a student who has supplied the above-stated materials for admission may be admitted as a post-baccalaureate student with the indicated major while full admission is being sought.  No more than 8 hours of graduate coursework completed in this provisional status may be applied to the degree.

Readmission
Students who have an absence of two or more consecutive terms of matriculation at Southern Polytechnic State University and who are not academically dismissed must be approved by the appropriate graduate academic program for readmission before being eligible for registration.

An application for readmission, together with any pertinent supporting information, must be submitted to the appropriate graduate academic program at least 20 working days before the registration date of the semester in which the student plans to enroll.
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Graduate Certificate Program Admission Requirements
Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college.

Students applying for any of the graduate certificate programs must submit the following to the Admissions Office prior to the registration term:

• An application for graduate certificate program admission, along with a $20 nonrefundable application processing fee (check made payable to SPSU)
• An official college transcript showing degree earned date
• The certificate of immunization