©2002 Environmental Education Outreach Program & Northern Arizona University
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Chapter 4, Section 5:
Admission Requirements

Because there are more applicants than there are classroom chairs, colleges must limit those they accept for admission. This competition for admission is administered somewhat differently by each school, but all colleges rely on records of high school performance and college entrance exams as part of their evaluation of all applicants. On page 55 you will find the Freshmen Entrance Requirements for Northern Arizona University’s Fall 2000 semester. This is offered as a sample of what colleges expect you to study in high school. An alternative list of recommended high school courses as preparation for environmental technology degrees can be found at: http://ateec.eiccd.cc.ia.us/car_prep.html

• To see the admission requirements for Arizona State University, see www.asu.edu/admissions/applyingtoasu/
• For Prescott College admissions site, visit www.prescott.edu/admissions/admissions.html
• The University of Arizona entrance requirements are at http://admissions.arizona.edu/ under the FAQ—Frequently Asked Questions.
• NAU’s admissions web site is at www.nau.edu/~undadm/

Your application packet is considered complete and a decision will be made when we receive:

• An official high school transcript. Transcripts are official only if sealed in an envelope by your high school counselor or registrar and sent directly from your school.
• Acores from either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). To summit your scores, indicate NAU as a score recipient on the test registration form. Scores posted on your high school transcript are also acceptable.

Arizona residents will be offered unconditional admission if they meet the following:

• 3.0 or higher GPA* (on a 4.0 scale), or
• 22 ACT or 1040 SAT composite score, or
• Top 25 percent class rank
• And have no deficiencies in the required coursework

Arizona residents may be admitted unconditionally if they meet the following:

• 2.5-2.99 GPA* (on a 4.0 scale), or
• Top 50 percent class rank
• And have no more than one deficiency in any two subjects in the coursework requirements. Students with a combination math/science deficiency are not admissible. Conditionally admitted students may be required to participate in academic assistance programs.

Nonresident students will be offered unconditional admission if they meet the following:

• 3.0 or higher GPA* (on a 4.0 scale), or
• 24 ACT or 1110 SAT composite score, or
• Top 25 percent class rank
• And have no deficiencies in required coursework

Nonresident students may be offered conditional admission based on individual circumstances and/or space availability if they meet the following:

• 2.50-2.99 GPA* (on a 4.0 scale), or
• Top 50 percent class rank
• And have no more than one deficiency in any two subjects in coursework requirements. Students with a combination math/science deficiency are not admissible. Conditionally admitted students may be required to participate in academic assistance programs.

*GPA is calculated using only the 16 core courses listed under coursework requirements.

Coursework Requirements
Subject Area	High School Courses	or Test Scores
English	4 years: Composition, Literature	SATI Verbal 530 or ACT English 21
Mathematics	4 years: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Advanced Math (Algebra II as prerequisite)	SATI Math 540 or ACT 24
Laboratory Science	3 years: Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics	ACT 20 plus 2 of these courses
Social Science	2 years: American History and one other Social Science
Foreign Language	2 years same language
Fine Arts	One year
Applicants must have an unweighted overall grade pint average of 2.0 (A=4.0) in each academic subject area. *Must include two of the four laboratory science courses listed. (Test score may count as one.)

Freshmen Entrance Requirements, Northern Arizona University. Adapted from: www.nau.edu/undadm/admisreq.html

Most colleges require applicants to take an entrance examination: either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). Part of your preparation for college is to achieve scores required for admission to the colleges of your choice. The SAT site is www.collegeboard.org/sat/html/students/indx001.html. To visit the ACT web site, see www.act.org/. Both of these testing services schedule their examinations only at selected locations on certain dates. These tests cannot be taken at your convenience but only on days announced by the examiners. Both web sites offer a calendar of testing dates and practice test materials that may also be purchased on disk. Sample test questions are also given on these web sites.

College applicants may take the entrance examinations more than once in order to improve their scores. It is wise to begin this process early, in case you need to take the test again. Do not be discouraged by a first low score: there is no penalty for taking the test more than once. Both testing agencies’ web sites offer study guides, software and sample tests that can be used to study and prepare for another attempt. Remember there is more than one doorway to a college education: community colleges do not require ACT or SAT testing for admission.

• Back to 4-year colleges
• Back to Chapter 4

Last updated: May 27, 2005