New Freshman Admission Policy

Admission to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is competitive. All applications are reviewed on an individual basis with both academic and non-academic factors considered. The university will give strong consideration to applicants with successful academic backgrounds who have demonstrated achievement both inside and outside the classroom. The potential to contribute to a diverse educational community is also considered. NOTE: Admission is subject to program capacity limits and institutional enrollment limits.

 

A.  You must graduate from a recognized high school or the equivalent.

    1.  A recognized high school is one which either (a) is accredited by a regional accrediting association or state university or (b) is recognized or accredited by a state department of public instruction or equivalent

    2.  An applicant who has not graduated from a recognized high school must provide evidence of ability to begin college work. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to: transcripts verifying completion of a home-schooled educational program, GED/HSED test scores, ACT/SAT scores, and/or transcripts of coursework completed in high school. Additional documents, testing, and a personal interview may be required.

B.  Academic Unit Requirements

                                        Minimum

                                        Required               Recommended

English                               4 units                   4 units

Mathematics                       3 units                   4 units

Social Science                     3 units                   4 units

Natural Science                   3 units                   4 units

Foreign Language                 0 units                   2-4 units

Electives*                          4 units                    4 units

*At least two of the elective credits must be from foreign language, fine arts, computer science, English, math, social science, or natural science.

Acceptable natural science courses:
The following courses offered through the high school science department are acceptable: 9th grade physical or general science, biology, advanced biology, chemistry, advanced chemistry, physics, advanced physics, astronomy, earth science, anatomy and physiology, marine biology, AP science courses, biotechnology, geology, physical geography, genetics, microbiology, meteorology, and environmental science courses for which biology is a prerequisite. One unit may be from agriculture science courses that are approved by DPI to meet the high school science graduation requirement. One unit may be from Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses that are approved by DPI to meet the high school science graduation requirement.

Acceptable fine arts courses:
Courses offered through music, fine arts, dance, theatre arts or art departments are generally acceptable. The following are examples of acceptable courses: choir, band, orchestra, ensemble courses, music theory, music appreciation, music history, art courses (e.g. drawing, ceramics, jewelry, painting, calligraphy, crafts, photography, architecture, graphic design, etc.), art history, art appreciation, dance, dance history, drama, acting, stage production, and stage craft.

Acceptable courses for other academic areas:
Includes most courses offered in business and marketing education, family and consumer education (home economics), agriculture, health education, and trade and technology (industrial arts). Excludes physical education, keyboarding, cooperative education, most religion, English as a second language, remedial (in all areas of study) and exceptional education courses.

C.  Academic Criteria

     1.    Class rank

     2.    Test scores: ACT or SAT (UWSP does not require the ACT Writing Test.)

     3.    Cumulative high school grade point average (GPA)

     4.    Rigor of high school courses

     5.    Trend in grades: the pattern of grades including the pattern in academic courses

D.  Non-academic Criteria
In addition to academic achievement, the following non-academic factors will be considered: demonstrated leadership; involvement through work experience, extracurricular activities, and volunteerism; personal characteristics and accomplishments including honors, awards, special talents and abilities, and personal qualities; diversity in background and experience; and life circumstances.

While non-academic qualifications are considered in the comprehensive review process, they will not necessarily make an applicant with a weak academic background a strong candidate for admission.

 

                                    ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA

                                            ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

 

Orientation for New Freshmen
As a new freshman at UW-Stevens Point, you participate in a two-day orientation program. Through the program, you learn how to quickly and easily adapt to university life by getting to know UW-Stevens Point's customs, traditions, curricula, policies, and services. You meet with an academic advisor and prepare your class schedule for your first semester. You also meet with upperclass students and other new students in small discussion groups.

We encourage your parents to attend Orientation with you. Your parents hear presentations by UW-Stevens Point faculty and staff on such topics as student health programs, health insurance, financial aid opportunities, and housing and dining programs.  You are your parents are invited to stay in a residence hall and eat at our dining facilities. For more information, write or visit the Admissions Office, Room 102, Student Services Center, or call 715-346-4164. www.uwsp.edu/admissions/orientation/.

If you are a nontraditional student, you may get additional information about orientation and registration by writing or visiting the Multicultural Affairs office, Room 209, Student Services Center, or calling 715-346-3574. www.uwsp.edu/multicultural/.

Nondegree (Special) Students
If you are a high school graduate and want to take a limited number of courses, and you are not seeking a degree, you may be allowed to register for courses without formally applying for admission.  Please contact the Admissions Office for information regarding registration.

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High School (Special) Students
If you are a qualified high school junior or senior who wishes to take university courses while still enrolled in high school, you may be permitted to do so on a space-available basis.  You will need to submit a UW-Stevens Point Youth Options Program/High School Special Student Application form and an official high school transcript. Additional information is available at www.uwsp.edu/admissions/YOP.aspx.  You may also contact your high school guidance counselor or the UWSP Admissions Office for more information.

Returning UWSP Students
If you have been away from campus for one or more semesters, complete the UW System admission application form (see Admission Application Procedure in the beginning of this section to apply for readmission to UW-Stevens Point.  Ask any colleges you’ve attended since leaving UW-Stevens Point to send an official copy of your transcript to our Admissions Office so we can determine your eligibility for readmission.

Because we must limit enrollment at UWSP, all admission regulations for undergraduate students are subject to change at any time.

If you left UW-Stevens Point under academic suspension, a letter of appeal must accompany your application for admission. The letter should explain the circumstances which affected your academic performance (include documentation if available), how your problems have been resolved, your activities/occupations since your attendance here, and what has changed so that, if you are readmitted, we can be assured that you will not be suspended again.  You are eligible to apply for readmission as follows:

1. First suspension: You may apply for readmission one semester after you are first suspended, but please note that readmission is not automatically granted. You may apply even earlier if you show that you were suspended due to circumstances you could not control and that those circumstances have changed.

2. Second and following suspensions: You may apply for readmission two years after you are suspended for a second time. Again, you may apply earlier only if you show that you were suspended due to circumstances you could not control and that those circumstances have changed.

3. Appeals: If we deny your request for readmission, you may appeal our decision. Address your appeal letter to the Director of Admissions with a request that your appeal be forwarded to the Chancellor's Appeals Committee.

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UW Central Wisconsin Connection
If you are admitted to UW-Marathon County or UW-Marshfield/Wood County, you also may be eligible for admission to UW-Stevens Point under a dual admission agreement called the UW Central Wisconsin Connection. While you complete a minimum of 42 credits at your home campus, you will also have the option to take UWSP courses and receive access to programs and services at UWSP including academic and career advising, an e-mail account, library privileges, and more. Dual enrolment will provide you with opportunities for involvement in UWSP campus life, as well as services to ensure your smooth transfer to UWSP. Contact the UWSP Admissions Office or your UW-Marathon County or UW-Marshfield/Wood County advisor for more information.

Admission of Transfer Students
Follow the instructions under Admission Application Procedure (above) to apply for admission to UW-Stevens Point. You will need to submit the UW System application form and have official transcripts from your high school and each college you have attended forwarded directly to the UWSP Admissions Office.

You are normally eligible for admission unless you have compiled an academic record at your last institution such that you would have been suspended if you had been attending UW-Stevens Point.  If you do have such a record, you may apply for admission to UW-Stevens Point no sooner than one semester after your first suspension or two years (four semesters) after your second suspension.

Because we must limit enrollment at UWSP, all admission regulations for undergraduate students are subject to change at any time. For further information regarding admission eligibility and enrollment, please contact the Admissions Office, Room 102, Student Services Center, 715-346-2441.  www.uwsp.edu/admissions/

As a transfer student, you will take part in our one-day orientation program which allows you to learn about university requirements and policies, meet with a faculty advisor and register for classes. We will send you information about this program after you are admitted.

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Transferring Credit to UWSP
To transfer credits you have earned elsewhere to UW-Stevens Point, ask each college you have attended to send an official transcript of your credits to UW-Stevens Point’s Admissions Office.  The Admissions Office determines whether credits earned at another institution will transfer to UW-Stevens Point and how those credits will apply toward the UWSP general degree requirements.  Please note the following in regard to credit transfer:

• An official evaluation of your transfer credits will be completed after you are admitted on a final basis and have confirmed your intention to enroll at UWSP.

• Generally, credits earned for college level courses at a regionally accredited college or university will transfer to UWSP if you received grades of D or higher.

• The appropriate academic department will determine which credits apply to your major and minor.

• We accept a maximum of 72 credits from two year colleges. You will receive lower division (100-200 level) credit for any of these courses. Exceptions can be granted by the appropriate dean. (There is no limit on credits accepted from four year universities.)

• If you earned an approved associate degree from another UW System institution, you will automatically have met the UW-Stevens Point general degree breadth requirements in natural science, history, humanities, social science, environmental literacy, non-Western culture and, (depending on when the degree was earned) minority studies.  You must still meet UW-Stevens Point skills requirements in mathematics, foreign language, communication (public speaking), freshman English, writing emphasis, and wellness, unless you took appropriate coursework to meet these requirements at the previous institution. You may also still need to complete certain general degree requirement courses if required within your specific major or program.

• Credits transferred from other institutions are not used in calculating the UW-Stevens Point grade point average. The UWSP grade point average is determined only by credits and grade points earned at UWSP. However, transfer credits and grades ARE included in the calculation of the grade point average in most majors and minors and in the determination of graduation honors.

• If your previous institution awarded "split" grades (AB, BC, etc.), those grades will appear on your UW-Stevens Point degree progress report as follows: AB = B+, BC = C+, CD = D+.

• To graduate from UW-Stevens Point, you must earn at least 30 of the total number of credits required for graduation in residence at this university.

Transferring Credit from the Two-Year UW Colleges
You may transfer up to a total of 72 credits in UW College or other two year college courses. You will receive lower division (100-200 level) credit for any courses you transfer from UW Colleges. Exceptions can be granted by the appropriate dean. We recommend that you consult the UW System’s online Transfer Information System (TIS) for timely and accurate information on course equivalencies between the UW College campuses and UW-Stevens Point. Using TIS you can determine how your UW College courses will transfer and which UWSP general degree requirements they will fulfill. 

 TIS can be accessed on the Web at http://www.uwsa.edu/tis/  

If you transfer from a UW College campus and are enrolled continually (excluding summers), you will have the option of observing UWSP degree requirements that were in effect when you first enrolled at the UW College campus.

Transferring Credit from Wisconsin Technical Colleges
If you have been enrolled in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) and wish to continue your education at UW-Stevens Point, you may be eligible to transfer credits toward your bachelor’s degree in the following ways:

• If you are or have been enrolled in the college-parallel program at Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Chippewa Valley Technical College, Western Wisconsin Technical College, or Nicolet Area Technical College, you may be eligible to transfer up to 72 credits toward your baccalaureate degree.

• If you have attended a WTCS institution since September 1, 1985 (not in a college parallel program), you may be eligible to transfer up to 30 credits of approved WTCS general education courses in communication, social sciences, behavioral sciences, mathematics and natural science.  You also may be eligible to transfer certain technical support or occupational credits if they have been approved for transfer by our academic departments or if there is an approved program-to-program articulation agreement between a WTCS associate degree program that you have completed and a program offered at UW-Stevens Point.

• You also may be eligible for credit by earning appropriate scores on national standardized examinations and/or UW-Stevens Point test-out programs that are described later in this section of the catalog.

We recommend that you consult the UW System's online Transfer Information System (www.uwsa.edu/tis/) for information on specific WTCS/UWSP course equivalencies and articulation agreements, or contact the Admissions Office, Room 102 Student Services Center: 715/346-2441.

Transfer Information System
If you are transferring to UW-Stevens Point from another UW System institution or a Wisconsin Technical College, we encourage you to consult the Transfer Information System (TIS). This online source of information about credit transfer, course equivalencies, academic requirements and general UW System campus information may be accessed on the Web at www.uwsa.edu/tis/. TIS is designed to provide prospective transfer students with current information to help you better prepare for transferring.  If you are currently a UWSP student, you may find TIS helpful if you plan to take a summer course at another UW System school and transfer it back to UWSP, or if you plan to transfer from UWSP to another UW institution.

Transfer Credit Appeal Procedure
Here is the appeal procedure you can follow if you do not agree with the way we applied your transfer credits to the general degree requirements.

1. Ask a transfer counselor in the Admissions Office to explain the basis for the current evaluation.
2. If you earned the credits at an institution that is not part of the UW System, submit:

1. A copy of the transcript and the UW-Stevens Point evaluation.
2. A copy of the course description from the time you took the course. For example, Iowa State's course description for Sociology 105 in 2003.
3. A written request for the action you desire.

3. If you are still not satisfied with our transfer credit evaluation and believe you have sufficient grounds for an appeal, send a written request to the Transfer Credit Appeal Committee, c/o Registrar, UW-Stevens Point. Explain why you feel credit should be granted toward UW-Stevens Point general degree requirements. Include copies of the materials listed in 2 above along with the transfer counselor's response. You must file this appeal at least one semester before you expect to graduate.

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Advanced Placement, Credit-by-Exam, and Test-Out Opportunities
In addition to traditional classroom instruction, there are a number of opportunities available at UWSP for earning credit or meeting course requirements. These opportunities could allow you to graduate sooner than normal or take advantage of additional coursework outside of your major. If you are a self-learner, have substantial preparation in certain subject matter, or have applicable life experiences, you are encouraged to pursue one or more of the following opportunities.

Advanced Placement Program (AP)
If you are currently a high school student, you can earn college credit if your school participates in the College Board AP Program. High schools participating in the AP program offer college level courses for which examinations are given each May. UWSP grants credit for scores of 3, 4 and 5 on all AP exams. AP courses are currently offered in humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences. If you are awarded credit, it will be entered on your permanent record after you enroll at UWSP. Contact your high school counselor or our Admissions Office, Room 102, Student Services Center, 715-346-2441, or see www.uwsp.edu/admissions/advplace.aspx for additional details.

   Advanced placement | College-level examination program | Experiential learning
Advanced standing/retroactive credits | Departmental credit by exam
Test-out | Additional information

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
CLEP, also offered by the College Board, offers general examinations covering broad areas such as humanities, natural science and social science, as well as subject areas such as accounting, biology, American history, and psychology. UWSP grants credit for acceptable scores on many of the CLEP examinations. Credit will be entered on your permanent record after you enroll at UWSP. Contact our Admissions Office, Room 102, Student Services Center, 715-346-2441, or Testing Services, Third Floor, Delzell Hall, 715-346-4472, for additional information. www.uwsp.edu/admissions/clep.aspx

Experiential Learning Program
If you have had experiences equivalent to college level learning which relate to coursework at UWSP, you may receive college credit for these experiences. For example, you might be eligible to gain academic credit for experiential learning from your past employment, volunteer work, publications, or your participation in seminars, workshops, job-related training programs, or military training programs. For further information, see the Experiential Learning section later in this catalog or contact the Student Academic Advising Center, Room 103, Student Services Center, 715-346-3361.

Advanced Standing and Retroactive Credit
Some departments administer placement tests when you first enroll. If the test results indicate that you should start at a higher level than the entering freshman course, you may have the opportunity to earn retroactive credit for the course. In foreign language, for example, you can earn up to 16 retroactive credits if you place into 313 and earn a grade of B- or better. Check the departmental listings in this catalog or contact the department chair for additional information.

Departmental Credit-by-Exam
Check the departmental listings in this catalog or contact the department chair for information about this option.

General Degree Requirements (GDR) Test-Out
You may test-out and/or receive credit-by-exam for any General Education (GDR) course at UWSP, except Writing Emphasis courses. See "Test-out and Credit-by-Exam Policy" under the General Degree Requirements section of this catalog or contact individual departments for more information about their test-out opportunities.

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Additional Information and General Limitations to AP, Credit-by-Exam, and Test-Out

1. Credits earned through the above policies:

1. Are recorded on your academic record.
2. Have full academic value and apply toward graduation and all other requirements as if you had completed the course through regular enrollment.
3. Are not assigned grades, are not calculated in your grade point average and are not included in your semester credit load.
4. Do not count toward the minimum 30 credit residency requirement.

2. You may count 32 credits earned under the above policies toward the 120 credits required for graduation or 16 credits toward an associate degree.
3. You may be charged a nominal fee for departmentally administered test-out and credit examinations.
4. The methods for testing and standards for awarding credit or test-out in departmentally administered tests are determined by the department.
5. Individual departments may have additional limitations to these programs which will be identified in the departmental listings section of this catalog.

 

General Degree Requirements (GDR) Test-Out and Credit-by-Exam Policy
You may test-out and/or receive credit-by-exam for any General Education (GDR) course at UWSP, except for Writing Emphasis courses. 

When you pass an approved test in a GDR course, the requirement to enroll in the course is waived. You don't earn credit when you test-out, but the course applies toward fulfillment of that GDR. For example, if you test-out of Communication 101, you satisfy the Communication 101 GDR without enrolling in the course. Each department that offers courses for general degree requirement credit has its own policy for test-out and/or credit-by-exam. Each policy states:

1. Whether you will be testing out of the requirement or also receiving credit.
2. The process for making exam arrangements.
3. The type of exam, passing grade, any additional requirements, and whether you can take the exam more than once.
4. Fees, if any. UWSP will charge a flat fee of $20 per application to test-out or receive credit-by-exam for GDR courses for which departments deliver their own exams. This should be paid to the department administering the test upon application for the exam.

 

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Revised: March 09, 2009.