Admissions Responsibilities and Admissions Criteria

Procedure Administrator: Vice President for Enrollment Management

Authority: N.J.S.A. 18A:64-8

Effective Date: March 13, 1975; March 17, 1975; September 21, 2009; February 19, 2021; October 6, 2022

Index Cross-References:

Procedure File Number: 3610

Approved By: Dr. Harvey Kesselman, President

The Office of Admissions establishes the admissions criteria for First-Time, Transfer, and Graduate Applicants.

I.      UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS:

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is charged with recruiting first-time and new transfer students to meet enrollment goals established and reviewed bi-annually by the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Chief Officer for Strategic Planning and Effectiveness, and the Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer. The work of Undergraduate Admissions is supported by the Stockton University Strategic Enrollment Management Planning (SEMP) Council. The SEMP Council consists of representatives from Stockton’s key divisions including, Academic Affairs, Administration & Finance, Admissions (UG & GR), Faculty Senate, Information Technology Services, Institutional Planning & Research, Student Affairs, and University Marketing & Relations.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions shall determine the admissibility and re-admissibility of all prospective undergraduate students, except those classified as non-matriculated and continuing education students.

The Vice President for Enrollment Management may admit a student that shows sufficient promise to do satisfactory work based on a holistic review of the student’s submitted materials, even if the student does not meet the admissions criteria.

A student may apply for matriculation through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions only for the fall or spring term. A student seeking reinstatement following academic dismissal must submit a request through the Office of the Provost (see Procedure 2019). If the student is applying for re-admission following academic dismissal and attended a different college/university, the student must submit an official transcript from that institution.

Admission to Stockton University does not necessarily constitute admission to certain programs within the University, e.g., students applying for 4-year nursing (first-time fall only), accelerated nursing (2nd bachelor’s), dual-degree pharmacy (first-time fall only), accelerated pre-medical (first-time fall only), and studies in the arts. A list of applicable programs and requisite eligibility requirements are on the admissions website.

The University is test-optional for most majors, i.e., most first-time students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Certain programs of study have additional admissions criteria which can be found on the University Test-Optional Admission webpage.

Majors within the School of Natural Science & Mathematics, School of Health Sciences, and Computer Science within the School of Business require demonstration of math readiness. A student can demonstrate math readiness by completing one of the following:

·         SAT and/or ACT Scores, with a 570 or higher SAT Math score or 24 or higher ACT Math score.

·         Math Accuplacer placement exam, with a score of 256 or higher on the Next-Generation Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics (QAS) test to qualify to take the Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF) test with a score 260 or higher on the AAF test.

·         Qualified Honors Pre-Calculus, Honors Calculus and/or AP Calculus HS course with a passing grade of 85 or greater.

II.       UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS CRITERIA:

A full list of admissions requirements can be found on the University Admissions website.

Stockton reserves the right to make admissions decisions on a case-by-case review based on submitted material.

A.   Traditional First-Time Student Requirements:

·         Completed application (Common App or Stockton online)

·         Application fee or fee waiver

·         Official high school transcript*

·         Essay

·         Two to three letters of recommendation (recommended)

·         SAT and/or ACT scores (not required if applying test-optional)

Note: If the applicant earned a GED, submit equivalency test scores and high school transcripts for years attended.

B.   Home-Schooled Student Requirements:

·         Completed application (Common App or Stockton online)

·         Application fee or fee waiver

·         SAT and/or ACT scores (not required if applying test optional)

·         2 letters of recommendation: one discussing academic success, and another attesting to involvement in the community or extracurricular activities. The letters should not be from the applicant’s parent.

·         A home-schooled student that is a New Jersey resident must also submit a transcript approved by a home-school program, public or private school, or primary teacher.

·         Transcripts from other educational institutions (community colleges, former institutions, etc.), if applicable, should also be submitted, or a portfolio of academic work that includes syllabi, a list of textbooks used, grade evaluations

by primary teacher and any other documentation of academic work (including writing samples, tests, etc.).

A home-schooled, first-year applicant who submits a portfolio of high school work must have the portfolio signed by the applicant’s primary teacher.

A transfer home-schooled student who submits a portfolio and has completed fewer than 24 transferable credits must also submit a signed portfolio.

Out-of-state students must meet all home-state requirements and must provide all supporting documentation to Stockton University. Students from out of state must also follow all applicable requirements listed above.

Applicants may also attach supplemental information that is helpful in evaluating the application.

C.   Transfer Student Requirements:

·         2.0 cumulative GPA

·         Completed application (Stockton online only)

·         Application fee or fee waiver

·         Official transcript(s) from EACH college or university attended, even if for only one course (including college courses taken while in high school)

·         Official high school transcripts or GED results and SAT/ACT scores for non-test-optional majors for applicants with fewer than 15 earned college credits

·         For applicants who have earned between 15 and 24 college credits, proof of high school graduation such as a copy of the applicant’s high school diploma, official high school transcript showing high school graduation, or GED results

·         Transfer Student Progress Reports may be requested on a case-by-case basis

·         Optional: letters of recommendation and any other information the applicant feels will aid the University in the decision-making process

First-Time and Transfer Student Application Review Process:

Upon receipt of submitted materials, a written decision will be rendered and provided to the student.

Stockton takes a comprehensive and holistic approach to evaluating applications by reviewing each student’s transcript, letters of recommendation, essay, extracurricular participation, and evidence of leadership and motivation.

Admissions Decisions:

Students who present a completed application will receive notice of one of the following decisions: (i) acceptance; (ii) wait list (requesting time or additional materials), or (iii) not admitted. Applicants who are not admitted will receive a conditional offer of acceptance through the Transfer Pathways program at a later semester. Students who receive this conditional offer may appeal the decision.

III.      GRADUATE ADMISSIONS:

The Office of Graduate Admissions is charged with recruiting graduate students to meet enrollment goals that are established and reviewed bi-annually by the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Chief Officer for Strategic Planning and Effectiveness, and

the Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer. The Office of Graduate Admissions supports Stockton University deans, program chairs, and faculty admission committees to establish admissions criteria and the graduate school application process. Stockton University academic programs shall determine the admissibility and re-admissibility of all prospective graduate students based on the established criteria.

An applicant may apply for matriculation through the Office of Graduate Admissions for the fall, spring, or summer term, depending upon the academic program. Applicants are encouraged to review the website for deadlines and details.

Graduate Applicant Admissions Criteria:

Admission criteria may differ depending upon the academic program, and applicants are encouraged to review admissions criteria on the graduate admissions website.

Graduate Application Requirements:

·         Completed online application

·         Application fee or fee waiver

·         Official transcript(s)

·         Essay(s)

·         Letter(s) of recommendation (specific number depends on the academic program)

·         Test scores, if applicable

·         Supplemental items as listed on program websites Graduate Application Review Process:

Upon receipt of all required materials, the application file is viewable to the admissions committee via the online application system. The committee meets to evaluate admissibility and to select eligible applicants for admission. The Office of Graduate Admissions notifies each applicant of the committee’s decision.

Graduate Admissions Decisions:

A graduate applicant who presents a completed application will receive notice of one of the following decisions: (i) acceptance, (ii) wait list, or (iii) denial from the Office of Graduate Admissions. In the case of an acceptance, the letter is issued for a specific term and for a specific graduate program.

Some graduate programs permit the deferral of admission. If a newly accepted student seeks an admission deferral, the student must fill out the Request for Deferral Form found on the Graduate Admissions website. A deferral of admission is limited to one request per student. The completed form is sent to the academic program coordinator, and all deferral requests are subject to review and approval by both the department and the Office of Graduate Admissions. If the deferral is denied or the deferred student cannot attend the graduate program for the approved term, the student must submit a new admission application.

IV.      DISCIPLINARY AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY DISCLOSURES:

If an applicant checks “Yes” on either the Disciplinary or Criminal disclosure question on the application, the file is automatically routed to the Conviction and Disciplinary Review Committee (CDRC) to initiate a review process for the application. The CDRC is comprised of the Director of Campus Public Safety or designee, a designee from Student Affairs, a designee from Academic Affairs and designated staff in Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions.

During the review process, the applicant may be required to provide additional information and details regarding the criminal or disciplinary history. The applicant typically will be required to complete a release that permits the University to obtain related documentation and information, and, to provide an explanation of each criminal conviction and/or each disciplinary incident (with the option to include official documentation of the same), letters of recommendation, and additional material the applicant would like considered by the University. Designated staff members in the Offices of Admissions and Graduate Admissions compile the information for the CDRC to review.

Factors considered by the CDRC as part of the review process include, but are not limited to:

·         Amount of time that has passed since the crime or disciplinary offense

·         Severity of the crime or offense

·         Open Criminal Records check

·         Other educational programs attended since time of the crime or offense

·         Nature of the academic program in which the applicant seeks to enroll

The CDRC will review all information obtained and make an admission recommendation to the Vice President for Enrollment Management , assuming all other application requirements are satisfied. The CDRC will make separate recommendations to the Vice President for Enrollment Management on requests by the applicant for University-sponsored housing, admission to a specific program, or access to certain non-academic activities.

The Vice President for Enrollment Management may grant admission to an applicant with appropriate restrictions, that may include but are not limited to restricted access to University sponsored housing, specific majors, and non-academic activities.

The decision letter will provide notice of appeal rights, if applicable, to an applicant who is denied admission. Stockton University reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission, including for engaging in behavior that calls into question a student’s honesty, maturity, or moral character, or failure to provide required documents (e.g., transcripts) prior to the start of the semester.

Review History: