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Frequently Asked Questions About Applying and Acceptance
Homepage > Admissions > First Year Students > FAQ

Q: When should I apply to St. Scholastica?
A: The beginning of your senior year, preferably before Thanksgiving. This will give you time to visit us and other schools several times before making your final decision. Apply here.

Q: Is there an application deadline?
A: St. Scholastica has a "rolling" admissions process, meaning we process applications as they come in. The College would only impose a deadline if capacity is an issue, and students will be given sufficient notification. If you do apply late (after December 31), you may miss important deadlines, be denied admission, and miss out on certain types of financial aid (early scholarship opportunities, etc.

Q: What do I need to submit with my application?
A: Your official high school transcript through your junior year in high school and either ACT or SAT scores. Letters of recommendation are only necessary in special circumstances.

Q: What scores do I need to be accepted to St. Scholastica?
A: It depends. We accept students based on the combination of cumulative grade point average and ACT or SAT scores. Contact an admissions counselor to find out more about minimum scores.

Q: Do you require the writing portion of the ACT or SAT?
A: No. We currently do not require the writing sample to be considered for admission.

Q: How long will it take for me to find out if I am accepted or not?
A: Usually just a week or two, assuming your application is complete with application, transcript and ACT or SAT score. We have a rolling admission process, so we process your application as soon as we receive it.

Q: If I apply and am denied admission, but my grade point average or test scores improve over the course of my senior year and now meet your criteria, will you accept me?
A: Yes. You can use senior year to improve both grades and test scores, and if you meet the criteria, you will be accepted, regardless of whether or not you were when you initially applied.

Q: I have applied to St. Scholastica over two weeks ago, and still haven't heard if I am accepted or not. What is going on?
A: We may not have your transcript or test scores yet. Some schools may send transcripts weekly, so there may be some lag time between when we receive your application and when we receive your transcript and test scores. Again, contact your admissions counselor to check on the status of your application.

Q: Is there an application fee?
A: Yes, it is $25. However, we have a fee waiver on our Web site for paper applications, and the on-line application is free.

Q: If I am accepted to St. Scholastica, when do I have to officially decide if I am attending or not?
A: You don't have to officially decide until May 1 of your senior year. However, we have a housing priority deadline in February, upon which we require students to submit their housing deposit/enrollment fee to guarantee a spot in traditional housing. These deposits are completely refundable until May 1 if you choose another school.

Q: Is there a way to estimate how much Financial Aid I will receive from St. Scholastica?
A: You can do this a couple of different ways. If you would like to fill out a paper form, we have the St. Scholastica Financial Aid Estimator available for you. You fill this out using last year's tax information and St. Scholastica will send you an estimate of what types of aid you will qualify for and how much you are estimated to receive for each type. There is also an online tool called the FAFSA4caster that you can complete online to get an estimate of how much Federal Financial Aid you would qualify for. However, when using either of these, please remember that they are just estimates. The actual FAFSA will need to be filed in order to receive any Student Aid Funding.

Q: I want to take Fall semester off and want to apply for Spring semester. How do I do this?
A: You fill out the same application and indicate you want to begin Spring semester.

Q: I have PSEO credits, will they transfer?
A: Credits from accredited institutions will transfer. However, we need to do an official transcript evaluation in order to see exactly which courses they will "waive" here at St. Scholastica.

Q: Am I considered a "transfer student" if I have done a lot of PSEO work?
A: No. You are considered a first-year student, but you will have advanced standing. You will qualify for any and all freshman-level scholarships.

Q: I have College in the School credits. Do they transfer?
A: Yes, but just like PSEO credits, we need to do an official transcript evaluation in order to see exactly which courses they match up with here at CSS.

Q: Do you take Advanced Placement (AP) credits?
A: It depends. Check out the AP Information Web site:

Q: Do you take International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?
A: It depends. Check out the IB Information Web site:

Q: How many years of a foreign language do you require for Admission?
A
: You must have equivalent to three years of a language before you leave CSS. So, if you took two years of Spanish in high school, then you need to take one more year of Spanish here (unless you test out of a class or two on a foreign language assessment). If you have taken three years of the same language in high school, you aren't required to take any language courses at CSS. However, the courses are great and you may want to think about taking upper level courses for more experience and increased marketability later on in your career.

Q: How do I purchase my textbooks for the classes I am taking?
A: You have two options of how to buy textbooks from the school bookstore. One option is to bring your class schedule with you to the bookstore and buy books off the shelves using the information on your schedule. The second one is to go to the bookstore's web site at
http://css1.bkstore.com/bkstore/TextbookSelection.do?st=479. Using the information on your class schedule you can order your books online and then select whether you would like to pick them up in the bookstore or have them shipped to you (requires paying a S&H fee).

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