BOG Academics Rule 2.3 - Undergraduate Admissions

Academics

BOG Academics Rule 2.3 - Undergraduate Admissions

Responsible Unit:  Office of the Provost

Amended:  April 21, 2023

Effective:  May 12, 2023

Revision History:  First adopted on May 22, 2018 (effective June 11, 2018); Amended on November 9, 2018 (effective December 6, 2018).

Review Date:  April 2028

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1. PURPOSE & SCOPE.

   1. This Rule establishes standards and procedures for undergraduate admissions at the University.
   2. This Rule applies to all students at West Virginia University, including West Virginia University Institute of Technology and Potomac State College of West Virginia University.

2. REGULAR FRESHMAN ADMISSION STANDARDS.

   1. The following standards apply to regular admissions as an undergraduate student to the West Virginia University – WVU Morgantown:
      1. Resident Students may have a) an approved high school diploma, a minimum 2.5 high school GPA, and an SAT composite score of at least 990 or ACT composite of 19; b) meet high school equivalency exam requirements and have an SAT composite of at least 990 or ACT composite of 19; or c) an approved high school diploma, a minimum 2.5 high school GPA, and additional criteria that support academic success in the absence of Standardized Test scores as outlined in Sections 4 and 5 of this Rule.
      2. Nonresident Students may have a) an approved high school diploma, a minimum 2.5 high school GPA, and an SAT composite score of at least 1060 or ACT composite of 21; b) meet high school equivalency exam requirements and have an SAT composite of at least 1060 or ACT composite of 21; or c) an approved high school diploma, a minimum 2.5 high school GPA, and additional criteria that support academic success in the absence of Standardized Test scores as outlined in Sections 4 and 5 of this Rule.
   2. The following standards apply to regular admissions as an undergraduate student to the WVU Institute of Technology – WVU Beckley:
      1. Resident Students and Nonresident Students may have a) an approved high school diploma, a minimum 2.0 high school grade-point average (GPA), and an SAT composite score of at least 960 or ACT composite of 18; b) meet high school equivalency exam requirements and have an ACT composite of at least 960 or ACT composite of 18; or c) an approved high school diploma, a minimum 2.5 high school GPA, and additional criteria that support academic success in the absence of Standardized Test scores as outlined in Section 4 and 5 of this Rule.
   3. The following standards apply to regular admissions as an undergraduate student to the Potomac State College – WVU Keyser:
      1. Resident Students may have a) an approved high school diploma; or 2) meet high school equivalency requirements.
      2. Non-resident Students may have a) an approved high school diploma, a minimum 2.0 high school GPA; or 2) meet high school equivalency exam requirements.
      3. Applicants are encouraged to submit Standardized Test scores, which are used for placement purposes.
   4. The following standards apply to regular admissions as an undergraduate student to West Virginia University - WVU Morgantown and WVU Institute of Technology - WVU Beckley when Standardized Test scores are not available.
      1. Resident Students and Nonresident Students may have a) an approved high school diploma and a minimum high school GPA as outlined in Sections 2.1 of this Rule for West Virginia University – WVU Morgantown and Section 2.2 of this Rule for WVU Institute of Technology – WVU Beckley; or b) meet high school equivalency exam requirements as outlined in the University Catalog.
      2. Resident Students and Nonresident Students must successfully complete the Core Requirements for Admissions in Section 4 of this Rule to receive credit from the appropriate high school or college.
      3. Additional admissions requirements may be requested by the Office of Admissions to certify academic aptitude in place of standardized tests as outlined in Section 5 of this Rule.
   5. Completion of the regular admissions standards is not a guarantee of admission to the University. Additional information may be required as outlined in Sections 4 and 5 of this Rule.

3. CONDITIONAL ADMISSION STANDARDS.

   1. Conditional Admission may be granted in instances where the Regular Freshman Admission Standards are not met and institutional officials have evidence that the student has the potential to successfully complete college level work. The University must monitor and provide support to conditionally admitted students through Developmental Education initiatives and other dedicated academic and student service programs.
      1. Conditionally-admitted students must maintain good academic standing as defined by the University in the Catalog.
      2. Conditionally-admitted students must complete any required Developmental Education and/or the provisions of their Conditional Admission within the first four (4) semesters of enrollment. Unless the student is still enrolled in Developmental Education, students failing to meet the provisions of their Conditional Admission shall be denied continued enrollment.

4. CORE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION.

   1. In addition to meeting the Regular Freshman Admissions Standards, students must successfully complete the following minimum academic core unit requirements at the high school or college level prior to the initial period of enrollment.
      1. Four (4) English courses (including English 12CR and courses in grammar, composition, and literature).
      2. Four (4) Social Studies/Fine Arts/Humanities courses (any combination of social studies, fine arts, or humanities will fulfill the requirement. Combination must include US studies/history).
      3. Three (3) Mathematics courses (units must be Algebra I or higher Math I or higher and include Algebra II or an equivalent higher-level Math course; Transitional Math for High School seniors will also be accepted). Courses designed as “support courses,” such as Math I Lab or Math I Support, that provide extra instructional time but no additional content shall not be acceptable as meeting the required three (3) Mathematics course core requirements.
      4. Three (3) Science courses (preferably including units from biology, chemistry, and physics).
      5. Two (2) World Language courses (two units of the same world language; sign language is also acceptable).
   2. Select academic programs may require additional academic units relative to their specific area of study. Students not meeting those minimums may be granted general admissions to the University with the intent to enroll in the program once equivalent college work is completed.
   3. The Provost may waive academic core unit requirements for admission. Students admitted with a waiver under this provision must satisfy all curricular deficiencies through the successful completion of commensurate college coursework prior to degree completion.

5. ADDITIONAL ADMISSIONS CRITERIA.

   1. Official high school transcripts or an official High School Equivalency diploma or University approved high school equivalency test scores are required for each incoming freshman who is registered in an undergraduate degree program who is not an International Student. Such documents shall be submitted to the University prior to the end of the first semester of the student’s attendance.
      1. The institution issuing the diploma can be validated by a College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) code, by a state department of education, or by other established procedures determined by the institution.
      2. Continued enrollment will be denied to any student who has not submitted the required documentation.
   2. All students who have graduated from high school or completed high school equivalency requirements more than five years prior to seeking admission may have the requirement for Standardized Test scores exempted at the discretion of the President.
   3. In addition to the above, the University may use, but shall not be limited to the use of, the following information in determining admission to institutions and/or institutional programs:
      1. Records of traditional academic performance relative to the specific educational program to which the student seeks entry.
      2. Record of nontraditional learning experience.
      3. Standardized examinations relative to the requirements of the academic program to which the student seeks entry.
      4. College equivalency examinations such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and special preparatory programs such as the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board and the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
      5. Recommendations and reports of interviews.
      6. The University reserves the right to recalculate high school GPAs as part of the admissions process. Recalculations will be done using an approved national equivalency system as determined by the Office of Admissions and the Provost.
   4. Health and immunization records may be required before or after admission into the University.

6. TRANSFER STUDENTS.

   1. Unless otherwise stated, Students seeking transfer admission to the University must be academically and otherwise eligible to return to the institution from which they wish to transfer; must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA for all post high school coursework; and meet the University’s Regular Freshman Admission Standards.
   2. Transfer students must supply the University with transcripts reflecting all previous college work prior to admission.
   3. Students applying to either the WVU Morgantown or WVU Institute of Technology-WVU Beckley campus with at least twenty-four (24) transferable credit hours are exempt from meeting the Regular Freshman Admission Standards outlined in section 2 of this Rule.
   4. Students applying to Potomac State College-WVU Keyser with at least twelve (12) transferable credit hours are exempt from meeting Regular Freshman Admission Standards outlined in section 2 of this Rule.

7. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS.

   1. International students must have a minimum 2.5 high school GPA.
   2. International students are not required to present Standardized Test scores for admission purposes.
   3. International students must meet English proficiency requirements as established by the Provost and must submit scores prior to admission.
   4. For all students educated outside of the United States, original or certified copies of all academic records/transcripts are required. Certified documents must be notarized or attested by the education institution, the Ministry of Education of the country, and/or an evaluation agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or by other designated officials. Such documents shall be provided to the University prior to the end of the first semester of the student’s attendance.

8. NON DEGREE STUDENTS.

   1. The University may admit students who are not seeking and/or not eligible to pursue a certificate or degree. Non-degree students must meet the minimum University admissions standards and must follow transfer admissions requirements in Section 6 of this Rule.
   2. Unless otherwise stated, Students seeking non-degree admission to the University must be academically and otherwise eligible to return to their current or previous institution.
   3. Non-degree students must supply the University with transcripts reflecting all previous college work prior to admission.

9. ADMISSIONS POLICIES FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS.

   1. The Schools and Colleges of the University may establish admission policies for individual programs which are more rigorous than those established by this Rule.
      1. Program specific admissions policies shall be comprehensive and stated in specific terms and such policies shall be included in the Catalog.
   2. Neither regular nor conditional admission shall ensure the entry of applicants into specific academic programs.

10. DEFINITIONS.

    1. “ACT” refers to the standardized ACT® college admission test designed to assess academic readiness for college.
    2. “Conditional Admission” means the admission of an undergraduate student who does not meet the requirements for regular admission as outlined in section 2 of this Rule.
    3. “Developmental Education” means programs and initiatives established to address academic preparedness, diagnostic assessment and placements, development of general and discipline-specific learning strategies; such courses may be “pre-college” courses that do not count toward a baccalaureate degree, an A.A. degree, an A.S. degree, or an A.A.S. degree or they may be entry-level, credit-bearing academic courses designed to address academic preparedness while also delivering the content of the traditional, entry-level course.
    4. “International Student” means a student who is not a U.S. citizen and does not qualify for West Virginia resident status according to BOG Academics R. 2.4 - Residency.
    5. “SAT” refers to the standardized SAT® college admission test designed to assess academic readiness for college.
    6. “Standardized Test” refers to the SAT or ACT.
    7. “Non-resident Student” means a domestic student who does not qualify for West Virginia resident status according to BOG Academics R. 2.4 - Residency.
    8. “President” means the President of West Virginia University or his or her designee.
    9. “Provost” means the Provost of West Virginia University or his or her designee.
    10. “Resident Student” means a student who qualifies for West Virginia resident status according to BOG Academics R. 2.4 - Residency.

11. DELEGATION.

    1. The Board of Governors delegates to the President the authority to adopt additional internal policies and procedures to effectuate the implementation of this Board of Governors Rule or in furtherance of any other authority that the Board of Governors has specifically delegated to the President pursuant to this Rule. Any actions taken pursuant to this delegation must be consistent with the guidelines provided by this Rule.

12. AUTHORITY.

    1. W. Va. Code §18B-1-6, § 18B-2A-4(h), §18B-2A-5.

13. SUPERSEDING PROVISIONS.

    1. This Rule supersedes and replaces Higher Education Policy Commission (“HEPC”) Series 23 (W. Va. Code R. §§ 133-23-1 to -10.4), which was effective February 13, 2015 and any other Rule of the HEPC which relates to the subject matter contained within this Rule. This Rule also repeals and supersedes WVU BOG Policy 1 – Program Review Procedures, which was adopted September 7, 2001, and any other internal academic policy or procedure which relates to the subject matter contained within this Rule.

Effective Date: May 12, 2023

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