The admission process can be daunting. Every school has different requirements, different terminology, different dates to remember. No fun at all. We know. As old and decrepit as we might seem, we remember what it was like to apply to college. Personally, my recollection is of a pervasive haze of stuttering panic interspersed with one or two personal statement-induced fugues.
To make the whole process easier on you, read on after the jump to get all of your pressing admissions questions answered.
To make the whole process easier on you, read on after the jump to get all of your pressing admissions questions answered.
Q: What documents are required for my application?
A: To render a decision, we’ll need:
- · Your completed application.
- · The $40 application fee (or College Board waiver)
- · Your official high school and/or college transcripts (if applicable).
The sooner the better! The moment we’ve received these documents we can begin processing your application and should be able to get you a decision in a few weeks.
Although they are not required, we will also accept SAT and ACT scores, personal statements, letters of recommendation, admissions essays, and graded writing samples.
Bolster your app! If your GPA is lower than our average, you’ve consistently struggled with a particular subject, or if there is some kind of extenuating circumstance in your past or “bump” in your academic record that you want us to know about, consider including a personal statement in your application. It’s the best way for us to get to know the person behind the transcript.
Q: What if I can’t afford the $40 application fee?
A: We know that applying to colleges can get expensive. Six schools at forty bucks an application is $240—a fair amount of money (or a lunch in Beverly Hills; it's all relative). If the application process is really going to break your bank, most high school counselors can get you a waiver from the College Board. If that doesn’t work you can always try our Walk In Application Day where we waive your fee and can potentially give you a same-day decision.
Q: What are your GPA requirements?
A: Technically, we don’t have a minimum required GPA at Marymount, though our average incoming GPA last year was about a 3.0 (academic). This means that we’ll look at any GPA; however, to be competitive it’s best to be at (or ideally above) our stated average. If you're below, don't panic; we'll usually ask you for more information (like a personal statement or midterm grades) to ensure that you’re the right fit for Marymount College.
At Marymount College we use your academic GPA for our admission decision. This means that we only look at your core classes—no Art, P.E., Choir, etc. We’re glad you aced 9th grade gym, and we're thrilled that you're the best band-saw operator in shop class, but it really doesn’t have much bearing on your college readiness--unless you're going to make your own dorm furniture.
Q: What if I failed a class but retook it later?
A: We allow you to “repeat-delete” classes in which you earned a D or F, which means that when we calculate your GPA we’ll only use the higher of the two grades. We will still see that first failing grade, though; so it might be a good idea to write a personal statement explaining what changed the second time.
A: We do not require SAT or ACT scores for admission into Marymount College. We know. We're awesome. However, we do use any scores you choose to submit for merit-based academic scholarship consideration and in lieu of placement testing for college-level Math and English courses. So, unless you completely bombed the test (or didn’t take a test at all), it’s usually best to send us whatever score you received. It won’t hurt you.
And if you absolutely rocked the test? Send your scores! Depending on your GPA you could earn up to $8000 in free (i.e. no student loans) money!
Save some cash! We don’t require the official score sheet from the SAT and ACT boards, so don’t bother paying the fee to have them send us your scores. We’ll accept a copy (or a fax) of your college board profile, and we’ll also accept any scores that your school has printed on your official high school transcript.
Q: What are your admission deadlines?
A: Our admission is “rolling,” meaning that as soon as you apply we begin the process of making a decision. We receive many more qualified applications that we can accept, so the sooner you are able to apply the better your chances will be.
Don't put it off! You’re competing with a smaller pool of applicants for a larger number of
spots if you apply early!
The Fall dates are as follows:
Our priority deadline is March 1.
The regular decision deadline is May 1.
Late consideration must be before July 1.
Q: What are the requirements for transfer students?
A: The requirements are essentially the same as they are for incoming Freshmen. We need to see official transcripts from every school you've attended. And yes, every school; even if you withdrew. We can access your academic record and see every school in which you ever enrolled [oh, the power!] so we'll know if you "forget" to include that less-than-flattering transcript from your local community college.
As for our unit requirements, we’ll accept any number of units up to 90, and we require that you complete at least 30 units (~1 year) of study at Marymount before you graduate. We also don’t have any specific course requirements for transfer—if you haven’t taken a class that you need for your degree, we’ll just require that you take it here.
Q:Will all of my classes transfer?
A:It depends on what you’ve taken and where. We accept both the IGETC (University of California) certification and the Cal-State Certification, so if you’re on either of those tracks you’re good to go. If you aren’t, or if you're from out of state, the transfer agreement is usually on a case-by-case decision based on the course summary of each class you’ve taken. You'll go through that process with our registrar upon admission.
For the incoming Freshman that are panicking at all of these complex acronyms
("What's an IGETC?! I never took an IGETC!!!"), don't worry yourself. This is only for
college transfer students.
("What's an IGETC?! I never took an IGETC!!!"), don't worry yourself. This is only for
college transfer students.
Q: How long will it take for me to find out if I’m admitted?
A: Once we get all of your materials (which can take quite a while…but that’s on you!), we can usually render a decision in a week or two.
Keep an eye out for Part 2 - Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Student Housing!
If you have any questions about requirements, deadlines, or anything else admissions-related, you can email us, leave us a comment (we'll answer, we promise) or, as a last resort, call our office at (310) 303-7311.
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