Freshman Admission (Boston

Requirements

An applicant’s secondary school program of study must include at least 16 units of coursework in the following subject areas: • 4 units of English • 3 units of mathematics (algebra I and II; geometry) • 2 units of social sciences (including 1 in history) • 2 units of laboratory science (1 each in biology and chemistry) • 5 units of additional college preparatory courses

Eligible applicants for first-year admission completing 12 or more credits following high school graduation will be classified as a transfer student for admission, unless the student was enrolled in a college prep or ESL program during those two years. Incoming freshmen students may transfer in no more than a total of 18 credits of work in combination of dual enrollment, AP, or IB credit. Dual-enrollment is defined as college-credit bearing coursework taken while enrolled in high school.

Early Action

Early action is open to prospective first-year students only. Candidates with solid academic records who have decided that MCPHS is a “top choice” college are encouraged to apply under Early Action I or Early Action II. Applicants must submit the application and all required materials by the deadlines listed above. The Admission Office makes decisions on Early Action I by the middle of December and Early Action II by the middle of January. Accepted students have until May 1 to respond to the University’s offer of admission.

Application

An application for first-year admission is reviewed when the file is complete. To be considered complete, the applicant’s file must contain all of the following: • Completed Common Application (www.commonapp.org) • Official high school transcript(s) from all secondary schools attended, including most recent grades (or official GED test score report) • Official transcripts from colleges or universities attended, if applicable • One letter of recommendation from a college/guidance counselor or teacher (up to three letters of recommendation will be considered).

Transcripts

Transcripts must clearly indicate all credits and grades received and indicate coursework currently in progress. All transcripts must be official. Transcripts can be sent by the institution electronically or by mail. If mailed in, they must be presented in a sealed envelope with the institution’s stamp or a college/university official’s signature across the closure. Photocopies and hand-carried documents not in a sealed, stamped envelope are not accepted.

All deposited students are expected to submit a final high school transcript by the first day of classes. The diploma awarded and the date of the award must be clearly indicated on the final transcript.

Standardized Tests

Standardized testing, such as the SAT and ACT, is optional for all freshmen and transfer students applying to MCPHS University. Candidates for whom English is not the primary spoken language are required to take the TOEFL, iTEP, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo, OSSLT or the English Proficiency exam offered on campus. This test requirement may be waived on an individual basis for applicants who have attended all four years of high school in the United States (exclusive of ESL courses), who have completed four years of study in a U.S.-accredited, IB or UK curricula outside the United States where English is the only medium of instruction (exclusive of ESL courses), who have scored 480 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT, or who have scored 21 or higher on the English section of the ACT. (Please refer to the International Applicants section.)

Official score reports must be sent directly to the Admissions Office from the high school, Common Application, Naviance, or the testing agency.

School of Nursing – Boston – Program-Specific Admission Requirements

Transfer Applicants [from colleges/universities outside of MCPHS] – Minimum Requirements • Cumulative GPA – 2.7; Science and Math GPAs – 2.7. • In order to be granted transfer credit for prerequisite courses, students must achieve a grade of C+/78 or better. Transfer credits will not be accepted for courses repeated more than one time.

• TOEFL – Minimum proficiency level of 79 – candidates for whom English is not the primary language. • ** If applying for a fall year 2 start as a transfer student – must achieve a minimum score of 65.3% on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The test must have been completed within 3 years of the applicant’s proposed enrollment date. The exam may only be taken 3 times (total) to achieve the above score. Candidates must arrange for official test score results to be sent directly from ATI to MCPHS University.

Internal Transfer Applicants [from within other majors in MCPHS] – Minimum Requirements • Cumulative GPA – 2.7 • Completion of all prerequisite courses with a grade of C+/78 or better. • TOEFL - Minimum proficiency level of 79 – candidates for whom English is not the primary language. • Completion of an essay and interview with Nursing Faculty. • **Qualified applicants are accepted on a space available basis and must achieve a minimum score of 65.3% on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The test must have been completed within 3 years of the applicant’s proposed enrollment date. The exam may only be taken 3 times (total) to achieve the above score.

Advanced Course Credit

Freshmen may be awarded a limited amount of MCPHS course equivalency credit in transfer for Advanced Placement (AP) courses, International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and/or college coursework taken during high school. The minimum score on an AP test for credit consideration is a 4 or a 5. The minimum score on an HL (high-level) IB exam for credit consideration is 5. An official transcript from a regionally accredited college or university must be submitted for dual enrollment credit. A grade of “C” or higher must be earned for all programs with the exception of Nursing. A grade of “C+” or higher is required for Nursing.

Dual Credit Programs

Courses taken for college credit while a student is enrolled in high school will receive transfer credit only if the course was administered in a college setting. A grade of C+ or higher is required. Courses taken in a high school that are taught by teachers who have been certified to offer college-level courses will not receive transfer credit.

Delayed Enrollment for Accepted Students

Students who are accepted for admission may request approval of delayed enrollment (deferral) for one full academic year due to military enlistment or student medical reasons. To do so, they must • submit a written request to the Admission Office and • provide documentation for military enlistment or student medical reasons and • promise, in writing, that they will not attend any other college or university during the deferral period.

MCPHS reserves the right to deny requests for deferral. The candidate must submit a nonrefundable enrollment deposit before requesting a deferral. This deposit will reserve a place in the class starting in the fall of the following academic year. If the student enrolls at that time, the deposit will be credited in full toward the first-semester tuition.

Students are canceled from the accepted applicant pool if • they are denied deferral and choose not to enroll at the University in the fall for which they were admitted or • they defer but do not enroll in the fall of the academic year following the deferral period.

Students who are canceled from the accepted applicant pool must forfeit their accepted student status and full amount of the corresponding enrollment deposit (deposit is forfeited after May 1 of the freshman applicant’s senior year)..

Transfer Admission

Candidates who are accepted as transfer students may receive a limited number of course credits in transfer. Please refer to Residency Requirement in the section Academic Policies and Procedures. Transfer credit is not awarded for life experience or work experience. Transfer credit can be achieved through • coursework taken prior to enrollment at other regionally accredited colleges and universities, • successful passing of Advanced Placement (AP) and/or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations (see below), and • successful passing of International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations.

Policies that determine the amount of transfer credit awarded and that identify courses accepted in transfer vary among programs. Candidates interested in transfer credit should contact the Admission Office about their particular program of interest. Transfer credit for professional coursework is very limited and is awarded on a case-by-case basis through special petition to the dean of the school in which the program is offered. All petitions must be processed through the Admission Office and initiated by August 1 prior to fall enrollment or by December 15 if entering in the spring semester.

The Admission Office conducts a transfer credit evaluation on all transcripts in a candidate’s file during the application review process. Accepted students receive access to an online student portal where they are able to view their transfer credit evaluation. Courses considered for transfer credit must meet the following requirements: • Comparable in breadth and depth to those in the preprofessional phase of the specific program to which the candidate is applying. Comparability is determined by the Admission Office in collaboration with the Office of the Registrar, school deans, program directors, and faculty in related discipline(s). • Successfully completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better at a regionally accredited college or university. Transfer credits for Nursing prerequisites will only be accepted if a grade of C+ or higher is earned. • Completed within the last 10 years at the time of enrollment. This restriction is limited to courses in the area of mathematics and the natural, physical, and behavioral sciences. • Submitted with an official transcript by August 15 (fall entry), December 15, (spring entry) or May 1 (summer entry). For transcripts submitted after these deadlines, and no later than the add/drop deadline of the subsequent term, the student must work with their academic dean for approval.

AP examination results are accepted for transfer credit for selected coursework. Students must achieve a score of 4 or better on an AP examination for transfer credit to be awarded. Transfer credits are limited to exams in English, Mathematics, language, and the arts.

CLEP results are accepted as transfer credit for selected subject matter for incoming transfer students. Candidates must receive a score of 50 or better per subject to be awarded CLEP credit. Examination(s) must be taken before the student’s first semester of enrollment at MCPHS. Those who achieve a score below 50 may not repeat the examination and must take the course. CLEP is an opportunity for students whose coursework is comparable but not otherwise transferable (e.g., exceeds the 10-year limit, earned grade is below C) and others who have not taken coursework but believe they have comparable knowledge.

IB courses will be accepted for transfer credit for selected coursework. Students must achieve a score of 5 or better on an HL (high-level) IB exam. Transfer credits are limited to exams for English, Mathematics language, and the arts. Transfer students accepted into the professional phase of an MCPHS degree program will receive transfer credit for IB courses accepted by a previous college.

Transfer credit of AP, IB, CLEP, and/or dual enrollment courses is limited to a total of 18 credit hours. Exam documentation must be provided to MCPHS no later than August 15 (fall entry), December 15, (spring entry) or May 1 (summer entry).

Candidates who desire to receive credit based on AP and CLEP examinations must arrange for official test score results to be sent directly from Educational Testing Service (ETS) to the Admissions Office in Boston. A complete list of the AP and CLEP examinations and the corresponding MCPHS courses for which transfer of credit is allowed is available upon request through the Admissions Office.

Dual Credit Programs

Courses taken for college credit while a student is enrolled in high school will receive transfer credit only if the course was administered in a college setting. Courses taken in a high school that are taught by teachers who have been certified to offer college-level courses will not receive transfer credit. Transfer credits are limited to English, Mathematics, language, and the arts.

Petition for Additional Transfer Credit Post Matriculation

Once a student has matriculated at the University, no courses taken outside of MCPHS will be accepted for transfer credit. (NOTE: COF courses are allowed for Boston students.) Exceptions to this policy may be granted in instances involving delay of graduation or extreme hardship.

Prior to taking a course for transfer credit at another institution, students must submit a Petition to Transfer Credit form to the Center for Academic Success and Enrichment, which approves or denies the petition. Notification of the decision will be distributed to (1) the student, (2) the program director, (3) the school dean, (4) the Office of the Registrar, and (5) others as appropriate. The student is responsible for requesting that official transcripts be sent to the Office of the Registrar, which will verify the credit and post a grade of TR in the student’s transcript. Official transcripts must be received no later than the add/drop deadline of the subsequent semester. These petitions are reviewed on a case-bycase basis and may take up to two weeks to receive official notification. Students are advised not to enroll in or make payments for non-MCPHS courses without official University approval.