Bachelor Degree Admission – Entering Freshmen
Academic Eligibility
The University continues to raise the academic standards required for full admission to Baccalaureate programs, and the process will continue in future years. For the 2009-10 academic year both in-state and out-of-state high school graduate will be offered full admissions if they meet the following requirements
- Graduation from a state accredited high school.
- Successful completion of the College Preparatory program (all courses are subject to Office of Public Instruction guidelines):
- Four years of English.
- Three years of math, including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II (or the sequential content equivalent of these courses). Students are encouraged to take a math course in their senior year.
- Three years of social studies, including one year global studies (i.e., world history or world geography), one year American history and one year of additional course work (i.e., government, psychology, economics).
- Two years of laboratory science. One year must be earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics; the other year can be one of those sciences or another approved college prep laboratory science.
- Two years chosen from the following: foreign language (preferably two years), computer science, visual and performing arts, or vocational education units.
- Cumulative high school grade point average (GPA), on a 0-4 scale, and composite on the enhanced ACT (or combined verbal/math on SAT) must fall in the gray region of grid #1 shown in Figure 1.
- For Fall 2009, students must meet a minimum math score of:
- 18 on the ACT or
- 440 on the SAT or
- A score of 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB or BC Subject Exams. In lieu of the above requirement, student can complete a Rigorous High School Core that includes four years of math with grades of C or higher.
- For Fall 2009, students must meet a minimum Writing Proficiency score of:
- 18 on the Combined English/Writing section of the Optional Writing Test or a 7 on the Writing Subscore of the ACT; or
- 440 on the Writing Section of the SAT or a 7 on the Essay the SAT; or
- 3.5 on the Montana University System Writing Assessment; or
- 3 on the AP English Language or English Literature Examination; or
- 4 on the International Baccalaureate Language A1 Exam or
- 50 on the CLEP Subject Exam in Composition.
Information on admission requirements for home-schooled students or students who graduate from a non-accredited high school can be found at http://admissions.umt.edu/freshman.html.
Provisional Acceptance
Students who fail to meet the admissions requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis if the Admissions Committee determines that a student could be successful by taking advantage of the academic support services that are available. Students will be granted full admission, after completing twenty-four credits with a grade point average of at least 2.0 Students are expected to complete the twenty-four credits within two semesters but must complete them within three semesters. In cases where academic preparation falls well below the admission standards listed above, applicants will be directed to the College of Technology were courses can be taken to strengthen their preparation for success at The University of Montana.
Special Circumstances
The following categories of students may receive special consideration with regard to admission standards:
- Non-traditional freshmen (those students who do not enter college for a period of at least three years from the date of high school graduation or from the date they would have graduated from high school if they have a GED).
- Admission status of high school graduates with transcripts and ACT/SAT scores will be determined using the grid below.
- Admission status of GED non-traditional applicants with ACT/SAT scores will be determined using the grid below. In lieu of a GPA, the GED score rescaled from 4000 to 4.0 (maximum) will replace the GPA axis.
- Applicants without both transcripts and ACT/SAT scores, or applicants without both GED transcript and ACT/SAT scores will be admitted provisionally.
- GED freshmen (those students who pass the GED and enter college within three years of the date they would have graduated from high school). Admission status of GED freshman will be determined using the grid below. In lieu of a GPA, the GED score rescaled from 4000 to 4.0 (maximum) will replace GPA axis.
- Summer only students are exempt from standards 2, 3 and 4 above.
- All traditional freshman or GED freshman applicants must take the ACT or SAT. Some departments reserve the right to set higher admission standards for their undergraduate programs. Applicants to these programs who meet general University requirements for admission to the undergraduate degree status will be admitted to the appropriate pre-major program by Enrollment Services-Admissions. Application to the undergraduate major program is an additional, separate process administered by the department and arranged for by the student seeking acceptance. These admission requirements are subject to change.
- Questions concerning admission requirements may be directed to Enrollment Services-Admissions, (406) 243-6266 or 1-800-462-8636.
Future trends in Admission Eligibility at UM
In future years, the academic criteria for full admission to Baccalaureate programs at The University will continue to rise. Students who fail to meet these stricter admission standards may be admitted on a provisional basis if the Admissions Committee determines that a student could be successful by taking advantage of the academic support services that are available. Other applicants will be directed to the College of Technology where courses can be taken to strengthen their preparation for success at The University.
How to Apply
Applications for admission are available from Enrollment Services-Admissions by request. In addition, applications are sent to all Montana high schools, community colleges and select out-of-state schools. Applications are also available on the University website.
An application for admission is complete when Enrollment Services-Admissions receives the credentials described below.
- Application form. Applications must be complete and signed.
- . $30 application fee or $36 application fee when applying online. This non refundable fee is payable once at the undergraduate level provided payment is followed by enrollment. Record of payment will remain on file for one year for students who do not enroll. Applications are not processed prior to payment of this fee. The University of Montana-Missoula waives the application fee for students who have attended an affiliate campus: Montana Tech and the Division of Technology, Helena College of Technology, and Western Montana College.
- Test scores. Official ACT or SAT results should be sent directly from the testing company or may be posted on the high school transcript.
- High School Student Self-Report form. This form is part of the standard application form and is the basis for the initial admission decision.
- Final high school transcript with graduation date. Information provided on the self-report form will be verified from this transcript.
- Medical History Record. All students are required to submit a completed Pre-Registration Immunization Form to the Curry Health Center two weeks prior to registration. It is important that the immunization record be complete, accurate and validated by a health official.
When to Apply
March 1 is the application priority processing date for autumn semester. The application priority processing date for spring is November 15. Applications postmarked or completed after the processing priority date will be processed on a space available basis. Students are encouraged to apply early as some programs may fill early. A student must be admitted to The University of Montana-Missoula prior to attending an orientation program. Orientation information is sent to accepted students prior to each semester.
