Admission

Westminster seeks students who possess the educational background, academic ability and motivation that indicate potential for success in college. The College makes every effort, through careful admission procedures, to insure that its programs and traditions, and student capabilities, interests and needs are well matched.

Application forms for admission to Westminster may be obtained from the admissions office at www.westminster.edu/apply or by using the Common Application online at www.commonapp.org. Applicants for admission may apply after the end of the junior or during the senior year of high school. Students with excellent qualifications may be accepted on the basis of a three-year secondary school record. In certain cases, final decisions concerning admission will be withheld until additional academic information is received. Westminster reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission. Westminster is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students who meet the admission standards.

Requirements for Admission

The Office of Admissions will consider both the nature of the courses and the quality of work indicated on the secondary school transcript submitted by the applicant. Accelerated or “honors” courses are encouraged, and students are strongly discouraged from taking a less challenging selection of courses in the senior year.

In general, students admitted to the College must have completed a secondary school course of 16 units (12 units in grades 10, 11, and 12) and have received a high school diploma.

Applicants for admission to all degree programs must present at least 16 units for entrance, including:

The remaining units should be within the academic areas above. Most applicants offer more than the minimal requirements. For chemistry, physics and mathematics majors, four units of mathematics, which must include plane geometry, are preferable to the minimum of three. The two units offered to meet the foreign language admission requirement must be in the same language.

Standardized Tests

Westminster College is test-optional and does not require ACT/SAT scores for admission.  Our partner institutions for advanced degree programs currently require test scores for admission.

3-4 Dental Program (B.S. + D.M.D.) with Case Western Reserve University

4+4 Dental Program (B.S. + D.M.D.) with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (if applying as a high school student)

4+4 Medical School Program (B.S. + D.O.) with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

4+4 Medical School Program (B.S. + D.O.) with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, (if applying as a high school student)

Application Fee and Reservation Deposit

A non-refundable application fee of $35 should accompany the application for admission. The fee is waived for online applicants and for students who come for an admissions visit.

When an applicant is accepted for admission, a non-refundable reservation deposit of $200 is required to hold the applicant’s place on the incoming student roster. This deposit is due by the candidate’s reply date of May 1. A student granted admission after May 1 must submit the $200 non-refundable deposit within 30 days of the date of the acceptance letter. This deposit is non-refundable even if the applicant cancels. For applicants who matriculate at Westminster, this $200 deposit will be retained until the student graduates or withdraws, at which time this amount may then be returned.

Veterans follow the same general procedure as outlined above. The College cooperates with veterans in regard to benefits by providing essential information, providing and receiving applications, and forwarding these to the Veterans Administration. Evidence of honorable discharge will be required by the College.

Credit by Examination

The College participates in the Advanced Placement (AP) program of the College Entrance Examination Board. Students who have taken and satisfactorily passed college-level courses in high school and who have taken the Advanced Placement Examination of the Educational Testing Service may apply to the College for credit or advanced placement in these subjects. Westminster College awards credit for scores of 4 or higher on most Advanced Placement Exams.

Credit may also be earned through the CLEP and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Programs may also give advanced placement, on the basis of other evidence or proficiency, with or without credit, as circumstances warrant.

Westminster College will accept Cambridge International Examinations A Level for matriculation purposes. Credit or advanced placement will be awarded for qualified A Levels with results of A or B. Up to 16 credit hours can be earned through A Levels. To receive transfer credit, an original grade report must be sent from the A-Level Examination Board directly to Westminster College.

Westminster grade equivalents for A Levels will be assigned accordingly:

Note: Faculty members identify which A Level examinations are accepted and their course equivalencies at Westminster.

College Credit for Military Education

Veterans and those currently in the military service may be eligible to receive undergraduate elective credit for Basic Training and formal education gained in the military. Westminster College follows the credit recommendations in the American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide.  Eligible credits will be determined by the Registrar upon review of an official Joint Services Transcript (JST).

Transfer Students

A student who has attended another college must present an official transcript from all colleges attended as well as all the credentials required of those who enter directly from high school. A transfer student’s total college-level record should average a 2.0 or better. No single grade lower than C- may be accepted for Westminster credit. Courses which are graded on a pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis will not be accepted in transfer. Westminster only accepts credits taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities.

Courses are accepted and evaluated on a course-by-course basis to determine course equivalency based on academic program standards. Credit for transfer work is awarded according to the semester or credit hour values from the institution of record, e.g., a 3 semester or credit hour course will be credited as 3 semester hours on your Westminster College transcript. Courses earning credit other than semester hours (quarter hours, units, etc.) will be converted to semester hours. Grades and points earned for transfer work will not be included in the Westminster College grade point average (GPA). Academic standing (i.e., probation and suspension) at Westminster College is calculated and determined using only grades earned at Westminster College.

An applicant whose transcript shows that the student has been honorably dismissed and is eligible to re-enter in good standing the institution last attended may be admitted to Westminster and granted such advanced standing as the credits warrant. Evaluations of credits from other institutions are conditional, depending upon the satisfactory completion of one semester at Westminster. After the first semester of attendance, athletic eligibility for intercollegiate athletics is determined only on the basis of grades earned at Westminster College and number of semesters (including transfer semesters) the student has attended college.

Westminster has articulation agreements with Butler County Community College, Community College of Allegheny County, and the Pennsylvania State University-Shenango Campus to facilitate transfer students. Interested students should contact their home campus for more information.

Transfer Students with Associate’s Degree

Transfer students who have completed a 2-year associate’s degree in the arts or sciences will be considered to have completed the general education requirements set forth in the Westminster Plan, other than the Capstone requirement.

International Student Admission

Students seeking admission to Westminster College who are citizens of a country other than the United States will be considered international students and will, therefore, be subject to specific admission requirements not applicable to naturalized citizens of the United States.

An international student applying for admission to Westminster College must submit an application form. This form should be completed and returned with the student’s academic record indicating completion of at least elementary/secondary school program or equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma. The student’s level of academic achievement should meet or exceed a grade point average of 3.000 (B) on a 4.000 scale.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all international applicants. The TOEFL score required for admission is 550 or above (paper-based), 213 or above (computer-based) or 80 or above (Internet-based). International students may submit the SAT as a substitute for the TOEFL. Students may also submit the IELTS score of 6 for admission.

Westminster seeks to enroll academically qualified international students from a variety of countries. All incoming international students must be prepared to meet the full cost of attendance-tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, and personal expenses for the calendar year-from personal or family resources, along with any Westminster scholarship money received. Applicants must provide certified documentation that sufficient financial resources exist to underwrite their educational expenses during the academic year and through their anticipated semester of study. This documentation must be submitted to the College in the form of a certified letter from the family bank, sponsor, government, etc. In addition, international students must purchase health insurance from the College.

The I-20, or student visa, required for entry into the United States as an international student will be issued by the Office of Admissions after the applicant has been granted admission, has paid the $200 matriculation fee, and has submitted a certified document proving adequate financial resources. Any questions or concerns regarding the admission of international students should be addressed to the Vice President of Enrollment Management.

Conditional Admission

In cases where prospective students do not meet the requirements for admission to Westminster College, they may be considered for conditional admission by the Vice Presidents for Enrollment Management and Academic Affairs. These students must satisfy the following conditions before they can achieve full admission to Westminster:

• Attempt no more than 13 semester hours in the first semester and earn a 1.700 or higher career GPA. Enrollment in an Early College summer course is also encouraged prior to the first semester, though not required.
• Attend weekly visits to the Academic Success Center during the first semester, with the Center’s coordinator serving as the students’ academic advisor or co-advisor.
• The Vice President for Academic Affairs will review the first-semester GPA for all students who are admitted conditionally, along with information from the Academic Success Center.

The Westminster Early College Program

The Westminster Early College Program offers qualifying high school and home-schooled students the opportunity to prepare for the future by taking college classes while still in high school. Interested students should contact their high school guidance counselor or call the Office of Admissions at (724) 946-7100.