Admissions to the University

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General Admissions to Fairmont State

Students seeking admission to Fairmont State must be of the age of compulsory attendance in the state of West Virginia and file an application for admission. Application and supporting credentials must be on file at least two weeks prior to the opening of a semester or term. All credentials submitted in support of an application for admission become the property of the University and will not be returned to the student. Any student admitted upon the basis of false credentials will be subject to immediate dismissal from the University.

The application for admission must specify the student’s desired degree or program objective. Admission to Fairmont State does not guarantee admission to specific programs, which may be restricted due to limitations of staff, physical facilities, and space available for experiential training. The standards and procedures for admission to limited-enrollment programs are presented later in this section.

Students who fail to register during the semester or term for which they have been admitted, must file another application in order to gain admission at a later date.

Application Forms and Procedures

All students applying for admission to Fairmont State degree programs are required to complete and submit the following forms and credentials:

1. Application for Admission.

2. Official high school transcript sent by high school or high school equivalency diploma (not required for transfer students having a 2.0 grade point average and at least 24 hours of completed coursework).

3. Official ACT or SAT scores (not required for students who graduated high school more than 5 years prior to enrollment term or for transfer students having a 2.0 average and at least 24 hours of completed coursework).

4. Transcript of home-schooled students to include classes taken, credit hours and grades earned, graduation date and signature of the home school provider (may be submitted in lieu of a high school equivalency transcript, however the high school equivalency transcript may be required for financial aid and scholarships).

5. Official college transcripts, if applicable.

6. Permanent Resident Card, if applicable.

The American College Test/Scholastic Aptitude Test Requirement

Fairmont State requires the American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) of all applicants unless you have graduated high school or received a high school equivalency transcript more than five years prior to seeking admission. ACT or SAT scores are also used to determine student placement in English and mathematics courses, for scholarships and loans, and for academic advising purposes. High school students are encouraged to take the test beginning in their junior year. For information concerning registration and test dates for the ACT National Exam, please visit the official ACT website, www.act.org. Students seeking admission to the University, who have missed the national testing date(s) may take the residual ACT (Contact Enrollment Services for additional information).

Immunization Requirement

Starting for Fall 2021, immunization compliance and record tracking will be done by Student Health Services. Information regarding how to sign into your secure student health portal through myFairmontState. On your portal site, you will be able to directly upload your immunization records and/or your titer information.  Please find the list of vaccinations below required of all newly admitted students and all housing students:

• MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) - 2 doses or bacterial/serological evidence of immunity to each component of the vaccine (for those born after January 1, 1957);
• Varicella (Chickenpox) - 2 doses or laboratory/serological evidence of immunity;
• Tetanus (Tdap) - Dose within the last 10 years;
• Polio - 3 doses; and
• Meningococcal Vaccine (MCV4 or Quadrivalent) - Dose received within the last 5 years.

In addition, the following are strongly recommended prior to enrollment at Fairmont State University:

• Tuberculosis screening;
• Hepatitis A vaccine or combined Hepatitis A&B vaccine;
• Annual Influenza (Flu) vaccine;
• Human Papillomavirus (HP-9) - Gardasil (for females and males);
• Pneumovax, if indicated;
• Hepatitis B - 3 dose series or laboratory/serological evidence of immunity; and
• COVID-19 vaccine

Bachelor’s Degree Programs Admission Requirements

Admission to bachelor’s degree programs is open to graduates of approved high schools who have a 2.0 high school GPA (or received a high school equivalency transcript) and a minimum composite score of 18 on the ACT or 870 on the SAT (combination of Critical Reading and Math scores if test was taken prior to March 2016) or a 950 SAT (total score on tests taken March 2016 and after). Students with at least a 3.0 high school GPA and SAT or ACT composite test scores will be admitted regardless of the test scores. Applicants must also satisfy the following minimum high school unit requirements.

Required Units (Years)

• 4 units of English (including English 12CR and courses in grammar, composition, and literature)

• 3 units of Social Studies (including U.S. studies/history)

• 4 units of Mathematics (three units must be Algebra I and higher or Math I or higher; Transitional Math for 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 4 mathematic course core requirements.

• 3 units of Science (all courses to be college preparatory laboratory science, preferably including units from biology, chemistry, and physics)

• 1  unit inArts

• 2 units of World Language (two units of the same world language; sign language is also acceptable)

Fairmont State may admit by exception students who do not meet the basic admissions standards.

Admission to Teacher Education

Admission to Teacher Education is selective. Please refer to the College of Education “Program of Study” in the catalog for requirements.

Admission to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (RN-BSN track) requires students to be admitted to Fairmont State University. Student must have an active unencumbered WV or multistate RN license (by the third week of the first semester of the program) and  a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in order to be eligible to apply.  Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.   Once admitted to the program students must meet all clinical agency requirements; information about clinical agency requirements can be obtained from the College of Nursing.

Admission to Associate of Science Degree in Nursing Program 

Admission to the Associate of Science in Nursing program (traditional ASN, hybrid/weekend ASN, and LPN to ASN tracks) is competitive. Students must be admitted to Fairmont State University.  Applicants must have a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA from high school and/or college and have obtained a minimum composite score of 60 on the TEAS exam in order to be eligible to apply.  Priority application deadlines are January 15 for Fall admission and May 1 for Spring admission. Once admitted to the program students must meet all clinical agency requirements; information about clinical agency requirements can be obtained from the College of Nursing.

Admission to Aviation Flight Program

Admission to the Flight Program is competitive. Applicants will be required to submit an additional Flight Program application form. Based on academic credentials and other aviation-related experiences, selected individuals will be asked to provide proof of an Unrestricted 1st or 2nd Class Medical Certification, will be scheduled for an interview. International students will also need special clearance from the TSA.

Students Seeking a Second Bachelor’s Degree

Students who have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution may pursue another degree as a postgraduate student. In order to be admitted, the student must submit an application and all college transcripts. General studies, major, and minor requirements will be reviewed by the appropriate departments to determine what additional courses must be completed. While credit for the previously earned baccalaureate degree will be posted on the Fairmont State transcript, no individual courses will be translated.

Non-Degree Seeking Admission Requirements

Admission to Fairmont State as a non-degree seeking or non-matriculant student is open to anyone who has completed fewer than 15 semester hours cumulative at any college or university or high school graduates who have not completed any semester hours. The student must be a high school graduate or a recipient of a high school equivalency diploma. Admission is intended for students registering for occasional college courses with no degree objective. Students may complete up to a cumulative total of 15 hours of college credit. Students must submit the following as applicable:

1. Application for admission

2. Official college transcript(s)

3. Official home school transcript, high school transcript sent by high school or high school equivalency diploma, if you have not attended college. (Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis)

A student who has completed 15 hours of regular college credit is required to apply for admission to Fairmont State for further study and meet all the requirements for admission for a specific degree.

Transient Students

1. Application for admission

2. Course approval form from home institution granting permission to take transferable class(es) or an official college transcript with at least a 2.0 GPA

International Student Admission Requirements

For an applicant to be considered for admission and to be able to process immigration papers, all application materials and supporting documents must be received by these dates:

  1. Fall semester admission: Apply by June 15. All academic documents must be received by July 1. 

  2. Spring semester admission: Apply by October 15. All academic documents must be received by November 1. 

  3. Admission for the summer term (May-August) is only permitted if you are currently in the United States. 

Upon acceptance, information will be entered into SEVIS and an I-20 will be issued for application of F1 Visa. Required application forms and credentials include:

1. Application for admission

2. Must have a 2.0 overall grade point average for any high school or college work.

3. Official English proficiency scores (TOEFL Internet Based of 61, TOEIC of 605 or IELTS of 6.0) if your native language is not English. Online English courses cannot be accepted in place of these scores.

4. Proof of financial support for first academic year (must be in U.S. dollar format and translated to English)

5. Sponsor Affidavit Form

6. Color copy of Passport

7. Original or certified copies of all official academic records/transcripts. Certified documents must be notarized or attested by the education institution, the Ministry of Education of the country, or transcript evaluation agency. High school transcripts are not required for transfer students having a 2.0 grade point average and at least 24 hours of completed coursework.

8. All undergraduate students who have attended high school, colleges or universities outside the United States will need to have a transcript evaluation of all academic work completed. Transfer applicants should request a “course-by-course” International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP). High school transcripts are not required for transfer students having a 2.0 grade point average and at least 24 hours of completed coursework. We accept the following transcript services:

• World Education Services (www.wes.org) 
• InCred (https://www.incredevals.org/) 
• Ucredo (https://ucredo.com/) 
• SpanTran (https://www.spantran.com/) 

9. Transfer eligibility form, if applicable

10. Proof of health insurance

11. Housing Application (if applicable)

Returning Students

Students who have interrupted their schooling for one semester (not including summer term) must reapply for admission. Any previous holds must be removed before readmission can occur. Students who have attended another institution during this absence are considered to be transfer students and must comply with the requirements listed below.

Transfer Students

Any applicant for admission to Fairmont State who has attended another collegiate institution will be classified as a transfer student. Every effort will be made to allow credit earned at other accredited colleges and universities to count towards a degree at Fairmont State. Transfer students must meet the previously stated admission requirements of Fairmont State. They must provide evidence of good standing at the institution last attended and must have maintained a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Students transferring fewer than 24 semester hours must provide an official copy of their high school transcript/home school or high school equivalency transcript, official ACT or SAT scores (if the student has graduated from high school less than 5 years prior to the enrollment term) and official college transcript(s).

General Studies and Core Coursework Transfer Agreement

According to Series 17, Policy Regarding the Transferability of Credits and Grades at the Undergraduate Level, students who transfer from one state college or university to another may transfer core coursework that will count toward fulfillment of general studies requirements at the receiving institutions.

Under the terms of the agreement, a student may transfer up to thirty-five credit hours of undergraduate coursework in the areas of English composition, communications and literature, fine arts appreciation, mathematics, natural science, and social science as general studies credits. Copies of the agreement are available in the Enrollment Services Center.

The following is a list of Fairmont State Core Curriculum courses which are tranferable to other WV institutions of higher education.  Any accepting institution must accept the courses below as general studies credit. 

ENGL 1101  

ENGL 1102  
MATH 1407  
MATH 1507  
MATH 1430  
MATH 1530  
MATH 1540  
MATH 2501  
CHEM 1105  
PHYS 1105  

Credit from a Junior or Community College

The maximum credit accepted from a Junior or Community College accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools or other regional accrediting association will not exceed 72 semester hours.

Admission to College Level English and Math Courses

Admission to College Level English and Math Courses

Fairmont State has adopted the following requirements for students before they are permitted to enroll in college-level mathematics and English courses.

English

All students may enroll in ENGL 1101. However, students must enroll in a four-credit hour Accelerated version of the course if they fail to earn at least one of the minimum scores prescribed below for the following tests:

• A score of 18 or above on the English section of the ACT.
• A score of 500 or above on the evidence-based reading and writing portion of the redesigned SAT.
• A score of 5 or higher on the WritePlacer.
• An achievement level score of Level 3 on the English/language arts portion of the statewide eleventh grade student assessment, the West Virginia General Summative Assessment.

Students without test scores can also be placed into the appropriate English course based on a review of the high school transcript on file with admissions (official preferred, but unofficial may be used). The review will be conducted by an advisor prior to the student enrolling in courses. Students with at least one D or lower in any high school English class must enroll in the Accelerated version of ENGL 1101.

Mathematics

Any student may enroll in MATH 1407, MATH 1410, or MATH 1430, whichever is appropriate for their pathway. All courses offer integrated support. Students with a test score will be placed into SciTech courses based on the score thresholds listed below. Students without a test score will be placed into the appropriate support course.

Students who are dissatisfied with their placement are allowed to request higher placement with the following procedure:

• Students with a recent (within two years) high school GPA of 3.50+ may request a transcript analysis by the mathematics faculty.
• Students without a recent high school transcript or without the high school GPA requirement may request ACCUPLACER testing.

All transcript analysis requests should be sent to Dr. Mahmood Hossain, Mahmood.Hossain@fairmontstate.edu.

The Fairmont State LEAD Center offers the ACCUPLACER Next Generation placement tests, designed by College Board, free of charge to students. Students may take placement exams no more than twice in any given semester. For more information on ACCUPLACER, contact the Fairmont State LEAD Center coordinator, Brittany Cuchta at bcuchta@fairmontstate.edu.

Advanced Standing

Based on the high school record and performance on the ACT or SAT, Fairmont State will determine eligibility for advanced standing and credit in English and foreign language as follows:

English: Students may receive three hours of college credit in ENGL 1101 and may enroll in ENGL 1102 if they present four units of high school English with no semester grade of less than a “B” and a standard score of 25 or higher on the English section of the ACT or 640 on the evidence-based reading and writing section of the redesigned SAT.

Foreign Language: Students who present two or more units of high school French or Spanish may enroll in FREN 1102 or SPAN 1102. Students who present three or more units of high school French or Spanish may enroll in FREN 2201 or SPAN 2201.

Students will not be awarded multiple credit, standing or GPA based on duplicated advanced placement scores, tests or transfer work.

Advanced Placement Examination

Special Examination for Course Credit

Students may earn course credit by special examination. To apply for permission for such an examination, applicants must be enrolled in the University or must have completed one semester or summer session in Fairmont State. Applicants must first schedule an interview with the College Dean or department representative, who will evaluate the student’s background, experience, and qualifications to establish eligibility and give permission to take the examination. In order to gain college credit by special examination, students must demonstrate better than average proficiency on the examination, as determined by the examiner. Examinations will not be given for college courses in which students have previously received a grade other than “W.”

Applicants must pay a fee of $50.00 per semester credit hour for each special examination. Applications for credit may be obtained from the Academic College or Department. Please refer to the online Campus Directory for specific locations. Payment must be made in the Turley Student Services Center after the College Dean or department representative approves eligibility and before taking the examination. No money will be refunded if any examination is failed. No examination may be repeated.

Students will not be awarded multiple credit, standing or GPA based on duplicated advanced placement scores, tests or transfer work.

Falcon FastTrack Program

Admission to the Falcon FastTrack Program for High School Students

The FastTrack program allows eligible high school students to enroll in college courses at Fairmont State University. Outstanding high school or home-schooled students may be admitted during their junior or senior year in high school. Students below the rank of junior may request permission from both the high school or home-school and Fairmont State for an exception. Students are generally limited to enrolling in six (6) hours per semester and no more than 30 hours may be earned before they must apply for admission as a regular student. In addition, a student must meet the following criteria: 

• Possess a 3.0 cumulative high school GPA at the time of admission and throughout their participation in FastTrack courses; 
• Complete the application available at apply.fairmontstate.edu/register/DualEnrollment 
• Receive approval from their high school principal/designee, or parent if homeschooled; 
• Meet any required course pre-requisites; 
• Complete all required application documents and pay for all courses in a timely manner; and 
• Adhere to all the departmental and institutional requirements for any courses taken.