Community Colleges function under open admission policies that permit students to enroll without regard to academic achievement. These policies are in place to provide everyone a chance for learning opportunities and assistance that will help individuals reach their educational goals. Admission is based on completion of a high school diploma and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Testing (ACT) scores. Therefore, there are no GPA requirements for first-time freshmen. Individuals with lower test scores are placed in developmental courses to help overcome academic weaknesses.
Technical Institutes are not selective. Approximately a 2.0 GPA is required for admittance, which is the average required GPA needed to graduate from high school. Similar to community colleges, technical institutes welcome all students and provide basic developmental classes to those who need them.
Most four-year universities require a minimum 3.0 GPA for admission, though anyone who completes a high school diploma or a general education diploma can be considered for admittance. Higher GPA standards may be required to enter specific programs offered by the college, such as nursing. However, freshmen are required to complete a series of core curriculum classes before entering career specific courses. This means students have several semesters in which they can raise their GPA to meet the requirements of any special programs they wish to apply to.
Private colleges require students to have a 3.0 GPA for acceptance. These universities have a rigorous curriculum and offer special courses that concentrate on moral and character development. In private institutions the student-teacher ratio is considerably smaller than public universities, allowing for in-depth training and more one-on-one help. Consequently, the admission requirements are higher than other colleges. The average GPA for an entering freshman in a private college is 3.6.
Your academic record is constantly cited and monitored as the most important factor in the college admissions process. Other components, such as letters of recommendation, community service and extracurricular activities are weighed as well. Many college applications provide a space for explanation of any bad grades or unusual circumstances in your academic history. For example, if you had an injury or a severe illness in your family, the admissions board could consider those circumstances as anomalies in your GPA and admit you despite inconsistent grades.