Post-Secondary Requirements
Post-Secondary Institution Entrance Requirements
Most colleges suggest that you take a challenging and well-rounded academic program. The more selective the college or university is the more demanding the entrance requirements. Selective colleges prefer that students have four years of study in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and World Language. Students should always check with the college for the most up to date requirements and information.
An important rule to follow is: keep all your options open-if you are uncertain about your long range goals, follow abroad general program of study which will prepare you for almost any college major.
Massachusetts State Universities & UMass Minimum Admissions Standards
The admissions standards for the state universities and UMass emphasize a strong academic high school background so that students enter college ready to learn. These standards represent minimum requirements; meeting them does not guarantee admission since campus officials consider a wide range of factors in admissions decisions. Students shall have fulfilled all requirements for the high school diploma or its equivalent upon enrollment. It is important to note that admissions standards for the state’s Community Colleges differ. Community Colleges may admit any high school graduate or GED recipient.
Applicants must also submit an SAT or ACT score.
Minimum Required Grade Point Average (GPA)
The GPA must be achieved based on all college preparatory courses completed at the time of application and should be weighted for Honors or Advanced Placement courses only. Effective fall 2001 the required minimum high school GPA is 3.0 for the four-year public state university campuses and no applicant with a high school GPA below 2.00 may be admitted to a Massachusetts state college or university campus. For details, see http://www.mass.edu/forstufam/admissions/admissionsstandards.asp.
SAT Scores
Applicants who meet the GPA requirement do not have to use the sliding scale for admission but still must submit SAT or ACT test scores for consideration if they are applying to a state university or UMass within three years of high school graduation. See http://www.mass.edu/forstufam/admissions/admissionsstandards.asp. If an applicant’s GPA falls below the required minimum, a sliding scale will apply. This scale should be used only when an applicant’s GPA falls below the required 3.0 minimum for admission to the state university or UMass.
Students with Learning Disabilities
Applicants with professionally diagnosed and documented learning disabilities (documentation must include diagnostic test results) are exempt from taking standardized tests for admission to any public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth. Such students, however, must complete 16** required academic courses with a minimum required GPA of 3.00 or present other evidence of the potential for academic success.
**An applicant may substitute two college preparatory electives for the two required foreign language courses only if the applicant has on file with the high school results of a psycho-educational evaluation completed within the past three years that provides a specific diagnosis of a learning disability and an inability to succeed in a foreign language.The final decision on accepting an applicant rests with the individual campus.
Early Graduation
Any student who has satisfied the graduation requirements before the end of her or his senior year may qualify for a diploma. While students have the right to graduate before completing four years high school, The Bromfield School does not encourage early graduation. If you are thinking about graduating early, you should see your counselor to discuss your options.