ITEM 122-113-R0104 - Attachment C

SUBJECT: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Policy 301.2 - Admissions requirements; out-of-state undergraduates
Effective _____; Issued _____

A. Board Policy:

1. The campuses of the Montana University System are authorized to control the number of out-of-state first-time and transfer students.

2. An out-of-state graduate of an out-of-state high school which is accredited by the state accrediting agency may enter any four-year campus of the Montana University System as a first-time, full-time undergraduate student, provided:

a) the graduate meets the College Preparatory Program, outlined in Section 301.7 andA.4 below; and

b) at least one of the following requirements:

a. (1) for admission to Montana State University-Northern and The University of Montana-Western, has obtained a score of at least 20 on the Enhanced (Composite) American College Testing (ACT) test or a score of at least 960 on the total verbal/math exam of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT),;foradmission to Montana State University-Northern and The University of Montana-Western;for admission to Montana State University-Billings, Montana Tech of The University of Montana, Montana State University-Bozeman and The University of Montana-Missoula, has obtained a score of a least 22 on the Enhanced (Composite) American College Testing (ACT) test or a score of at least 1030 on the total verbal/math exam of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT),.for admission to MontanaState University-Billings, Montana Tech of The University of Montana, MontanaState University-Bozeman, and The University of Montana-Missoula. The campusesidentified in 2.1.(1) aboveMontana State University-Northern and The University of Montana-Western may request permission from the Board of Regents to raise the Enhanced (Composite) American College Testing (ACT) test score or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) total verbal/math exam score to those specified for The University of Montana-Missoula, Montana State University-Bozeman, Montana Tech of The University of Montana, and Montana StateUniversity-Billings, the other four-year campuses of the Montana University System;

Orb.(2) has obtained at least a 2.5 high school grade point average (GPA);

Orc.(3) ranks in the upper half of the school's graduating class.

3. In addition to the admissions requirements set out in Section A.2, any student seeking admission to a four-year program at Montana State University-Bozeman, Montana State University-Billings, Montana State University-Northern, The University of Montana-Missoula, Montana Tech of The University of Montana and The University of Montana-Western must satisfy a mathematics proficiency standard. That standard is as follows:

a)       for Fall 2004 and Fall 2005, students must earn a minimum mathematics (quantitative) score of:

• •        16 on the ACT,
  •        390 on the SAT, or
  •        a score of 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB or BC Subject Examinations;

b)       for Fall 2006, students must earn a minimum mathematics (quantitative) score of:

• •        17 on the ACT,
  •        420 on the SAT, or
  •        a score of 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB or BC Subject Examinations;

c)       for Fall 2007 and the following years, students must earn a minimum mathematics (quantitative) score of:

• •        18 on the ACT,
  •        440 on the SAT, or
  •        a score of 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB or BC Subject Examinations.

d)       in lieu of the indicators set out in subsections A.3.a), b) and c) above, students may offer CLEP Subject Examinations in selected topics (College Algebra, College Algebra-Trigonometry, Calculus or Trigonometry) if their score on the examination meets or exceeds the ACE Recommended Score for Awarding Credit of 50 in 2003.

e)       alternately, students may be excused from any testing in mathematics and deemed proficient if they complete a Rigorous High School Core including four years of mathematics in high school (Algebra I, II, geometry & a course beyond Algebra II, as outlined in the matrix attached to this policy as Appendix I) with grades of C or better in all courses.

4. In order to improve students' preparation for college-level work, the Board of Regents of Higher Education requires the following College Preparatory Program for students who wish to enter a four-year campus of the Montana University System:

a)       four years of English; in each year, the content of the courses should have an emphasis upon the development of written and oral communication skills and literature;

b)       three years of mathematics which shall include Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II (or the sequential content equivalent of these courses); students are encouraged to take a mathematics course in their senior year;

c)       three years of social studies which shall include Global Studies (such as World History or World Geography), American History, and Government, Economics, Indian History or other third year courses;

d)       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 preparatory laboratory science;

e)       two years chosen from the following:

• •          foreign language (preferably two years)
  •          computer science
  •          visual and performing arts, or
  •          vocational education units which meet the Office of Public Instruction guidelines.

f)         Out-of-state students may also satisfy this College Preparatory Program requirement by completing a similar program required by their home state. In either case, the student's high school shall certify completion of such a program.

g)       Out-of-state students graduating from accredited high schools in states that do not have a college preparatory program, have several different college preparatory programs, or have a college preparatory program that is dissimilar to Montana's, must meet two of the three admission criteria set out in section A.2.b) above.

5. After an out-of-state student has been admitted to a campus of the Montana University System, there shall be no differentiation between in-state and out-of-state students as far as enrollment in courses and programs is concerned.

6. Out-of-state transfer applicants must present at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (i.e., equivalent to a C on a 4.0 scale), based on transferable credits carried from all colleges or universities previously attended to be eligible for consideration.

7.6. In addition to satisfying the above requirements, campuses shall require applicants from foreign countries (except Canadian citizens) to present evidence of proficiency in the use of the English language. Campuses may impose additional requirements on applicants from foreign countries.

B. Exemptions.

4. Institutions1. Four-year campuses are authorized to exempt up to 15% of first-time, full-time undergraduates from the requirements of Section A.2. above for students with special talents, minorities and others who demonstrate special needs. That 15% exemption may include out-of-state students.

3.2. The following categories of students are exempt from the requirements of Sections A.2. and 3. above:

a)       non-traditional students (those who do not enter college for a period of at least three years from the date of high school graduation or from the date when they would have graduated from high school),

b)       summer only students; and

c)       part-time students taking seven or fewer college-level semester credits.

C. Procedures.

To implement the College Preparatory Program, and to encourage a high level of academic preparation for students who wish to continue on to higher education, the Board of Regents of Higher Education hereby adopts the following procedures:

1.       In awarding scholarships based on academic achievement, special consideration should be given to persons who have completed available academic solids beyond those specified in the College Preparatory Program. Honors and advanced placement courses should be given extra weighting.

2.       Students who enter campuses of the Montana University System without sufficient academic background may find it necessary to enroll in remedial courses which will add time and expense to the students' educational experience.

3.       Students who do not meet the college preparatory requirements may eliminate their deficiency by taking courses that satisfy the requirements in summer school or as a part-time student at one of the four-year institutions of the Montana University System, or by attending a two-year institutions and transferring credit to a four-year campus.

D. Definitions.

1. An out-of-state transfer applicant is one who has completed 12 or more GPA or Pass credits in college-level courses at another college or university, who is entering a new institution for the first time, and whose credits at the previous institution have been accepted by the receiving institution.

2. For the purposes of this section, GPA and Pass credit means those college-level credits for which grade points apply toward graduation.

1.       For purposes of this section, college-level work means those courses that are applicable toward an associate of arts, associate of science or baccalaureate degree at their respective institution. Such courses shall include neither remedial nor developmental courses.

Cross Reference:

See Section 301.7, College Preparatory Program.

APPENDIX I