Admissions

The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Admission Committee carefully considers a number of factors as it strives to admit and enroll a diverse class with the talent, ambition and potential to be successful in our honors community. Our students typically have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, strong personal qualities, and meritorious accomplishments. The applicant’s secondary school or college grades and grade trends, the quality of course selection, and letters of recommendation provide evidence of academic accomplishment and potential. These measures are supplemented by the required application essay(s) and standardized testing which is optional per our policy. Involvement in the school and external community is also considered as is the applicant’s demonstrated interest in the College.

Visiting the Campus

A campus visit is an excellent way for a prospective student to become acquainted with St. Mary’s College. Students and their families are encouraged to schedule an information session and tour. Appointments are available Monday through Friday. Designated Saturday visits are also available. Please check the Admissions website for more details.

Open Houses, in April and throughout the fall, provide an in-depth opportunity to learn about the College and talk with faculty, staff and students. In the spring, Admitted Seahawk Days and other special events are hosted for admitted students.

Prospective students and their families can schedule a campus visit or register for an Open House on the admission website.

Application Options and Deadlines

First-year applicants are offered three application plans. Early Decision is for those who know they want to attend St. Mary’s College. This plan is binding. Applicants who apply Early Decision agree that, if admitted, they will withdraw their applications at the other schools to which they have applied. They are required to commit to the College by submitting the enrollment deposit by January 15.  The Early Action program is for those who want to complete the application process early and receive the admission notification as early as possible. This plan is not binding and applicants have until May 1 to submit their enrollment deposit. Regular Decision is for students who haven’t completed their application by the earlier deadlines, or for those who may not have known that they wanted to apply to SMCM until after the earlier deadlines. Applicants admitted through the Regular Decision plan have until to submit a deposit until May 1. After the Regular Decision deadline, th

First-year applicants are offered three application plans. Early Decision is for those who know they want to attend St. Mary’s College. This plan is binding. Applicants who apply Early Decision agree that, if admitted, they will withdraw their applications at the other schools to which they have applied. They are required to commit to the College by submitting the enrollment deposit by January 15.  The Early Action program is for those who want to complete the application process early and receive the admission notification as early as possible. This plan is not binding and applicants have until May 1 to submit their enrollment deposit. Regular Decision is for students who haven’t completed their application by the earlier deadlines, or for those who may not have known that they wanted to apply to SMCM until after the earlier deadlines. Applicants admitted through the Regular Decision plan have until to submit a deposit until May 1. After the Regular Decision deadline, the College accepts applications for admission and releases admission decision on a rolling basis with the enrollment deposit due two weeks after the decision notification.

All candidates, regardless of their application plan, are required to make a non-refundable commitment deposit of $500 to confirm the acceptance of an admission offer. See the schedule of application deadlines and decision notifications here (need to add a link).

First-year Students

Requirements

• Completion of the following secondary school units: English, four; social studies, three; mathematics, three (four recommended); science, three (four recommended); foreign language, two (four recommended); and other electives, seven.
• Superior secondary school grades in college preparatory, honors, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses.
• Standardized test scores are optional. For more information, see the SMCM Test-Optional Policy (include the link)
• Possession of an earned high school diploma, or its equivalent or a satisfactory score on the General Educational Development (GED) examination administered by the State Department of Education.

Procedures

1. Applications: St. Mary’s College of Maryland uses the Common Application and our own online institutional application. Students should apply online at www.smcm.edu/admissions (provide link).
2. Transcripts: Send official secondary school transcript and transcripts for any college work completed directly to the Office of Admission, 47645 College Drive, St. Mary’s City, Maryland, 20686-3001.
3. Standardized Test Scores (optional): To send SAT and/or ACT scores directly to the College, the SMCM College Board (CEEB) code for the SAT is 5601, and our ACT college code is 1736.
4. Recommendations: St. Mary’s College of Maryland requires the Secondary School Report from the high school counselor and one letter of recommendation from a junior or senior year teacher of an academic subject..
5.  A mid-year report reflecting seventh semester or tenth-trimester grades.
6. A final secondary school transcript demonstrating successful completion and graduation.

Transfer Students

Requirements

• Above-average grades (recommended minimum GPA of 3.0) in all college courses.
• Satisfactory completion of at least 12 credit hours of college coursework.
• Possession of an earned high school diploma, or its equivalent or a satisfactory score on the General Educational Development (GED) examination administered by the State Department of Education.

Procedures

1. Applications: St. Mary’s College of Maryland uses the Common Application and our own institutional application. Students should apply online at www.smcm.edu/admissions. The required $50 application fee may be submitted through this website.
2. Transcripts: Transcripts should be sent directly from the college to SMCM and may be sent either online or by mail directly to the Office of Admission, 47645 College Drive, St. Mary’s City, Maryland, 20686-3001. Transfer applicants who have completed fewer than 24 credit hours of college credit must also provide an official secondary school transcript.
3. Recommendation: St. Mary’s College of Maryland requires one recommendation from a college professor. The recommendation should be sent directly by the professor to SMCM.
4. College Report: A statement of good standing (College Report) from the most recent college attended. This report should be completed by your college/university registrar or appropriate dean/college official who can verify your enrollment and academic standing.

Notification and Acceptance

The Transfer Priority Deadline is June 1 for the fall semester. Transfer applicants for fall admission are notified on a rolling basis beginning in February. Notification will continue until the class is filled.

The Transfer Priority Deadline is December 1 for the spring semester. Transfer applicants are notified on a rolling basis beginning in October.  Notification will continue until the class is filled

Transfer of Credits

For further information, see “Transfer of Credits from Other Institutions ” in the “Academic Policies” section.

Early Matriculation

Superior students who demonstrate exceptional maturity may seek admission to St. Mary’s College after the completion of their junior year of secondary school. The secondary school must agree that it will award a secondary school diploma after the completion of specified courses at St. Mary’s College. Candidates for early matriculation must provide a letter from their secondary school principal certifying the secondary school’s agreement to the above condition. Candidates must also provide a letter of recommendation from the secondary school guidance counselor attesting to the student’s readiness and maturity. Candidates for Early Matriculation must arrange a campus interview with an admissions officer.

Degree-seeking and Non-degree-seeking Students

Students who enroll at St. Mary’s College of Maryland are classified as either degree-seeking students or non-degree-seeking students. Degree-seeking students are those seeking a degree from St. Mary’s College and who have applied and been offered admission by the Office of Admission. A degree-seeking student may enroll for course work (full or part-time) for each consecutive semester as long as he or she remains in good academic standing at the College. A program of 12 credit hours or more constitutes a full-time load; a program of fewer than 12 credit hours constitutes a part-time load.

Non-degree-seeking students are those currently not seeking a degree from St. Mary’s College. Non-degree-seeking students are permitted to enroll for fewer than 12 credit hours. Non-degree-seeking students receive advising and assistance with the registration process from the Office of Student Support Services. There is no limit to the number of credit hours that a non-degree-seeking student who does not apply as a degree-seeking student may accumulate. Non-degree-seeking students may enroll for as many semesters as desired for the purpose of enrichment or transferring credits to another institution.

Students who do not meet the criteria to maintain good academic standing as outlined above will be sent a letter of warning and placed on academic probation. (THIS SEEMS OUT OF PLACE.) A non-degree-seeking student may become a degree student by submitting an application for admission and being offered admission through the Office of Admission. Application must be made prior to the student’s enrollment in the last 30 credit hours for a degree at St. Mary’s College. In addition, 30 of the student’s last 36 credit hours must be completed at St. Mary’s College. For admission as a degree student, a non-degree-seeking student must meet the same criteria as a transfer student. The graduation requirements are determined by the policies laid out in the catalog current at the date of the student’s admission as a degree student. A student must maintain continuous enrollment in the College in order to graduate under that catalog.

Re-admission

See re-admission for further information.

Part-time Students

Part-time students are those individuals enrolled for 11 or fewer credit hours during the fall and spring semester or 12 or fewer during the summer semester. They may be either degree or non-degree-seeking students. Degree students must submit an application and be offered admission to the College through the Office of Admission. Non-degree-seeking students complete an application form available through the (A more complete definition of degree and non-degree-seeking status is given in the preceding section, “Degree and Non-degree-seeking Students.”) All part-time students are considered a member of the student body of the College. They may choose from the same courses as full-time students and must meet the same academic requirements. College activities, clubs and organizations are open to part-time students, except those governed by special rules of eligibility, such as intercollegiate athletic teams. Part-time degree students are entitled to pre-register for courses at the same time as full-time students. Non-degree-seeking students register at the time designated by the Office of the Registrar before each semester.

All policies and fees regarding late registration and drop and add procedures apply to part-time students. Campus rules as stated in the To the Point handbook also apply.

Educational Opportunities for Military Personnel

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is an institutional member of the Service Members Opportunity College (SOC), a group of more than 400 colleges and universities providing post-secondary education to active duty members of the military services. As an SOC member, St. Mary’s College of Maryland recognizes the demands of the military service and is committed to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and awarding credit from appropriate military education and occupation programs. For further information, contact the Office of the Registrar.

Students with Disabilities

Students are admitted to St. Mary’s College based on their potential for academic success, irrespective of physical or learning disabilities. Administrative staff and faculty work cooperatively to assist students with disabilities in their educational endeavors and adjustments to the College community. The Office of Accessibility Services works to ensure that educational programs are accessible to all qualified students. Students with physical or learning disabilities should contact the Office of Accessibility Services for specific information and assistance regarding potential special needs. Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in their academic programs or in their housing assignments must submit documentation of their disabilities to the Office of Accessibility Services before receiving accommodations. Because housing assignments for the fall semester are made early in the summer, requests for accommodations in housing should be made as soon as is practicable, preferably by June 1, to ensure the availability of special housing assignments. Students seeking academic accommodations should make an appointment with the Office of Accessibility Services as soon as possible after arrival on campus.

International Students

Students who are natives of countries other than the United States must follow the same application procedures specified elsewhere in this section. In addition to these requirements, international students must submit the following:

• English Proficiency  All students, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English language proficiency when applying to St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Applicants meet this requirement if:
  • English is the native language
  • They have studied at a secondary school in the United States or another English-speaking country for 4 consecutive academic years where the primary language of instruction is English
• You submit, along with your application, official test results directly from the testing agency for one of the following English language proficiency tests:
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
    • Applicants should have TOEFL scores greater than 90 with the follow subsection minimums:
      • Reading: 20
      • Listening: 22
      • Speaking: 20
      • Writing: 24
    • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
      • Applicants should have an IELTS score greater than 6.5 with no bands below a 6.5
    • Duolingo English Test (DET)
      • Applicants should have a DET score of 115 or greater
      • The DET can be taken online at any time
      • The exam requires the Google Chrome browser and your computer’s self-facing camera and microphone
      • The testing session is recorded and verified by a Duolingo proctor and the results are available within 48 hours
• Transcripts and certificates of all previous academic work: These records must be originals or certified copies and must be accompanied by English translations if necessary.
• Transcript evaluations are the responsibility of the student. Evaluators such as WES, AACRAO, Joseph Silney, or other organizations recognized by NAFSA are considered.
• Financial Resource Statement: An official statement from the international student’s bank verifying the student’s financial resources for a year of college study must be submitted and must be accompanied by English translations if necessary.
• Citizenship documentation
  • Copy of passport and, if applicable, immigration status documentation
• Health Examination Report: This form must be completed and mailed to the Health Center after the student is accepted for admission. The Director of International Education is available to assist international students.

In-state and Out-of-state Students

It is the policy of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s College of Maryland to recognize the categories of resident (in-state) and non-resident (out-of-state) students for the purposes of admission and tuition classification. These categories are determined by a student’s financial dependency and permanent place of abode. A full-time active member of the Armed Forces, the spouse of, or the financially dependent child of such a person shall be granted in-state residency provided his or her home of residency is Maryland or that he or she resides in, or is stationed in, Maryland. This in-state residency status begins on the date the military assignment is effective. The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Director of Admission determine the residency status for prospective students while the registrar is responsible for determining the residency status of enrolled students. A student requesting a change in status must submit to the Office of the Registrar a petition form (available from the Office of the Registrar or online here) and all appropriate documentation no later than the last day of late registration of the semester in which the change in status is requested. A student must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing within fifteen days of any change that may alter his or her residency status.

For further information about the policy on student residency classification, contact the Office of Admission or the Office of the Registrar or online at the Office of the Registrar’s website.