Admission to university-level studies

Name of secondary school credential required: High School Diploma

Minimum score/requirement: Required high school marks depend on standards and policies of individual institutions, Students are usually expected to have completed an academic preparatory or honors high school diploma and are increasingly showing completion of AP or IB courses.

For entry to: All programmes

Alternatives to credentials: The Certificate of General Educational Development (GED Certificate) is legally recognized in all states as equivalent to the High School Diploma. It is awarded to adult learners who have not completed secondary school on schedule and who enter and complete a special programme of studies equivalent to senior high school. In addition, institutions may choose to make exceptions to standard requirements on an individual case basis and to award advanced credit for other education, training, or experience. In some cases, public institutions may be required by law to admit any high school graduate who is a state resident. Institutions following such admissions policies tend to monitor the progress of students and set clear requirements for course sequences and graduation in order to ensure that outcome standards remain acceptably high. Many students and schools participate in the College Board Advanced placement (AP) Program. It provides university-level instruction to secondary students in 33 different subjects. Completion of a subject course and passage of the relevant AP examination with a "3" or higher (graded on a 1-5 scale) generally results in the award of undergraduate credit for the completed AP course. Many students present AP credits at matriculation in addition to high school diplomas. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is offered as an option in many U.S. secondary schools. This programme follows the standard IB framework and usually requires students to complete an additional semester or academic year beyond the 12th grade as well as sit the IB examinations. The IB diploma may be awarded in addition to, or instead of, the high school diploma.

Entrance exams required: Scholastic Aptitute Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) examination (required by some states) scored by private corporations. A fee is required from the student. Achievement tests (SAT II) may be required or accepted in specific subject areas. Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are also considered in awarding advanced credit.

Numerus clausus/restrictions: There are no data at the national level on any institutional restrictions. Any such restrictions are determined by individual institutions in response to local conditions and they would need to be consulted directly. Some states have restricted admissions of students who are not state residents into public institutions. Institutions may occasionally impose restrictions on admissions, including specific grade and course requirements, in heavily oversubscribed subjects such as medical education or in subjects where professional licensing or accrediting require such standards.

Other admission requirements: Access to higher education is not a constitutionally guaranteed civil right. Therefore, admissions decisions are made by the institution and its faculty on a case-by-case basis upon receipt of completed applications for admission by prospective students. Individual institutions may impose additional requirements such as specific secondary courses and course level; specific grades or grade-point averages; graduating class rank; standardized test scores; recommendations; entrance examinations, auditions, or portfolios; interviews; an foreign credential evaluations (when applicable).