Requirements for Admission
Applicants with a high school cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher in university preparatory courses are normally given regular admission. Rochester University is a test-optional institution. While SAT and ACT scores are not required for admission purposes, students are encouraged to send their standardized test scores. SAT and ACT scores will not harm a student's chance of admission to Rochester University.
Conditional Admission for New Students - WarriorsThrive Program
Conditional Admission applies only to students new to Rochester University who are admitted, but do not meet the unconditional admission requirements due to high school or university GPA. Traditional students who do not meet the criteria for unconditional admission to Rochester University may be admitted into the WarriorsThrive Program for their first semester. Students who are accepted to the WarriorsThrive Program may take no more than 16 credit hours in their first semester and will benefit from a series of opportunities designed to help them prepare for academic success at Rochester University. These opportunities include meeting with an academic coach prior to registering, a free online student success seminar in August, enrollment in IDS 1003 Practical Application of Learning Strategies, and ongoing support from their academic coach and the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) once the semester begins.
Students planning to major in Education or Nursing admitted through WarriorsThrive will begin in an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science program.
All students must earn a 2.0 grade point average in their first semester to be in academic Good Standing moving forward. Any student who earns less than a 1.0 in the first semester is automatically dismissed. Students earning between a 1.0 and a 2.0 during the first semester are placed on academic/financial aid warning, as defined in the http://docs.RochesterU.edu/2022-2023/Course-Catalog/Academics/Satisfactory-Academic-Progress-Policy.
Students admitted conditionally must provide evidence of their desire to succeed by utilizing resources made available to them by the university. As such, conditionally admitted students are strongly encouraged to complete all components of the WarriorsThrive Program their first semester and to utilize Rochester University Academic Support services, such as the ACE, peer tutoring, library resources, and academic advising.
Admission Procedures
To apply for the traditional undergraduate program at Rochester University, each of the following steps must be completed. For those seeking financial aid, completing these steps as early as possible is important.
- Submit a completed application for undergraduate admission to the Admissions Office. Application forms may be submitted online at RochesterU.edu/apply.
- Request delivery of your official transcripts to Rochester University.
- For students who are entering college for the first time or have 15 or fewer credit hours of college coursework completed, official high school and college (if applicable) transcripts must be submitted. Transcripts are required before an admission decision is made. Students must make arrangements to have a final high school transcript sent to Rochester University after graduation. GED graduates must submit an official copy of their GED scores to the Admissions Office. The deadline to submit the official high school transcripts (or GED scores) is by census date (census date is the first Friday of each semester) of the semester the student first begins attendance. Appeals to this deadline, due to mitigating circumstances, may be submitted in writing to advising@RochesterU.edu. Please note, in order to be eligible for financial aid, final high school transcripts, showing successful graduation status, must be submitted.
- Students seeking to attend Rochester University who have 16 or more hours of university coursework completed must submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities they have attended.
- ACT or SAT scores are not required for admission. A detailed SAT or ACT score report is required for students pursuing teacher education. You may request that your scores be submitted to Rochester University at these websites: www.actstudent.org (ACT) and www.collegeboard.org (SAT). Rochester University’s ACT code is 2072, and our SAT code is 1516
First Time in College (FTIC) Students
High school graduates with 15 or fewer credit hours of college or university credit are required to meet the following criteria for unconditional admission to Rochester University: a minimum 2.5 cumulative high school GPA. Students who did not graduate from high school may be admitted unconditionally if they earned a minimum GED score of 660 with no single test below 165 (GED scores from 2002 to 2013 must be at least 2250 with no single test below 410). GED scores prior to 2002 must be at least 225 with no score below 40.
Prospective students who do not meet the regular GPA admission requirements may submit a written essay for conditional admission. The written petition must include a rationale for why the applicants believe they will succeed at Rochester University. The essay should be submitted to the student's admissions recruiter. The final decision will be made by the director of admissions. Students who are approved to be conditionally admitted are limited to 16 credit hours in their first semester.
Home-Schooled Students
Rochester University recognizes and values the educational experience of home-schooled students. These students are welcomed and encouraged to apply for admission through the process described above. The admission criteria for home-schooled students is the same as for students who graduate from traditional high schools.
Early College
Rochester University partners with area school districts to allow high school students to earn university credits while still in high school. Rochester University offers various avenues for earning university credit:
- The Early College five-year program offers both online and face-to-face instruction to enable students to earn their high school diploma and university credits up to an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree. Students have the opportunity to earn up to 60 university credits from Rochester University. Early College students are also eligible to earn the Michigan Transfer Agreement stamp. Courses can be taken at the high school, online, and/or on the campus of Rochester University.
Current school districts participating in the Rochester University Early College Program are Avondale School District, Lake Orion School District, Lapeer County Schools, Oakside Prep Academy, and Oxford School District.
Dual Enrollment
(HIGH SCHOOL AND ROCHESTER UNIVERSITY)
High school students who do not have an arrangement with Rochester University through their district may also dual enroll at Rochester University. After completion of their sophomore year, students may dual enroll at Rochester University and take lower-division general education courses or, with permission of the appropriate department chair, other lower-division courses. Dual enrollment provides a great opportunity to experience the university environment and earn university credits while completing the high school diploma. Students should consult their high school counselors to determine how university credits may apply toward their high school diploma requirements. Students who dual-enroll are granted a fifty percent (50%) tuition discount, are not required to pay the student support fee, and are not eligible for financial aid. This tuition discount is available for up to six semesters prior to the time the student completes the requirements for the high school diploma. Dual-enrolled students may enroll for no more than 11 credit hours of coursework per semester.