General Requirements
Every freshman applicant to Siena College should submit a completed application to the Office of Admissions by March 1 of his or her senior year in high school. An official secondary school transcript, including work completed at all secondary schools attended by the applicant and a recommendation from the school counselor or college counselor, must be directed to the Office of Admissions. SAT I, SAT II and ACT are not required at the time of decision, but the Admissions Committee reserves the right to require and recommend them for certain students. Every applicant must assume the responsibility for having the results of all SAT I, SAT II, or ACT examinations sent to the College before matriculating.
Interviews
While individual interviews are not required, it is strongly recommended that all candidates for admission to Siena visit the campus, especially if not submitting standardized test scores with their application. Meeting with an Admissions counselor and a current student can be helpful in evaluating the quality of the Siena experience. Visit arrangements can be made online at www.siena.edu/visit or by calling the Office of Admissions at (518) 783-2423.
High School Course Requirements
Siena College recommends that all candidates pursue a strong college preparatory program and that they elect challenging courses in their senior year. All offers of admission are made on the condition that the student earns a high school diploma or the equivalent.
Candidates seeking admission to Siena College should be well versed in mathematics and the natural sciences. For students entering the School of Science, four years of high school mathematics and four years of natural/physical sciences (including Biology, Chemistry and Physics) are necessary. Candidates seeking admission to our School of Liberal Arts or School of Business should have completed at least three years of college preparatory mathematics, reaching at least Algebra II/Trig. To be competitive for admission, we recommend candidates take a year of mathematics beyond Algebra II/Trig.
A working knowledge of a foreign language is useful for all students planning to enter the College.
When and How to Apply
- Siena College participates in the Common Application System for selective colleges and universities and also the Fast Forward Application. Candidates may access both applications by visiting www.siena.edu or by writing, calling, or emailing (admissions@siena.edu) the Office of Admissions, 515 Loudon Road, Siena College, Loudonville, New York 12211-1462, (518) 783-2423. The College encourages students to submit their applications during the first half of their senior year. The deadline date is March 1 of the student’s senior year. For special programs and transfer deadlines refer to the appropriate catalog section or the admissions page at www.siena.edu.
- Each completed application should be accompanied by a $50 application fee and sent to the Office of Admissions. If using the Common Application, candidates must submit, by the appropriate deadline, the supplemental application. The secondary school record, recommendation form and mid-term grade report form should be given to the high school counselor or college advisor to complete the necessary information. It is the student’s responsibility to be sure that all credentials necessary are submitted.
- The candidate may submit the SAT Reasoning Test or ACT by forwarding the results of all tests to the Office of Admissions, Siena College, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, New York 12211-1462. A prospective student can arrange to take one of these tests by consulting with his or her high school counselor or college advisor. Siena’s CEEB code is 2814 for SAT and 2878 for ACT. Candidates who do not wish to send us standardized test scores, must demonstrate successful completion of 19 academic units during high school. Students selecting a major in the School of Science will be required to demonstrate four years of mathematics, including pre-calculus and four years of lab science, including biology, chemistry and physics. Students selecting a major in the School of Business must demonstrate 4 years of mathematics.
Students applying to the following programs will be required to submit standardized test scores, as a result of Siena agreements with outside programs:
Siena College/Albany Medical College Applicants
Author O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program Applicants
Student Athletes, as prescribed by NCAA initial eligibility guidelines
Siena/Albany Law 4 + 3 Program
Siena/Pace Law 4 + 3 Program
Siena/Western New England 4+3 Program
- Applicants whose native language is not English are expected to submit an English Proficiency exam score, either the TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum TOEFL score is a 65 and the minimum IELTS score is a 5.5. However, students who receive a score of 79 or higher on the TOEFL or a 6.5 or higher on the IELTS will not be required to take an English language assessment upon arrival to Siena College.
- Notification of the Admission Committee’s decision will be sent to each candidate by March 15. Upon notification of acceptance, a nonrefundable deposit of $500 will be required to reserve a place in the incoming class by May 1.
Early in the summer, after receipt of the final secondary transcript and certification of graduation, all students may expect to receive information about the reporting date and instructions for the College orientation program.
Early Admission
In general, Siena does not encourage students to enter college at the end of their junior year in high school; however, the College will consider applications from outstanding juniors.
High school seniors interested in taking college-level courses may enroll as non-degree students in courses on a space-available basis provided they possess the necessary academic qualifications. Interested seniors should call the Office of Student Academic Success and Engagement at 518-783-2341 to gain more information regarding this option.
Early Decision
Siena College offers applicants who have decided that Siena is their first choice an opportunity to receive an early decision. A candidate seeking this decision must submit an application by December 1, checking the Early Decision line on the application, or, if using the Common Application, on the supplemental form. The candidate will be notified of the Committee’s decision by January 1 and must send a non-refundable deposit of $500 by the date specified in the admission acceptance letter. Upon acceptance, the candidate will be expected to withdraw all other applications.
Early Action
Siena’s Early Action program does not restrict students from applying to other colleges. A student interested in Early Action must submit an application prior to December 1, checking the Early Action line on the application or, if using the Common Application, on the supplemental form. Candidates will be notified the first week of January.
Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)
Siena co-sponsors The Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program of New York State. As a member institution, Siena is committed to the education of students who are academically and economically disadvantaged as defined by the guidelines of the State Education Department. Applicants to this program must be New York State residents. Students who qualify for admission into the HEOP Program receive academic counseling and tutoring assistance, as well as financial support for their college expenses. Supportive services include a summer session prior to freshman year and continuous academic advising during the completion of the degree program. Candidates for the HEOP program must complete the Siena College Fast Forward application, or the Common Application and the supplemental form, by February 15. Candidates must also submit an SAT or ACT score, in accordance with the grant submitted to the New York State Education Department.
International Applicants
Siena encourages applications from international students to both the undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition to the materials required for general admission, international students may be asked to submit additional supporting documentation, including proof of English proficiency, as outlined on the Admissions webpage for international students. Admissions requirements for special partnership programs, such as visiting or dual-degree, are likewise described on the admissions webpage.
Transfer Students
Students applying for admission to Siena who matriculated at a two-year or other four-year institutions must submit an application for transfer admission by January 1 for the spring semester, April 1 for the summer semester, or by July 1 for the fall semester. Transfer candidates may use the Siena College application by visiting http://www.siena.edu/transfer or they may submit the Transfer Common Application. Applications for transfer admission are reviewed as soon as they are complete. Applications received after June 1 will be reviewed on a space-available basis. In addition to the application form, the following information must be received before an admission decision can be made:
- An official, final secondary school transcript or an official copy of a G.E.D., if applicant graduated from high school within the last 10 years.
- Official, final, and complete transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
- The Siena College Transfer Recommendation Form or the Common Application College Official’s Report to be completed by the appropriate college official from the last institution attended on a full-time basis. This form is only required if a student has been enrolled within the past five years. If the student has not attended college in the last five years, they may have an employer write a letter of recommendation.
Although SAT or ACT examinations are not required for transfers to Siena College, students are encouraged to submit the results of SAT or ACT tests if they are applying to the School of Science. Transfer credit will be given only for those courses in which at least a C grade has been earned and that are similar in content, level, and scope to courses offered at Siena. Siena will accept a total of 75 credits from four-year institutions. A maximum of 66 credits may be transferred from accredited two-year institutions. These credits would include Advanced Placement, College Proficiency Examination, International Baccalaureate Diploma, and Experiential Learning credits. A tentative evaluation of credit can be made by an Admissions staff member during the candidate’s interview or upon acceptance. Final approval of transfer credits is made by the Dean of the School the student is entering. Transfer students entering Siena will be contacted by the Assistant Dean of their School for an appointment to meet and schedule courses. The evaluation of transfer credit is based on the student’s academic major. Any future change of major will result in a re-evaluation of this transfer credit.
Generally, students transferring to Siena are expected to have a minimum 2.5 cumulative average at the institution where they are currently enrolled. Admissions standards will vary depending upon the space availability in specific programs.
Students who transfer into Siena with 24 or more credits earned while matriculated at another college or university do not take First Year Seminar sequence 100 and 101 but will fulfill this requirement by using any two other core courses (3 credits each from any two core disciplinary areas). Students who transfer in the spring semester with fewer than 24 credits will take First Year Seminar 101 in the Spring semester, but will not take First Year Seminar 100 the following fall. Instead, they will substitute any other core course.
Transfer students must earn a minimum of 45 semester hours and complete at least half of the major field at Siena to earn a degree at Siena.
Students in the School of Business must earn at least half of all Business credits counted toward the degree at Siena. The only exception to this rule is for students from schools with which we have a dual degree agreement, e.g. CEFAM.
Credits earned with a grade of C or better from another accredited institution will transfer when the course is similar in content and scope to courses offered at Siena. When a course is accepted in transfer, only the credits transfer; quality points (i.e., grades) do not transfer.
Once students matriculate at Siena, they are permitted to transfer in up to 18 additional credits, to a maximum of 75. Any exceptions must be pre-approved by the School Dean. This limit of transfer credits does not apply to credits earned from Study Abroad programs. The maximum total of transfer credits is 75.
Re-Entry Students
Students who interrupt their studies for financial or personal reasons need only contact their School Office to reactivate their records, register, and be assigned an advisor. Students dismissed for poor scholarship must seek permission from the VPAA to apply for readmission.
Non-matriculated Students
An individual may take a limited number of courses on a credit-no-degree basis as a part-time student. If the student later matriculates the appropriate credit earned will be applied toward graduation requirements.
No more than 15 credits may be taken on the credit-no-degree basis unless approval is secured from the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Auditing Students
A student may audit a course with the approval of the academic advisor. The deadline date for declaring audit status is indicated in the Academic Calendar. The auditing fee is the usual tuition for the course and laboratory charges. A grade of AU is recorded if attendance standards are met. If attendance standards are not met, the grade of W is assigned. No academic credit is granted. An audited course may be taken for academic credit in the future, but all course requirements must be met at that time. An audited course does not count toward the 12 credit hours which must be maintained per semester in order to remain eligible for most forms of financial aid.
Advanced Placement
Students who have successfully passed one or more Advanced Placement Tests administered by the College Entrance Examination Board may request advanced placement and/or credit. Advanced placement means that the student may be scheduled for a course at a more advanced level. Credit means that the student receives credit toward the 120 hours required for graduation. A score of 4 or 5 will usually be accepted for placement or credit. No grades are assigned to the courses for which the student receives advanced placement credit. A student with a distinguished high school record and superior scores on standardized entrance examinations also may be considered for advanced placement without credit.
International Baccalaureate
International Baccalaureate Higher Level examinations will be received for credits for scores of 5 or better. No credit is awarded for Standard Level examinations. Courses are recommended to the appropriate school dean for acceptance as transfer credit, on a course-by-course basis, to a maximum of 30 credits.
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