Keene State College accepts applications from prospective freshmen and transfer students for both the Fall and Spring semesters.

Students should present average or better academic and personal credentials. A rolling admissions policy affords applicants prompt decisions on their applications.

First-year traditional students are encouraged to submit their first marking period grades with their application in the fall of their senior year in high school. Deadlines for complete first-year applicants are April 1 for the Fall semester and December 1 for the Spring semester. Transfer applicants are urged to apply and complete their credentials by April 1 for Fall admission and by December 1 for Spring admission. The College reserves the right to close admissions, irrespective of these deadlines, once class capacity has been reached.

All students who want to be considered for financial aid are encouraged to file the appropriate materials by March 1, regardless of the status of their application in admissions. Contact the Office of Student Financial Services for more information.

Applicants are required to pay a nonrefundable enrollment services fee by May 1 for the Fall semester and by December 15 for the Spring semester, to confirm their intention to accept admission. After these dates, fees are accepted on a space-available basis.

Matriculated Student
A matriculated student is one who has applied formally to the Admissions Office and has been accepted for admittance to the College. This acceptance implies admission as a degree-seeking candidate; however, it does not guarantee acceptance into a specific major. All other students attending Keene State College shall be considered nonmatriculated.

Admission Requirements
The following requirements apply to all undergraduate programs except the associate in science technology programs. Although personal interviews are not required, all applicants are encouraged to visit the campus. Tours and interviews are available by appointments arranged through the Admissions Office. Prospective first-year students should provide:

1. An application accompanied by the application fee.

2. An official high-school transcript, including first marking period grades, or a satisfactory high school equivalency certificate. Although no prescribed pattern of high-school courses is required, applicants should have completed college preparatory course work insuring competency in English grammar and composition skills, college-level reading speed and comprehension, and a distribution of courses in:
   • English
   • the social sciences – political science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, geography, and history
   • the sciences – three are required, one of which must be a lab science, e.g., biology, chemistry, or physics
   • mathematics – algebra I, algebra II, and geometry

   The above courses are considered basic preparation for admission to Keene State College.

3. Scores from the College Entrance Examination Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Applicants are responsible for making arrangements to take this test and for having the results forwarded to Keene State College. ACT scores are also accepted.

   Information as to time, place, and fees may be obtained from any guidance counselor, or by writing the College Entrance Examination Board, P.O. Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08541, or P.O. Box 1035, Berkeley, CA 94701. Applicants who have been out of high school for more than one year are not required to submit SAT results, but may be requested to do so in special circumstances.

4. Recommendation from the high school guidance counselor, teacher, or school administrator. Applicants who have been out of high school for more than one year need to submit a letter of recommendation.

Art Candidates.
All applicants interested in the Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art and/or Graphic Design must submit a portfolio with the admissions application. This portfolio should be in the form of slides, CD-ROM, or Zip disk. Please send between 10 and 20 examples of your work. Portfolios will be reviewed only after the student is admitted to Keene State College. Tours of the Art Department are available upon request; call 603-358-2162. Admission to the College does not guarantee admission into the Art program.

Music Candidates.
All applicants interested in the Bachelor of Music degree in either Performance or Music Education must participate in an audition. Applicants interested in minoring in Music must also audition. For more information or to schedule an audition, please contact the Music Department at 603-358-2177. Admission into the Music program does not guarantee admission to the College; conversely, nonadmission to the Music program does not mean that one is not admissible to the College.

Home-Schooled Students.
Home-schooled students seeking admission to Keene State must submit a completed application, an admission essay, SAT or ACT scores, one or more letters of recommendation, an outline of academic studies (may include reading lists, course syllabi, writing samples, and a work portfolio), and a GED or Home School Diploma, if available.

Advanced Placement
A student may be granted advanced placement and/or credit by Keene State College by achieving a score of 3, 4, or 5 on an Advanced Placement Test administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

A student who has completed one or more Advanced Placement courses should request the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send an official Advanced Placement Examination Grade Report to Keene State College, typically as part of the application for admission process. The amount of credit granted for the examination is similar to the amount of credit associated with the Keene State College course that the examination replaces. A student may be required to complete the course substitution process to apply credit granted through Advanced Placement toward a specific requirement in a major.

Readmission Requirements
Matriculated students who have voluntarily withdrawn from the College, or have been separated from the College due to academic or disciplinary suspension, must apply for readmission. Students on an official leave of absence do not need to request readmission.

Students seeking readmission will be subject to the catalog requirements and academic standards for the academic year they are readmitted to the College. The Admissions Office will provide advisement for students on the correct procedures for Readmission.

Criteria for Readmission.
Admissions will consider academic, financial, and personal criteria prior to granting or denying readmission. Students who left the College in good personal and academic standing, and have not jeopardized their status during their absence, should not experience difficulty in being readmitted.

For students attempting to return after academic suspension, the following minimum criteria form the basis for a decision on readmission, but do not imply that readmission is automatic:

1. Have completed at least two courses (six credits) with a minimum grade of C in each course, and a minimum cumulative average of 2.00 in liberal arts courses since separation.
2. Have no outstanding financial obligation to the College at the time of application for readmission.
3. Be able to provide evidence of personal responsibility as a student at Keene State College and the community at large.
4. If under a 2.00, the student must provide an academic plan for success as part of the readmission process.

Two academic options - the New Start Program and the Continuation Program - are available to students who seek readmission.

New Start Program
After a break of at least one full academic semester, a student who is not in good academic standing (see Academic Standing) may seek readmission to the College under the New Start Program. Students readmitted under the New Start Program essentially discard their previous cumulative averages. All courses and grades will be retained on the permanent transcript, but records will carry forward only credits, not grades, from previous course work that received a "C" or better.

No minimum grade point average is required for readmission under the New Start Program. Grades earned at Keene State College prior to matriculation are not included in the computation of the student's cumulative grade point average. Once readmitted, a student must achieve the minimum grade point average appropriate to his/her current standing, as determined by the total number of credits earned.

A student may elect the New Start Program only one time, and must do so at the time of application for readmission.

A nonmatriculated, continuing education student who has completed course work at Keene State College may elect to be admitted under the New Start Program.

Continuation Program
Students readmitted under the Continuation Program begin where they left off in terms of cumulative averages earned during previous academic work at Keene State.

In an effort to raise their cumulative averages, students may elect to use the "forgiveness policy," which allows them to repeat courses once in which grades of CD or less were received. Only the last grade received will be used in calculating the cumulative average. If a student repeats courses at another college or university, that institution must be regionally accredited, and the student must earn a grade of C or higher in the course(s) to be transferred. Keene State College will accept only the credit earned, not the grade. The original grade earned at Keene State will remain on the permanent transcript, but will not be included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. The student is responsible for reviewing, in advance, the content of any course to be repeated at another institution to determine whether the course is acceptable as equal under the forgiveness policy. The appropriate discipline coordinator should be consulted to assist in the determination of course equivalency.

Transfer Students
Transfer students submit the same credentials as entering freshmen. In addition, they must provide official transcripts of all previous college study and a letter of reference from a college administrator. International transfers should refer to the section on International Students below.

The College encourages the competent student who has valid reasons for wishing to transfer, but cannot encourage the applicant with a history of academic or disciplinary difficulty. Grades earned at other institutions are not included in the computation of the student's grade point average at Keene State. It should also be noted that admission into the College does not guarantee acceptance into a given major or specialization.

Transfer of Credit
To receive an undergraduate degree from Keene State, students must attain matriculated status before starting their final thirty credit hours of work toward a degree. The Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for determining the acceptability of all transfer credits.

Shortly after admission to the College, transfer students will receive an official transfer credit evaluation from the Elliot Center. Students should bring this evaluation to any orientation program or when meeting with an academic advisor. Credits accepted in transfer may be allocated to General Education requirements or electives. The faculty of each discipline will determine through course substitution which of the transferred courses will fulfill major or minor requirements. Please refer to the degree requirement section of the Catalog for major-specific information. Developmental or remedial coursework is not transferable.

Students should direct requests for the transfer of credits through the Elliot Center in the following categories:

1. Credits received at a regionally accredited institution of higher education, if completed with a grade of C or higher.
2. Credits received at institutions accredited by an association listed in the Directory of the Council of Post-secondary Accreditation, if completed with a grade of C or higher and if documented by the catalog and course descriptions.
3. Credits recommended at the upper and lower division by the American Council on Education for an educational experience in the armed services. Up to 15 credit hours earned through approved DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs) or certain other correspondence study courses may be accepted. Guidelines for the evaluation of military credit are available from the Elliot Center.
4. Credits earned at the above institutions in courses graded by Pass/Fail or Credit/Non-Credit, if evidence is presented showing that the courses were completed with the appropriate level of academic achievement.
5. Students who wish to transfer credits into a teacher certification option must apply through the chair of the Department of Education. Ordinarily, no more than four credits from another institution may be applied to satisfy program requirements due to the uniqueness of Education courses.

Credits earned at institutions that are nonaccredited or are candidates for accreditation generally will not be accepted in transfer. However, students may petition to have these credits accepted. If possible, the student must provide a copy of the textbook(s), the course syllabus, and any other material as requested.

International Students
Keene State College welcomes well-qualified students from outside the United States. Students from more than 20 countries are currently enrolled, helping enrich the educational opportunities of all.

Most international students enter Keene State with some academic credit from their home institutions. Transfer credit - including final years of secondary schooling - may be granted after a determination of the type of institution involved and its recognition by the educational authorities in the home country, and an evaluation of the content, level, and comparability of the study to courses and programs at Keene State.

A complete application for an international student requires the following:

1. A completed Admissions Application form.
2. Official copies of secondary and post-secondary academic records with official English translations, when necessary, including:
   • Transcripts/mark sheets/grade reports of all course works completed with grades or marks for each course indicated.
   • A course-by-course evaluation of international educational credentials completed by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. A list is available from the Office of National and International Exchange, 603-358-2348.
3. International students living in the United States for two or more years attending high school must take the SAT.
4. Proof of English proficiency or agreement to enter our full-time fall semester intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) Program. Proof of English proficiency can be established by on-campus interviews, transcripts from English-language schools, or successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with total scores of 550 or above on a paper-based test for undergraduates. TOEFL information is available at American embassies and consulates, offices of the U.S. International Communications Agency, U.S. education commissions, foundations, and bina-tional centers, or by writing to TOEFL, Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08541. Keene State College provides conditional admission for students needing ESL prior to entering a degree program.
5. Documentation of financial support. Applicants must complete the Certification of Financial Support in the application as well as submit documentation that funds are available. A demonstrated level of support, not only for tuition and room and board, but also for living expenses (pocket money, books, etc.) is necessary. The Declaration of Finances form is available from the Admissions Office, the Office of National and International Exchange, or the College Entrance Examination Board, P.O.Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08541.

Continuing Education and Extended Studies
The Division of Continuing Education and Extended Studies provides educational opportunities for students returning to college, seeking professional development, preparing to enter a degree program, or taking courses for personal enhancement. Opportunities are available on a part-time basis through credit and noncredit courses, certificate programs, seminars, institutes, conferences, and workshops. Courses can be taken during the day or evening, and many are offered on weekends. The Division also works closely with business and industry to provide customized education and training on a contractual basis.

Students who enroll in courses offered for credit by this Division can select courses that will maximize their efforts toward an educational goal, whether they are working toward an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree, or pursuing specific career goals. An individual may enroll as a part-time, nonmatriculated student and later apply for admission to a degree program. Students who enroll in part-time credit courses are responsible for satisfying all course prerequisites, even though they are not matriculated in a degree program. Academic policy states that Continuing Education students will follow the academic schedule and policies required of all Keene State students. Credits earned may be transferred later either to a Keene State College degree program or to other institutions.

Three Summer School terms are offered by the Division with a comprehensive schedule of undergraduate, graduate, and noncredit courses. These courses fulfill many major and general education requirements and provide a variety of special topic courses for professional development and elective purposes.

Specific information concerning Continuing Education offerings and registration procedures is found in the Continuing Education schedule of courses, Discovery, published each fall, spring, and summer.

Summer Link
Link, “the college connection,” is a comprehensive college experience for both recent high school graduates and nontraditional students who may have been out of school for a number of years. The goal is to develop self-sufficient students ready for the opportunities, responsibilities, and academic expectations of college. The program strengthens academic competencies and study skills and increases self-confidence. The program runs for six weeks and students earn nine college credits.

Upward Bound
Upward Bound is a college preparatory program designed to generate among able young people from low-income backgrounds the skills and motivation necessary for success in education beyond high school. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Keene State College program serves 65 students from eight high schools within a 50-mile radius of the campus. The heart of the program is a unique six-week summer residential program. Staff, consisting of teachers and tutor-counselors, are drawn from participating high schools, Keene State College, other colleges and universities, and the community. Upon completion of the summer program, students return to their respective high schools and are then active in the academic year follow-up program. Their participation in Upward Bound may continue throughout their high school years.

In the summer, courses are available in modern languages, reading, literature, expository writing, algebra through calculus, computer science, social issues, performing arts, biology, and SAT preparation. Electives are offered in a variety of interest areas, including the arts, social sciences, and physical activities.

Upward Bound also provides unique opportunities for Keene State College students, who may apply to be on the staff. The program employs students interested in education and psychology. Some Keene State students have earned independent study credits in psychology as a result of their staff involvement.

New England Regional Student Program
Keene State College participates in a regional cooperative program, administered by the New England Board of Higher Edu-cation, which permits qualified, matriculated New England residents to study with reduced tuition and admission privileges in certain programs at other state colleges and universities. This program expands higher education opportunities for New Eng-landers by making available to all residents on an equal basis majors/courses not commonly offered at every institution, thus reducing duplication of programs and utilizing more efficiently the higher education facilities of each state. The programs that qualify for the 2008-09 academic year for Rhode Island and Vermont residents are the associate's degree program in tech-nology studies (drafting and design) and the bachelor's degree program in American Studies and Technology Studies (product design and development). Also available to residents of Vermont is the bachelor's degree program in Chemistry/Physics. The bachelor's degree program in Architecture is available to Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont residents. Information about this program may be obtained from the Admissions Office, the Elliot Center, high school guidance counselors, or the New England Board of Higher Education, 45 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111; 617-357-9620.

New Hampshire College and University Council
Keene State College is a member of the New Hampshire College and University Council, a consortium of thirteen institutions of higher education formed to combine resources to make more educational opportunities available for students at a lower cost. Students from member institutions may register for courses at member colleges participating in the student exchange and receive transfer credits. Arrangements for registration for such courses is made through the Elliot Center. Some advantages of the Council include the ability to draw on the million-volume library resources of the thirteen member institutions, and access to the computer network and to workshops, seminars, and cultural festivals in a variety of fields.

In addition to Keene State College, Council members participating in the student exchange program include Antioch Uni-versisty, Chester College, Colby-Sawyer College, Daniel Webster College, Dartmouth College, Franklin Pierce University, Granite State College, MA College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, New England College, New Hamp-shire Institute of Art, Community College System of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Rivier College, Southern New Hampshire University, St. Anselm College, and the University of New Hampshire (including its branch at Manchester).

The Council's policies on student exchange and enrollment among member institutions are as follows:

Full Semester Enrollment.
Students who wish to do extensive work at another institution within the Council shall be permitted to do so. Admission may be for a full semester or more, with concurrence of the cooperating institution. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 to participate.

The student shall remain registered at the home (sending) institution and continue to pay to it the normal home college charges for tuition and fees. Determination of room and board charges will be by individual arrangement between the student and the receiving institution; the receiving institution will bill these charges directly to the student involved.

The sending institution cannot guarantee room and board at the receiving institution.

Course Enrollment.
Ad hoc enrollment by students at other Council institutions for one or more courses during the academic year shall be permitted. Normally such courses, in addition to on-campus courses, should not exceed a full course load, as defined by the policies of the student's home (sending) institution.

No financial charges shall be made, other than laboratory fees or fees for special instruction, which shall be billed to the student by the receiving institution.

Home College Approval.
In order to receive academic credit for courses taken in another Council institution, all inquiries regarding the above study opportunities must be directed to the Elliot Center.

Updated: May 5, 2008