USF 2006-2007 Undergraduate Catalog - USF St. Petersburg - Pages 247-254
Admission to USF St. Petersburg requires evidence of academic ability, creative thinking skills, and strong motivation. The minimum admission requirements are designed to help identify applicants whose academic background indicates potential for success at USF St. Petersburg; however, satisfaction of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance. The admission of new students at all levels is made on a selective basis within curricular, space, and fiscal limitations. The selection process may include such factors as grades, test scores, pattern of courses completed, class rank, educational objectives, past conduct, school recommendations, personal recommendations, and portfolios. Preference for admission in any term will be given to those applicants whose credentials indicate the greatest promise of academic success.
The University encourages applications from qualified applicants of both sexes and from all cultural, racial, religious, ethnic, and age groups. In the admission process, there is no discrimination on the basis of these factors or on the basis of disability. Applicants who do not meet minimum admission requirements will be considered for admission when there is sufficient evidence to suggest ability to do satisfactory work at USF St. Petersburg. These policies are further described under “Applying for Admission” and “Requirements for Admission.”
The University supports equal educational opportunity for disadvantaged students. Requests for waiver of the $30.00 application fee are considered by the Director of Admissions & Records if payment of this fee creates severe financial hardship and serves as a deterrent to application.
Students are admitted to USF St. Petersburg in accordance with the mission and goals of the University and within enrollment limitations established by the Board of Education and the Florida Legislature.
Location/phone: BAY 102 – (727) 873-4142
140 Seventh Avenue S., St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Web address: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/admissions
The Office of Admissions & Records at USF St. Petersburg provides a wealth of student, academic, and administrative services. In cooperation with the Office of Admissions and the Registrar’s Office at the Tampa campus, this office is responsible for maintaining each student’s academic record from the time of admission to degree. Therefore, virtually every USF St. Petersburg student is a consumer of services provided by the Office of Admissions & Records.
The Office of Admissions & Records staff publish and distribute the Schedule of Classes, coordinate registration and drop/add activities, process and distribute grade information each semester, prepare transcripts and diplomas, as well as certify student enrollment status. Admissions & Records staff also review and act upon student requests for reclassification of residency and process changes of name and student I.D. number.
Students interested in petitioning the St. Petersburg Academic Regulations Committee (SPARC), requesting late registration, late drop or posting of grade forgiveness will find information and forms in the Office of Admissions & Records. A form is also available to request privacy.
The Office of Admissions & Records provides information and services to students via OASIS, the University’s Online Access Student Information System. Online technology services are also available over the telephone and on the Web. Using their self-declared personal identification number (PIN), students can register and drop/add, access registration appointment and hold information, and view their grades. Students can also browse the University Schedule of Classes. Information and services are continually being added for students.
Although technology is being used to provide service that is available 24 hours a day, Admissions & Records staff provide in-person information and services on campus as well as over the telephone. Records and Registration offices are also located on every USF campus.
The USF online application is hosted on the FACTS (Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students) website: http://www.facts.org. FACTS.org is a central web resource for students to plan and manage their higher education experience. FACTS.org includes Florida community colleges and private and public universities and is described as “Florida’s online gateway for college information.”
Online application instructions:
Apply online at http://www.facts.org .
As part of the State University System (SUS) of Florida, USF St. Petersburg uses the common SUS Application Form for undergraduates. Applicants who are attending Florida high schools or Florida community/junior colleges may obtain the SUS Application Form in school guidance offices. The USF International Student Application for Admission, as well as the SUS Application, may be requested from the Office of Admissions & Records, BAY 102, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. All of the application forms are also available on all USF campuses. (When requesting an application, please indicate applicant category - freshman, undergraduate transfer, or international student.) Applications can be requested by phone, toll-free at 877-USF-BULL or by e-mail at bullseye@admin.usf.edu. Application forms may also be downloaded from http://www.stpt.usf.edu/admissions/application.html.
Applications for admission are accepted as early as 12 months before the requested entry term. Applications for admission and the $30.00 non-refundable application fee should be submitted by the priority date (see academic calendar) for the requested entry term or by the application deadline for the requested degree program (see specific program in this catalog), whichever is earlier. The priority date is normally about ten weeks prior to the first day of classes in each term. Applications for admission and application fees from international students (non-resident aliens) must be received at least five months prior to the requested entry term. Applications submitted after the priority date will be accepted, but processing for the requested term of entry cannot be guaranteed.
An application for admission must be submitted by all students who have not been admitted to and enrolled in a USF degree program within the last three terms. Former or continuing USF degree-seeking students must file another application for admission when applying for a second degree program, another level of study or readmission (see Readmission). Anyone who has previously been admitted and enrolled as a degree-seeking student and has paid an application fee will not be required to pay another fee.
The Director of Admissions & Records may waive payment of the application fee for disadvantaged applicants if the fee serves as a deterrent to application.
Applicants may update their application for admission for up to one year from the originally requested semester of admission. All requests for changes of entry term must specify any academic work attempted that was not reflected on the original application and must be received by the appropriate published application deadline for the new term of entry or degree program specified, whichever is earlier. Additionally, any issues related to criminal or academic misconduct that were not reflected on the initial application must be reported in writing to the Office of Admissions & Records. A new application and fee must be submitted when applicants wish to be considered for admission for a term that begins more than 12 months after the originally requested entry term.
An applicant who requests a new entry term must meet the admissions requirements in effect for the new term requested. Entry for some programs is limited to specified terms.
All official transcripts, test scores, and any other required credentials must be received directly from the issuing agencies. It is the applicant’s responsibility to initiate the request for credentials to the issuing agencies and to assure their receipt by the USF St. Petersburg Office of Admissions & Records. (See “Minimum Requirements for Admission” below for information concerning required documentation.)
All credentials and documents submitted become the property of USF St. Petersburg. The originals or copies of the originals will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to another institution, agency, or person.
An applicant admitted on a provisional basis must submit the requested missing credentials, such as official final transcripts or test scores that substantiate eligibility for admission before a second registration will be permitted.
Applicants who do not meet standard Board of Education minimum admission requirements may be admitted to the University on academic probation. Students admitted on probationary status must accumulate 30 semester credits and maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average (GPA) each term enrolled with no single term GPA below a 1.0 before the probationary status is removed. (A term GPA below 2.0 in the first term of enrollment results in permanent academic dismissal.) Advising is mandatory prior to registration. Failure to meet these conditions results in permanent academic dismissal from the University.
Performance in courses taken as a non-degree-seeking student will not qualify an applicant for admission as a degree-seeking student. Similarly, courses taken as a non-degree-seeking student will not be utilized in determining an applicant’s grade point average for purposes of admission.
A non-degree-seeking (special) student who has been dismissed from USF is not eligible for admission to USF as a degree-seeking student at the undergraduate level. If extenuating circumstances contributed to the academic dismissal and the student meets other admissions requirements, a request for waiver of this rule may be submitted to the USF Faculty Committee on Student Admissions. This rule does not apply to a student who has earned a degree from a regionally accredited institution subsequent to academic dismissal.
Freshman and undergraduate transfer applicants denied admission to USF as degree-seeking students will not be permitted to enroll as non-degree-seeking (special) students.
Receipt of final official credentials which fail to substantiate eligibility will result in rescission of admission, reclassification to non-degree status, and denial of continued enrollment in subsequent terms.
An undergraduate applicant who is denied admission may be eligible to appeal and will be advised of applicable appeal procedures by the Office of Admissions & Records.
An application for admission or a residency affidavit submitted by or on behalf of a student that contains false, fraudulent, or incomplete statements may result in denial of admission, further registration and/or degrees awarded.
The University may refuse admission to a student whose record shows previous misconduct not in the best interest of citizens of the University community.
All students entering the University with fewer than 60 semester hours of college level academic work are required to earn at least 9 semester hours during one or more Summer terms prior to graduation (see Summer enrollment requirements).
All undergraduate transfer students admitted to USF St. Petersburg must earn passing scores on all four sections of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) prior to receiving an A.A. certificate or baccalaureate degree from the University. Transfer students entering USF St. Petersburg with fewer than 45 transferable semester hours must take CLAST during the term in which 45 semester hours will be completed. Transfer students entering USF St. Petersburg with 45 or more transferable semester hours must take CLAST the first term it is offered after initial enrollment.
Prior to beginning classes, all new undergraduate students and some former students returning are required to participate in an Orientation/Academic Advising/ Registration program at USF St. Petersburg. This program is designed to help new students become acquainted with the University, choose courses, register for classes, and complete all other necessary procedures. New students receive Orientation/Academic Advising/ Registration information after admission.
Prior to registering for classes that meet on campus, all students born after 1956 are required to present documentation of proof of immunity to MEASLES (Rubeola) and RUBELLA (German Measles). (See Immunization Policy.)
Undergraduates seeking entrance to quota/limited access degree programs must meet special program requirements in addition to requirements for admission to the University. While many quota/limited access programs admit students only at the junior level, some programs admit students for the freshman or sophomore years. The admission criteria and procedures for quota/limited access programs at USF St. Petersburg furnish equal access to A.A. degree holders from Florida public community/junior colleges, transfers from other SUS institutions, and USF St. Petersburg students of equivalent status. Transfer applicants with 90 or more transferable semester hours who are seeking admission to quota/limited access programs must meet the grade point average requirement specified by the program to be eligible for admission to USF St. Petersburg.
USF has established the following undergraduate programs as quota/limited access: Mass Communications; all degree programs in the College of Business; all degree programs in the College of Education; and the program in Graphic Design. The admissions requirements for these degree programs may be found with other program information in appropriate sections of the university-wide catalog.
To be considered for admission, freshman applicants must submit an SUS or USF Application for Admission, a non-refundable application fee of $30.00, an official high school transcript, official GED scores if applicable, SAT or ACT scores, and a TOEFL score if applicable.
Although USF St. Petersburg has minimum freshman admission requirements, meeting these minimum standards does not guarantee admission. Applicants selected for admission usually exceed the eligibility requirements; however, USF St. Petersburg also considers applicants who do not fully meet minimum requirements but who have important attributes, special talents, or unique circumstances that may contribute to a representative and diverse student body. These freshman applicants are considered for admission by a faculty committee on the basis of other appropriate evidence of ability to do successful academic work at USF St. Petersburg.
For purposes of admission, USF St. Petersburg recalculates a high school grade point average (GPA) based on grades earned in all college preparatory academic courses. In recalculating a GPA, USF St. Petersburg assigns additional weights to grades earned in honors, advanced placement courses, and international baccalaureate courses.
The University normally requires a diploma from a Florida public or a regionally accredited high school or the state-approved General Education Development (GED) diploma. Students admitted under the Early Admission Programs are exempted from this requirement. Students who are participating in an approved home schooling program are expected to provide acceptable copies of annual evaluations for the equivalent of grades 9 through 12. A portfolio or additional documentation may be requested if deemed necessary to complete an appropriate evaluation for admission. Other minimum requirements are outlined below.
SATI - 440 verbal, 490 mathematics
or
ACT - English 17, Reading 18, Mathematics 21.
Freshmen admitted to the University of South Florida are required to submit a $200 nonrefundable admission deposit according to the schedule below:
| Term Admitted | Deposit Due Date |
| Fall | May 1 |
| Spring | December 1 |
| Summer B | May 1 |
The admission deposit will be credited to the student's account and applied toward their first semester tuition. The admission deposit will be credited to the student's account and applied toward their first semester tuition. Requests for waivers of the admissions deposit will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Director.
Admitted freshmen are encouraged to pay the deposit online via OASIS (USF's Online Access Student Information System). Online payment is the University's preferred payment method. Checks and money orders submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions are also acceptable forms of payment.
USF provides an early admission program to meet the needs of highly capable, mature high school students. Under the early admission program, these students may enter the university as regularly enrolled, degree-seeking students prior to graduation from high school. Participation in the early admission program shall be limited to students who have completed a minimum of six semesters of full-time secondary enrollment, including studies undertaken in the ninth grade. In addition, early admission applicants should be enrolled in a strong college-preparatory curriculum while in high school. Applications for early admission will be reviewed by the Director of Admissions & Records in consultation with the Director of the Honors Programs. Students enrolled in an early admission program must take courses that are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate or baccalaureate degree.
Students wishing to be accepted as early admissions students at USF must:
Home schooled students must submit an official copy of their Letter of Intent with the student’s home school district. Private school students must submit proof that their school is a regionally accredited school.
Applicants with fewer than 60 transferable semester credits are considered lower-level transfers; upper-level transfers are those with 60 or more transferable semester credits (see below). Regardless of category, grade point averages (GPA) for purpose of admission will be computed based only on grades earned in courses that are acceptable for transfer credit and as calculated by USF St. Petersburg.
USF St. Petersburg accepts transfer credits only from institutions that are accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies/commissions recognized by USF St. Petersburg at the time the credits are earned. (See Evaluation of Transfer Credit). All credits earned during the period of time a regionally accredited institution was in a “candidacy” status for accreditation are considered for transfer credit. Credits earned at an institution that is currently in “candidacy” status will not be considered for transfer credit until such time as the awarding institution receives full regional accreditation. For an applicant applying from a non-regionally accredited school, the admissions decision will be based on prior work at a regionally accredited institution. If all post-secondary work is from a non-regionally accredited school, the evaluation will be based on the high school record and test scores, and the applicant will be regarded as a freshman for purposes of admission.
USF St. Petersburg reserves the right to evaluate specific courses and deny transfer credit. USF St. Petersburg does not award transfer credit that is determined to be occupational or vocational in nature.
To be considered for admission, transfer applicants with fewer than 60 transferable semester credits must submit an SUS or USF Application for Admission, a non-refundable application fee of $30.00, an official transcript from each previous college attended, an official high school transcript, official GED scores if applicable, official SAT or ACT scores, and a TOEFL score if applicable.
Lower-level transfer applicants must minimally meet the following requirements to be considered for admission in good standing; however, satisfying these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission:
USF St. Petersburg also considers applicants who do not fully meet the minimum requirements as stated in #1 and #2 above but who have important attributes, special talents, or unique circumstances that may contribute to a representative and diverse student body. These undergraduate transfer applicants are considered for admission by a faculty committee on the basis of other appropriate evidence of promise for academic success. These applicants should also submit appropriate alternative evidence of academic achievement, ability, motivation, and responsibility that supports potential for academic success at USF St. Petersburg.
To be considered for admission, transfer applicants with 60 or more transferable semester credits must submit an SUS Application for Admission, a non-refundable application fee of $30.00, an official transcript from each previous college attended, and a TOEFL score if applicable.
Any transfer student with 90 or more semester hours who indicates a desire for admission to a limited access undergraduate program must meet the overall admission GPA criteria of that program in order to be admitted to the University.
Applicants with Associate of Arts (A.A.) degrees from Florida public institutions will be admitted as juniors into the University within curricular, space, and fiscal limitations. A.A. degree holders seeking admission to quota/limited access degree programs must also meet all requirements specified by the desired program. The admission of Florida community/junior college A.A. transfer students is governed by the articulation agreement between state universities and public community colleges in Florida.
Undergraduate transfer students who have not earned the A.A. degree from a Florida public institution or who have attended another college after receipt of the A.A. must minimally meet the following requirements to be considered for admission; however, satisfying these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission:
USF St. Petersburg also considers applicants who do not fully meet the minimum requirements as stated in #1 and #2 above but who have important attributes, special talents, or unique circumstances that may contribute to a representative and diverse student body. These undergraduate transfer applicants are considered for admission by a faculty committee on the basis of other appropriate evidence of promise for academic success. These applicants should also submit appropriate alternative evidence of academic achievement, ability, motivation, and responsibility that indicates a potential for academic success at USF St. Petersburg.
High school graduates planning to start their college education at a Florida community college should confer with the community college counselor and ask that their academic program be planned with the assistance of the USF St. Petersburg Undergraduate Catalog. This catalog explicitly describes the undergraduate program requirements and Florida’s common prerequisites that should be followed to ensure maximum ease of transfer into the students’ upper-level programs on a par with their native USF St. Petersburg counterparts.
An articulation agreement, in effect since April 13, 1971, and later adopted by the Florida Legislature in statute form as Florida law, governs an effective and orderly transfer of Florida community college students into the State University System (SUS).
The agreement defines and establishes the Associate of Arts degree from a Florida public community/junior college as the basis for all articulation rights. Among these guarantees, the following are central to the transfer process:
Included in these transfer guarantees is the right of appeal. Students may appeal to the university and to the Statewide Articulation Coordinating Committee. Students who have questions or want more information about the articulation agreement should contact the Academic Advising Office.
*Accrediting Agencies/Commissions:
To be considered for admission, international applicants (non-resident aliens) must submit a USF St. Petersburg International Student Application for Admission, a non-refundable application fee of $30.00 payable in U.S. dollars, a TOEFL score if applicable, a Statement of Financial Responsibility, undergraduate or graduate admissions test scores as specified for appropriate applicant category, transcripts showing subjects and grades from the first year of secondary work to the time of application, and a Visa Clearance Form (if currently in the U.S.). Transcripts in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
International credentials must be evaluated by an independent evaluation service, with associated costs to be paid by the student. Information about recommended and approved independent evaluators is available from the Office of Admissions & Records.
An international applicant (non-resident alien) must meet all admission requirements for the appropriate applicant category (freshman, undergraduate transfer, graduate).
Other minimum requirements are as follows:
An undergraduate transient student is one who comes to the University from another regionally accredited institution and wishes to take courses at USF St. Petersburg for one term only before returning to the parent institution. Transient students may enroll at USF St. Petersburg as non-degree-seeking students. (See Non-Degree-Seeking Students.)
Non-degree-seeking student enrollment is on a space-available basis and has been established for those individuals who, while not desirous of earning a degree, would like to enroll in all levels of university courses. Teachers needing to take courses for certification purposes, high school students (with the permission of their respective guidance counselor), individuals desirous of taking courses for self enrichment, and senior citizens are examples of those eligible to utilize this enrollment method. Former USF undergraduate degree-seeking students may only enroll as non-degree-seeking students if they have completed their previous degree program or earned an equivalent degree at another institution. Should the latter be the case, an official transcript (reflecting the degree) from that institution must be sent to the Office of Admissions & Records (Attention: Student Records Area) prior to registration.
Individuals enrolling as non-degree-seeking students who plan to make formal application to the University may not apply more than 14 semester hours toward an undergraduate degree.
Applicants denied admission to USF as degree-seeking undergraduates may not enroll as non-degree-seeking students. Performance in courses taken in this category will not qualify an applicant for admission as a degree-seeking student.
A non-degree-seeking student who has been dismissed from USF is not eligible for admission to USF St. Petersburg as a degree-seeking student at the undergraduate level. If extenuating circumstances contributed to the academic dismissal and the student meets other admissions requirements, a request for waiver of this rule may be submitted to the Faculty Committee on Student Admissions. This rule does not apply to a student who has earned a degree from a regionally accredited institution subsequent to academic dismissal.
Non-degree-seeking students are subject to the same academic policies as undergraduate degree-seeking students and must adhere to deadline dates published in the University Schedule of Classes. Non-degree-seeking students are not eligible to receive University honors or participate in the USF St. Petersburg/Florida Public Community College cross-registration program.
Non-degree-seeking students also are not eligible to receive financial aid. Non-degree-seeking students are subject to the academic probation and dismissal policy listed in this catalog. Non-degree seeking students who are academically dismissed from the University may appeal to the Academic Regulations Committee (ARC) through the ARC representative for the appropriate academic unit in which the student is pursuing courses. Potential non-degree-seeking students should also refer to the section of the catalog of the college(s) offering the course(s) of interest to them to determine whether any special college requirements exist that must be met prior to enrolling.
NOTE: Prior to registration for classes that meet on campus, all students less than 40 years of age must submit acceptable proof of immunity to rubella to the Student Health Service. Students born after December 31, 1956, must also submit proof of immunity to measles. (See Immunization Policy.)
A former student returning (FSR) is any degree-seeking undergraduate student who has not earned his/her degree, who has not been enrolled at USF in any of the last three terms, and who wishes to re-enroll in the University. Former students returning must be readmitted to the University. In order to be considered for readmission, a former student should file a new Application for Admission with the Office of Admissions & Records by the deadline indicated in the Academic Calendar for the term of requested re-entry. A new application fee is not required. (Former College of Education majors must contact the College of Education Advising Office for additional readmission requirements.)
To be readmitted, a student must meet the following requirements:
Students who have attended one or more institutions since their last enrollment must request official transcripts of all work attempted at the other institution(s) be sent to the USF St. Petersburg Office of Admissions & Records. Acceptability of transfer credits toward completion of USF St. Petersburg degree programs will be determined by the college of the student’s major.
Prior to registering for classes, former students returning who have been readmitted are required to participate in an orientation program. Former students returning will receive orientation information after readmission.
Transient students and non-degree-seeking students are not considered former students returning. These students who wish to enter as degree-seeking students must file an application with the Office of Admissions & Records prior to the deadline listed in the Academic Calendar for the requested term of entry. Former USF students who have earned the baccalaureate degree at USF St. Petersburg or at another institution and who now wish to return to USF St. Petersburg to earn another undergraduate degree must file an Undergraduate Application for Admission with the Office of Admissions & Records. No application fee is required. A student may not work on a second undergraduate degree if he/she has been accepted into a graduate program.
NOTE: Prior to registration for classes that meet on campus, all students less than 40 years of age must submit acceptable proof of immunity to rubella to the Student Health Service. Students born after December 31, 1956, must also submit proof of immunity to measles. (See Immunization Policy.)
The admission requirements and achievement levels in the day and evening courses are the same. Any student accepted to the University may enroll in any appropriate courses offered in the evening.
Florida residents who are 60 years of age or older as of registration day, and must have lived in Florida for the last 12 month, may enroll on a space available basis in certain undergraduate and graduate courses without paying fees. Academic credit is not awarded, examinations are not required, and grades are not given.
Please send questions or comments to:
Karen M. Hall - webcat@ugs.usf.edu
Effective Date: Semester I, 2006
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0607/stpadm.htm