Admission Requirements

For admission to Geneva, you should have completed at least sixteen units of academic study in grades nine through twelve and graduated from high school or received an equivalency diploma. If you have not met these standards, you may be admitted under special circumstances; however, you will need to remedy any deficiencies within the first two years at Geneva. Here are the required units for admission:

• English - 4 units
• Foreign Language (one language) - 2 units (more information below)
• Social Studies - 3 units
• Science - 1 unit
• College Preparatory Mathematics - 2 units (see specific math requirements below)
• Electives - 4 units

In addition to 2 units of college preparatory mathematics in the high school curriculum, math proficiency is determined by SAT or ACT score.  Proficiency is demonstrated by a math SAT score of 510 or above (on the new SAT taken after March 2016), or an ACT score of 19.

Students entering Geneva without math proficiency must successfully complete one of the following:

• Repeat the SAT, ACT, or CLT to earn the minimum math score for proficiency.
• Take MAT 095 Algebra at Geneva, and earn a grade of C- or higher.
• Transfer a math course from another college or university (must be approved by college registrar).
• Pass the Math Proficiency Challenge Exam.

The Math Proficiency Challenge Exam is offered during Summer Preview and Orientation at published dates and times. See Visit Day Schedule for details.

If you are entering Geneva with fewer than two years of one foreign language, you must complete the second semester at the elementary level of a language at Geneva. Credit toward graduation will be awarded for two semesters of elementary language, if taken. Any other entrance deficiencies are automatically removed when you complete the core requirements.

Students planning to be certified in elementary or secondary education it is important for you to know that you will be continually evaluated by the Education Department to determine your candidacy for teacher certification.  This is a common practice among colleges and universities that offer teacher certification.  Your candidacy must be established in order to participate in the "student teaching field experience" during your senior year.  This is required for teacher certification.

The guidelines for meeting candidacy status are outlined in the Education Department handbook and include:

• By your 48th credit hour at Geneva (usually at the end of your 3rd or 4th semester here) you must have an overall GPA of 3.00 in order to be accepted as a professional education candidate and to register for 300 level education courses.
• At the time you apply for Professional Education candidacy and before you can take any 300-level education course, you must have taken and passed the PRAXIS I Preprofessional Skills Test in math, reading and writing (PPST).  Registration info is available  in the Education Office and online at www.ets.org/praxis.  A computer-based exam is also available (see website or Education Dept. for information).
• You will need 2 college-level math courses before or close to your 48th hour at Geneva.  The courses recommended are Math 101 and Math 105.  If you have an SAT II Math score of 560 or above, or AP math credits on your transcript, you need only Math 105 (statistics).  If you are unsure about your AP math credits, check with the college registrar.
• You will need a literature course.  If you take all three Humanities courses here at Geneva, this will count as your literature requirement.  If you transfer a Humanities credit in, and it is not a literature course, then your focus option or an elective must be literature.
• You will need to maintain a GPA of 3.00 for graduation and certification.  If your grades drop below that level, you will need to discuss options with your advisor.  you will also have to take and pass several additional PRAXIS exams in your senior year.

A handbook can be obtained through the Geneva College Campus Store that explains the Education Department guidelines in detail.

Engineering students should have one unit each of chemistry and physics and four units of college preparatory math, including trigonometry or pre-calculus.

If you are intending to major in music, music performance, music business or music education, you must arrange an audition with the Music Department prior to the start of your first semester.  Typically, music auditions are held in the February preceding a fall semester start.  Additional setup times may be arranged for special circumstances.

The music department will contact accepted students regarding the audition process.