First Year Entrance Requirements

During the evaluation process, admissions representatives consider all aspects of a student's academic background. Primary emphasis focuses on the secondary school record, including the number and nature of courses completed, grade point average in academic courses, and rank in class. Scores from the ACT (American College Testing Program) or the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Testing Program) are also important factors taken into consideration. Students graduating from an accredited secondary school with a strong college preparatory background are best prepared for academics at Carthage. The College strongly recommends that students complete a minimum of 16 academic units in high school, including English, foreign language, science, mathematics, and social studies.

High school students should submit the following when applying for admission:

1. a completed application
2. an official high school transcript
3. official results from the SAT or the ACT Program
4. a $25 application fee.

Applications, transcripts, and other credentials become a part of the permanent file of Carthage and may not be returned or forwarded. Once the student has been admitted to Carthage, an advance deposit of $300 is requested to hold a place in the entering class. For students starting in the fall term, this deposit is completely refundable up to May 1st of the initial year of attendance. The deposit is non-refundable for the spring and summer semesters.

Transfer Students

During the evaluation process, admissions representatives consider all aspects of a student's academic background. Primary emphasis focuses on the secondary school record, including the number and nature of courses completed, grade point average in academic courses, and rank in class. Scores from the ACT (American College Testing Program) or the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Testing Program) are also important factors taken into consideration. Students graduating from an accredited secondary school with a strong college preparatory background are best prepared for academics at Carthage. The College strongly recommends that students complete a minimum of 16 academic units in high school, including English, foreign language, science, mathematics, and social studies.

High school students should submit the following when applying for admission:

1. a completed application
2. an official and final high school transcript
3. official transcripts from all college level course work
4. a $25 application fee

Students considered for admission to Carthage should be in good standing with all previous or current colleges and have a minimum grade point average of 2.25 (on a 4.0 scale).

Carthage gives full value to transcripts and records from institutions accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and similar regional associations when comparable courses or areas are taught at Carthage. Credits from a junior college cannot be transferred if earned after a student has accumulated half of the number of credits needed for a Bachelor's degree at Carthage (68 credits).

Students holding an Associate of Arts degree from an accredited junior college receive automatic junior standing when they transfer to Carthage.

Credits will be transferred for courses in which grades of "C" (or its equivalent at Carthage) or above are earned. Credits which are transferred will be entered on the student's permanent record without reference to the grade earned. Grades are not transferred; only credit is recorded, however, grades are used in computing the minimum cumulative grade point average for teacher education.

Carthage also offers competitive scholarships for transfer students.