2007-2008 Application for Admission

Admission Requirements

Bridgewater College seeks to enroll qualified students regardless of sex, race, color, handicap, or national or ethnic origin; further, it does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, handicap, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, employment practices, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other college-administered programs and activities. Admission is granted to those who present evidence of the ability to succeed in the type of program provided. While success in a liberal arts college may depend upon several qualities, applicants for admission to Bridgewater are expected to demonstrate the following types of ability and achievement:

1. Graduation from an accredited senior high school or secondary school. The program of courses completed in the high school should include the following credits: four in English; two in one foreign language, preferably in French, German, or Spanish; three in college preparatory mathematics, preferably advanced algebra; two in social studies and history; two in sciences; and four in suitable electives. While the electives may be in vocational or nonacademic subjects, it is recommended that they be in academic subjects such as English, science, mathematics, and social studies. Applicants from Virginia high schools are encouraged to take a program leading to the Advanced Studies Diploma.
2. Better than average scholarship on the secondary school program completed. The grades or marks made on the high school or secondary school program and scored made on achievement test covering the secondary school subjects should be high enough to give reasonable assurance of ability to do college work. Rank in the upper half of the graduating class is normally required. If an applicant ranks lower than the upper half, strong compensative qualities need to be shown in order to gain admission.
3. A satisfactory score on the SAT Reasoning Test of the College Entrance Examination Board or the American College Test (ACT) of the American College testing Program. Scores on the SAT Subject Test are not required. Information concerning these tests may be obtained from high school officials or by visiting the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com. For information about the ACT, high school guidance offices should be consulted.
4. Good character. Success in a church-related liberal arts college depends not only upon the type and quality of secondary school program completed but also upon personal integrity, honesty, and ethics. Applicants are expected to submit references that testify to evidence of these qualities.
5. Guidelines for students who are homeschooled – The admissions committee evaluates all students who are homeschooled for admission to Bridgewater College. The criteria for admission are essentially the same for all applicants in terms of SAT or ACT scores, recommendations, and high school transcripts. The transcript can be obtained through your homeschool association. If you are not associated with a specific organization, Bridgewater will accept a transcript put together by the homeschooling parent. A campus visit is highly recommended.
6. Guidelines for applicants who have a GED – The admissions committee evaluates all students who have earned a GED. A SAT or ACT score is required for consideration in addition to recommendations in support of one's application. A copy of the GED certificate must be submitted as well as a transcript of any completed high school coursework.
7. Admission of international students – All non-U.S. citizens and nonpermanent residents of the U.S. must complete the regular application form as well as a preapplication form. These forms may be obtained from the Office of Admissions. Credentials collected for admission include all those required of all entering students as well as evidence of English proficiency and documentation of sufficient financial resources. A deposit of $8,000 will be required of all international students accepted for admission. The deposit must be paid before the I-20 is issued.

Procedure

Application for admission may be made upon the completion of the junior year in high school, and it should be made not later than July 1 of the year one wishes to enroll. Those who wish to matriculate at the beginning of interterm or the spring semester must file an application for admission at least 30 days in advance of the desired date of enrollment.

In order to make a decision about the ability of the applicant to do college work, full and complete information concerning the achievements of the applicant must be obtained. Completed applications must include the following:

1. The online application. The online application has been designed to provide information needed by the admissions committee.
2. The high school or secondary school transcript. Upon receipt of the properly completed online application, the college asks the applicant's high school to furnish an official transcript of the student's high school academic record. Transfer students are required to submit official transcripts of their records from other institutions in addition to the high school or secondary school transcript.
3. Written recommendations. Upon receipt of the properly completed online application, the college asks the applicant's guidance officer and his or her minister or teacher, to provide a character rating or a character recommendation.
   
   Please download and print out the following reference forms:
         Guidance counselor reference form
         Teacher/Professor reference form
         General reference form
         Employer reference form
         Dean reference form
   

Soon after the application form has been sent in, any applicant who has not talked with an official representative of the college should arrange to come to campus for a personal interview. A member of the admissions staff conducts this interview. Appointments for interviews and campus tours may be made by telephoning, e-mailing, or writing to the admissions office.

Each application is acknowledged by a letter from the Director of Enrollment Operations. As soon as the various data included in the application is received and evaluated, the applicant will receive a letter indicating acceptance, rejection, or the need for additional information. Inquiries from applicants are welcomed.

Students who have been accepted for admission must confirm their intention to enroll by making a reservation deposit. The reservation deposit, in the amount of $300, is applied to the fall semester charges for the upcoming year. The deposit is refundable if requested in writing before May 1. Students admitted after May 1 must make a deposit within ten days after admission.

Enrolling students must present a written health report on a form supplied by the college. The form must be returned to the College before official registration can begin.

Readmission

A student who is absent from the college for a semester or longer, or one who has withdrawn from the college for any reason, must apply for readmission to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College. If the applicant for readmission withdrew for health reasons, a letter of recommendation and evaluation will be required from a professional clinician.

Transfer Credit

A student who has attended another accredited college or university and is in good standing there may apply for admission to advanced standing not later than the beginning of the senior year. One who has attended an accredited two-year college may transfer as many as 68 credits in courses comparable to those offered at Bridgewater College. Transfer students applying for admission must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.2 or above and be in good standing at the college they are attending. Credentials collected for admission include all of those that are required for first time entering students as well as a Dean's reference form (included with a letter from the Director of Enrollment Operations acknowledging receipt of the application) and an official transcript from each institution of higher learning attended since completion of the secondary program. Transcripts will be evaluated by the registrar on a course-by-course basis. Credit will be awarded only for those courses that a grade of C or above has been earned.

Advanced Placement

Credit and advanced placement may be awarded to students on the basis of results on the Advanced Placement tests of the College Entrance Examination Board. Advanced Placement tests are available in English Composition and Literature, American History, European History, French, German, Spanish, Art, Music, Computer Science, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology. Students interested in taking one or more of these tests for the purpose of obtaining credit and advanced placement at Bridgewater should confer with the secondary school principal during their junior year or earlier and with the college upon application for admission. The college considers the results of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) as a means of determining advanced placement for students who have not followed the traditional pattern of preparation.

International Baccalaureate Program Credits

Credit and advanced placement may be awarded to students on the basis of results on the International Baccalaureate (transcript of grades), but subject in every instance to the recommendation of the academic department concerned and approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, in accordance with policies of the Council on Education. The student's records and transcript of grades will be evaluated with scores of 5, 6, or 7 on the Higher Level Examinations. The International Baccalaureate Program is available in selected high schools in the United States and numerous foreign countries. For more information on the IB Program, check out the official website.

The Honors Program

Freshmen students who have an exceptional high school record will be invited into the program beginning in the fall semester. Others who do extremely well at Bridgewater will be invited into the Honors Program at the end of the fall or spring semester.

Summer Sessions

Bridgewater operates a three-week summer session and a six-week summer session to enable students to accelerate completion of their degree requirements in three years instead of four, to enable students who have fallen behind in their work to catch up in their programs, and to enable teachers who need credits in academic and professional subjects for the renewal of their certificates to secure them.

An integral part of the total college program, the summer session offers standard courses, most of which are taught in the regular session. A student may enroll for a maximum of four credits in the three-week session. To enroll for more than the maximum, a student must receive written permission from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the college.

Bridgewater College
402 East College Street
Bridgewater, VA  22812-1599

Telephone: (800) 759-8328
Fax number: (540) 828-5481
Website: www.bridgewater.edu
E-mail: admissions@bridgewater.edu

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