Undergraduate Admissions

Prospective students and their parents are cordially invited to visit Ferrum College. Appointments for interviews and tours of the campus may be arranged by calling the Office of Admissions, which is located in the Spilman-Daniel House, at (540) 365-4290 or 1-800-868-9797 or online at admissions.ferrum.edu/experience-ferrum/visit/. Staff are available weekdays for campus tours at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and by appointment, on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., except during holiday weekends.

Admissions Standards

To be accepted as full-time degree candidates, applicants must meet the following qualifications: graduate from an accredited high school with a standard or advanced studies diploma, receive a high school equivalency certificate based on the GED, or complete a home-school curriculum comparable to that required for high school graduation. When the Admissions Committee is reviewing an applicant for admission it considers the following: courses taken in high school, grades in courses recommended for admission to Ferrum College, extracurricular activities, SAT or ACT scores, recommendations, admissions interview (if required), and other information available relevant to the applicant’s academic or disciplinary record.

Recommended High School Preparation

Students applying to Ferrum College should have completed the recommended number of years suggested for each of the following courses:

Ferrum College is willing to consider students whose preparation does not include all of these subjects. Personal interviews are not required for all students. However, the Admissions Committee may require an interview for students who have not completed the recommended number of academic courses, lack the appropriate GPA or standardized test scores, or to supplement the information on their application. The results of the interview will be used in the admissions decision.

When to Apply for Admission

Fall – Candidates for the fall semester at Ferrum College may apply for admission upon completion of their junior year of high school.

Spring – Candidates for the spring semester should apply at least thirty days prior to the beginning of the spring term (see Academic Calendar ).

How to Apply for Admission

Visit www.ferrum.edu to apply online or request a paper application by calling 1-800-868-9797, or in writing to the Office of Admissions. Applications should be sent to the Office of Admissions with a nonrefundable fee of $25 to:

Office of Admissions, Spilman-Daniel House
Ferrum College
P.O. Box 1000
Ferrum, VA 24088-9000

Applicants should:

1. Request that an official transcript of his/her secondary school record be sent to the Office of Admissions. This interim record will be used in making the admissions decision. Upon graduation from high school, applicants must request a final transcript be sent certifying graduation with a standard or advanced studies diploma.
2. Request that the results of Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT) be sent to the Office of Admissions.

College Entrance Test

Applicants who have completed high school during the year prior to enrollment are required to take either the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT). This requirement may be waived in some instances (see Test Optional Admissions Policy). Information on dates and fees can be obtained from a high school guidance office or by contacting: College Board SAT Program (www.collegeboard.org), and for the American College Testing Program (ACT) (www.act.org).

How to Accept an Offer of Admission

An accepted student will give his or her intention to enroll at Ferrum College by submitting a $250 confirmation deposit. The deposit is not an additional charge, but an advance payment that will be credited to the student’s account for the upcoming semester. The deposit is refundable until May 1 of the current year. Once the confirmation deposit has been paid, the student will have online access through Panther Tracks to complete next enrollment steps such as the housing survey, health forms, and class registration.

Special Admissions Categories

Test Optional Admission Program

Students with high school grade point averages of 3.0 or better who are on track to earn a minimum of a standard high school diploma may be accepted without standardized test scores assuming all other requirements for admissions are met. The Admissions Committee will evaluate the high school transcript of all students falling in this category on a case by case basis.

Admission as a Special Student

Individuals registering for fewer than 12 semester hours per term and not intending to complete a specific program of study may be admitted as special students.

Admission as a Transfer Student

Ferrum College welcomes transfer applicants and encourages them to visit the college campus. Transfer students should follow the same admissions procedure as outlined for recent high school graduates. In addition, transfer students must request that an official transcript of their college work be sent to the Ferrum College Office of Admissions. Transfer students with more than 24 hours of transfer credit may be exempt from submitting high school transcripts and college entrance tests.

Students with transferable credit will not be required to repeat equivalent course content at Ferrum College. Students must meet the number of upper level hours required for graduation by the student’s major program and the College. Only credit hours, not grade point average, transfer to Ferrum College. Therefore, transfer credit does not enter into the grade point average for honors.

Transfer students will receive full consideration for housing, financial aid, and campus co-curricular activities. Transfer students may be eligible for academic merit scholarships.

Transfer Credit Policy

Ferrum College will accept credit, towards graduation, for all courses which correspond to those offered at the College, have been passed with a “C” or better grade, and have been earned from an appropriately accredited college or university. However, degree recipients must complete at least 32-of their last 64-credit hours at Ferrum College. At least 50% of the hours required for major(s) and minor(s) must be completed at Ferrum College. Transfer students are required to meet the Liberal Arts requirements, including writing intensive, speaking intensive, experiential requirements, and E-Term requirements, as outlined in the catalog. All non-developmental courses above 100 level which have been passed with a “C” or better grade, will be accepted for credit as necessary for graduation. Students with transferable credit will not be required to repeat equivalent course content at Ferrum College. Students must meet the number of upper level hours required for graduation by the student’s major program and the College. Only credit hours, not grade point average, transfer to Ferrum College, therefore transfer credit does not enter into the grade point average.

Guaranteed Admissions Agreement for Virginia Transfer Students

When a student who has graduated under the Guaranteed Admissions Agreement from an accredited Virginia Community College with an Associate of Arts degree, an Associate of Science degree, or an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree, transfer in to Ferrum College, Ferrum College agrees that the student has satisfied the Liberal Arts Requirements portion of its graduation requirements. This agreement requires the student to have earned a grade of “C” or higher in courses applicable to the transfer-oriented degree program, have earned a minimum of 60 transferable credits, and hold an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher prior to enrollment at Ferrum College. The student must satisfy all other graduation requirements including writing intensive, speaking intensive and E-term. (See Graduation Requirements  for specific guidelines.)

Similar agreements may be established with other community and junior colleges in the mid-Atlantic states. To receive additional information or a listing of these cooperative institutions, please contact the Ferrum College Office of Admissions.

The Ferrum Promise

Students who transfer from a Virginia Community College with an appropriate Associate Degree will be able to graduate within two years of transfer or they will receive free tuition for the remaining coursework. Students who are on track, with successful completion of all degree requirements, are guaranteed a clear path to graduation.

Students will receive: 

• Seamless credit transfer

• Timely credit evaluations

• Communication on course equivalences

• Guaranteed two-year graduation

• Individualized course mapping 

Readmission for Former Ferrum College Students

Former Ferrum College students who have not enrolled at the College for a semester or more may apply for readmission. Interested students must submit a written request for readmission to the Dean of Admissions. Students must provide official transcripts if they have taken any courses at another institution since leaving Ferrum.

Readmission petitions from students who are not in good academic standing will be reviewed by Academic Appeals and Readmission Committee. Full-time students who leave Ferrum College and are readmitted will be subject to meeting the requirements of the current catalog (refer to the Academic Policies section of this catalog under the “Regulations Governing Catalog ” for additional clarification).

Admission as an International Student

International students desiring admission to Ferrum College are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Students must submit:

• Copy of high school transcript translated into English.
• Score results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (T.O.E.F.L.) exam, or the English Proficiency Exam (E.P.E.), International English Language Testing System (I.E.L.T.S.), or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (S.A.T.) are required.
• Personal Financial Information sheet (provided by the Office of Admissions).
• The I-20 Form is provided only after a student is accepted and has demonstrated the ability to pay tuition, room, board, and fees, and has submitted the $250 confirmation deposit indicating intent to enroll.

Veterans’ Credit

Credit for educational experiences in the Armed Forces may be granted, based on recommendations of the American Council of Education. Credits are recorded for students after completion of at least one semester (15 or more semester hours) of resident study at Ferrum College with a GPA of 2.0 or better. Veterans must provide their DD-214 along with any military transcripts to the Office of the Registrar.

Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Course credit as well as advanced standing may be earned through the Advanced Placement Test Program of the College Entrance Examination Board, the International Baccalaureate Program, and the College Level Examination Program. Advanced Placement credit may be granted upon presentation of a score of 3 or above. International Baccalaureate credit may be granted upon presentation of a score of 5 or above. Ferrum College will accept scores from the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) in accordance with the recommendations set forth by the American Council of Education (scores of 50 or higher are required). Official scores directly from the testing centers are required before credit can be granted.

New Student Programs

Orientation

Ferrum College offers several programs to ensure that all new students successfully transition to the higher education learning environment. All new freshmen, transfer students and their families are introduced to the campus during one of the Panther PAWS days scheduled during the summer. Connection Weekend, an orientation program for all freshmen and transfer students, is offered immediately prior to the opening of fall semester. All incoming students must attend PAWS and Connection Weekend which include advising, orientation, activities, and social gatherings.