Fall 2014 Admissions Update

Fall 2014 Admissions Update By Dr. Andres Hernandez Sr. Associate Director, Admissions

Admission requirements • Campus Impaction will be enforced for all non-local first time freshmen and transfer applicants. • Local area students will receive priority when making admission determinations. • Schools in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Tulare counties and certain schools outside of these counties are considered local. • Full list can be seen at www.fresnostate.edu/are

Admission requirements (Local) • Local students will not be required to meet supplemental requirements only standard admission requirement necessary to meet minimum eligibility index • While local students who have a GPA above 3.0 are not required to take ACT/SAT it is encouraged that they take these tests

Admission requirements (Non-Local) • Non-local students are required to take the ACT/SAT regardless of GPA • Non-local students will be rank ordered according to their eligibility index • Depending on enrollment constraints a certain percentage of non-local students will be admitted. • A small number of non-local students will be waitlisted, the rest denied due to no space • Last year the index cutoff for non-locals was 3500 (SAT)

Application processing • All Freshmen must do the following to successfully apply for the fall 2014 semester: • Submit an application on www.csumentor.edu between Oct 1st and Nov 30th • Self-report all classes already taken and classes in progress on CSU Mentor • Pay application fee or qualify for a fee waiver • Submit residency paperwork (or AB540 paperwork) IF requested by admissions office • Encourage students to begin application as early as possible since it can be lengthy and cumbersome. • Admissions expects to receive over 17,000 freshmen applications • Applications will not be processed (or they might processed incorrectly) if this information is not submitted fully. • Incorrect information must be cleared by January 15th

Admission Notifications • Local Applicants and high index non-locals are notified of admission on a rolling basis starting in October • All local admission processing is completed by January • It is critical that all local students submit all required documentation by January 15th or application will be withdrawn • The rest of non-local applicants are notified by early February • Accept/Decline and Orientation registration begins in mid-March through May

Residency • Residency determination is a critical piece of the admissions process used to determine if student will be assessed in-state or non-resident tuition • Depending on how students answer the residency questions on their application this determination is made automatically • Most local students have no issues with this residency determination

Residency • For most incoming freshmen, residency is determined by their parent’s residency information if they are younger than 19 years. • For applicants who came from another state or another country or whose answers do not clearly establish residency, a residency determination must be made manually by our office.

Residency Undetermined • Applicants in this situation are sent a residency form that they must fill out before their application can be processed. • It is critical that students submit this information or they will be withdrawn in January. • This is the same processes that identifies and handles AB540 paperwork. • Please contact our office if you have questions about students’ residency information.

Residency Processing Pitfalls • Residency process is not understood or ignored by students resulting in incorrect, half-filled, or never submitted residency paperwork • Students do not know parent’s information or do not ask resulting in delays • Students are confused when paperwork is sent back by Admissions if form is incorrectly filled out. • Students and parents have trouble understanding the questions that are asked.

Residency Improvements • Residency will now be processed by all admissions staff for faster turnaround • Residency website (both Fresno State and Mentor) has been improved to add more information • Residency form is a CSU document so it can not be modified easily but cheat sheet has been created to help explain questions. • Residency processes will involve further communication with Outreach

Fee waiver • Application fee waivers are determined automatically when a student applies online. • Once this determination is made a student cannot submit another fee waiver attempt online. • Students can submit a paper fee waiver application if they submitted the wrong information the first time. • AB540 students can qualify for an application fee waiver. • If student does not qualify for a fee waiver, the application fee must be paid before any processing occurs.

Deadlines • Application dates • October 1st – November 30, 2013 • Document deadline (test scores, app fee, residency paperwork) • January 15, 2014 • Accept Decline Process • March 15-May 1, 2014 • All admission deadlines are found at www.fresnostate.edu/are

Technology Improvements • Fresno State Admissions is undergoing several updates to handling transcript and document processing • Already has existing agreement with Fresno Unified, Clovis, Madera, Central, Sanger to receive final transcripts directly from school districts • Accepts electronic transcripts • Encourage students to submit PDF transcripts if your school supports it (ex: Parchment)

Early Start Program • Establishes a program for CSU admitted freshmen who have not demonstrated proficiency in mathematics and/or English as established by CSU faculty. • Incoming freshmen who have not demonstrated proficiency in English and/or mathematics will be required to begin remediation the summer before the fall term. • New for fall 2014, ALL admitted students who do not pass the EPT will have to complete the Early Start English requirement (previously it was only lowest quartile)

Early Start Program • Students can view their Smart Page as soon as they are admitted so they can see their remediation and Early Start status • The smart page will let them know their remediation status and if they must prepare to take the Early Start English and/or math (based on ACT/SAT scores) • Encourage students to check their smart page and prepare to take the EPT and/or ELM starting in January 2014.

Early Start Program • The EPT and ELM should be taken no later than May 2014. • Early Start registration begins in early May (after the accept/decline period ends) • Early Start Courses begin in July

Early Start Program • Students who do not complete their Early Start requirement WILL HAVE THEIR FALL COURSES CANCELLED. • Fresno State will be communicating this to students early on and during orientation, please help and encourage students to complete their Early Start requirement.

Early Start Myths • Students who take the EPT or ELM late do not have to take Early Start because it’s too late to register by the time they receive their scores…FALSE • Students just have to sign up for remediation in the fall and that takes the place of Early Start…FALSE • Early Start is not enforced by Fresno State..FALSE • Other students didn’t have to do Early Start so I don’t either…FALSE

Questions? • Admissions phone number 559-278-2261 • My email andyhe@csufresno.edu

Fall 2014 Admissions Update