Admissions Standard for the College of Engineering

The University Admissions Office uses a common minimum admissions standard established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Higher Education for the University of Massachusetts. There are different standards for Freshmen applicants, Transfers, Non-traditional and Special Admissions. The College of Engineering sets additional criteria over and above these minimum standards. In addition, the Admissions Office considers high school class rank, SAT-I totals and high school GPA, and assigns a numeric value to each student based on an aggregate of the above three criteria.

The following are the minimum admissions standards for First Year students to the College of Engineering:

1. Minimum weighted HS GPA of a 2.75 on a nominal 4.0 scale
2. Minimum combined SAT I Math + Critical Reading total score of 1000 (max 1600)
3. Minimum weighted average of grades from all HS math and physical science courses (Physics, Chemistry) of 2.50 on a 4 point scale
4. Math proficiency as evidenced by one or more of the following:
   1. Sufficient HS math courses to allow entry into 92.131 Calculus I during first semester (students should have taken & passed Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and either Trigonometry, Precalculus or Calculus) OR
   2. Minimum score of 3 or more (out of 5) on the Advanced Placement Calculus AB or BC exam OR
   3. College-level Calculus I with grade of C or better
5. At least 3 natural science courses (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Earth Sciences, Anatomy & Physiology), two of which must have a lab component, AT LEAST ONE of which is either HS Physics or Chemistry.  It is STRONGLY recommended that applicants in Engineering have BOTH Physics and Chemistry.
6. At least 16 academic courses, all of which must be at the College Prep level or higher

Exceptions: When applicants show a SAT M+V score less than 1000, or HS GPA below 2.75, they will be considered for admissions according to the following sliding scale:

1. If HS GPA is between 2.50 and 2.75, than SAT M+V must be ≥ 1100
2. If HS GPA < 2.50, than SAT M+V must be ≥ 1200
3. If SAT < 1000, than GPA must be ≥ 3.0

Students who do not meet these minimum standards for the College of Engineering and are admitted initially to the University in Colleges other than Engineering) will only be allowed admission to the College of Engineering AFTER they have successfully passed 92.131 Calculus I or equivalent with a minimum “C” grade AND only after they have successfully completed at least one full semester at UMass Lowell as a full time student with a GPA of at least 2.0. Students who meet these criteria may file a petition to change majors which requires the consent of the Department Chair and Dean of the College into which the student is transferring.

Some students may be a eligible for the Patricia Goler Fellows Program, which provides a structured plan for a limited number of freshmen who are first in their families to attend college and/or whose family earnings are less than 150% of the statewide poverty level. Eligible students must have earned a GPA of 2.5, and a minimum combined SAT of 850. Students in this Program who wish to enroll in Engineering must meet the minimum criteria for admissions or transfer into Engineering.

Students admitted into the College of Engineering may declare a Departmental affiliation at the time of admission, although there is no requirement for them to do so until the end of their Freshman year.

Transfer students are admitted using a different set of Admission standards:

• Students with 12-23 transferable college credits and a minimum 2.5 college GPA
• Students with 23 transferable college credits, a minimum 2.0 college GPA, and a high school transcript which meets the admissions standards for freshmen applicants
• Students with 24 transferable credits and a minimum 2.0 college GPA.

The Office of Admissions determines whether or not courses taken elsewhere are eligible for transfer and conducts a preliminary evaluation. The University of Massachusetts Lowell subscribes to the Commonwealth Transfer Compact and Joint Admissions Programs. In addition, the applicants' records are individually evaluated by each department's transfer coordinator to determine whether or not they fulfill departmental program requirements.

For more information go to UMass Lowell Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

*Revised Fall 2008
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