First-Year Applicants

If you are ready to look at colleges with a sense of purpose, we are here to help. We hope you will look closely at UMass Lowell and all it has to offer. Explore our website, get the facts about the university, learn about academic requirements and make plans to visit our campus to see if it's a fit for you. You can request more information about the university to be added to our mailing list. If you are ready to apply, the information you need is just a few clicks away. 

Choosing a College

Think of choosing a college as pouring information into a funnel. You’ll pour in a lot of college possibilities and then narrow the list down to the one that is the best fit for you. You’ll work through your "funnel" by asking a series of questions.  

Most students find it helpful to start with three basics:

1. Program: Does this college offer the major(s) I might want to study?
2. Place: Do I want to go to college in an urban, suburban or rural setting?
3. Price: What is the cost, can my family and I afford it, and how can financial aid impact the cost?

A web-based search is terrific for assembling this initial list. Once you have that initial list of colleges, you can start to collect information on each one. This is the time to start asking questions about selectivity, diversity, sports, clubs and other specifics that are important to you. Check college websites, request information, and when possible, visit them.

Starting in your sophomore year, it will be helpful to know the academic requirements – the high school courses that a college asks you to complete – of the colleges that interest you. Then you can make sure to include the classes you need before graduation.

Successful UMass Lowell applicants will have completed the following college preparatory level courses by the end of senior year:

• English: 4 Courses
• Mathematics: 4 Courses (algebra I & II and geometry or trigonometry, precalculus or or calculus comparable coursework).
• Sciences: 3 Courses (including 3 courses with laboratory work). Beginning with the freshmen class entering in fall 2017 we will require 3 courses (drawn from natural science and/or physical science and/or technology/engineering), including 3 courses with laboratory work.
• Social Sciences: 2 Courses (including 1 course in U.S. history)
• Foreign Language: 2 Courses (in a single language)
• Electives: 2 Courses (from the above subjects or from the arts & humanities or computer sciences)

NOTE:

• If you are interested in studying math, science or engineering, it is strongly recommended that you take four years of science.
• Students who have documented learning differences may not need to fulfill the foreign language requirements if appropriate paperwork is submitted.

The more colleges you visit, the better you will understand what’s important to you. See as many schools as you can. Check websites for tour schedules and special events.

At UMass Lowell, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions offers a variety of options for visiting, including daily tours given all year and Open Houses in October.