An application for admission consists of the components listed below. Credentials that are reviewed include: high school academic record, standardized test results or graded papers, completed application form including evidence of extracurricular involvement, recommendation letter(s), and a personal essay. The Dean of Enrollment may use discretion in waiving any requirement for good cause, placing in the record for the admitted student the basis for the waiver.
High School Transcript
A high school program will normally consist of at least 16 college preparatory courses completed or anticipated from an approved public, private, or parochial school. These courses should demonstrate adequate grounding and academic performance in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities and the appropriate level of proficiency in the English language to be a successful college student. Except for students for whom English is a second language or with impediments affecting the ability to participate effectively, applicants should have completed two of the courses in a second language.
A complete high school transcript must be sent from the applicant’s guidance counselor, noting all courses taken and grades received from the freshman year through the junior year. A listing of courses to be taken in the senior year should accompany this transcript and grades from the first marking period and/or the first semester should be sent when they become available. Upon graduation, students must submit a final secondary school transcript noting graduation date and guidance counselor signature or raised seal.
Juniata provides alternatives to the high school transcript requirement for homeschoolers. In some areas, a homeschool evaluation agency will provide a transcript and diploma that the College can use. In areas that don't provide a transcript the College requires extensive information on the student's curriculum, along with a "portfolio" of the student's work. Often homeschoolers will take classes at a local college, in which case an official college transcript is required. In cases where a secondary school diploma is not awarded by an accredited educational agency or school, a GED or other external exam may be necessary before the student can receive financial aid.
Standardized Test Results
Results of the Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT-I) taken in the junior and/or senior year are required. The American College Test (ACT), taken in either the junior or senior year, may be substituted for the SAT-I. Applicants whose native language is not English may be required to provide results of a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or scores from an approved English language program. Students may also choose to participate in Juniata's Optional Standardized Test Program. Students may submit two graded papers in lieu of submitting SAT or ACT scores.
Application Form and Fee
Juniata uses the "Common Application" and the "Universal Application." Application forms may be obtained from the Enrollment Center, the Juniata website, or at www.commonapp.org or www.universalcollegeapp.com. The application requires a listing of extracurricular activities in both school and community, guidance counselor or teacher letter(s) of recommendation, Juniata Supplement form and an essay which answers one of the essay questions listed in the application for admission.
The applicant should complete the form and return it to the Enrollment Center. A check or money order in the amount of $30.00 (made payable to Juniata College) must accompany the application. This non-refundable fee covers part of the cost of processing the application. The application fee is waived if the student applies on-line and may be waived as part of other special promotions such as Early Decision and Gold Card and Parents Pride referrals.
Admission Standards
The conditions most likely to result in a decision to deny a student are a grade point average (GPA) of less than 3.0, especially when the GPA has not shown signs of improvement in recent semesters; and when college preparatory courses have not been attempted or the student has earned grades of C or less in the college preparatory courses. The College recognizes that all high school instruction is not created equal. Therefore, students whose GPA is obtained from high schools known to have high standards may be admitted, when students with a similar GPA from high schools known to be less rigorous may be denied or admitted only through the Supported Admit program. Scores on standardized tests may be considered in combination with the GPA in making an admission decision.
Admission Committee
The Admission Committee will consist of the three most senior members of the Enrollment staff. When the student is proposed as a Supported Admit, the decision will be made in consultation with the Director of Academic Support Services. The Dean of Enrollment or their designee shall convene the committee as necessary to review applications that fail to meet one or more of the Admission Standards. Applicants are approved by a majority vote of the Committee. The Committee may also require the applicant to complete certain courses at another college and to earn a certain score prior to matriculation.