Freshman Requirements

Because freshman admission to NC State is competitive, you will need to understand the requirements and plan ahead to meet deadlines. The most important factor that will affect your admission is your overall academic record from high school. When reviewing your high school record, the Admissions Office will consider the level and difficulty of courses taken, overall grade point average, class rank, and SAT or ACT Plus Writing scores. The most competitive students take a rigorous college prep curriculum and maintain at least an overall B+ average or better throughout high school. Extracurricular activities including leadership and community service are considered but not weighed as heavily as your academic record.

To be considered for freshman admission you must have a high school diploma or its equivalent and satisfy the UNC-system Minimum Course Requirements (MCR):

• English: 4 years
• Social Studies: 2 years, including 1 year of U.S. history
• Mathematics: 4 years, in any of the following combinations:
  • algebra I and II, geometry, and one unit beyond algebra II,
  • algebra I and II, and two units beyond algebra II, or
  • integrated math I, II, and III, and one unit beyond integrated math III.
  Students should have advanced math courses for serious consideration.
• Science: 3 years, including 1 year of life or biological science and 1 year of a physical science; 1 must be a laboratory course
• Foreign Language: 2 years of the same language required

Applicants who have not completed the minimum course requirements for freshman admission may still be able to qualify for transfer admission.

The most successful candidates for admission will have taken academic courses well beyond the required minimum.

International Applicants

People who are neither U.S. citizens nor U.S. Permanent Residents must meet the requirements and deadlines for undergraduate international applicants and apply online.  For further information see: International Admission (Freshmen & Transfers).

Non-Public and Home School Requirements

NC State University welcomes applications from non-public and home schooled students. The requirements for the admission of non-public and home schooled students are the same as for any other freshman applicant.

Criteria for the admission of non-public and home schooled students include:

• Registration with the North Carolina Division of Non-public Education, Governor’s Office, Raleigh, North Carolina (919) 733-4276 is required.
• A high school transcript showing all coursework taken and grades received.
• The minimum course requirements for the University of North Carolina constituent institutions must be completed. See the following Office of the President web site for a detailed listing of these courses: http://www.northcarolina.edu/student_info/mcr.cfm
• In addition to the minimum course requirements, NC State University requires 2 years of the same foreign language. Additional courses in math and science beyond the minimum course requirements are highly recommended. The level and difficulty of coursework is considered.  Honors and AP level courses are given extra weight in the evaluation of an application for admission.
• The SAT or the ACT is required (see below for more information).
• The following SAT Subject Tests may be requested: One science (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics), Math Level 2 (formerly called Level IIC), English Writing or Literature.
• For Design applicants only - A portfolio, additional information on creativity, or an interview may be requested.
• Non-public and home schooled students must meet all application deadlines.

Please note: Admission to NC State is highly competitive. Admissions facts about entering First Year Students including average SAT scores are listed at the following URL: http://www.ncsu.edu/images/facts.pdf.

Admission Criteria

Selective: Successful candidates typically meet or exceed the following academic criteria: top 25-30% of their high school class in very demanding college prep courses, B+ grade point average, and competitive standardized test scores (SAT or ACT).

Highly Selective: Successful candidates typically meet or exceed the following criteria: top10-15% of their high school class in the most rigorous college prep courses, B+ to A- grade point average, and highly competitive standardized test scores (SAT or ACT).

Open: The Agricultural Institute offers two-year technical programs leading to associate of applied science degrees in agricultural areas.  Agricultural Institute courses are not transferable to the four-year agricultural programs.  Applicants must have graduated from an accredited high school with at least a 2.0 grade point average (minimum grade point requirement will be waived for applicants 21 years and older and transfer students) or successfully passed the GED exam.  Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation and official high school or GED transcripts.  SAT or ACT scores are not required.

** College of Design: If you are interested in a College of Design major it should be listed as your first choice and your application should be submitted and complete by December 1 (by November 1 to be considered for merit-based scholarships on campus). The College of Design will not consider second choices for Design majors. Design applications are reviewed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and, if found to be academically competitive, are forwarded to the College of Design for review. To assess creative potential, candidates must go through an additional process involving the review of a portfolio of works created inside and/or outside of school.  High school art classes are not required for acceptance, but they are encouraged. For more information regarding the portfolio, contact the College of Design.

Design applicants will be notified on January 15 whether their application is under review by the College of Design for their first choice, or whether it is being considered for your second choice of major (in a different College at NC State). Notification of Admission Decisions will be on March 15.

*** Natural Resources:  The Professional Golf Management (PGM) program has additional criteria for admissions consideration.  Applicants to the PGM program must present verification of a golf handicap of twelve (12) or less by United States Golf Association (USGA) card, Professional Golfers' of America (PGA) golf professional, high school golf coach, or have successfully passed the PGA Playing Ability Test (PAT); and a letter of recommendation from a PGA golf professional or high school golf coach.

Applying to NC State

The first step in applying to NC State is to complete the application form provided in the application packet. A complete application file includes:

• Application for admission
• Your nonrefundable application fee (Beginning with applications for 2008 admission the fee for both domestic and international undergraduate applications will be $70. Applicants may pay the fee online using their WolfPAW account.)
• Current high school transcript, including grades 9-11, senior year courses in progress, overall grade point average and class rank. We may request first semester senior year grades before making a decision. The transcript must come directly from the high school or be enclosed in a sealed envelope with your application.
• Personal Statement (recommended)
• NC State does not require letters of recommendation.
• Official SAT or ACT Plus Writing scores must be sent to NC State (SAT code #5496, ACT code #3164) directly from the testing agencies. Most applicants take the SAT or ACT more than once, in which case we use the best score for each section. Students are strongly encouraged to submit test scores from their senior year. Scores must be received not later than mid-February to arrive in time for Priority Deadline decisions in late March (for fall admission). Applicants who send scores after mid-February will be reviewed on a space-available basis beginning in April. Applications will not be processed without official recent scores. For SAT information, http://www.collegeboard.org/, for ACT information, http://www.act.org.
  
  A note about writing scores: NC State and all other public universities in North Carolina require scores for the writing section of the SAT or ACT. The writing section of the test is included with the SAT, but if you are taking the ACT you must make sure to register for the "ACT Plus Writing".

Requesting A Major

As a freshman applicant you should provide a first and second choice on the application for specific majors or, if you have only a general idea of an area of interest, you may indicate the undeclared option in the college of your choice. If you are uncertain about an interest area, choose the First Year College, where you will explore the many majors and career opportunities offered at NC State and choose a major by your sophomore year. Students can choose to minor in one or more fields after they are enrolled. More information about majors and minors is available on NC State's Virtual Advising website.

Final Review / Early Action

Students who submit an application by November 1 are considered Early Action applicants and will be notified of their admission status by January 31. The decision may be to admit, deny, or defer the application for Final Review. Early Action admission is non-binding — applicants have until May 1 to notify us of their decision.

If the application is deferred for Final Review, we will send a letter requesting that you send first semester senior year grades. Students who submit complete applications by February 1 will be considered for Final Review and notified of their admission status in late March. All applicants have until May 1 to send their enrollment deposit. More information about application dates and deadlines is available here.