Admission Requirements and Procedures

As a Christian institution providing higher education in the liberal arts and selected professional areas, Point Loma Nazarene University offers admission to qualified applicants of moral character, personal maturity, and intellectual ability. Preference is given to those who share the ideals and objectives of the university, and whose self-directive capabilities might enable them to profit in an optimal way from its total program of learning and developmental experiences. The Enrollment Management Committee of the faculty has ultimate responsibility for admission and readmission to the university. The university maintains a policy of non-discrimination in the admission of students.

All necessary forms in the process of application may be obtained from the Admissions Office. In preparation for initial entrance or readmission, applicants are encouraged to file the appropriate forms early in the process. Admission to the university does not in itself assure the student of housing, financial aid, or other necessary arrangements. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make such arrangements with the appropriate office. February 15 is the priority deadline for admission to the university for the fall semester.

Admission to Freshman Standing

Students may apply as early as the fall semester of their senior year in high school or one year prior to transfer from another college or university. First-year applicants may apply for early action or regular admission. Early action is an option reserved for students who have made Point Loma Nazarene University one of their top-choice institutions providing notification by December 20. The deadline for early action is November 15 and requires receipt of all admission materials, including transcripts and test scores, if you choose to submit test scores. Applicants for the February 15 regular admission priority deadline and those deferred from Early Action may receive notification between mid-March and the first week of April. Students seeking admission to the university following their secondary education must file the following with the Admissions Office:

• a formal application for admission;
• two recommendations;
• official SAT and/or ACT score reports, if you choose to submit test scores;
• an official high school transcript or its equivalent; and
• a formal interview (strongly encouraged but not required).

The university expects applicants for admission to follow a typical preparatory course of study during their high school years. This should include the following program:

• English and literature - 4 years
• One foreign language - 2 years
• History and social sciences - 3 years
• Mathematics (through Algebra II) - 3 years
• Natural science (2 with laboratory) - 3 years

Note: Students who plan to major in mathematics or any of the sciences should include at least three years of mathematics and laboratory courses in physical or biological sciences in their high school programs.

Students who are admitted with any deficiencies in the above preparatory pattern may be required to make up such deficiencies either by taking certain courses or by demonstrating a minimum level of proficiency through acceptable scores on standardized achievement tests.

Freshmen entering Point Loma from accredited high schools have an aggregate weighted GPA of above 3.800 and an average score of 1240 on the SAT, or 26 on the ACT.

Provisional Admission

Up to five percent of the entering first year class may be “admitted with provisions” due to a deficiency in one or more of the minimum requirements for admission in good standing. Many of these students are required to complete the Learning Enrichment for Academic Progress (LEAP) program during the initial enrollment year. For those not required to complete the LEAP program, provisional admission requires a maximum first semester course load of 14 units, course monitoring by the office of the Vice Provost for Academic Administration, and may mean placement in particular courses to ensure readiness for the students’ chosen course of study. Regular academic standing can be achieved by earning a minimum 2.000 academic period (session) GPA in PLNU courses and a 2.000 cumulative GPA following the first enrolled term.

Admission of Transfer Students

Students seeking admission from accredited colleges and universities must file the following with the Admissions Office:

• a formal application for admission;
• two recommendations;
• official SAT and/or ACT score reports (optional) and an official high school transcript (for students with less than 36 completed semester units at application);
• official transcripts of all college/university coursework; and
• a formal interview (recommended).

Students from accredited colleges and universities may be considered for admission provided a GPA of 2.000 has been maintained in all previous course work. Transfer applicants who have met all priority deadlines will receive notification between early February and mid-April. The university has developed articulation agreements with a number of community colleges. Transcripts submitted from non-accredited institutions are evaluated on an individual basis. Transcripts from universities outside the United States must be evaluated for the student by an independent evaluation service approved by Point Loma. Transfer students who do not have all official transcripts on file with the Admissions Office before initial registration may be admitted but will not be allowed to register for the following semester until all transcripts are on file. Issues related to proper placement are addressed below under “Advanced Placement.”

Students from community colleges may transfer in a maximum of 70 applicable units toward the baccalaureate degree at Point Loma. All courses taken at a community college transfer as lower-division units only.

Admission of International Students

Point Loma Nazarene University welcomes students from all over the world. Students for whom English is not the native language must demonstrate English language proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English test. Minimum scores to be considered are an 80 iBT on TOEFL, 110 on Duolingo, or 6.5 on IELTS. This requirement can be waived by submitting SAT or ACT scores. International students seeking admission to the university must file the following documents with the Admissions Office:

• a formal application for admission;
• two recommendation letters;
• official evaluated transcripts (high school or university) ;
• SAT/ACT scores if the student’s native language is English or official TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS scores (for non-native speakers);
• an affidavit of support; and
• a formal interview (strongly recommended).

Students seeking to receive credit at the university from an institution outside the United States are required to have their foreign transcript evaluated by a service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). A detailed or course-by-course report is required. Official foreign transcripts are submitted to the service of choice and the evaluations subsequently submitted directly to the Office of Records. For further information, students may contact the Director of International Student Services/International Admissions Counselor.

Readmission to the University

Students who withdraw from, or are administratively withdrawn from the university must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions, meeting general admissions deadlines and making deposits as required. Students whose continuous enrollment is not interrupted by more than one semester may remain under their declared applicable Catalog. Those who are readmitted after two or more consecutive semesters of non-attendance return under the Catalog in effect at the time of readmission.

Special Features

Welcome Week

An important component of the First-Year Experience at Point Loma Nazarene University is a program known as Welcome Week. An comprehensive weeklong orientation to all aspects of student life at PLNU, Welcome Week focuses on themes such as belonging, academic readiness, resilience, financing one’s education, and building community. Welcome Week is anchored in intentionally curated experiences and seat time, where students will be propelled toward a great understanding of God, self, and others. A short weekend orientation is also held in January for new students starting in the spring semester.

Course Challenge Programs

Students may use a variety of vehicles for meeting graduation requirements other than in the traditional classroom. These include the Advanced Placement (AP) program sponsored by the College Entrance Examination Board, approved on-line courses, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. (See also Transfer Credit.)

Advanced Placement Program (AP)

Entering students who have satisfactory scores on AP examinations may receive credit in applicable areas of the curriculum. A score of four or five receives six units of credit where appropriate.

First-time freshman students who enter with advanced standing by a variety of means open to them are required, nevertheless, to fulfill the normal freshman experiences, even when the number of transcripted units exceeds the technical category of freshman. These include: PSY 1001, ENG 1010 (or its equivalent), and BIB 1001-BIB 1002, unless met by substitutions approved by the Vice Provost for Academic Administration.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Students may earn up to 32 semester units of credit by demonstrating proficiency in Subject Examinations related to graduation requirements. Credit is awarded as recommended by the College Board, with some restrictions to certain majors and Foundational Explorations. Credits are awarded only after the student has earned twelve units in residence with a minimum GPA of 2.000.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Point Loma recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and awards advanced standing for Higher Level courses completed with a score of five or above. Official IB transcripts must be sent to the Office of Records for consideration. Credits awarded through the IB program are accepted as university credits and are not subject to the transcripting fee. For complete information, students should contact the Office of Records.