GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Admission to Southern Methodist College is a privilege granted to selected students.  Applicants for admission to the College must give satisfactory evidence of good Christian character, present credentials indicating ability to profit from the curriculum, and agree to conform to the Code of Conduct of the institution. Students accepted for admission must affirm in writing at the time of registration that they have read, do understand, and will respect the Biblical Foundations doctrinal statement.

Southern Methodist College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, race, disability or handicap, veteran status, nationality, or ethnic origin in adminis­tra­tion of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholar­ships, employment, or  other school-administered programs.  This position is a Biblical conviction based on Galatians 3:28:  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”  (NKJV).

Ability to succeed academically will be determined by all of the following:

  1. A High School diploma or G.E.D;
  2. A high school transcript with a 2.0 GPA or higher, or for transfer students with a minimum of 12 semester-hours of prior college credit, a college or post-secondary transcript with a 2.0 GPA or higher;
  3. An ACT score of 18 or higher or SAT score of 850 or higher. The test score requirement will be waived for students who have completed a minimum of twelve semester hours of college work with a minimum GPA of 2.0.  International student applicants may submit a TOEFL paper score of 525 or higher or computer-based score of 195 or higher in lieu of the ACT or SAT requirement., or meet an alternative standard approved by the Administration.

The Director of Admissions will have authority to admit applicants who meet the ability to succeed standard. Applicants not meeting the criteria will be referred to the Admissions Committee (Administrative Cabinet) for consideration. Applicants not meeting the ability to succeed standard may be recommended by the Admissions Committee (Administrative Cabinet) for consideration for admission on academic probation.

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURE

Any student desiring to attend Southern Methodist College should

  • Secure the packet of application forms and materials, fill in the application form completely, and return it with the $35 non-refundable application fee to the Director of Admissions, Southern Methodist College, 541 Broughton St., Orangeburg, South Carolina 29115. Forms are available on campus, upon request through the traditional mail system, and on-line at smcollege.edu or at www.online.smcollege.edu. There is also an on-line payment option.
  • Request that an official transcript of the student’s high school record, any previous college records, and records of non-credit or institute study be mailed directly from the educational institutions to the Director of Admissions of Southern Methodist College.
  • Ask references to return completed reference forms directly to the Director of Admissions.

The entire admission procedure should be completed at least thirty days prior to the date of registration.

PLACEMENT AND ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS

Degree candidates may qualify for College credit and advanced placement through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), advanced placement examinations, or college level subject examinations by requesting this option from the Academic Dean.

 

CATEGORIES OF ADMISSION

All students taking courses for college credit must complete the formal application process.

Freshman Standing

Freshman standing is granted to applicants who have met admissions requirements.  Applicants must present satisfactory admission credentials on the basis of a High School Diploma, or a General Education Develop­ment (GED) High School Certificate.

Advanced Standing

Transfer students seek admission to the College in the same manner as first-time freshmen and are responsi­ble for requesting high school and college transcripts to be sent directly to the Admissions Office at the time of applying for admission.  No applications can be processed until all records are received.

After completing all admission procedures and requirements, appli­cants for admis­sion with advanced standing will be given a statement of credits to be accepted in transfer by the College.

SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF ADMISSION

Non-degree Special Standing

Non-degree special standing may be given to students who wish to take courses without working for a degree.

Audits

An “audit” student may sign up for specific courses at the discretion of the Academic Dean and faculty.  No formal application process is required.  The student will complete a semester registration form for each semester he or she wishes to audit courses.  No college credit is given for work completed when the course is audited.

Veterans

Southern Methodist College is approved by the South Carolina Department of Education State Approval Agency, for veterans who are eligible to receive benefits under the Veteran’s Education­al Assistance Act, Disabled Veterans Act, or War Orphans Acts.

V.A. benefits will be terminated for failure to adhere to the institutional standards of academic progress.

Ability-to-Benefit Students

Ability–to-benefit students do not meet the academic admissions standard of a high school diploma or GED, but show potential for freshman-level work as determined by the Admissions Committee and the Administration. Recognizing that a student’s academic record may not accurately reflect his spiritual, psychological, and intellectual maturity, the College accepts a limited number of ability-to-benefit students.

The Administration will consider requests for acceptance with ability-to-benefit status and designate a student as ability-to-benefit as part of a special application review process. Students not accepted as full-time students may apply for non-degree standing.

Early Admissions (Dual Credit Policy)

High school students expecting dual credit must have permission from the appropriate high school authority and must enroll under the following criteria:

Must enroll for college credit

Must meet all course requirements (stated in the course syllabus) for college credit

Must be a rising Junior or Senior in high school

Must have a 3.0 high school GPA

The Scholarship Committee will make available a limited number of scholarships to dual credit students on a need basis.

International Students

 

Southern Methodist College enrolls international students in its on-line program.  The College does NOT offer resident studies or an I-20 contract to interested international students. A limited number of international student scholarships are available and are awarded on the basis of merit and need.

Procedure for application for admission:

  • Contact Southern Methodist College, 541 Broughton St., Orangeburg SC 29115, for an application and other application materials. Return the application with a $50 non-refundable application fee. Application materials are also available on-line at smcollege.edu or at www.online.smcollege.edu.
  • Make arrangements to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have the results sent directly to the College. The American Consulate can make available the TOEFL.  A satisfacto­ry score is required for admission. The applicant may request for and meet an alternative standard approved by the Administration.
  • Have academic records sent to the College directly from the issuing institutions, accompa­nied by a certified translation if not written in English. The transcripts of all post‑secondary study should be sent along with a catalog, syllabus, or written description of each course taken, accompanied by a certified translation if not in English.
  • Have references return completed reference forms directly to Southern Methodist College.

If for any reason the international student applicant is unable to enroll at Southern Methodist College, the applicant may request that funds other than the application fee be refunded or that funds be held by Southern Methodist College until such time as the applicant is able to enroll.

Readmission of Students

Students seeking readmission to the College should submit a written request for readmission to the Director of Admissions.  The Director of Admissions will readmit the student when he has been cleared for readmission by the Administration.

A student who is denied re-enrollment for academic reasons may apply for readmission after a period of one semester.  A student who is expelled or denied re-enrollment for disciplinary reasons may apply for readmission at the discretion of the Administration after a period of two semesters.  A student who is denied readmission for financial reasons may apply for readmission after the student account is made current.