This list of Frequently Asked Questions is divided into five sections.
Below you may find answers to questions about:

• General University Information
• Admissions Procedures
• Application Review
• Financial Aid
• Admission Contacts/Connections

What type of student will thrive at St. Lawrence?
In general, students who are intellectually curious, self-motivated and who have a clear sense of purpose are drawn to St. Lawrence. Because the University maintains a focus on personal as well as academic development, students are often ready to assume leadership positions and have the ability to balance a variety of academic and extracurricular commitments. Additionally, students who are poised to embrace the mission of a residential, community-based liberal arts college and who appreciate the value of learning in, and about, a diverse community and world will thrive here.

What is the academic profile of the typical St. Lawrence student?
The profile of our most recent class is posted at http://stlawu.edu/admis/profile.html

What distinguishes St. Lawrence from other liberal arts universities?
Our innovative First Year Program (FYP): One of the country’s oldest living/learning programs for first year students, the FYP is a residential college system that combines academic, advising and residential components to create a community in which students can make a successful transition from high school to college.

Our location is integral to the character of the University. Our rural setting helps to develop a strong sense of community, marked by a high level of activity on campus and much interaction among students, faculty and administrators. Our location 20 minutes south of the Canadian border, and ninety minutes from Ottawa, also allows for unique and continuous cross-cultural exchange; we are, in fact, the American liberal arts college located closest to another nation’s capital. Our Outdoor Program, Adirondack Semester, and field science courses benefit from our proximity to the Adirondack Park, and outdoor enthusiasts readily take advantage of Whiteface Mountain and the Grasse River.

What’s new at St. Lawrence?
U.S.Cultural and Ethnic Studies as a minor. International study in Shanghai, China—this semester long program is the newest addition to our off-campus study opportunities More about this program, which is especially appropriate for students interested in international relations, international economy, Chinese culture, China and the global economy, and Asian Studies, can be found at http://www.stlawu.edu/ciis/html/off_campus/china/index.html   The Wachtmeister Field Station opened in the spring of 2004 on a 76-acre nature preserve on the edge of campus. The Field Station is a component of the University’s Integrated Science Education Initiative (ISEI), (http://web.stlawu.edu/isei/about.htm) a comprehensive project aimed at providing increased opportunities for field-based science education for faculty and students in biology, chemistry, geology, environmental studies, mathematics, psychology and education The new Student Center opened its doors in January of 2004. The Student Center is home to the Northstar Café, a Caribou Coffee shop, student organization offices and the Campus Mail Center . The building also houses the offices of the Vice President and Dean of Student Life and Co-Curricular Education, the Associate Dean of Student Life and Co-Curricular Education and Multicultural Affairs, Career Services and Leadership Education, Co-Curricular Education and Programming and Residential Learning Communities. 

How diverse is the campus?
Diversity, in all its forms, is vitally important to the campus community. In the fall of 2003, 8.2 % of our students could be categorized as U.S. minorities – the class of 2007 included 11% U.S. minority students. International students hail from 24 countries and bring the total percentage of students of color to 9.4 %. Matriculants in the class of 2007 represented 30 states and the District of Columbia, with 50 % of the students entering from states other than New York. Approximately 80% of our students come to St. Lawrence from the Northeast. Socio-economic diversity is particularly noteworthy at St. Lawrence – in the fall of 2003, 70.0 % of our students received need-based financial aid and 84.6 % received some form of financial aid.

What are the retention and graduation rates of St. Lawrence students?
86 % of the students who enrolled as first-year students in the fall of 2002 returned for their sophomore year. 71 % of the students who entered SLU in the fall of 1998 graduated within four years. We believe that the First Year Program and the Office of Academic Planning, Advising, and Services are vital to the retention and graduation of SLU students.

What services do you have for students in regard to career preparation?
The Office of Career Services and Leadership Education is committed to empowering students and graduates to discover their passion, explore their career options, develop their personal career plan, and attain their goals as part of their lifelong educational philosophy. Career Services staff invite students to speak with one of the counselors about their career path, including their job, internship, volunteer, or graduate school search, how a major can be applied to a career, and/or what industries best match their skills and interests.

Additionally, there are several University-sponsored fellowship programs that allow students to conduct research both on and off campus. Science and humanities related research, as well as travel experience, are funded through initiatives such as the University Fellows program.

My students don’t have a history of considering colleges far from home. How can I help interest them in St. Lawrence?
If they are interested in small, liberal arts colleges in the rural Northeast, they should investigate St. Lawrence. Students who are interested in attending a college where well-roundedness is emphasized and appreciated may find St. Lawrence to be a good match.

Students from urban and suburban backgrounds who are uncertain about attending college in a rural location should consider some of the benefits. First, college may be the only opportunity they will have to live in a small town, rural location. Second, the elimination of the stresses of urban living - traffic, crime, pollution, expense - allows students on rural campuses to focus all of their energy on pursuing their education in and out of the classroom. Last, students at rural colleges focus their energies inward, creating their own social life and entertainment and forming deep and lasting friendships in the small community of college.

Does St. Lawrence accept the Common Application?
St. Lawrence only accepts the Common Application; we do not have an institutional application. Students may apply for admission through our website or through the Common Application website.

Does SLU have a required Common Application supplement?
Yes, our Common Application supplement is a required component of the application. Students may submit the supplement on-line, or print it out and send it through the mail.

Will the Admissions Office accept a school-designed school report in lieu of the CommonApplicationSecondary School Report Form?
Yes, we will gladly accept a school-designed school report form. School-designed forms are most helpful when they include all of the information requested on the Common Application School Report, as well as any school-specific information.

What is the nature of St. Lawrence’s application review process?
We operate with a philosophy of territory management in which an admissions professional is responsible for a geographic area. (To learn who your Admissions Representative is, please visit http://stlawu.edu/admis/direct.html) In the application review process, we function with a three-reader system: the territory manager is the first reader, another admissions counselor does an independent second read, and the Dean of Admissions reviews each file.

We evaluate applications for admission with a holistic approach, weighting heavily the rigor of curriculum, the trend of achievement (including senior grades), and the sense of the student we get from letters of recommendation. As our acceptance rate has declined in recent years—a function of a larger applicant pool and steady yield—we have continued to assess achievement and potential comprehensively. We also seek to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of our student body while continuing a strong tradition of socioeconomic diversity. Our goal is to enroll students who our faculty will enjoy working with and who will be active and positive members of our residential campus community.

What is the role of the interview in the admissions process?
Interviews are not required for admission to SLU, but are highly recommended. Although they generally serve as an opportunity for the student to learn more about the University, they are an evaluative part of the admissions application. We encourage on-campus interviews whenever possible so that the student has the chance to visit campus, but also offer off-campus and alumni interviews in a number of cities.

What is St. Lawrence’s policy on the new standardized testing?
The submission of standardized test scores (SAT I/SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) is optional. Students will indicate at the time of application by responding to a question on the St. Lawrence Supplement to the Common Application, whether they wish for either the results of the SAT or ACT (or both) to be considered in the application process. We will implement the student directive regardless of whether we have access to the student's scores either on the high school transcript or because the student had earlier sent the scores directly to St. Lawrence.

A student who wishes that his or her test scores be considered will be able to submit scores from the old SAT-I, the new SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT. Students who submit scores from both the old and the new SAT should understand that we will consider the higher math score from either test and the higher verbal or reading score.

Although we prefer to receive test results directly from the testing agency, we will accept as official scores that are received on an official transcript, provided that they are photocopies of original score reports and not transcribed onto the transcript.

What are the application deadlines for admissions and financial aid for first-year students?

• Early Decision Round I: Nov. 15 (notification in mid-December)
• Early Decision Round II: Jan. 15 (notification in mid-February)
• Regular Decision: Feb. 1 (notification in late March)

We have two rounds of binding Early Decision admission, and do not have an Early Action program.

(Students wishing to enroll beginning in the spring semester should submit complete applications by November 1 and will be notified on a rolling basis.)

Does SLU offer mid-year admission to first-year students?
We typically offer January admission to a small group of students each year (15-20). While a handful of students apply directly for first-year admission at mid-year, the majority of our mid-year admits come from students waitlisted in our fall applicant pool. These students are offered January admission when we are unable to accommodate them in the fall. While we understand that fall is a preferred time for many students to start their college experience, January has proven to be a good option for many students. We offer a full orientation program to students who begin in January, and first-year students enroll in a First Year Seminar, the spring semester counterpart of the First Year Program.

Do you have a Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)?
Yes, and we have a long history of success with HEOP. The Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) is a New York State funded program designed for academically and economically disadvantaged students residing in New York State. Students admitted to this program complete a summer program at SLU prior to fall entrance and work closely with the HEOP director on campus. For further questions, please contact either Jessica Sullivan, at jsullivan@stlawu.edu or Bill Short, HEOP Director, at wshort@stlawu.edu.

Do you accept AP/IB credits?
Yes. For details and up-to-date information, please visit http://www.stlawu.edu/admis/apib.html. The effect of advanced credit upon the department major requirements is at the discretion of each department chair. Each department chair will review the requested credit and make a recommendation to the Registrar. 

Most of my students are high-need. Does need factor in to your admissions decisions?
St. Lawrence is "need-blind" (e.g. it does not consider a family's financial situation) in the review of most applicants. We do consider the financial situation in the review of applications from international students, and we may consider it for students at the margin of admissibility. It is likely that financial need will be considered for students being reviewed for admission off the waitlist.

Does St. Lawrence offer any merit based scholarships?
Yes, St. Lawrence offers several merit based scholarships. Please visit http://stlawu.edu/admis/slu_merit.html for a comprehensive description of these scholarship opportunities.

For more specific information on Financial Aid at St. Lawrence, please visit our website

Do you have counselor visit programs?
We are always happy to welcome guidance counselors to our campus. We welcome both individual and group visits at most times throughout the year and will do our best to offer you a visit program that meets your needs and interests. To schedule a visit, please either call the Admissions Office at 1-800-285-1856 or contact your area Admissions Counselor. Additionally, the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence River Valley (St. Lawrence, Clarkson University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam) offer a counselor tour of the four colleges. For more information on that tour, please contact Beth Larrabee (blarrabee@stlawu.edu) or Erin Stone (estone@stlawu.edu)

Although our fall visit programs are directed at high school seniors, counselors are also welcome to visit during any of our five programs for prospective students. Please see the Visit Program homepage for dates and contact Alison Almasian at aalmasian@stlawu.edu for more information.

How can I schedule a visit by an Admissions staff member to my high school?
Please contact your area Admissions Counselor to discuss setting up a school visit.