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Admission

Undergraduate Admission

www.esf.edu/admissions/

The College is widely known for the high quality of its undergraduate instruction and unique teaching facilities and admits well-qualified students at the freshman, sophomore and junior levels. Several factors are considered before students are accepted for admission at any level. These factors include their academic preparation, personal motivation and reasons for wanting to study at ESF.

Campus Visits

For High School students: www.esf.edu/admissions/freshman/visit.asp
For Transfer students: www.esf.edu/admissions/transfer/visit.asp
For The Ranger School: www.esf.edu/admissions/rsvisit.asp

The College welcomes visitors to its campuses. High school students who wish to visit the Syracuse campus should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to schedule participation in a college information session, which includes a campus tour. Prospective transfer students who wish to visit the Syracuse campus to meet with a member of the admissions staff, including a review of potential transfer credit, and take a campus tour are asked to make an appointment through Undergraduate Admissions. Transfer applicants will find the interview more useful if they bring college transcripts with them. Campus tours, conducted by ESF Student Ambassadors, are also provided. Students interested in visiting The Ranger School should make arrangements directly with that campus by calling 315-848-2566. Please consult the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or our website for the calendar of open houses and special visitation events.

Applying for Admission

www.esf.edu/admission.htm

Students seeking admission to undergraduate degree programs must file their application under one of the following processes. High school students may apply for:

Early Decision freshman admission (commitment to enroll required if admitted)
Regular freshman admission
Guaranteed transfer admission

Students who have already attended another college must apply under the regular transfer admission process.

Each entrance category requires the applicant to have a specific academic background and to have maintained satisfactory academic progress at his or her previous educational institution.

Application to SUNY-ESF may be made through the State University of New York Application or The Common Application. Students are encouraged to review the information about the application process, obtain all application materials and apply online from the ESF website. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the SUNY-ESF Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Application Filing Dates

High School Students:

Enrollment Option	Filing Deadlines
Fall enrollment, Early Decision (freshmen only)	December 1
Fall enrollment, Regular freshman admission	January 15

Transfer Students:

Enrollment Option	Filing Deadlines
Fall enrollment	March 1
Spring enrollment	November 1*

*NOTE: Applications received after these dates will be considered on a space-available basis.

Required Application Materials

All applicants for freshman or transfer entry are required to submit official documentation of high school graduation (or equivalent) and any college-level coursework (or equivalent) completed, even if it does not pertain to their intended program of study at ESF. Failure to submit this documentation by the stated deadlines may result in the withdrawal of the application or denial of admission.

Prospective students are strongly urged to submit their applications earlier than the recommended date to reduce the possibility they will be placed on an admissions waiting list.

Each new student on the Syracuse campus is required to submit a medical history and physical examination report on a form that will be sent to the student after the initial acceptance notice.

Admission Information for High School Students

Please go to www.esf.edu/admissions/freshman/ for detailed information on the application process for high school students.

Early Decision Freshman Admission

Outstanding high school seniors who have selected SUNY-ESF as their first-choice institution may apply for Early Decision admission and, if admitted, must commit to enroll at SUNY-ESF. Early Decision students may apply to other institutions under Regular consideration, and if admitted to SUNY-ESF, must withdraw their other applications and commit to enroll at SUNY-ESF no later than March 15. Early Decision candidates must have a completed application on file by December 1. This must include submission of either the SUNY Application or The Common Application, official high school transcripts (including 12th-year first-quarter grades), results of either the SAT I or ACT, supplemental application, ESF essay question response and academic recommendation. Please refer to the next section, “Regular Freshman Admission,” for additional information on the freshman application process.

Early Decision applicants who wish to apply for Financial Aid from SUNY-ESF must have submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and any supporting information requested by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships by February 15. Please refer to the Financial Aid section of this catalog for more information on financial support.

Should a student who applies for financial aid not be offered an award that makes attendance possible, the student may decline the offer of admission and be released from the Early Decision commitment.

Regular Freshman Admission

High school seniors may apply for Regular Freshman admission. This freshman enrollment option is available for students who meet the admission standards for bachelor’s degree programs. High school seniors who are not offered freshman entry may be offered Guaranteed Transfer. Please refer to the next section, Guaranteed Transfer, which explains this process.

Freshman applicants should present strong academic credentials in a college preparatory high school curriculum. A minimum of three units each of college preparatory mathematics and science are required for all majors. For most programs of study completion of additional units of math and science, or design or art sequences for Landscape Architecture applicants, as well as advanced level coursework (honors or college level) indicates strong preparation for the academic rigor students will experience at ESF. An official high school transcript, including 12th-year first-quarter grades, must be submitted as part of the student's application credentials. Applicants are required to forward the results of either the SAT I or ACT examination. SAT II tests are not required, but in some cases they may highlight the special talents of an applicant. Freshman applicants are also required to submit a supplemental application, ESF essay question response and an academic recommendation.

Guaranteed Transfer

The College recognizes that some students have made arrangements to spend a portion of their first two years of college at other institutions and will transfer to ESF in either their sophomore or junior year. To facilitate this process and reduce difficulties associated with transferring, ESF has established a Guaranteed Transfer option.

Under this option, admitted students are guaranteed admission to ESF for either their sophomore or junior year provided they meet the conditions specified in the offer of Guaranteed Transfer. Students benefit from long-term academic advising to ensure they meet all academic requirements for transferring to the College. Guaranteed Transfer applicants may file the SUNY application or The Common Application indicating on their supplemental form the entry semester for which they wish to be considered. Applicants must submit the same credentials as outlined under "Regular Freshman Admission” (see preceding section). Successful applicants for this option must present a strong academic background including at least three years each of college preparatory mathematics and science. To satisfy the guarantee of admission, students must satisfactorily complete, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.500 (A=4.000), any of the lower-division requirements, which are part of their program of study. Only coursework with grades of C or higher will transfer to meet ESF degree requirements.

Admission Information for College Students

Please go to www.esf.edu/admissions/transfer/ for detailed information on the transfer student application process.

Regular Transfer Admission

Approximately half of the students who enroll at the College each year transfer to ESF after completing at least one semester at another college following high school graduation. ESF recognizes the unique interests and needs of transfer students.

Transfer students' admissibility is based on how much of their previous coursework applies to the requirements of their intended major at ESF, overall academic performance at their previous colleges, and specific interest in ESF programs. For most programs, a significant emphasis is placed on students' backgrounds in mathematics and science. Transfer applicants must submit official transcripts from all colleges attended, an official high school transcript or results of the GED (for verification of high school graduation or equivalent), a supplemental application, essay question response and an academic recommendation. Students who have completed less than 30 semester hours at their previous college are required to submit copies of their high school transcript and SAT I or ACT test scores as part of the admissions process.

Students who apply as transfers to ESF are expected to have successfully completed some portion of the established required sequence of courses appropriate to their intended major at the College. Students attending one of our pre-ESF cooperative transfer colleges (see below) will find information on course equivalencies for all of our programs of study on our Web page. Printed copies of this information may be obtained from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Transfer students applying for bachelor degree programs at the Syracuse campus should have a 2.50 (A=4.00) or higher cumulative grade point average at the last institution they attended in full-time status. Those applying for associate degree programs at The Ranger School campus should have a 2.30 or higher cumulative grade point average at the last institution they attended in full-time status. Applicants with cumulative grade point averages below these thresholds will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students with cumulative grade point averages less than 2.00 will not be considered for transfer admission to SUNY-ESF. Only coursework with grades of C or higher will transfer to meet ESF degree requirements.

Cooperative Transfer Option

The College has developed pre-environmental science and forestry transfer options with other colleges both in and out of New York state. These partnerships offer students a wide selection of colleges from which they can obtain the necessary courses and appropriate advice on how to prepare for transfer to ESF. Information on ESF cooperative transfer colleges and associated Transfer Articulation Guidelines may be found on our Web page.

Students who attend these colleges and follow the academic program prescribed by ESF will share a common academic background with other students who transfer to the College.

The cooperative colleges are:

New York State Colleges

Adirondack Community College, Glens Falls
Alfred State College, Alfred
Broome County Community College, Binghamton
Cayuga County Community College, Auburn
Clinton Community College, Plattsburgh
Columbia-Greene Community College, Hudson
Corning Community College, Corning
Dutchess County Community College, Poughkeepsie
Erie County Community College, Buffalo
Finger Lakes Community College, Canandaigua
Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Johnstown
Genesee Community College, Batavia
Herkimer County Community College, Herkimer
Hudson Valley Community College, Troy
Jamestown Community College, Jamestown
Jefferson County Community College, Watertown
Mohawk Valley Community College, Utica
Monroe County Community College, Rochester
Morrisville State College, Morrisville
Nassau County Community College, Garden City
Niagara County Community College, Sanborn
North Country Community College, Saranac Lake
Onondaga County Community College, Syracuse
Orange County Community College, Middletown
Rockland County Community College, Suffern
Schenectady Community College, Schenectady
Suffolk County Community College, Selden
Sullivan County Community College, Loch Sheldrake
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill
SUNY College of Technology at Canton
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Syracuse University
Tompkins-Cortland Community College, Dryden
Ulster County Community College, Stone Ridge
Westchester County Community College, Valhalla

Out-of-State Colleges

Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, MA
Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA
Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA
Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA

Transfer Credit

Course work appropriate to the ESF curriculum can be transferred to the College, but grades and grade points cannot be transferred. Courses to be transferred to meet graduation requirements for any curriculum must be acceptable in content, and credit will be awarded only for those completed with a grade of C or higher (a C- is not acceptable).

All transfer credit will remain tentative until official, final transcripts are received. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that official, final transcripts are sent to and received by the College.

Only coursework completed at institutions that are fully accredited by one of six regional accrediting agencies will be considered for possible transfer credit toward ESF degree requirements. These agencies are the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Policy for Students Transferring from Syracuse University to SUNY-ESF

Because of the special relationship between the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Syracuse University (SU), SUNY-ESF students may take Syracuse University courses, and SU students may take SUNY-ESF courses, with the approval of the home institution and subject to availability.

For Syracuse University students, Syracuse University is the college of record. SUNY-ESF does not maintain a transcript record of ESF courses taken by Syracuse University students. A student previously matriculated at Syracuse University, who is subsequently admitted to SUNY-ESF, except graduate students admitted to concurrent master’s degree programs between the universities, will have all coursework taken while a Syracuse University student, including SUNY-ESF courses, treated and evaluated as transfer credit from Syracuse University. Such Syracuse University courses will not appear or calculate on the SUNY-ESF transcript, except as they are included in a block of transfer credits, i.e., total credit hours, accepted from Syracuse University. However, such Syracuse University courses do not count toward the SUNY-ESF residency requirement. Departments at their discretion include such courses in manual calculations, e.g., for determination of subsequent intra-university transfer eligibility.

Syracuse University courses taken by matriculated ESF students appear on the SUNY-ESF transcript and calculate in the same way as ESF courses, except for graduate students admitted to concurrent master’s degree programs between the institutions. Syracuse University courses do not count toward the SUNY-ESF undergraduate residency requirement.

The ESF transfer credit policy requiring a minimum grade of C will be waived for Syracuse University students only and any coursework taken at Syracuse University with a passing grade will be treated as if it was taken at SUNY-ESF.

Advanced Placement

The College will consider for advanced standing credit the results of examinations from standardized testing agencies such as the College Entrance Examination Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP) or the College Level Examination Programs (CLEP) as well as the Higher Level Exams of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Additional information on these programs may be found on the College website.

Ranger School Admission

www.esf.edu/rangerschool/

The SUNY-ESF Ranger School, located in Wanakena in the Adirondack Mountains, offers A.A.S. degrees in forest technology, land surveying technology and environmental and natural resources conservation, but does not enroll freshmen. Students complete their freshman year requirements at ESF’s Syracuse campus or at the college of their choice. They complete the sophomore year of their A.A.S. program in residence at The Ranger School campus. Candidates may apply for acceptance into these programs under the guaranteed transfer option or as a regular transfer admission student.

High school students who wish to enroll in these programs should apply during their senior year to receive a guaranteed entry date one year later. A limited number of freshman applicants will be offered admission to the Syracuse campus for the first year of the A.A.S. program, if desired, and eventual completion of the bachelor degree, usually in a program of study in the Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management. Transfer students apply for sophomore year entry during the academic year prior to their intended fall semester entry at The Ranger School (spring admission is not available). For further information on The Ranger School, visit the website or refer to The Ranger School section of this catalog.

Please note that international students are not eligible for admission to programs at The Ranger School, however we encourage international students to inquire about ESF's bachelor degree programs in Forest and Natural Resources Management.

Educational Opportunity Program

www.esf.edu/admissions/special.htm

The State University of New York’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) provides academic support and financial aid to students who show promise for mastering college-level work, but who may otherwise not be admissible under regular admission criteria. Offered only to full-time students who are New York state residents, freshmen and transfer students who qualify, both academically and economically, may be eligible for the EOP program. Students cannot apply for both EOP and Early Decision programs.

The goal of the EOP program at ESF is to provide qualified students with a college education and the opportunity for personal growth and professional development in career fields related to the College’s mission. Counseling, financial assistance and tutoring are provided on an individual basis.

High school seniors who wish to apply for freshman enrollment and EOP status at the College must file a SUNY application or The Common Application and on the Supplemental Application indicate they want to be considered for EOP. In addition, they must submit a copy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), indicating ESF as a receiving institution.

In order for transfer students to participate in the program at the College, they must have been enrolled in or qualified for EOP, Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Search for Education Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) or similar program at their prior college. Therefore, students who are applying to ESF as high school seniors through the Guaranteed Transfer option should also apply for EOP, HEOP or SEEK at their lower-division college, and must enroll in or be qualified for such a program in order to continue in EOP at ESF.

All EOP applicants must file applications for undergraduate admission and financial aid as described in those two sections of this catalog. For further information, contact the director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, 315-470-6670.

Deferred Admission

www.esf.edu/admissions/special.htm

Students accepted to ESF who wish to defer their enrollment for one or two semesters beyond their original entry date must make this request in writing directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Students will receive written notification if their request has been approved.

High school students admitted for freshman entry may defer admission to pursue non-academic activities. High school students admitted for freshman entry, who plan to attend another college prior to enrollment at ESF, will have their offer of admission changed to Guaranteed Transfer.

International Student Admission

www.esf.edu/international/

The College enrolls international students as undergraduates if they satisfy the admission requirements outlined throughout this section of the catalog.
In addition to the requirements that all prospective students must meet, international students must provide evidence of the following:

Proficiency in the English language that meets one of the following standards (minimum score in parentheses):
- TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language [Paper-based] (550)
- TOEFL: [Computer-based] (213)
- TOEFL: [Internet-based] (> 79)
- IELTS: International English Language Testing System (Total: 6, with no less than 5 in Writing)
- STEP EIKEN: Society for Testing English Proficiency (Grade pre-1)
- ELS: (Level 112)
- Completion of at least one year of college at an institution where the language of instruction was English; or
- Successful completion of at least one semester at SUNY-ESF.
Ability to meet all of the financial obligations that will be incurred while attending the College. In order to obtain an I-20 or DS-2019 from ESF, a prospective international student must complete the “FSA-4 - Foreign Student Financial Statement Form” and submit credible documentary evidence that s/he has enough readily available funds to meet all expenses (tuition, fees, and living expenses) for the entire first year of study. Additional information is available online at: www.esf.edu/international/expenses.htm.

International freshman applicants are required to demonstrate the completion of a college preparatory secondary school program by submitting academic credentials translated into English. This evaluation must be completed by an approved international credentials evaluation agency. A list of approved agencies is available through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
International transfer applicants are required to submit a detailed course-by-course evaluation of all international academic credentials in English. This evaluation must be completed by an approved international credentials evaluation agency. A list of approved agencies is available through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
International students in active F-1 or J-1 student status who are currently enrolled at American colleges or universities or engaging in Practical or Academic Training experiences must complete the SEVIS transfer-in process. Additional information is available online at: www.esf.edu/international/transfer-in.htm.

ESF students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are required by SUNY policies to maintain comprehensive health insurance with medical evacuation and repatriation coverage for themselves (and their dependents in the United States) for the duration of their ESF program of study. International students are automatically enrolled in the SUNY Health Insurance Plan($1,144.75 for 2011-2012 academic year) unless proof of comparable health insurance is provided to the Bursar’s Office within 30 days of the start of each semester. Additional information about the insurance policy is available online at: www.esf.edu/international/health.htm.

Graduate Student Admission

www.esf.edu/graduate/admission.htm

Admission to graduate study is conditional upon review and acceptance of the applicant’s credentials by appropriate faculty members and upon the recommendation of the appropriate department chair to the dean of Instruction and Graduate Studies. Employees of the College who carry faculty status in accordance with ESF faculty bylaws and are at or above the rank of assistant professor or equivalent may not be in a matriculated status at the College.
Required for admission are, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution, and generally an academic record showing at least a B average for junior and senior years of the baccalaureate program or for the master’s program.

Also required are Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores and for some degree programs, subject (advanced) test scores; supporting letters of recommendation; and a statement of educational and professional goals.

The Graduate Record Examination may be waived by a department chair or graduate coordinator on an individual basis. This waiver can only be granted by the graduate coordinator and/or chair.

A nonrefundable $60 application fee is charged.

Applying for Admission

Faculty seek graduate students who are well prepared for rigorous study, responsive and receptive to constructive feedback, and a good fit with their programs. The most effective way for applicants to demonstrate these qualities is to communicate with faculty prior to applying and to understand the programs ESF has to offer. Therefore, individuals who are interested in applying for graduate study should contact ESF faculty to discuss degree programs and learn about specific opportunities for study and research at ESF. Faculty Web pages provide contact information and additional insights about ESF degree programs. We also encourage applicants to visit campus and meet with faculty and current graduate students.

Online applications are preferred and are accessible at www.esf.edu/graduate/admission.htm.

Application forms may be printed from the Internet or requested in paper form from the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies, 227 Bray Hall, SUNY-ESF, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210.

Application Deadlines [Applications completed after these deadlines will be processed on a rolling basis]:

Semester	Deadline
Fall	January 15
Spring	October 15

Only applications completed by these dates will be guaranteed consideration for financial assistantships and tuition scholarships. Normally, applicants will receive decisions by mid-March for fall matriculation and by early December for spring matriculation.

Graduate Record Exam Subject Tests

Subject tests are required or recommended by the following programs:

Graduate Program	Subject Test
Environmental and forest chemistry	Chemistry - required
Biochemistry area of study within environmental and forest chemistry	Chemistry or Biology - required
Environmental and forest biology	Biology - recommended

Transfer Credit

Credit hours appropriate to the graduate degree in which a minimum grade of B was earned from an accredited institution can be transferred to the College, but grades and grade points cannot be transferred.

Up to six credits of graduate coursework not used to complete another degree may be accepted toward completion of a master’s or doctoral degree as approved by the steering committee.

Up to 30 credits of graduate level coursework earned as part of a conferred master’s degree may be transferred (by petition) to a doctoral degree with approval of the steering committee.

Students may transfer no more than nine credits of credit-bearing non-degree ESF coursework to graduate degree programs.

Part-time Study

Part-time study at the graduate level provides an excellent opportunity for working professionals to extend their educational credentials or broaden their general knowledge by enrolling for courses on a part-time basis. The M.P.S. or M.F. professional degrees are available for students who are initially matriculated on a part-time basis. Part-time students apply, matriculate and register through the same processes that all ESF graduate students complete. During any semester, students who enroll in part-time programs may register for the equivalent of full-time study, which is at least 12 credit hours. Part-time students are held to the policy for continuous registration, but not to the policy for time to degree (delimitation).

Deferred Admission

Students accepted to graduate programs at ESF who wish to defer their enrollment beyond their original entry date must make this request in writing directly to the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies.

International Students

The College enrolls international students on the graduate level if they satisfy the admission requirements outlined throughout this section of the Catalog.
In addition to the requirements that all prospective students must meet, international students must provide evidence of the following:

Proficiency in the English language that meets one of the following standards (minimum score in parentheses):
- TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language [Paper-based] (550)
- TOEFL: [Computer-based] (213)
- TOEFL: [Internet-based] (> 80 with no individual component score < 17)
- IELTS: International English Language Testing System (Total: 6, with no less than 5 in Writing)
- STEP EIKEN: Society for Testing English Proficiency (Grade 1)
- ELS: (Level 112)
- Completion of at least two years of college at an institution where the language of instruction was English; or
- Successful completion of at least one semester at SUNY-ESF

In submitting test scores to the College (institutional number 2530), request they be sent to the Graduate School.

Ability to meet all of the financial obligations that will be incurred while attending the College. In order to obtain an I-20 or DS-2019 from ESF, a prospective international student must complete the “FSA-4 - Foreign Student Financial Statement Form” and submit credible documentary evidence that s/he has enough readily available funds to meet all expenses (tuition, fees, and living expenses) for the entire first year of study. Additional information is available online at: www.esf.edu/international/expenses.htm.
Complete translations into English of all transcripts required by the admissions application without any additions or deletions by the translators. Translations of documents by the applicant will not be accepted. Credential evaluator and translation services for academic documents may be found through the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
International students must also file the State University of New York Foreign Student Admission forms. No fee is required for processing these forms.
International students in active F-1 or J-1 student status who are currently enrolled at American colleges or universities or engaging in Practical or Academic Training experiences must complete the SEVIS transfer-in process. Additional information is available online at: www.esf.edu/international/transfer-in.htm.

ESF students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are required by SUNY policies to maintain comprehensive health insurance with medical evacuation and repatriation coverage for themselves (and their dependents in the United States) for the duration of their ESF program of study. International students are automatically enrolled in the SUNY Health Insurance Plan($1,089.75 for 2010-2011 academic year) unless proof of comparable health insurance is provided to the Bursar’s Office within 30 days of the start of each semester. Additional information about the insurance policy is available online at: www.esf.edu/international/health.htm.

International students will be considered for merit-based assistantships and fellowships but are not eligible for need-based student financial assistance.