Admissions & Aid

During these challenging times, Methodist University has adjusted a number of our admissions policies to support our Future Monarchs and their families. It is our hope that the information listed below may alleviate any concerns you may have about the enrollment process. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 800.488.7110 or [email protected].  Our thoughts are with you and your family, and we hope that you are healthy and safe.

• Self-reporting grades and curriculum – For freshman applicants who meet our self-reporting minimum requirements, we will continue to make admissions decisions using self-reported GPA, curriculum and test scores. These decisions are contingent upon receipt of official documents for students who enroll in the fall.
• Transcripts and test scores – Because it may be difficult for you to get transcripts or test results, we will accept unofficial documents. You can download .pdf score reports on the College Board and ACT websites and send those to us electronically. If you attend a public school in NC, you can send your transcripts electronically through CFNC.org provided your school uses CFNC (the vast majority of NC public schools do). Other electronic transcript services such as Scribbles, Naviance, Parchment, etc. may be able to still send transcripts as well. We do recommend that you upload these documents on the secure server you can find on Admissions tab in the myMU Portal once your application has been processed.
• Test Optional Policy – Methodist University is test-optional in our admissions policy for incoming freshman with a core high school GPA and curriculum which meets standards set forth by the Office of Admissions. The Core GPA is calculated using high school English, math (above Algebra I or equivalent,) science, social science and foreign language courses. Selective academic scholarships require submission of either SAT or ACT scores. All admitted students will be considered for scholarships ranging from $11,500 per year up to $20,000 per year without test scores. Students who are admitted test-optional will have the opportunity to be considered for selective scholarships upon submission of test scores. Minimum requirements for our selective scholarships are a 3.00 or higher cumulative weighted GPA and 22 ACT or 1100 SAT.
• Visit virtually – We have a great virtual campus tour with 360 degree views of most campus facilities. You can find the virtual tour at bit.ly/MUvirtualtour. Additionally, we have a video tour of a room in each of our residence halls that you can find at bit.ly/MUcribs. Should you have any questions for our admissions staff, we will be available for phone consultations.
• Financial aid appeals – Many families are experiencing financial difficulties in this time. If you or your family has experienced loss of employment, dramatic reduction in employment wages or other special circumstances, please visit the Special Circumstances page and complete the special circumstances appeal process.
• Enrollment Deposit – Our priority enrollment deposit deadline remains May 1 but if you feel that you need an extension of the May 1 deadline, please contact the Office of Admissions and we will be happy to accommodate you.

Generally speaking, a freshman applicant with a 3.0 or better high school GPA, a 980 or higher on the New SAT (19 or better on the ACT), and a strong college preparatory curriculum should qualify for regular admissions. Students who are below those levels will be considered for admission on an individual basis. We encourage every student to apply and let our admissions committee evaluate the application.

For transfer applicants, typically a student who was admissible based on his/her high school performance and who has above a 2.0 GPA on any amount of college level work is admissible to Methodist University. If the student was not admissible based on his/her high school performance he/she needs to take 12 to 31 semester hours of transferable credits to ensure admissibility. We encourage all transfer students to apply so that we may take his/her file before our admissions committee.

For freshman applicants, we consider, in this order: Grade Point Average (GPA), course selection (curriculum), and standardized test results (SAT, ACT, or TOEFL). Other factors such as extracurricular involvement and letters of recommendation are considered, as Methodist University strives to enroll a diverse and talented freshman class.

Decisions for transfer students with more than 31 semester hours of attempted college level course work is based primarily on the college GPA.

A complete application file includes:

• An application for admission
• $50 application fee (waived for online applications)
• High school and college transcripts (if applicable)
• Standardized test scores (SAT/ACT/TOEFL) (SAT or ACT optional for some students)

We typically make an admission decision within 7-14 days of receiving all information.

Methodist University operates on a rolling basis, so there is no application deadline. We do encourage students to apply as early as possible to maximize opportunities for financial assistance. Competitive scholarship programs have a March 1 deadline. Students who are interested in competing for academic scholarships should apply by February 1. Most students will apply between October and March.

An interview is not typically required for admission; however, we strongly encourage every applicant to set aside a time to visit our campus, meet with an admissions counselor, and discuss his or her academic and extracurricular interests so that we may better serve the student’s needs throughout the admissions process.

Yes. Students with financial need may receive fee waiver forms or letters from their high school counselor or directly from the College Board and/or ACT. We also waive application fees for all online applications.

Methodist University requires the following courses:

• 4 years of English
• 2 years of Math (Algebra I, Geometry)
• 3 years of Social Sciences (history, psychology, government, economics, etc.)
• 3 years of Science with 1 lab science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

Methodist University strongly recommends the following courses in addition to the above:

• 2 (or more) Math courses beyond Geometry (usually Algebra II and a math beyond Algebra II)
• 2 (or more) years of the same foreign language

Through Academic Services One Stop at Methodist University, tutors are available at no additional charge in almost every course that any student takes at the university. Most professors make themselves very accessible to students by regular office hours. The MU Writing Center is available for assistance with academic papers, creative writing, cover letters, resumes, graduate school applications, grant proposals, course syllabi, and more. The Student Access & Accommodation Services Office provides services and resources for students with disabilities.

No. We encourage students to come visit Methodist University on a “one-on-one” basis during our normal business hours (M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 9-Noon). This visit encourages more information exchange and makes the visit more productive. We can set up a time for you to meet with any specific department you may be interested in while on the visit. While on campus, the student will get a campus tour (usually from a current student), eat a meal in the Green and Gold Café, and talk with an admissions counselor about the admissions and financial aid process. We also encourage students to visit during the fall or spring semester to get a better “feel” for Methodist University.

Yes. AP scores of 3, 4 or 5 will get 3 to 6 semester hours of credit. In most cases, students scoring a 5 or better on the IB higher level examination can earn from 3 – 6 semester hours of credit per examination. For information on accepted CLEP examinations and minimum scores, visit our Testing page.

• AP credit information
• IB Credit information
• CLEP & DANTES Testing
• Challenge Examinations

Feel free to contact any member of our admissions staff.