High School Curricular Requirements

• 4 Units/Yrs English (grammar, composition, literature)
• 3 Units/Yrs Mathematics (from algebra I, algebra II, geometry, trigonometry, math analysis, pre-calculus, calculus, Advanced Placement statistics)
• 3 Units/Yrs Laboratory Science (biology, chemistry, physics, or any lab science certified by the school district; general science with or without a lab may not be used to meet this requirement)
• 3 Units/Yrs History and Citizenship Skills (including one unit of American history and two additional units from history, economics, government, geography, or non-Western culture)
• 2 Units/Yrs Electives (from foreign language, computer science, any Advancement Placement course except applied courses in fine arts or any other mentioned above)
• 15 Total Units/Yrs Required Units (subject to change under state requirements)

While these curricular requirements will normally be met by students in grades 9 - 12, advanced students who complete these courses in earlier grades will not be required to take additional courses for purposes of admission.

Students must meet all curricular requirements to be admitted. Students with a deficiency in a non-basic course (excludes English, mathematics, and sciences) who present an ACT reading subscore of 19 or higher may be admitted as a regular admission student. These students will be required to complete an additional three-hour collegiate course in the relative subject area to make up the high school deficiency.

The 15 high school units are required for admission.  In addition, the following subjects are recommended for college preparation:

• 2 additional units: fine arts (music, art, drama, speech)
• 1 additional unit: lab science (as described above)
• 1 additional unit: mathematics (as described above)
• 4 recommended units

Computer Science courses (one or more units) that meet the State Regents’ guidelines for high school curricular requirements may satisfy the postsecondary systemwide computer proficiency graduation requirement.

High School Performance Criteria

"Performance criteria" refers to the grades a student earns in required courses, class rank, and standardized test scores. Effective for the 2010-2011 Academic year one of the following performance criteria is required for admission:

• a minimum composite ACT score of 24 or combined critical reading and mathematical scores on the SAT of 1090 and 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in four years of high school study or scholastic ranking among the top 50% of the members in his or her high school graduation class, or,
• a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in four years of high school study and scholastic ranking among the top 25% of the members in his or her high school graduation class, or
• a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in the 15-unit high school core curriculum required for university admission, and an ACT composite score of 22 or a SAT score of 1020.
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The ACT score required is the composite score without the writing component, and the SAT score required includes the combined critical reading and mathematical scores of the test without the writing portion.

Special Admission Requirements

Some students may be admitted under one of the following "Right-To-Try" opportunities:

Students who wish to be considered for admission under any of these categories should consult the Office of Admissions. 

Summer Provisional Admission

Under certain conditions, a student may qualify for summer provisional admission in the summer immediately following the student's high school graduation.  Applicants must meet the following criteria:

If accepted, the student must take a minimum of two summer courses in "core academic" disciplines.  If the student earns at least a “C" or the equivalent, he or she will be admitted in the following fall term.  A provisionally admitted student who does not meet these academic requirements will be unable to enroll for further work at USAO until such time as the student is eligible for regular transfer admission to USAO.

Summer Curricular Deficiency

This program permits students who have met the performance requirements for admission, but have two or less high school deficiencies to attain entry by successfully completing the relative summer coursework with no grade lower than a "C."

A provisionally admitted student who does not meet these academic requirements will be unable to enroll for further work at USAO until such time as the student is eligible for regular transfer admission to USAO.

Right to Try

First-time students admitted under the “Right to Try” criteria are those who do not meet the State Regents’ admission standard for the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma but posses the qualifications that demonstrate a considerable chance of being academically successful.

The Right to Try admission criteria is limited and can only be offered to a specific number of students as set by the State Regents.

Students who are accepted and enrolled under this criteria will be required to participate in the Drover Achievement Program or DAP. The DAP program gives the student additional support by enrolling them in a “College Achievement” course for their first semester as well as assigning the student a mentor for their freshman year.

Home Study or Unaccredited High Schools

A graduate of a private, parochial, or other non-public high school which is not accredited by a recognized accrediting agency is eligible for admission to USAO as follows:

Concurrent Enrollment of High School Students

a)  A 12th-grade (senior) student enrolled in an accredited high school may, if he or she meets the requirements set forth below, be admitted provisionally to USAO as a special student taking courses in college while still in high school:

There are minimum ACT subtest scores required for enrollment in certain classes:

A high school student admitted under the provisions above may enroll in a combined number of high school and college courses per trimester not to exceed a full-time college workload of 19 trimester credit hours.  For purposes of calculating workload, one high school course shall be equivalent to three credit hours of college work.  For example: 3 high school courses equal 9 college credit hours.

The completion of the high school curricular requirements set forth in this policy shall not be required of concurrently enrolled high school students for purposes of admission.  Students may only enroll in college subject areas where they have met the curricular requirements for college admission.  A concurrently admitted high school student will not be allowed to enroll in any zero-level courses offered by USAO designed to remove high school deficiencies.

University coursework is designed to be both an enriching and challenging experience.  High school students who seek concurrent enrollment in college or university classes must meet special, higher admission standards as specified in State Regents Policy.  Concurrently enrolled students will find themselves competing with older students, all of whom have achieved a high school diploma or equivalent.  Many will have already completed several years of college-level work.

In addition, higher education caters to adult learners and presumes a high level of responsibility on the part of students.  USAO students accept the primary responsibility for attending class, reading assignments, meeting deadlines, understanding course requirements, and monitoring their own progress during the semester.  While USAO prides itself on the accessibility of its faculty and offers numerous tutoring and academic counseling services, it is understood to be the duty of students to be proactive and access these resources.

Credits earned at USAO become part of a student’s university record and will transfer to other higher education institutions.  By the same measure, while under certain conditions unsatisfactory grades may be appealed or retaken, they cannot normally be expunged and will remain a part of a student’s permanent undergraduate record. To continue concurrent enrollment the student must maintain a “C” average (2.00 grade point average).

High school students concurrently enrolled in college courses may continue concurrent enrollment in subsequent semesters if they achieve a college cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale. Following high school graduation, such a student may continue his or her enrollment at USAO, provided he or she has achieved a college grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale and meets USAO's entrance requirements (including the high school curricular requirements).

b)  An 11th-grade student enrolled in an accredited high school may, if he or she meets the requirements listed above and the additional requirements set forth below, be admitted provisionally to USAO as a special student:

There are minimum ACT subtest scores required for enrollment in certain classes in paragraph “A” above.

c)  A student receiving high-school-level instruction at home or from an unaccredited high school may be admitted provisionally to USAO as a special student if he or she meets the requirements set forth below:

There are minimum ACT subtest scores required for enrollment in certain classes in paragraph “A” above.

Special Opportunity Admission Category

Under certain conditions, a student who does not qualify for "Concurrent Enrollment" status but who has not graduated from high school may apply for enrollment at USAO.  The Registrar will determine admissibility based on

Transfer Students

A transfer student is any undergraduate who has attempted more than 6 credit hours, excluding "0-level" courses and pre-college work, such as concurrent hours earned in high school.

To transfer to USAO from another Oklahoma State System Institution, a student must fulfill one of the following criteria:

Depending on the status of the individual student, other requirements may be pertinent. All transfer students should consult the Admissions' Office for information.

A student transferring from another Oklahoma System institution must be in good standing at that institution. If a student has earned fewer than 24 credit hours, the Registrar will require a high school transcript or GED, and  ACT scores.

An undergraduate student wishing to transfer from an out-of-state college or university to USAO may do so by meeting the entrance requirements of USAO as outlined above in the transfer criteria and by the following:

Students who do not meet the academic criteria in paragraph 7 above, but have not been formally suspended, may be admitted as transfer probation students.  These students must maintain a 2.0 GPA each trimester while on probation until they raise their retention/graduation GPA to a 2.0 level.  Any transfer student with curriculum deficiencies must remove the deficiencies within the first 12 hours of enrollment.

A maximum of 62 credit hours of junior college coursework may count toward the baccalaureate degree at USAO.

Students who hold associate in arts, associate in science, or baccalaureate degrees and who transfer from accredited junior colleges or four-year colleges or universities of Oklahoma will be considered by USAO as having met all lower-division general education requirements for a baccalaureate degree from USAO.

Teacher education candidates may need to take additional courses in general education to meet the minimum certification requirements as defined by the State, including health and physical education, geography, mathematics, science, or similar additional requirements of other professional fields.

In addition to the general education requirements, specific programs or fields may call for particular GPAs.

Students transferring to USAO without associate or baccalaureate degrees or their equivalents must meet the same general education requirements as first-time entering freshmen.

Special Non Degree-Seeking Student

Students who wish to enroll in courses without intending to pursue a degree may enroll in up to nine (9) credit hours without submitting academic credentials or meeting the curricular or performance requirements of USAO. Retention standards will be enforced. Should a student wish to enroll in more than the nine permitted hours, he or she must be formally admitted to USAO. The student will then be required to meet USAO's formal admission or transfer criteria.

Adult Admission

Students who are 21 years of age or older or on active military duty may be admitted based on established criteria (has a high school diploma or GED certificate).  Adults are not required to take the ACT or SAT.  They must participate in an Academic Intake Survey and assessment tests in English, mathematics, and science.  The results of these tests are used to determine admissibility and course placement.

International Students, First-Time Admission follow this link for additional information.

• Summer provisional admission
• Summer curricular deficiency
• Alternative admission
• Home study or unaccredited high school admission
• Concurrent high school enrollment
• Opportunity admission
• Transfer admission
• Adult admission
• International student admission
• Special non degree-seeking students
  1. Be a first-time-entering student.
  2. Graduate from an accredited high school or have earned a GED certificate. GED recipient's high school class must have graduated.
  3. Meet the curricular requirements.
  4. Have a minimum ACT score of 17 or a minimum high school GPA of 2.5.
  5. Participate in a comprehensive assessment battery. If the need for remedial coursework is indicated, the student must successfully complete the required developmental coursework prior to entering this provisional program.
  • Have a reasonable chance for academic success, usually based on one of three:  ACT composite score, high school GPA and class rank, or GPA in the 15-unit core, or
  • have unusual talent or ability in art, drama, music, sports, and the like, or
  • are educationally or economically disadvantaged and show promise of being able to succeed in a program or curriculum at USAO.
  1. The student must have taken the ACT or SAT and earned a score on each subtest's frequency distribution (as defined by the State Regents) that is equal to or greater than the composite score required for admission at state colleges. Simply put, a student wishing to enter USAO must earn a comprehensive score of 21 or better on the ACT (or 980 on the SAT) and also earn a 19 or better in each of the subtest categories: English, math, science, and reading.
  2. The student's high school class must have graduated.
  3. The student must satisfy the high school curricular requirements for state colleges, as verified from the private school transcript. For home school students, this verification may come from the parent-teacher.
  • must meet the published criteria of the State Regents (other than high school graduation and curricular requirements) for admission. This includes having earned a composite score of 24 on the ACT or the equivalent score on the SAT (1090) combined critical reading and mathematical scores, or a high school GPA of 3.0 and class rank in the top 25 percent. 
  • must be enrolled in less than a full-time load (fewer than six courses per semester) at the high school which he or she is attending, as attested by the high school principal.
  • must obtain a written recommendation from the high school counselor, written permission from their parent(s), and a signed statement from their high school principal confirming their eligibility to satisfy by the spring of the senior year the high school graduation requirements, including curricular requirements for college admission. This form is available in the USAO Registrar's Office. 
  • 19 ACT in English to take an English class
  • 19 ACT in mathematics to take a mathematics class
  • 19 ACT in science to take a science class
  • 19 ACT in reading to take history or social studies
  • if the student has achieved a composite score on the ACT (24), or if the student’s combined score on the SAT critical reading and mathematical sections equal (1090), or
  • if the student has a high school GPA of 3.5 or better.
  • must be 17 years of age or older and meet the standardized test admission requirements of USAO, or
  • must be 16 years of age and have achieved a composite score of 24 or whose combined critical reading and mathematical scores equal 1090. 
  1. test scores (ACT of 32 or SAT of 1410)
  2. the student's level of maturity and ability to function in the adult college environment, and
  3. whether the experience will be in the best interest of a student intellectually and socially.
  • originally (prior to beginning college anywhere) have met USAO's high school curricular and performance requirements and earned at least an overall retention/graduation GPA of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on all college course work elsewhere; or
  • originally (prior to beginning college anywhere) have met USAO's high school curricular requirements but not the performance requirements and earned at least an overall retention/ graduation GPA of 2.0 on at least 24 attempted trimester credit hours of regularly graded (A, B, C, D, F) college work; or
  • originally (prior to beginning college anywhere) have met USAO's performance requirements but not the curricular requirements, have earned (on high school course work) an overall GPA equal to a 2.0 (on a 4-point scale), and have satisfactorily completed USAO's high school curricular requirements before transferring; or
  • originally (prior to beginning college anywhere) have met neither USAO's curricular nor performance requirements but have earned an overall 2.0 GPA on at least 24 attempted trimester credit hours of regularly-graded (A, B, C, D, F) college work, and completed USAO's curricular requirements before transferring.
  • Transcripts of record from colleges or universities accredited by the North Central Association or other regional associations will be given full value.
      1.  Each nonresident applicant must be in good standing at the institution from which he or she plans to transfer.
      2.  Each nonresident applicant must have made satisfactory progress (an average grade of "C" or better to meet this policy's current retention standards, whichever is higher) in the institution from which he or she plans to transfer. 
  • Transcripts of record from institutions not accredited by a regional association may be accepted in transfer when appropriate to the student's degree program and when USAO has had an opportunity to validate the courses or programs.
      1.  Each nonresident undergraduate applicant must meet the conditions of a(1) and a(2) above.
      2.  Each nonresident undergraduate applicant who meets a(1) and a(2) above also will be required to validate the transferred credit by making satisfactory progress (an average of "C" or better) for at least one semester.