Freshmen: General Admission Requirements
We review all general admission applications based on four components:
- Official high school transcript.
- An essay as part of the Common Application or the SUNY Application.
- A letter ofrecommendation from the guidance counselor or an academic teacher.
- Extracurricular activities & involvement (including, but not limited to, jobs, athletic teams, clubs, volunteer positions).
If unable to submit materials electronically, official copies may be sent to:
State University of New York at New Paltz
Office of Undergraduate Admission
100 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561
Required High School Coursework
A college preparatory program containing the five core subject areas:
- 4 units of English
- 3-4 units of social sciences/history
- 3-4 units of college prep mathematics (select majors require Algebra II/Trigonometry for admission)
- 3-4 units of science
- 2-4 units of a language other than English
Average High School GPA
Our review of an applicant's academic work will be by academic year so that we can get a clear, year-by-year picture of achievement and motivation throughout the course of theapplicant's high school career.
Weighted high school averages:As so many high schools useweighted averages, we will recalculate theoverall average in accordance with the high school profile. We useonlythe five coresubjects when recalculating the average.
Is the SAT/ACT required?
SUNY New Paltz is currently SAT/ACT optional, unless applying to an accelerated medical program (see next paragraph). Application review will focus on the strength of the high school coursework taken, the grades achieved in academic course work, letters of recommendation, the extracurricular activities, as well as the structure and quality of the student essay.
Accelerated medical programs:Students applying for theaccelerated3+4 Osteopathic Medical Programs and theaccelerated3+4 Optometry Medical Programs will be required to submit either the SAT or the ACT test score to be considered for admission into these programs.
Apply to SUNY New Paltz
Complete either the Common Application or the SUNY Application. The $50 application fee is non-refundable1.
Application Due Dates2
Completed applications must be received by the dates below:
- Spring GeneralFreshman Admission: December15
- Fall General Freshman Admission: May 1
- Early Action: November 153
- Accelerated 3+4 Osteopathic Medical Programs: January 1
- Accelerated 3+4 Optometry Program: January 1
- EducationalOpportunity Program (EOP): May 1
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Starting August 1, 2022, all students at more than 500 designated public high schools across New York State can use the SUNY Application to apply to up to seven SUNY campuses for free. (See if your school is eligible.) Students at the designated schools do not need to request a fee waiver as it will be automatically applied in the SUNY Application.
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SUNY New Paltz reserves the right to alter due dates at any time without prior notification to applicants.
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For Early Action admission, the application and all required application materials must be received complete by November 15. Decisions are sent via U.S. Mail by the first week of January.
Please be aware that EOP applicants are not eligible to apply for Early Action.
Transfer Students: General Admission Requirements
A student who has taken course work at an accredited college (other than SUNY New Paltz) after high school graduation is considered a transfer student.
Preliminary Transfer Admission Consideration
- A 2.75 minimum grade point average (GPA).If the applicant has attended more than one college, thecombined GPAfrom all previous colleges must be at least 2.75.
- If the applicant has less than 45 completed credits, their high school academic record will be considered as well.
- Applicants with less than 45 completed credits may either apply to a major or apply as "Undeclared."
- Applicants with 45 or more completed creditsmustapply directly to a major. "Undeclared" is not an option.
Transfer Application Process
- Submit theSUNY ApplicationortheCommon Application. The $50 application fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. The SUNY Application fee is waived for SUNY or CUNY associate degree holders. The Common Application fee is not waived for SUNY or CUNY associate degree holders.
- Submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission official transcripts from all colleges previously attended.
- Submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission the official, final high school transcript or GED/TASC (as required by the NYS Education Department).
- Submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission official score reports for AP, IB, and CLEP examstaken in high school.
If unable to submit materials electronically, official copies may be sent to:
State University of New York at New Paltz
Office of Undergraduate Admission
100 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561
Transfer Admission to Specific Majors1
- Art:A minimum GPA of 2.75 (minimum 3.0 for admission to the Graphic Design B.F.A.), submission of an art statement of purpose, and a successful portfolio review. Contact the departments for details.
Note that Graphic Design admits students for fall entrance only.
- Visual Arts Education:A minimum GPA of a 3.0,submission of an art statement of purpose, anda successful portfolio review.Contact the department for details.
- Music:A minimum GPA of 2.75anda successful music audition/interview.Contact the department for details.
- Theatre Arts:A minimum GPA of 2.75anda successful theatre audition/interview. Contact the department for details.
- Adolescence Education:A minimum GPA of 3.0anda “B” or better in Writing and Rhetoric (ENG170) or its equivalent.
- Adolescence Education - Biology:A minimum GPA of 3.0,a “B” or betterinWriting and Rhetoric (ENG170)or its equivalent,andmust have completed General Biology I & II, General Chemistry I & II, and Precalculus.
- Adolescence Education - Mathematics:A minimum GPA of 3.0,a “B” or better inWriting and Rhetoric (ENG170)or its equivalent, and a"B-" or better in Calculus IorCalculus II.
- Biochemistry:A minimum GPA of 2.75 andmust have completed General Chemistry I &II and Precalculus.
- Biology:A minimum GPA of 2.75andmust have completed General Biology I & II, General Chemistry I & II, and Precalculus.
- Business (all programs):A minimum GPA of 2.75; applicants must have completed Writing and Rhetoric (ENG170)or its equivalent, Microeconomics or Macroeconomics with a "C-" or better, and a SUNY General Education mathematics course.
Although not required for admission, it is highly recommended that an applicant complete Precalculus or the New Paltz equivalent to be eligible for access to junior-level Business courses, which will facilitate timely degree completion. - Chemistry:A minimum GPA of 2.75 andmust have completed General Chemistry I&II and Precalculus.
- Communication Disorders:A minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Early Childhood/ChildhoodEducation:A minimum GPA of 3.0anda “B” or betterinWriting and Rhetoric (ENG170)or its equivalent.
- Early Childhood/Childhood Education - MathematicsConcentration:A minimum GPA of 3.0,a “B” or betterinWriting and Rhetoric (ENG170)or its equivalent,anda"B-" or better in either Calculus IorIntroduction to Proof.
- General Studies (interdisciplinary degree completion program, available fully online): A minimum GPA of 2.5 and at least 60 college credits.
- Mathematics:A minimum GPA of 2.75anda grade of "B-" or better in Calculus Iora grade of "B-" or better in Calculus II.
- Psychology:A minimum GPA of 2.75, a “C” or better in General Psychology,andcompletion of a SUNY General Education mathematics course with a "C" or better.
- All majors within theSchool of Science & Engineeringrequire the completion of Precalculus.
SUNY New Paltz reserves the right to change admission criteria for specific majors without notice.
Transfer Application Due Dates2
- Fall enrollment: May 1 (including Art/Graphic Design/Visual Arts Education portfolio)
- Spring enrollment: December 1 (including Art/Visual Arts Education portfolio)
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SUNY New Paltz reserves the right to change admission criteria for specific majors without notice.
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SUNY New Paltz reserves the right to change application due dates without notice.
Admission Communications
The Office of Undergraduate Admission at SUNY New Paltz uses e-mail as its official method of communication. In order to ensure that you receive all communications related to your application, make sure that the e-mail address provided on the application is correct, and addadmissions@newpaltz.eduto your address book to avoid application-related e-mails being sent to spam/junk folders.
