Undergraduate Admission

As one of the senior colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY), Brooklyn College participates in centralized application procedures for general freshman, Macaulay Honors, SEEK, and transfer applicants. Access to the CUNY online application and deadlines for filing applications are available on the Admissions webpage.

The Brooklyn College Office of Admissions processes nondegree student applications. The application is available on and can be downloaded from the Admissions webpage.

Office of Admissions

222 West Quad Center

2900 Bedford Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11201

P: 718.951.5001

E: adminqry@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Website: https://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/admissions/apply.php

Student Enrollment Status

Undergraduate students may be enrolled as matriculated, nondegree, visiting or CUNY e-permit.

Matriculated Students

A matriculated student is one who is accepted and recognized by the college as working toward a degree. Matriculated students may attend Brooklyn College on a full- or part-time basis. Two types of students may apply for admission as matriculated students: first-year (freshman) and transfer students (including students who hold a bachelor’s degree and want another degree).

First-Year Students

First-year students are students who have not attended a college or university since graduating from high school or receiving a High School Equivalency Diploma.

All recent graduates from domestic high schools who apply to Brooklyn College baccalaureate programs are required to submit SAT or ACT scores.

Academic Preparation

Preparation for baccalaureate study should include the following high school academic units:

• English: four units.

• Social studies: four units.

• Foreign language: three units of one foreign language.

• Mathematics: three units of college preparatory mathematics. It is recommended that students intending to major in a math- or science-related area have four units each of science and math.

• Science: three units consisting of one unit of any of the following: general biology, advanced biology, botany, chemistry, general science, physics, physiography or earth science, or zoology. It is recommended that students intending to major in a math- or sciencerelated area have four units each of science and math.

General Freshman Admissions Criteria

First-year applicants will be considered for admission based on their high school academic course work and scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT) exams. Strong candidates have a high school average of 81 percent or better. Students with a High School Equivalency Diploma will be considered based on their test scores on the GED or TASC exams. A high school certificate or an IEP diploma is not acceptable for admission.

Admissions criteria are subject to change.

City University of New York Assessment Program Requirements

In addition to meeting the college’s admission criteria, each student must demonstrate college readiness in the areas of mathematics, reading, and writing as established by the college and CUNY prior to admission to a senior college. Students can demonstrate that they meet the college readiness requirements for admission based on their SAT, ACT, or New York State Regents test scores. For more information about how college readiness requirements affect admission to Brooklyn College, visit the CUNY website.

Specific Academic Foundations proficiency requirements and exemptions may be found in the chapter “Academic Regulations and Procedures.”

Transfer Students

Students who have attended or graduated from an accredited college or university are considered for admission with advanced standing as transfer students.

Applicants who have completed fewer than 24 college credits at the time of application must also submit their high school transcripts along with official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended.

Transfer Admissions Criteria

Transfer students with fewer than 12 credits completed must meet the freshman criteria and have a 2.22 or better cumulative GPA on credits completed. Transfer students with at least 12 credits completed are considered for admission with a 2.22 or better cumulative GPA. Students transferring with an A.A. or A.S. degree from a CUNY community college will be considered for admission with a 2.00 or better GPA. Students who have a prior bachelor’s degree will be considered for admission with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better.

City University of New York Assessment Program Requirements

In addition to meeting the college’s admission criteria, transfer students must meet the college readiness requirements in the areas of mathematics, reading, and writing as established by the college and CUNY prior to admission to a senior college. Students can demonstrate that they meet the college readiness requirements for admission based on their SAT, ACT, or New York State Regents test scores. In addition, transfer students may meet the college readiness requirements through course work taken at their prior accredited college or university. For more information about how CUNY’s college readiness requirements affect admission to Brooklyn College, visit the CUNY website.

Admissions criteria are subject to change.

Advanced Placement

Students who have completed college-level courses in high school may be considered for exemption, with or without credit, from equivalent college courses. Such exemption is granted on the basis of Advanced Placement Program tests given by the College Entrance Examination Board or the International Baccalaureate upper-level subject area exams.

Students who have taken the Advanced Placement Program tests, College-Level Examination Program tests, and/or the International Baccalaureate exams must request the administering agency to forward their official score reports to the Transfer Student Services Center, 306 West Quad Center, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY 11210, or the college code (2046). In some cases (e.g., physics), test booklets must be provided as well.

Evaluation of Transfer Credit

The Transfer Evaluation Office is responsible for processing all transfer credits for courses taken prior to attending Brooklyn College for new undergraduate students, both freshmen and transfers.

All courses taken for credit at an undergraduate CUNY college with a passing grade of D- or higher will be accepted for credit at Brooklyn College, regardless of whether a specific equivalency exists. For courses that do not have an equivalent, elective credits will be granted.

Credits are also given for courses taken at non-CUNY institutions that are accredited by one of the regional accrediting commissions or by the New York State Board of Regents. From any non-CUNY institution, all credits will be granted for credit-bearing courses that have met the grade requirement of C- or higher in disciplines that are offered at Brooklyn College at the time of admittance. For courses that do not have an equivalent, elective credit may be granted. Exclusions may apply for students who use Brooklyn College courses toward an associate degree.

Transfer credit from non-CUNY institutions not listed on the admissions application may be denied. In addition, failure to list all postsecondary institutions attended will subject a student to disciplinary action and a review of the admission decision. Applicants are required to provide official copies of transcripts for every institution attended, including a transcript(s) for course work that was in progress at the time of application. As soon as “in progress” courses are completed, a final transcript must be submitted to the Transfer Evaluation Office at Brooklyn College.

From a non-CUNY institution, students may be required to provide official course descriptions and/or a course syllabus to the department evaluator for review within the first semester of attendance. Failure to do so may result in the loss of opportunity to receive transfer credit for the course(s).

Brooklyn College does grant international students transfer credit. A maximum of 60 credits can transfer from any combination of institutions that are recognized by CUNY’s University Application Processing Center as part of the system of higher education of another country and offers programs of study equivalent to baccalaureate degrees program in Brooklyn College. Course work must receive the U.S. grade equivalency of a C-or higher. Credit (CR), Pass/Passing (P), and Satisfactory/Satisfied (S) grades will not be considered, unless the transcript indicates that these grades equate to a C-or higher.

Brooklyn College requires all non-English transcripts to be professionally translated and evaluated with course credits and grades transcribed via the U.S. standards. Students will also be required to submit course descriptions/syllabi to the Transfer Evaluation Office, for academic departments to review. If the course descriptions/syllabi are not in English, the student will need to submit translations, along with the descriptions/syllabi in the original language.

All international course works must have been successfully completed prior to being admitted to the college as a matriculated student. Students may not receive credits for courses which Brooklyn College does not have an existing/equivalent discipline. International students may receive general subject credits, which may not count toward the student’s major/minor/College Option/ Pathway requirements. International students will have the ability to petition with the transfer appeals officer if they wish to have additional credits evaluated and posted beyond the 60-credit limit.

Evaluation of academic courses for second-degree students and/or students from non-CUNY colleges may be limited to disciplines that Brooklyn College offers. If the college does not offer the specific discipline of the original incoming course, an academic department can authorize the Transfer Evaluation Office to add the course to the student’s academic record provided the student submits such approval of the course with a correlating Brooklyn College discipline. Without the academic department’s approval, the course will not appear on the student’s transcript and will not count toward the student’s degree requirements

Credit cannot be earned twice for the same originating course. If two courses come in and are equivalent to the same Brooklyn College course, one course will be converted to elective credit.

Brooklyn College grants academic credits for any student earning a score of 3 or higher on any Advanced Placement (AP) examination. Brooklyn College will also grant credit for College Level Examinations Program (CLEP) with a score of 50 or higher as well as Higher Level courses in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization Diploma Program with scores of 5 or higher. Other external standardized examinations are similarly accepted based on scores/grades. For a list, visit the Transfer Evaluation webpage. The college also offers students the availability to earn credits for prior learning. Students must consult with the academic departments for this option.

The college in consultation with faculty in the discipline corresponding can evaluate an AP course to be the equivalent of a specific course, as fulfilling a general education category or as elective credits. Faculty or the appropriate academic department shall award credit differently based upon the score earned on the exam. Specific determination of how credits are awarded are entirely within the department’s purview.

SEEK Students

The SEEK application procedure and the CUNY admissions application procedure are the same. Applicants should complete the special SEEK section of the CUNY admissions application. Prospective SEEK students must demonstrate both financial and educational eligibility as well as New York State residency.

Access to the CUNY online application and deadlines for filing applications are available on the Admissions webpage.

For information on the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program, see the section “Special Programs” in this chapter.

Non-Degree Students

A nondegree student is one who registers for credit-bearing courses but is not pursuing a degree program. Nondegree students are admitted based on their prior high school, college, or university course work. Students may obtain the application, requirements, and materials by consulting the Admissions webpage, or by contacting the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Nondegree students may attend class during day or evening sessions and may apply to become degree students. The Change of Status Form can be accessed online. Requirements for matriculation are listed in the “Status change requirements” section of the “Academic Regulations and Procedures” chapter in this Bulletin.

Visiting Students

Students in attendance at colleges other than a CUNY college who wish to take courses at Brooklyn College may enroll as visiting students. They must submit to the Enrollment Services Center an official letter certifying that they are in good academic standing at their home college or an unofficial transcript from their home college, file a Brooklyn College visiting student application, pay the specified application fee, and satisfy the New York State immunization requirements specified by the Brooklyn College Health Programs/Immunization Requirements Office. There are no immunization requirements for the summer sessions. Visiting-student status is valid for only one semester.

CUNY E-Permit Students

Students in attendance at CUNY colleges who wish to take courses at Brooklyn College may file an e-permit. The home college will have instructions and procedures on how to file an e-permit. Once the e-permit is approved, students need to register through their CUNYfirst Self Service. Students receive registration instructions via e-mail. If they fail to receive such instructions, they should contact the e-permit unit of the Office of the Registrar, 306 West Quad Center.

International Students

Prospective students who are interested in attending Brooklyn College and studying as F-1 international students must complete the general CUNY application online, as specified on the Brooklyn College Admissions webpage. Although the deadline for the application does not change for international students, it is recommended that prospective international students complete the application and submit all documents at least one month prior to the deadline in order to have their application evaluated in a timely fashion.

Freshman applicants must submit copies of their secondary school marks in the original language with certified English translations, if applicable. Transfer applicants must submit copies of their secondary school marks in the original language with certified English translations, if applicable, and official transcripts from their postsecondary institutions in a sealed envelope with the school seal. Postsecondary documents not in English must be accompanied with a certified English translation. Applicants from non-English speaking countries must submit English proficiency test scores in order for their applications to be evaluated.

Brooklyn College accepts a score of 61 (iBT) from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and a score of 6 from International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or a score of 50-57 PTE.

Once an applicant is accepted to Brooklyn College, the Office of International Student and Scholar Services will contact the student to walk them through the Certificate of Eligibility process. Students needing an I-20/DS-2019 must prove to Brooklyn College, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security that they are able to support themselves financially for their entire program of study in order to qualify for an F-1/J-1 visa.

International Student and Scholar Services, 235 West Quad Center, 718.951.4477

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services assists international students and scholars with visa and immigration processes and compliance, provides referrals to both on- and off-campus resources, and serves as an advocate for international students. In addition to assisting students, the office provides support to academic departments desiring to sponsor visiting faculty and researchers. The office aspires to provide high-quality service and support that will help the international student achieve academic and personal success and to promote a global classroom with the visiting scholars. From welcoming the student on campus to congratulating the student at the commencement ceremony, staff members help support the international student experience at Brooklyn College. Students are encouraged to visit the office in person, on the website, or on the office’s Facebook page.

Readmission

Information on readmission after two or more terms of absence is in the chapter “Academic Regulations and Procedures.”

Student Immunization Requirement

New York State Law requires students registering for six or more credits and born on or after January 1, 1957, to submit documentation proving immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. The following constitutes proof of immunity: two doses of measles vaccine and one dose each of mumps and rubella, or blood test results showing immunity to each disease.

Students may obtain immunization information and forms online or in the Health Programs/Immunization Requirements Office, 0710 James Hall, 718.951.4505. While certain students may be exempt because of age, medical reasons, or religious belief, they must still submit documentation of exemption before registering. Students who are not exempt must submit proof that they have received one dose each of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine before registering; they have 30 days to submit proof of the second dose of the measles vaccine.

After 30 days, students who have not submitted complete documentation will be prohibited from attending classes and will receive a grade of WA (withdrew for failure to satisfy immunization requirements; no academic penalty) in all courses for the semester. Tuition will not be refunded, and there may be consequences with regard to financial assistance and loan repayment schedules.

New York Public Health Law 2167 requires all students registering for six or more credits to submit a Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccination Response Form signed by the student or student’s parent or guardian to the Health Programs/ Immunization Requirements Office. Students who fail to return this form within 30 days from the beginning of the semester may not attend classes. The form acknowledges the receipt of mandatory meningococcal disease and vaccination information. Vaccination is not required.

Special Programs

Several Brooklyn College programs require special admissions applications: the Honors Academy, the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program, the ESL program and certificate programs.

Honors Academy

The Brooklyn College Honors Academy comprises six programs, described in detail in the chapter “Special Programs and Opportunities” in this Bulletin: the William E. Macaulay Honors College, the Scholars Program, the Coordinated B.A.-M.D. Program, the Coordinated Engineering Honors Program, the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship and the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program.

William E. Macaulay Honors College

The William E. Macaulay Honors College accepts applications only for freshman admissions in the fall semester. Students may apply online to the Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn College. This application serves as both the general freshman admission application to Brooklyn College and the Macaulay Honors College and for Brooklyn College scholarships. Admission to the Macaulay Honors College will depend on high school academic average, SAT/ACT scores, an essay, and recommendations and, in some cases, an interview. For more information, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office, 718.951.5001.

Scholars Program

The Scholars Program is the oldest honors program in the City University of New York. High school applicants to Brooklyn College may apply for a seat in the Scholars Program by completing an online application in addition to filing a CUNY application. The application asks for an essay, a high school transcript, SAT/ACT scores and two formal letters of recommendation. Letters may be from teachers of any subject who are familiar with students’ academic writing and should mention courses that students have attended, evaluate the quality of their work and illustrate that quality with a significant example. Applicants to the William E. Macaulay Honors College or the Coordinated B.A.-M.D. Program will automatically be considered for admission to the Scholars Program.

Matriculated Brooklyn College students may also apply to the Scholars Program during their first three semesters at the college, up to the completion of 48 credits. Both day and evening students are eligible to apply.

Transfer students may apply to the program when they apply for transfer to or after they begin study at Brooklyn College.

Matriculated and transfer applicants should complete the application form available from the Honors Academy. The application asks for a short autobiographical essay, a paper written for a college course, an up-to-date college transcript and letters of recommendation from two college teachers.

For further information and a complete description of the Scholars Program, contact the Honors Academy, 2231 Boylan Hall.

Coordinated B.A.-M.D. Program

The Coordinated B.A.-M.D. Program leads to a baccalaureate degree awarded by Brooklyn College and to an M.D. degree granted by SUNY Health Science University College of Medicine of the State University of New York (SUNY) Health Science Center at Brooklyn .

The program is limited each year to 15 highly qualified students who are admitted only in the fall term following their graduation from high school. Applicants generally have a combined SAT math and verbal score of at least 1400 and a college admission average of at least 95. Subsequent admission to SUNY Downstate College of Medicine is contingent on maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.50 overall and 3.50 in the required science courses; completing the courses outlined in the program; achieving a minimum score of nine on each of the biomedical sciences, physical sciences and verbal reasoning sections of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT); completing other program requirements; and having the approval of the program director. The entire program takes eight years to complete.

Additional information may be obtained online, and from the Brooklyn College Admissions Office, 222 West Quad Center, 718.951.5001, and the B.A.-M.D. office, 2231 Boylan Hall, 718.951.4706.

Coordinated Engineering Honors Program

Brooklyn College has three coordinated four-year engineering programs — with the City College School of Engineering, the College of Staten Island Engineering Science Program and Polytechnic Institute of New York University.

In these programs, the student attends Brooklyn College for the first two years of the four-year engineering curriculum. Upon completion of the Brooklyn College component, the student is guaranteed transfer to these institutions. Students interested in any of these programs must meet the eligibility criteria for admission to Brooklyn College and should use code 0524, the Brooklyn College engineering code, on their City University admission application form. High school applicants may apply for membership in the Engineering Honors Program by completing an online application form, in addition to the CUNY application. The application asks for a short essay about what led to the applicant’s interest in engineering as a career, a high school transcript, SAT/ACT scores and two formal letters of recommendation. Letters may be from teachers of any subject who are familiar with the applicant’s work and should mention courses that the applicant has taken, evaluate the quality of the applicant’s work, and illustrate that quality with a significant example.

To join the Engineering Honors Program, applicants should also file a CUNY universal honors application. Matriculated Brooklyn College students may also apply to the Engineering Honors Program during their first three semesters at the college. Transfer students may apply when they apply for admission to Brooklyn College or after they begin their studies at the college.

For more information, see the chapter “Special Programs and Opportunities” in this Bulletin; contact the Brooklyn College Department of Physics, 718.951.5418; or visit the Coordinated Engineering Honors Program website.

Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program

The Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) program of the City University of New York offers economically and educationally disadvantaged students opportunities for higher education. The program at Brooklyn College provides support through financial aid, academic support, and instruction, tutorial services and specialized counseling.

SEEK Program Office, 2208 Boylan Hall, 718-951-5738

Information about the program and its services may be found on the SEEK website.

Students enrolled in the SEEK program have access to the following program services and facilities:

SEEK Counseling, 2207 and 2212 Boylan Hall, 718-951-5738

SEEK counselors provide students with orientation, registration and financial aid information; academic planning assistance; and information about graduate education and career opportunities. Counselors assess and encourage each student’s progress. Students meet individually and in groups to discuss their concerns.

SEEK Learning and Study Center, 2438 Ingersoll Hall, 718.951.5135

The SEEK Learning and Study Center (SLSC) offers SEEK students tutoring and supplemental instruction in basic skills, general education courses, and introductory and advanced courses in all majors. It assists students in adapting to the college curriculum. The SLSC is staffed primarily by professional supplemental instructors and by peer tutors who have demonstrated success in their own academic programs. The center provides services and a computer lab for SEEK students. SEEK students may visit the center to schedule individual or small-group sessions. The SLSC is used by compensatory classes as well as individual students.

ESL Program

The recommendation that applicants present four units of high school English and the requirement that students both meet the basic skills proficiency standards in reading and writing and hold a high school average of at least 80 percent does not apply to ESL students who 1) have spent at least one year outside the United States receiving their secondary education in a language other than English, 2) present at least three units of high school mathematics, and 3) meet the basic skills proficiency requirements in mathematics. Such students are eligible for admission to Brooklyn College, where they will be assigned appropriate programs of study, including ESL course work, as determined by the Office of the Associate Provost for Academic Programs and the ESL program. The ESL application procedure is the same as the freshman application procedure.

Certificate Programs

Credit-bearing certificate programs are offered in accounting and film. Undergraduate students who wish to enroll in these programs must have received a high school diploma or the equivalent and must successfully complete the University Skills Assessment Tests as described in the chapter “Academic Regulations and Procedures.” Students with baccalaureate degrees are eligible to enroll in the certificate programs. For more information, contact the appropriate academic department or the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.