Admission Requirements—Entering Freshmen

To be admitted as freshmen, students need to fulfill each of the requirements (or alternatives to each) as specified in items 1-4 below.

1. High school graduation requirement. Must have graduated from a standard or accredited high school. Students who have not graduated from high school or from a standard or accredited high school may meet entry requirements through alternative testing. Alternative testing includes successful completion of the Test of General Education Development (GED) with a minimum overall score of 580 and a minimum score of 410 on each of the five sub-tests (if taken before January 2001, an average score of 46 and a minimum score of 40 on each subject test is required). Students from non-accredited or non-standard high schools, or home-school students may meet the high school graduation requirement with a minimum score of 1540 or higher on the combined critical reading, writing and math portions of the SAT or 22 on the ACT® and an average of 470 or above (940 total) on two College Board SAT Subject Tests (Math Level I or IIc, and one additional subject test of the student’s choice). An examination in a second language is strongly recommended to qualify the applicant for admission by meeting the language proficiency requirements. Students who do not take an SAT Subject test in a second language must prove language proficiency through another approved process.
2. Subject requirements. Applicants must satisfactorily (grade of C- or above) complete at least 15 units (one year equal to one unit) of college preparatory work in the following areas:
   1. English (4 units). Shall include the study of the English language, literature, speaking and listening, and writing, with emphasis on and frequent practice in writing expository prose during all four years.
   2. Mathematics (3 units). Shall include first-year algebra and two additional years of college preparatory mathematics selected from geometry (deductive or descriptive); advanced topics in algebra (through Algebra II), trigonometry, analytical geometry, finite mathematics, advanced applications, calculus, and probability and statistics, or courses that integrate topics from two or more of these areas. One unit is strongly recommended in the senior year. (Algebra and geometry taken prior to ninth grade will be accepted if posted on HS transcript.)
   3. Science (3 units). Shall include at least a year in fields of inquiry based college preparatory science such as biology, chemistry, physics, or earth and physical science. Science courses that are “inquiry based” provide students the opportunity to apply scientific reasoning and critical thinking to support conclusions or explanations with evidence from their investigations. It is strongly recommended that one year be taken as a laboratory science and that a total of three years of science be taken.
   4. Social Studies (3 units). Shall include analysis of societal issues and events. It is strongly recommended that study includes knowledge and use of geographic information, patterns of United States history, patterns of human history, structures and systems of US Government, and analysis of economic systems.
   5. Second Language (2 units). Shall include demonstrated proficiency equivalent to two years of the same high school-level second language. Students may demonstrate proficiency by meeting one of the following options:

      *Pass with a C- or better, two years of the same high school-level second language

      *Pass with a C- or better, the third year of a high school-level second language

      *Pass with a D- or better two quarters or two semesters of college-level second language

      *Pass an approved proficiency exam

      **American Sign Language qualifies as a second language.

      Students failing to meet the Second Language Proficiency requirement at the time of admission may be admitted, but will not be able to earn an undergraduate degree at Portland State University until the second language requirement has been completed. Students must provide official high school or college transcripts to demonstrate the Second Language Proficiency Requirement has been met.

      The second language requirement only applies to applicants graduating from high school in 1997 or later.

      For a complete list of proficiency options available for meeting the second language requirements, please contact the University’s Office of Admissions, or view the OUS Second Language policy at www.ous.edu.

      Alternatives to the subject requirements. (Any one of the following.)

      Score an average of 470 or above (1410 total) on the SAT II subject exams (English Composition, Math Level I or IIc, and a third test of the student’s choice).

      Take make-up coursework for specific subject requirements missed in high school and achieve a passing grade. Note: Satisfactory completion of Math 95 or its equivalent (Intermediate Algebra) fulfills in total the subject requirement in mathematics. Take make-up coursework for specific subject requirements missed in high school and achieve a passing grade. Note: Satisfactory completion of Math 95 or its equivalent (Intermediate Algebra) fulfills in total the subject requirement in mathematics. 

3. Grade point average requirement. High school students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 in all graded subjects taken toward high school graduation. Students who do not meet the 3.00 GPA requirement may be admitted based on a combination of GPA and test scores, as seen on this website: www.pdx.edu/admissions/minimum-admission-requirements-freshmen. 

4. Writing Component of SAT/ACT. Students must take and submit scores for the writing component of the SAT and/or ACT. No minimum score is required.