First-Year Student Admissions

Prospective applicants should pursue a broad secondary school program. Sixteen high school units of core academic work are usually considered the minimum preparation for college. The College recommends that high school programs include:

• English: 4 years
• Social studies: 3 years
• World (foreign) language: 3 years
• Laboratory Sciences: 3 years
• Mathematics: 3 years

Whenever possible, students should carry more than the minimum academic load and participate in enriched or accelerated high school courses.

McDaniel College is proudly test-optional. Students who believe their test scores demonstrate their ability or enhance their application are welcome to submit them. Students who believe that standardized test scores do not accurately reflect the strength of their academic achievements or enhance their application for admission can choose not to submit test scores.

Advanced Placement exam scores are normally accepted by the College for the following scores:

• 4 or 5: Students may receive advanced placement plus up to 8 hours credit.
• 3, 2 or 1: No advanced placement or credit is given. 
• AP Calculus scores of 3 – get placement into MAT-1118 Calculus II and satisfy both basic Arithmetic and basic Algebra.

The College recognizes IB-level work and grants a maximum of one year of credits (32 hours) for examinations in higher-level courses only. Credits are awarded for the following scores:

• 5 or higher: Student will receive up to eight hours credit.
• 4: Student will receive credit at the discretion of the appropriate department.
• 3 or lower: Student will not receive credit.

IB credits may be counted toward the McDaniel Plan Requirements, major or minor requirements, or electives in the same manner as Advanced Placement credits. Students should confer directly with departments to determine exact placement in departmental courses.

In addition to granting college credit based on Advanced Placement Test results, the College grants to enrolling students college credit for Liberal Arts subject areas based on the results of subject tests from the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) to enrolling students. Placement and credit will be granted to those whose CLEP scores are equal to or above the American Council of Education’s recommended minimum scores. These scores are listed in the College Board’s publication College Placement and Credit by Examination.

New students should take the Mathematics Placement Exam to ensure that they are placed in the appropriate math class or other quantitative skills-based class.  The summer online Mathematics Placement Exam (available only to new students) covers material from MAT 1001 - Basic Arithmetic, MAT 1002 - Basic Algebra, MAT 1107 - College Algebra and Trigonometry, and MAT 1117 - Calculus I.  

The summer online Mathematics Placement Exam can be taken twice: once at the deposit date through early June (dates vary slightly each year), and once in a “retake” period typically held in mid-August. The placement exams in the summer are all taken online in Blackboard.

The portion of the Mathematics Placement Exam covering MAT 1001 and MAT 1002 is also offered four times during the academic year: August (for returning students only), October, January, and March.  Students should register with the Registrar’s Office to take the Mathematics Placement Exam at these times.

Students may take the Mathematics Placement Exam no more than three times total (summer and academic year combined).  If a student has taken the Mathematics Placement Exam three times and has not yet passed the MAT 1001 or MAT 1002 portions of the exam, they must enroll in and pass those courses to be able to register for courses that have MAT 1001 or MAT 1002 as a prerequisite.

If new/incoming students believe that their summer placement test results do not accurately reflect their mathematical knowledge, they may request a mathematics placement conversation with members of our mathematics faculty during Orientation.  For the meeting they will need to bring their high school transcript.  They may also bring an AP or IB test report, or other evidence of math proficiency that will help them and the faculty arrive at the best course choice for them. To schedule a conversation, e-mail Benjamin Steinhurst at bsteinhurst@mcdaniel.edu.