ADMISSIONS

2005 - 2006 College of the Ozarks Catalog

Back to Menu

One of the special commitments of College of the Ozarks is to serve the youth of the Ozarks region. This area is largely rural and mountainous, and incorporates most of southern Missouri, northern Arkansas and small parts of Kansas, Oklahoma and Illinois.

The founding charter commits the College to serving “especially those found worthy but who are without sufficient means to procure such training.” This commitment is reflected in the policy that 90 percent of each entering class is limited to students whose families would have a difficult time financing a college education. The remaining 10 percent of available positions in each class are filled with a diverse group of students, primarily children of alumni or employees, scholarship recipients and a few international students. The college guarantees to meet the “cost of education” for the full-time students—that is, all costs of the educational program (instruction, operating cost, etc.)

The following table is a general guide which gives an indication of the maximum family income allowed for a dependent student interested in qualifying for admission to College of the Ozarks. These limits may be adjusted for unusual circumstances.

OBJECTIVE

A primary objective of College of the Ozarks is to provide an educational opportunity for individuals who have the ability to do college work but do not have the financial resources. When evaluating prospective students, the Dean of Admissions considers courses taken and grades earned, test scores, recommendations, participation in extracurricular activities, indications of academic interest and growth, development of intellectual skills, proof of financial need and personal interview. To become a successful student at College of the Ozarks, we recommend that students complete all the high school courses that are required to receive the College Preparatory Studies Certificate award from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Among other requirements, this certificate requires 4 units of English/Language Arts, 3 units of Mathematics, 2 units of Science, 3 units of Social Studies, and 1 unit of Fine Arts.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

Financial need: Ninety percent of each entering class must demonstrate financial need. This requirement is waived for only ten percent of the incoming class, and this category is generally filled early.

Academic ability: Students should be in the top half of their graduating class and obtain our preferred score of 19 on the ACT test (910 SAT). Students who have taken the college preparatory curriculum in high school are more competitive in the admission process than those who have not.

ADMISSION PROCESS

To be considered for admission, a prospective student must submit an application for admission on a form provided by the College. Prospective students may submit the application in paper form or online at the College website, http://www.cofo.edu. After receipt of the application, the admissions office will forward the prospective student a checklist and documents that are required. These documents include:

The high school transcript (either complete or in progress) should include all available academic, aptitude, achievement test scores, and class rank. The scores from the American College Testing Program (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) should be mailed directly to the College of the Ozarks admissions office. The physical examination must be completed, and the applicant’s physician must complete a form provided by the College. Applicants are encouraged to submit the FAFSA online, but may also submit a paper application to the financial aid office if they do not have access to the Internet. The College requires that applicants submit both parent and student tax forms. It is preferred that the reference letters be submitted from academic personnel. Finally, personal interviews are required of all candidates. Admissions office personnel will schedule interviews with applicants, after submission of the high school transcript and ACT/SAT score, who meet admission criteria.

An application file is considered complete when each item has been received and processed (other items may be required in special circumstances). Prospective students are encouraged to complete the admissions process as soon as possible because admission to the College is quite competitive. The admissions process time line is provided in the next few paragraphs.

TRANSFER STUDENT ADMISSIONS

Students with fewer than 48 transferrable college semester hours completed elsewhere should submit the materials listed above plus the transfer student documents that are noted. This includes a college transcript (from all institutions attended) and a transfer student form. The transfer student form attests to the positive character of the student, and must be completed by the dean of students at the institution from which the student is transferring. Transfer students with 48 or more transferable college semester hours need not submit ACT scores and high school transcripts, but are required to submit college transcripts and the transfer student form. Reference letters for transfer students should be submitted by college academic personnel.

ADMISSIONS PROCESS TIME LINE

FALL APPLICANTS:

Priority Consideration: Applicants who have their files and interviews completed by February 15 will earn priority consideration. This consideration is not a guarantee of admission; it is the best way to ensure a timely review of the admissions file.

Secondary Consideration: Applicants who have their files and interviews completed by March 15 will earn secondary consideration. This consideration is not a guarantee of admission; it is a good way to ensure a timely review of the admissions file.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When submitting documents, candidates must remember to allow for processing time. Submitting all required documents by the consideration date does not mean the forms will be processed on that date. In most cases it takes at least ten days to process FAFSA information on campus. The information will not be documented as received until processing is complete. It is important to fill out all forms completely; failure to do so may result in the request for additional information, requiring additional time for processing. It is best to have all materials submitted well in advance of the priority and secondary consideration dates.

After the priority and secondary target dates, applicants will earn a review of their files as they are completed. If candidates have any questions as to whether their files are complete, they should contact the admissions office.

SPRING APPLICANTS: Applicants interested in spring admission should be aware they are in competition with all candidates, regardless of which semester they plan on beginning school. Qualified candidates who are not admitted in the fall due to limited space are automatically considered for the spring semester. Applicants interested in spring admission need to begin the admission process one year in advance. Spring applicants should complete their files and interviews as soon as possible.

LATE ADMISSIONS
There will be no admissions after noon on Friday prior to the first day of classes for any given semester. Applicants who wish to have their files reviewed and considered for admission must have a completed file in the admissions office by Monday prior to the first day of classes. Applications submitted after this time are not guaranteed review and consideration for admission. Applicants are reminded that finishing their files well in advance of the above mentioned dates is a better way to ensure a timely review of their admissions files. Please refer to the Admissions Process Time Line.

FEES AND DEPOSITS
Upon acceptance to the College, resident students are required to pay a one hundred ninety dollar ($190) acceptance fee when returning the acceptance papers. This covers the one hundred forty dollar ($140) incidental/health fee for the semester and the fifty dollar ($50) room damage deposit. The room and board charge of one thousand nine-hundred dollars ($1900) per semester is due by the first of August for the fall term and by the first of January for the spring term. Special arrangements may be made to pay $950.00 the first of August, $475.00 the first of October and $475.00 the first of November for the fall semester. For the spring term, arrangements may be made to pay $950.00 by the first of January, $475.00 the first of March and $475.00 the first of April. Resident students also pay a $25 telephone service charge each semester. This should be paid with the room and board charge for each term. Students who will not be living in the residence halls are required to pay a one hundred forty dollar ($140) acceptance fee when returning the acceptance papers. This covers the one hundred forty dollar ($140) incidental/health fee for the semester. The one hundred forty dollar ($140) incidental/health fee must be paid each semester. These fees will be refunded under the conditions outlined in the Student Handbook.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE/RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS
Students admitted to College of the Ozarks must live in the residence halls unless they meet one of the following criteria: 21 years of age or older, married, a veteran of the armed services, or living with parent(s)/guardian. Students must be 17 years old by the first day of classes in the semester for which they are applying.

ALUMNI CHILDREN
Applicants who are children of alumni will be given preferential consideration until February 15 of each year. Alumni children applicants must complete the same admissions process as all candidates.

Learn about the institutions you are considering.
Education after high school costs time, money, and effort. Higher education is a monumental investment, regardless of where a student decides to attend college; students should evaluate any college carefully. To assist them in making informed decisions, prospective students should have information on various policies including, but not limited to, the institution’s accreditation, educational programs, financial aid, and cost of attending.

Prospective Student Right to Know Information
As a prospective student, you are entitled to certain information about the college. This notice is made pursuant to Department of Education regulations and covers Student Right-to Know, Campus Crime and Security, and Athletic Participation and Financial Support (EADA) reporting and disclosure. We have assembled the required information, as well as other valuable information about the College, on our web site, at http://www.cofo.edu/policies.asp?page=1. Please become familiar with the information located on the site. Contact the office of Admissions if you need a printed copy.

Learn and follow Admissions procedures.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to review and consider all information about an institution’s program before enrolling. Upon receiving the application for admission, the admissions office will send a packet and checklist describing in detail the admissions process, and priority and secondary consideration deadline dates. Applicants should pay special attention to these dates and complete all required forms completely and accurately. If forms are completed inaccurately, this may cause delays which could affect the applicant’s admissions process negatively.

Consumer Information is made available to prospective students by: Mrs. Marci Linson, Dean of Admissions, Phone 1-800-222-0525; to current students by: Dr. Chris Larsen, Dean of Students, Phone 417-334-6411 Ext. 2224; for the general population by: Dr. Marilyn Graves, Dean of the College, Phone 417-334-6411 Ext. 2278.

The Ozark Territory A list of counties in the five states from which students are given a preference for admission is given below. However, students from outside these counties will be considered.