1. What is the minimum SAT (or ACT score if applicable to UD) for admission to main campus? It is clear to us that testing will be used but we want to reinforce that to our parents and students.

2. What was the “average” SAT score for students admitted to main campus as Freshmen in Sept 2004, 2005, 2006?

3. What importance does student participation in co-curricular and other school activities and community activities [have] in the application process?

4. How will band be handled? Will any academic credit be given or will it be treated as an elective?

5. Can ROTC be counted as a social studies/academic credit?

6. Delaware high school students must have a career pathway and the technical schools pathways are very structured in nature, going beyond the 3 credit state requirement.  Since our program of studies is highly structured, has there been any discussion on how students’ pathways can be handled? 

7. Do you have a specific grade-by-grade guide that we can use when advising students and when speaking with parents? 

How can you expect one plan – the Commitment – to “fit” all Delawareans?

The UD El Compromiso Con Los Residentes De Delaware is designed to be a roadmap that lets families -- especially families of first-generation college students -- understand the kind of high school preparation and academic performance that will lead to a student's being admitted to UD.  In drafting it, we tried to walk an admittedly difficult path between two objectives.  On the one hand, we want a brochure that is reasonably clear and straightforward, especially to families that have very little experience with sending students to college; that means answering in some detail the question, "what courses should my student take in high school and what grades do you expect her to earn in them if she wants to be admitted to the U of D?" 

On the other hand, we have always been proudest of the fact that nothing that we do in our office is done rigidly or mechanically.  That means understanding that some high schools are more “competitive” than others.  While we expect students to present grades that are predominantly As and Bs, the Admissions Committee considers the level and rigor of coursework taken during high school.  Specifically, the UD Admissions Committee takes into account the historical academic performance at UD of graduates from individual high schools.  The college success rate of students is directly attributed to a strong college preparatory curriculum while in high school with rigorous grading standards.  In addition, we pay attention to trend in grades, meaning that students who perform less than stellar in their 9th or 10th grade may still be considered for admission based on their  markedly improved performance in 11th and 12th grades. 

Additional Criteria When Considering an Applicant

1. What is the minimum SAT (or ACT score if applicable to UD) for admission to main campus? It is clear to us that testing will be used but we want to reinforce that to our parents and students.

I know that this is going to sound like heresy, but we do not have SAT or ACT cut-offs.  We do a holistic read of every application for admission.  I will grant that, while 88% of the students who are admitted to the Newark campus have combined SATv + SATm scores of 1100 or higher and 96% have SATs above 1000, there are students with more modest SATs who are admitted when everything else in their record -- including the rigor of their course selection and their grades -- is outstanding.  Similarly, there are also students with extremely high SATs who do NOT get admitted because their high school records are disappointing.

2. What was the “average” SAT score for students admitted to main campus as Freshmen in Sept 2004, 2005, 2006?

The middle 50% of students admitted to UD as freshmen had (new) SATs that fell between 1770-1970.    For Delaware residents, the middle 50% had SATs that feel between 1700-1900.  On the "old" SAT, the middle 50% of Delawareans have SATs that fall between 1070 and 1280.  The ranges don't change much from year to year.

3. What importance does student participation in co-curricular and other school activities and community activities [have] in the application process?

Out-of-class activities and community service cannot overcome a weak academic record, or, to put it another way, we cannot admit a student, no matter how strong the out-of-class accomplishment might be,  if we can't be confident that student's academic record predicts success at UD.  However, where activities and community service do come into play is in consideration for scholarships.  A student with a topnotch academic record who also has some outstanding achievement outside the classroom becomes an especially attractive candidate for scholarship consideration and may wind up receiving a larger scholarship offer from us.
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High School Course Evaluation
4. How will band be handled? Will any academic credit be given or will it be treated as an elective?

We do not count high school music classes as college prep courses.  At Delaware, our music majors -- including the ones who are so talented that they are receiving substantial music scholarships -- are generally able to present high school transcripts that meet our minimum course requirements.

5. Can ROTC be counted as a social studies/academic credit?

We do not count ROTC as a social studies credit.  Bear in mind that all of the courses we accept must be at least college preparatory, and an ROTC course, as we have understood it, does not meet that test.
 
6. Delaware hgh school students must have a career pathway and the technical schools pathways are very structured in nature, going beyond the 3 credit state requirement.  Since our program of studies is highly structured, has there been any discussion on how students’ pathways can be handled? 

We are willing, and, in fact, plan to review course syllabi for all schools within the state of Delaware.  Where we think that the material is college preparatory in content, we will allow the course to count toward meeting the requirements of the UD El Compromiso Con Los Residentes De Delaware.  We will be looking to see how well a course prepares students for the foundation courses they will be taking when they enroll at UD.  For example, will the science credits they present adequately prepare them to handle Biology, Chemistry, or Physics at Delaware?  Will courses that you want us to accept as social studies prepare students to take introductory psychology, sociology, political science, economics, or history at UD?

7. Do you have a specific grade-by-grade guide that we can use when advising students and when speaking with parents? 

The following is an example of our structured program of study, that we will also communicate to our parents and students, to show you how we will put the “commitment” into action on our end.

A total of 20 academic credits are required.  Two of the credits must be ABOVE college prep (Academic Challenge or Advanced Placement).  The remaining 18 academic credits must be at the “College Prep” level or above. 
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File Falatek - Graduation Requirements: STSD Graduation Committee 2006 - 2007 (Summary UD Commitment Program)