First-Year Student Admissions

The main qualities sought in a candidate are their intellectual preparation, purpose's seriousness, and moral integrity. The school record is considered the most reliable measure of potential college ability. However, extracurricular accomplishments may strengthen an application insofar as they indicate special talents, perseverance, and maturity.

Applications for admission are reviewed on an individual basis. Minor deficiencies in preparation may be waived if justified by superior marks, test scores, and recommendations.

All successful applicants are expected to complete at least 16 units of secondary school course work that will include the following:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of Mathematics (algebra, advanced algebra or the equivalent, and geometry)*
• 2 years of the same foreign language
• 2 years of science (at least one laboratory)*
• 2 years of social studies (at least 1 year of U.S. history)*

*Students intending to major in a science or mathematics should show particular strength in that field.

Upload Your Unofficial Transcripts via the Saint Mary's applicant status page or have your high school counselor send the official transcript to smcadmit@stmarys-ca.edu. For admissions review purposes we can use the unofficial transcripts, however once admitted an official transcript will be required. 

Letters of recommendation are not required but are encouraged. If you decide to request a letter of recommendation, make sure to give your counselor or teacher ample time to submit the letter by the postmark deadline. The letter may be written on a separate piece of paper or directly on the evaluation form provided by the Common Application.

Saint Mary’s College of California will not require an SAT or ACT score for college admission. Students who have taken an SAT or ACT test and feel that their test scores enhance their admissions application may submit scores but are not required to do so. All students who apply, with or without test scores, will be reviewed holistically and be evaluated equally for admission and merit scholarships.

If you have taken the test and feel that your scores reflect your academic ability, you can submit them using the SAT school code 004675 and the ACT school code 0386.