Admissions Criteria

Undergraduate Admission Criteria

Applications for admission are given a comprehensive review. A new student’s admission to River Falls is determined by a number of academic and nonacademic factors. Academic factors include the rigor of the high school curriculum, cumulative grade point average (GPA), high school class rank, and standardized test scores (either the ACT or SAT is required). Nonacademic factors may include, but are not necessarily limited to, such things as leadership, community service, creativity, and/or unique talents, and personal characteristics that contribute to the strength and diversity of the university.

New freshmen typically rank in the top 40% of their high school class OR have a 22 ACT score (1100 SAT) or higher.

Academic Course Preparation

Academic preparation, and specifically the strength of high school course work, is an important part of the admission decision. Listed below are the minimum course requirements for strong consideration of your application. Students who are most competitive for admission typically exceed these unit requirements.

*A unit equals one academic year of a subject.

UWRF Pathways Program

Students who are non-native speakers of English and who have a lower ACT score due to English proficiency will be evaluated for admission into the Pathways Program. 

Students in the Pathways Program:

• Will speak English as an additional language
• Will have a composite ACT score of 17 or lower
• Must be a first-year student
• Must not be an F-1 or J-1 visa holder

And have two of the following indicators:

• Have taken ESL or ELL courses in elementary, middle, or high school
• The language spoken at home is not predominantly English
• Moved to the USA during their elementary, middle or high school years

Students should indicate in their application statement that they are interested in the Pathways Program.