Traditional Freshman

Applicants who have graduated from high school within the last five years are considered traditional applicants. All traditional applicants must have at least a grade point average of 2.5 in the Required High School Curriculum and SAT minimum scores of 480 Evidence Based-Reading/Writing and 440 Math OR ACT scores of 17 English OR Reading and Math. Traditional freshmen must also show successful completion of the Required High School Curriculum with 17 units. SAT/ACT test score requirements are waived for freshmen with a 3.0 or higher in their Required High School Curriculum. 

Required High School Curriculum (RHSC) The following curriculum is required for students whose high school class graduated within the previous five years and who plan to enroll in programs leading to the baccalaureate degree. The Required High School Curriculum (RHSC) requirements and graduation must be completed from a high school accredited by a regional accrediting association (such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) or the Georgia Accrediting Commission or from a public school regulated by a school system and state department of education.

Students applying must present credit for the seventeen (17) specified units:

1. MATHEMATICS: Four (4) units of Mathematics, including Algebra I, Algebra II,  Geometry/Analytic Geometry, Algebra II/Advanced Algebra, and a 4th unit of advanced math, or equivalent courses.
2. ENGLISH: Four (4) units of English which have as their emphasis grammar and usage, literature (American, English, World), and advanced composition skills.
3. SCIENCE: Four (4) units of science, with at least one laboratory course from the life sciences and one laboratory course from the physical sciences. Georgia Public high School graduates must have at least one (1) unit of biology, one (1) unit of physical science or physics, one (1) unit of chemistry, earth systems, environmental science, or an advanced placement science course, and a 4th science.
4. SOCIAL SCIENCE: Three (3) units of social science, with at least one (1) course focusing on United States studies and one (1) course focusing on world studies.
5. FOREIGN LANGUAGE/AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE/COMPUTER SCIENCE: Two (2) units in the same foreign language emphasizing speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Two (2) units of American Sign Language or two (2) units of Computer Science emphasizing coding and programming may be used to satisfy this requirement.

The USG’s Staying on Course document (https://www.usg.edu/assets/student_affairs/documents/Staying_on_Course.pdf) provides important information about the RHSC requirements, including the specific high school courses approved to satisfy the 17 RHSC units.

Students who do not meet published admission standards but demonstrate exceptional potential for success, may be granted admission on a limited basis.

Non-Traditional Freshman

Non-traditional freshmen are defined as individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

1. Have been out of high school at least five years and whose high school class graduated at least five years ago;
2. Hold a high school diploma from an accredited or approved high school as specified in or have satisfactorily completed the GED; and,
3. Have earned fewer than thirty transferable semester credit hours

Non-Traditional Transfers

Non-traditional transfer students are defined as individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

1. Have been out of high school at least five years or whose high school class graduated at least five (5) years ago; and,
2. Have earned thirty or more transferable hours of college credit.

Non-traditional freshmen and non-traditional transfer applicants may be evaluated for Learning Support placement.

Admission to Career Associates Program

Columbus State University offers the Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice. Applicants seeking admission to the career associate program must have graduated from an accredited high school and meet the regular CSU SAT/ACT score requirements. Students admitted to this program must complete all associate degree requirements before they may seek a baccalaureate degree.