Admissions Standards and Student Prep

Question 1

What is the preferred science prep for prospective high school students?

Answer 1

3 units of Lab Science (1 must be Physics or Chem) both are preferred. We want to see them taking the highest level of science courses offered at their school.

Question 2

Preferred Math Prep?

Answer 2

4 units of college prep/advanced math (Trigonometry or Precalculus required prior to enrollment at mines) All students take Calc 1,2,3 and Differential Equations at Mines and must be demonstrate calculus preparation.

Question 3

Concurrent Dual Enrollment?

Answer 3

College-level courses taken by a high school student prior to their high school graduation date. Student can take as many dual enrollment courses as they want. However, if they graduate H.S. and then take more than 12 credits of college-level coursework, they can no longer be considered a first-year student. They then must apply as a transfer.

Question 4

When is AP credit awarded?

Answer 4

Official AP scores are received by Mines from College Board in Mid-July.

Credit cannot be awarded from another institution’s transcript.
Order free test report from College Board by June 30!

Question 5

Can a student decline AP, IB, or Transfer Credit?

Answer 5

Yes. Must submit the Decline AP, IB or Transfer Credit form after discussing it with their CASA advisor.

Question 6

100 Free Electives (FREE1XX) are granted at a value of what?

Answer 6

100 level free elective are granted at 3.0 semester.

Question 7

What are some of the holistic measures of character are used?

Answer 7

1. Honors/Rewards
2. Extracurriculars (Diversity and Depth)
3. Leadership
4. Teamwork
5. Employment and Volunteerism
6. Will they bring a diverse and inclusive approach to teamwork
7. Demonstrated interest in Mines
8. Rigor (Difficulty of classes taken)
9. Work ethic (How hard did they apply themselves to given curriculum)
10. Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Question 8

What Undergrad Programs does Mines offer?

Answer 8

1. Applied Math/Stats
2. Biochemistry
3. Business engineering /Managment Science
4. Ceramic Engineering
5. Chemical Engineering
6. Chemistry
7. Civil Engineering
8. COMPSCI
9. Construction Engineering
10. Economics
11. Design Engineering
12. Electrical Engineering
13. Engineering Physics
14. Env. Engineering
15. Geological Engineering
16. Geophysical Engineering
17. Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS has no major).
18. Mechanical Engineering
19. Metalurgical Engineering
20. Mining Engineering
21. Petroleum Engineering
22. Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering
23. Quantum Engineering (Currently No Major).

https://www.mines.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/

Question 9

Mines Medal of Achievement Award Criteria and Deadline?

Answer 9

High school counselors get to nominate 1 student from their high school for this recognition for achievement in math & science. It is in-state ONLY.

Recently the 1 per high school thing has grown into unofficially a handful per high school. Essentially anyone they nominate has been getting this award.

They get a one-time $1,000 scholarship to use for their 1st year on campus. We don’t yield these students well.

Could be something we can re-evaluate to use more effectively for the future.

Question 10

FYSAE

Answer 10

First Year Study Abroad Exchange (Webinar provided for prospective students).

Takes place on the SKEMA campus in Sophia Antipolis, Antibes, France

FYSAE 1st semester schedule will be similar, but not identical, to that of a first semester at Mines. The courses offered will be taught at SKEMA. Your approved courses and grades from SKEMA will count towards degree completion and will appear on your Mines transcript but will not count towards your Mines GPA. The only exception would be Mines course(s) taught by Mines faculty.

*If a student plans to transfer in more than 12 credits of AP/IB/Community College credits, or intends to graduate from Mines in less than four years, it is suggested they meet with an advisor well in advance to discuss their academic plans, as this program is designed for students to graduate in four years/eight semesters.

**All courses offered through this program will be taught in English. Fluency in French is not required.

***Tutoring support is provided by the SKEMA faculty and will be available on-site for three months to help the students plan for academic success. Students will be able to make appointments with professors in their on-campus offices to discuss class and review the materials, as needed. The average class size at SKEMA is between 5 and 35 students.

**Students are able to participate in the Thorson First-Year Honors Program at Mines while abroad. They will be able to engage with the program through a fully supported online version of the fall semester class and then integrate with the rest of the Thorson cohort in the spring.

Question 11

WHAT IS NEEDED TO COMPLETE MY APPLICATION AS A PROSPECTIVE FIRST-YEAR STUDENT?

Answer 11

1. Electronic admission application.
2. Current, official high school transcript or unofficial high school transcript.
3. High school counselor sends us your official high school transcript (and school profile if they have one) or upload an unofficial transcript via the Supplemental Materials section of your Applicant Portal.
4. Test-optional university. If you believe test scores will further highlight your academic ability, you are welcome to include them in your application file.
   We super-score ACT and SAT scores.

Question 12

HOW DO THE DEADLINES WORK AND WHEN ARE DECISIONS RELEASED?

Answer 12

APP OPENS: August 1st of student’s senior year. Priority Application Deadline: November 1st - (Guaranteed Decisions by December 21).
Regular Decision Deadline: January 15th - (May not get decision until mid-March).

Question 13

When is the Regular Application Deadline?

Answer 13

Apply by January 15 (Decisions out by March 1).

Question 14

When do rolling admissions based on space availability start?

Answer 14

1/15/24

Question 15

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO APPLY?

Answer 15

application fee is $50 for all first-year applicants. $75 for international undegrads

Question 16

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT?

Answer 16

Email unofficial transcripts to admissions@mines.edu

High school counselor must submit your transcript in order for it to be considered official. Official transcripts cannot be student submitted.

Common Application: Assign your high school counselor under the Recommenders and FERPA tab for Colorado School of Mines (this will be auto filled for you if your school uses Naviance)
Tell you counselor that you have submitted your application to Mines. They will then be able to upload your official transcript through the Common Application

Golden Application:
Assign your counselor in the Transcript section of the application. They will be emailed the information below on how to submit your official transcript.

Transcripts and other documents may be sent directly to Colorado School of Mines via the following methods:
By uploading through Slate.org.
By the electronic document service of your school’s choice, such as Parchment, SCOIR or National Student Clearinghouse.
By email: admissions@mines.edu.
By postal mail: Mines Admissions Office, 1812 Illinois Street, Golden, CO 80401.
By FAX: 303.273.3509.

Question 17

ARE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH MY APPLICATION?

Answer 17

NO, but we accept and review them if provided. Include full name and B-day to match student record, or upload letter personally through the applicant portal.

Question 18

HOW DO I CHANGE/EDIT THE INFORMATION ON MY APPLICATION?

Answer 18

If you would like to add or edit anything on your application, simply send an email to admissions@mines.edu and state what information you would like to change. Make sure to include your full name and birthdate in the email.

Question 19

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY ACT OR SAT SCORES?

Answer 19

Include them in your application. These scores will be reviewed as a part of the admissions decision.
Students who are accepted and choose to enroll at Mines are required to request their highest exam score from the appropriate testing agency.

Any discrepancies in the self-reported scores and those received from the testing agency could result in the rescission of the admissions decision.
You can always request to have your scores sent electronically. For ACT requests, our code is 0500; for SAT requests (via College Board), our code is 4073. Test scores on transcripts will not be reviewed.

Question 20

DOES MINES “SUPERSCORE” MY EXAMS?

Answer 20

Yes, we do combine different test sections to produce a “superscore.” We review the highest score reported from either ACT and/or SAT.

Question 21

IS MINES PART OF THE WESTERN UNDERGRADUATE EXCHANGE PROGRAM?

Answer 21

We are not part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program. We do, however, offer automatic merit scholarships just by applying and external scholarships can be stacked with this amount making it competitive to what WUE offer.

Question 22

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF MY APPLICATION AND HOW CAN I TELL IF IT IS COMPLETE?

Answer 22

Approximately 24 hours after the submission of your application, you will receive an email that includes Applicant Portal log in information. Upon logging into this Portal, you can verify whether or not we’ve received your application materials. You will also have the option of uploading supplemental (optional) materials such as your resume, an additional essay, etc. and paying any associated fees (if applicable). Here, you will also view your admissions decision letter and then decision and enrollment requirements.

Question 23

WHEN AND HOW WILL I RECEIVE A DECISION?

Answer 23

When:

Complete application file on or before our Priority deadline of November 1, 2022 will receive an admissions and merit scholarship decision by December 21, 2022.
Students completing their application file after November 1, 2022 but on or before January 15, 2023 will receive an admissions and merit scholarship decision by March 1, 2023. Completed application files received after January 15, 2023 will be reviewed on a rolling admissions basis and admissions decisions will be made until the class is full.

How:

We will send an email via the email and number provided in your application that will prompt you to log into your Applicant Portal. From there, click, “View Update” and you will see your admissions decision letter. Additionally, if accepted and you live in the United States, we will mail you an acceptance packet.

Question 24

DOES MINES REVIEW APPLICATIONS ON A ROLLING ADMISSIONS BASIS?

Answer 24

Yes, we review on a rolling admissions basis after Jan 15th and before May 1st decision day.

Question 25

IS MY ADMISSION TO MINES BINDING? DO YOU HAVE EARLY ACTION/EARLY DECISION OR IS MINES ROLLING ADMISSION?

Answer 25

All admissions decisions are non-binding. You have until May 1st (national decision day) to let us know if you would like to accept or decline your admissions offer. Priority application file completion deadline of November 1. Our regular application file completion deadline is January 15. We will review applications completed after January 15 on a space-available basis until the incoming class is full.

Question 26

Are unofficial transcripts accepted during the admissions process?

Answer 26

Unofficial transcripts accepted for Priority applicants.

Official transcripts are required for Regular applicants.

Once Enrolled, official transcripts and test scores are required.