Entrance Requirements
In evaluating applications, the Office of Admission interprets grade point average and class rank in relation to the quality of the curriculum that the applicant has pursued in high school. A standard high school program in preparation for college should include the following:
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- English: four years
- Mathematics: three years: (algebra, two years; and geometry, one year)
- World Language: two years
- Social Studies: two years
- Laboratory Sciences: two years
- Fine, Visual, or Performing Arts: one year
- Electives: three years (selected from the areas listed above, as well as courses in computer science, speech, and debate.)
Application Procedures
PLU has four admission decision priority dates—October 15, November 15, December 15, and January 15. Students who complete their application materials prior to one of these dates can expect an admission decision and notification of academic scholarship eligibility prior to the next decision date. Applications received after January 15 will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Credentials required are:
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- Formal Application: Submit the Common Application online at www.commonapp.org. There is no application fee – it is free to apply to PLU.
- Transcripts: Official transcripts must be submitted for all high school and college coursework. Transcripts must be sent directly from the school to PLU. All accepted students must submit a final high school transcript that indicates satisfactory completion of high school and attainment of a diploma. The University accepts the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) for those students who may not have completed a traditional high school program. Transcripts become the property of PLU and may not be returned or forwarded.
- Recommendation: One academic recommendation must be completed. The form is available online.
- Personal Essay: Applicants will also include one essay with their application. Choice of topics is included in the application.
- Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) is test optional. Students may decide for themselves whether they wish to have their ACT or SAT test scores considered as part of their application for admission. However, some homeschooled students and students from schools with written evaluations rather than grades are required to submit their official ACT or SAT test scores.
PLU Scholarship Opportunities: Scholarship information, including academic merit based and artistic achievement scholarships, may be found at www.plu.edu/admission/scholarships. Students are also encouraged to indicate their intent to apply for financial aid via the FAFSA. Qualified first-year students are encouraged to apply for PLU’s top academic and leadership Presidential Scholarships.