Welcome

Purchase College has long been recognized for its commitment to academic excellence while maintaining a diverse cultural atmosphere and an emphasis on extracurricular activities aimed at the enrichment of the larger community through Leadership, Diversity, and Service.

As you counsel you students on college preparation and selection we hope that you will keep Purchase College in mind. With applications, enrollment, and retention at an all time high, Purchase College is rapidly becoming a college of choice.

As major advocates for students throughout the college selection process, it is important for you to have the most accurate information available. This page was designed to provide counselors with the most up-to-date and useful information throughout the admissions process. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to our continuous collaboration. If you need additional information, please continue to explore our website or contact us directly.

Class Profile

Click our Fast Facts 12-13 for a quick guide to our class profile. 

The Office of Admissions at Purchase College seeks to enroll highly motivated, hard-working and academically strong students with a consistent record of achievement in a challenging high school curriculum.  Generally, successful freshman applicants have earned a high school GPA of at least 3.0/85 and a combined Critical Reading and Math SAT score of at least 1100 or better (24 ACT composite score).

Students that do not meet these exact requirements but demonstrate a compelling academic history or, in the case of our professional training programs in the visual and performing arts, exceptional artistic talent may still be considered for admission.
For the additional admission requirements for students applying to programs in the visual and performing arts, see the Application Instructions section of this website.

All candidates are encouraged to pursue a rigorous college prep curriculum throughout their entire high school career, enhancing their college preparation through honors courses and Advanced Placement courses.

Minimum Coursework Requirements

• Four years of English
• Three years of Math (including Algebra, Geometry/Trigonometry, and another  higher level math course)
• Three years of lab science
• Three years of social studies
• Two years of the same foreign language

Score Choice

Purchase College does not participate in the Score Choice option available through the College Board or the similar program through Educational Testing Service (ETS).  We encourage you to submit scores from all test sittings of the SAT, ACT or SAT Subject Tests. Purchase College evaluates thousands of qualified applicants each year for admission; access to your full testing profile enables the admissions counselors to fully and fairly assess each applicant. 

The Office of Admissions maintains a holistic review process with a focus on the quality of your academic program, your cumulative academic average, your test scores and your supplemental application. We regard standardized testing as a measurement of aptitude and it will continue to be part of our admissions process. We recommend testing for the SAT or ACT in the spring of junior year and fall of the senior year.

Transfer Admission Criteria

The decision on transfer applications will be based on the quality of the academic program and the cumulative GPA from all colleges attended. Generally, successful transfer applicants have earned at least a 2.5 GPA.  A cumulative GPA between a 2.0 and 2.5 will be considered based on evaluation of prior course selection and performance.

We recommend that all candidates successfully complete 24 college credits prior to applying and pursue a challenging curriculum at their prior institution(s). Transfer students who have completed fewer than 24 college credits will be evaluated on their high school coursework and test scores in addition to their college coursework (see the Freshman Admission Criteria above). All admission decisions are conditional, contingent upon the successful completion of all college coursework.

For admissions requirements for students applying to programs in the visual and performing arts, see the Application Instructions section of this website.

Requests for Additional Information:

When deemed necessary, the Office of Admissions may request additional information, such as, but not limited to, senior SAT or ACT exam scores; first quarter or midyear senior grades; etc., Such requests are made directly to the candidate. It is the responsibility of the applicant to submit all requested information to the Office of Admissions promptly upon request.

Purchase College accepts both the SUNY Application and the Common Application. There are various application processes determined by the academic program one applies to. Please visit the Application Instructions page for more detailed information. 

We accept transcripts electronically through a company called Docufide. It is a secure and direct option for high school counselors to send transcripts to our College electronically without the hassle of using paper and mailing envelopes. As a counselor, you will receive confirmed delivery on all transcripts sent. Interested schools should contact Docufide directly to set up an account: www.docufide.com.

Counselor Connect

Be sure to check out SUNY's Counselor Connect page to check the status of applications and access other helpful information.

 Presentation Options

While we truly enjoy visiting your schools during the traditional college fairs and high school visits we would also like to provide you with a FREE service to help your students and their families. In lieu of the traditional high school visit we offer a menu of presentations to choose from. Examples include: Maneuvering through the SUNY System, Tips & Tricks for Essay Writing, Social Networking: Do’s and Dont’s, Value of Liberal Arts Education, Financing Your Education. Contact the Office of Admissions to arrange for a presentation at your school.

Contact the Office of Admissions to arrange for a presentation at your school.

Some files are in the Adobe PDF file format. You must have the Adobe Acrobat reader to view and print them. To download a free copy of the translation software, go to Adobe Acrobat Reader.