Policies

Students who received a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement (AP) biology exam or a score of 5 or better on the International Baccalaureate (IB) biology exam will receive 4 or 8 credits, respectively, in general biology.

Students must achieve a score of 5, or a combination of 4 and 5, on both the AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics exams.

Students can satisfy the Macalester College language requirement in French in one of the following ways: 1) A score of 4-5 on the Advanced Placement Test in French language or literature offered through high schools; 2) A score of 5-6-7 on the International Baccalaureate French B exam (Higher level); 3) Successful completion of Macalester’s French 204.

A score of 4-5 on an AP exam, or a score of 5-6-7 on the IB Higher level gives four credits toward graduation, but not toward the French major or minor program.

Students who received a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement (AP) environmental science exam will receive 4 credits towards the College’s graduation requirement but it does not fulfill any requirements for the ES major.

Students must score 6 or 7 on the Economics Higher Level Exam of the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Students will normally complete their first semester concurrently with MUSI 113; students with advanced standing will be placed appropriately.

The first semester normally will be taken concurrently with MUSI 113 ; students with advanced standing may start at another approved time.

Transfer of Credit College/university courses will be evaluated once an official transcript is sent directly to Macalester by the sponsoring college/university . Official transcripts are required for credit evaluation; transcripts issued directly to the student will not be accepted. Liberal arts courses taken at regionally accredited undergraduate institutions, and comparable in content to Macalester courses will be considered for transfer. The grade earned must be at least a C-; grades of S or P must be certified or clearly indicate that a C- or higher is earned on the official transcript in writing by the instructor of the course to be the equivalent of C- or better before that course can be transferred. Use of transfer credit towards a major, minor, or concentration is subject to the approval of the department or program. The Macalester course system is based on the semester credit. Macalester does not award more credit for transfer courses than what is awarded by the host institution for those courses, as indicated on the host’s official transcript. Therefore, semester credits will be transferred as equivalent from the host institution, and quarter credits will be converted at a ratio of six (6) quarter credits equivalent to four (4) semester credits. No strict correlation exists between contact hours in courses taken off-campus and credits awarded by Macalester. No more than the equivalent of one half of the semester credits required for graduation (64) may be transferred from another institution to Macalester. Students who have attended non-accredited or non-regionally accredited institutions must have their work validated by examination or by showing competence to carry advanced work successfully. Award of credit in such cases may be delayed for one or more semesters awaiting such evaluations. For currently enrolled students, Macalester will consider summer and January work for credit transfer. Credits taken during a semester while on a leave of absence will be considered on a case-by-case basis according to transfer credit policies. However, participation in a semester-long study away program, whether domestic or international will not be granted transfer credit. Students wishing to study away for a semester must apply for and receive prior approval from the Study Away Review Committee and comply with study away policies for registration and credit. For students admitted to Macalester through the first-year admissions program , Macalester will accept for credit no more than the equivalent of thirty-two Macalester credits from courses earned at a college or university prior to matriculation as a First Year Student at Macalester. Summer session college credits, Minnesota Post-Secondary Education Options Program credits, International Baccalaureate credits, and Advanced Placement Program credits are included under this limitation. Credits earned through Advanced Placement Exams, International Baccalaureate or GCE A-Level examinations cannot be used to meet the college’s general distribution requirement. ROTC is designed to prepare students to be commissioned officers in the United States military. Air Force ROTC is available to Macalester students through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities at the University of St. Thomas. For more information call St. Thomas at 651-962-6320 or 1-800-328-6819, ext. 6320. Navy and Army ROTC is also available to Macalester students at the University of Minnesota. For more information on Navy ROTC, call 612-625-6677. For more information on Army ROTC, call 612-625-3062. Macalester College evaluates credit for ROTC courses on a case by case basis. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) The

Transfer students may use up to 64 transfer credits toward the 128 credits required for graduation.