Who is an Advanced Standing Freshman?
This population of students encompasses individuals who have earned college-level credit or successfully passed credit-bearing exams before graduating from high school. Typically students have earned dual-enrollment credit from another undergraduate-level institution and/or successfully passed Advanced Placement exams. Exam Equivalency Charts can be found below.
How can transcripts be sent?
Institutions vary how they send official transcripts. We do accept electronic transcripts through verified servers (i.e. National Clearinghouse, eScript, Parchment, Credential Solutions, NJ Transfer). Transcripts received from a student will not be considered as official, so they will need to be requested from the Registrar’s Office of the previous institution unless another process is in place for the transcript to be sent on the student’s behalf. We do not request transcripts on a student’s behalf, and they are not automatically sent once the courses conclude.
Official transcripts may be sent electronically to msuadm@dos5.net or via mail to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043
When are credits posted?
Credits are posted to a student’s degree audit once a deposit has been submitted. We encourage students to send their official transcripts and verified exam scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as soon as possible so that first-year schedules can consider those credits when being created.
Q: What credits will you accept from another institution?
A: We can accept a maximum amount of 60 credits from an accredited two year school and a maximum of 88 credits from accredited four year schools. We will not award credit hours for any remedial courses or courses earning lower than a C- unless an associate’s degree was earned. The Associates of Applied Science (AAS) is not eligible for this rule. Only courses with a grade of C- or above will be awarded. Please be mindful that bringing in significant credit may be associated with a higher student class level, but still not waive degree audit requirements.
Q: Is there a maximum amount of credits from Advanced Placement (AP) or CLEP exams you will accept?
A: There is no maximum credit amount for Advanced Placement or CLEP exams. The minimum score will need to be met in order for credit to be awarded.
Q: How will my credits affect my first-year schedule?
A: When making your schedule, your courses posted to your degree audit will be taken into account. We do not want you to retake any courses, so the earlier you send your transcript or exam reports the better! It makes it easier for you to get the most accurate schedule created based on any qualifying previously completed coursework. Make sure to complete your First-Year Questionnaire and indicate that you have completed dual enrollment coursework.
Q: Where do I send my official transcript?
A: You will send your transcript to the attention of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. We do accept transcripts electronically via transcript servers. Transcripts sent directly from students will not be considered as official copies. Our address is: 1 Normal Avenue Montclair, NJ 07043.
Q: My dual enrollment course is posted on my high school transcript. Do I still need to send you a college transcript?
A: We cannot award credit from a high school transcript. You will need to request an official transcript from the Registrar’s Office of the institution you earned credit from unless there is another process in place that a transcript can be sent on your behalf.
Q: I took classes in high school and want them applied to my coursework at MSU. Can I still send them if I didn’t send them when I was initially applying?
A: Yes! If you have classes you took while in high school and did not send the transcripts when you applied, we will still review your courses for posting. We encourage that you send them as soon as you deposit with us so that you can have the most accurate first-year schedule possible.
Q: I took Advanced Placement level classes while in high school. Can I get credit for them?
A: If no exam has been taken, no credit will be awarded. In order to be awarded Advanced Placement credit, you will need to send us a verified score report from the exams you have taken. Qualifying scores based on each exam will result in credit. Please see the equivalency chart for Advanced Placement exams to see what scores are required. You can review how to report your score by visiting College Board’s Sending AP Scores website.
Q: How can I get my CLEP exam reviewed for potential credit?
A: You will need to send us the official score report from the College Board. Review how to request your official CLEP Exam Transcripts.
Q: I have taken CLEP exams and earned credit. Can you take the credit from my college transcript or do I need to request to send the exam to your office?
A: If you have earned an associate’s degree (AA/AS/AFA), we can post the credit to your degree audit from an official transcript that has the associate’s degree conferred. If there is no associate’s degree posted or earned, an official exam report will need to be requested and sent to our office.
Q: Where can I see the equivalencies for Advanced Placement or CLEP exams?
A: Please see the chart below for each set of exams. The equivalencies are subject to departmental review and change at any time.
Q: If I took credits, but they do not waive any general education or major courses, will I still get credit for them?
A: These kinds of classes would be categorized as free electives. The credit hours earned from these courses would go towards the 120 credit minimum you need to complete your degree program. We will do our best to review your classes and apply as many as we can to your general education requirements. You would work with your advisor to have courses reviewed for your major.
Q: I earned an associate’s degree while in high school. Will you take all of my credits? What classes will be waived?
A: We can accept a maximum amount of 60 credits from a two year school. We accept grades of D and higher once the degree is posted on the official transcript. If you have earned an AA, AS, or AFA degree, we will waive all of your general education requirements except for your New Student Seminar course. If you have earned an AAS degree, we will waive any requirements that are satisfied by previously completed coursework. Any remaining general education requirements will need to be completed.
Q: I would like to take a course, but don’t know what will transfer over? What resources can I use to help me determine what I should take?
A: If you are looking to take courses at a New Jersey community college, you can use NJ Transfer as a resource to see how courses will transfer to our institution. If you are not attending a NJ community college, please feel free to email our office any potential courses you are looking to take! Additionally, please review the general education courses that are required for each type of degree.
Q: I earned credits through a program I participated in, but I do not have a transcript. How can I go about getting the credits reviewed?
A: You can send us your certificate or document showing how many credits the program awarded you. Additionally you should send us any information on the program you participated in. We will review your credits and confirm whether or not we can award you credit.
Q: I see my credits have been posted with the code “DPT”. What does this mean? Will the listed department automatically review my exam?
A: Exams that are posted that require review for a course equivalent, may be coded with “DPT”. The credit hours have been awarded to you. However, you should start the process of getting the exam reviewed by working with your academic advisor to see if a credit adjustment is possible.
| ARTS | SCORE | CREDITS | COURSE EQUIVALENT |
| ART HISTORY | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | ARHT DPT |
| MUSIC THEORY | 3 or 4 | 3 | MUCP DPT |
| MUSIC THEORY | 5 | 3 | MUCP DPT |
| STUDIO ART: 2-D DESIGN | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | ARFD 101 |
| STUDIO ART: 3-D DESIGN | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | ARFD DPT |
| STUDIO ART: DRAWING | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | ARDW DPT |
| ENGLISH | SCORE | CREDITS | COURSE EQUIVALENT |
| ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION | 4 or 5 | 3 | WRIT 105 |
| ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION | 4 or 5 | 3 | WRIT 106 |
| HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES | SCORE | CREDITS | COURSE EQUIVALENT |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | AFAM 100 |
| COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | POLS 201 |
| EUROPEAN HISTORY | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | HIST 105 |
| HUMAN GEOGRAPHY | 4 or 5 | 4 | EAES 161 |
| MACROECONOMICS | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | ECON 101 |
| MICROECONOMICS | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | ECON 102 |
| PSYCHOLOGY | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | PSYC101 |
| UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | POLS 101 |
| UNITED STATES HISTORY | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | HIST 117 |
| WORLD HISTORY | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | HIST 103 |
| INTERDISCIPLINARY | SCORE | CREDITS | COURSE EQUIVALENT |
| RESEARCH | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | TRNS FE1 |
| SEMINAR | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | TRNS FE1 |
| MATH & COMPUTER SCIENCE | SCORE | CREDITS | COURSE EQUIVALENT |
| PRECALCULUS | 4 or 5 | 4 | MATH 111 |
| CALCULUS AB | 4 or 5 | 4 | AMAT 120 or MATH 122 |
| CALCULUS BC | 3 | 4 | MATH 122 |
| CALCULUS BC | 4 or 5 | 8 | AMAT 120 & AMAT 220 or MATH 122 & MATH 221 |
| COMPUTER SCIENCE A | 4 or 5 | 3 | CSIT 111 |
| COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES | 3, 4, or 5 | 3 | CSIT 100 |
| STATISTICS | 3 | 3 | STAT 109 |
| STATISTICS | 4 or 5 | 3 | STAT 230 |
| SCIENCES | SCORE | CREDITS | COURSE EQUIVALENT |
| BIOLOGY | 4 or 5 | 4 | BIOL 100 |
| CHEMISTRY | 3, 4, or 5 | 4 | CHEM 100 |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE | 4 or 5 | 4 | EAES 101 |
| PHYSICS 1 | 4 or 5 | 4 | PHYS 193 |
| PHYSICS 2 | 4 or 5 | 4 | PHYS 194 |
| PHYSICS C: ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM | 4 or 5 | 4 | PHYS 192 |
| PHYSICS C: MECHANICS | 4 or 5 | 4 | PHYS 191 |
| WORLD LANGUAGES & CULTURES | SCORE | CREDITS | COURSE EQUIVALENT |
| CHINESE LANGUAGE & CULTURE | 3, 4 or 5 | 3 | CHIN 121 |
| FRENCH LANGUAGE & CULTURE | 3, 4 or 5 | 3 | FREN 101 |
| GERMAN LANGUAGE & CULTURE | 3, 4 or 5 | 3 | GERM 101 |
| ITALIAN LANGUAGE & CULTURE | 3, 4 or 5 | 3 | ITAL 140 |
| JAPANESE LANGUAGE & CULTURE | 3, 4 or 5 | 3 | JAPN 121 |
| LATIN | 3 | 6 | LATN 101 & LATN 102 |
| LATIN | 4 or 5 | 6 | LATN 102 & LATN 205 |
| SPANISH LANGUAGE & CULTURE | 3 | 3 | SPAN103 |
| SPANISH LANGUAGE & CULTURE | 4 or 5 | 3 | SPAN104 |
| SPANISH LITERATURE & CULTURE | 3, 4 or 5 | 3 | SPAN LIT Elective |
| TITLE | REQUIRED SCORE | COURSE EQUIVALENT | CREDITS |
| American Government | 50 | POLS 101 – American Government & Politics | 3 |
| American Literature | 50 | ENGL 228 – American Literature I: Beginnings to 1890 | 3 |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | WRIT 106 – College Writing II | 3 |
| Biology | 50 | BIOL GENED – fulfills Scientific Reasoning SEEDS Exploration Requirement | 6 |
| Calculus | 50 | MATH 122 – Calculus | 4 |
| Chemistry | 50 | CHEM GENED – fulfills Scientific Reasoning SEEDS Exploration requirement | 6 |
| College Algebra | 50 | MATH 100 – Math for Business & Social Sciences | 3 |
| College Composition | 50 | WRIT 105 – College Writing I | 3 |
| College Composition Modular | 50 | WRIT 105 – College Writing I | 3 |
| College Mathematics | 50 | MATH GENED – fulfills Quantitative Reasoning SEEDS requirement | 3 |
| English Literature | 50 | ENGL TRN – ENGL Transfer Credit (Counts towards the Literature requirement within the English major) | 6 |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | ACCT 204 – Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| French Language: Levels 1 and 2 | 50 | FREN 101 – Beginning French I & FREN 112 – Beginning French 2 | 6 |
| French Language: Levels 1 and 2 | 59 | FREN 101 – Beginning French I, FREN 112 – Beginning French 2, & FREN 121 Intermediate French | 9 |
| German Language: Levels 1 and 2 | 50 | GERM 101 – Beginning German I & GERM 102 – Beginning German II | 6 |
| German Language: Levels 1 and 2 | 60 | GERM 101 – Beginning German I, GERM 102 – Beginning German II, GERM 121 – Intermediate German I | 9 |
| History of the United States 1: Early Colonization to 1877 | 50 | HIST 117 – History of US to 1876 | 3 |
| History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present | 50 | HIST 118 – History of US since 1876 | 3 |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | PSYC TRN – Psychology Transfer Credit. (Counts towards Advanced Elective I requirement within the PSYC major or towards the PSYC minor) | 3 |
| Humanities | 50 | HUMN GENED – Fulfills Literary & Artistic Analysis SEEDS requirement | 3 |
| Information Systems | 50 | INFO 290 – Technology in Business | 3 |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | EDFD 200 – Psychological Foundations of Education | 3 |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | BSLW 235 – Legal, Ethical, Global Environment of Business | 3 |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | PSYC 101 – Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | SOCI 100 – Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | EAES GENED – fulfills Scientific Reasoning SEEDS Exploration requirement | 6 |
| Precalculus | 50 | MATH 111 – Applied Precalculus | 4 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | ECON 101 – Applied Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Principles of Management | 50 | MGMT 231 – Management Processes | 3 |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | MKTG 240 – Introduction to Marketing | 3 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | ECON 102 – Applied Microeconomics | 3 |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | SOCI 100 – Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2 | 50 | SPAN 101 – Spanish I & SPAN 102 – Spanish II | 6 |
| Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2 | 63 | SPAN 101 – Spanish I, SPAN 102 – Spanish II, SPAN 103 – Spanish III | 9 |
| Spanish with Writing: Levels 1 and 2 | 50 | SPAN 102 – Spanish II & SPAN 103 – Spanish III | 6 |
| Spanish with Writing: Levels 1 and 2 | 65 | SPAN 101 – Spanish I, SPAN 102 – Spanish II, SPAN 103 – Spanish III, SPAN 104 – Spanish IV | 12 |
| Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | 50 | HIST 103 – Foundations of Western Civilization | 3 |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present | 50 | HIST 105 – Emergence of European Civilization 1500-1914 | 3 |