How To Apply

Admission Policy

Hesston College admits those students who will benefit from the educational environment of the college and who will contribute to the shared life of the campus community. Applicants seeking a degree from Hesston College must be graduates of an accredited high school or its equivalent to be eligible to attend. Admission is granted after careful review of the candidate’s academic promise, social character and potential for success. Hesston College does not discriminate based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, religion or disability. Applicants who have not completed high school but have taken the General Educational Development tests (G.E.D.) are considered for admission on the basis of official test scores. Each applicant to Hesston College shall be considered for acceptance based on the indicators below. Evidence of each indicator may include but not be limited to: official academic records, student information forms, personal reference forms or personal contact with the applicant. Failure to meet any criterion may result in Academic Contractual Acceptance or rejection of application.

For additional details, read the college’s Admissions Policy in the Hesston College Catalog.

How to Apply for Admission

Students are advised to apply for admission at least six to 10 months before planning to attend college, though applications are accepted through August. Early enrollment improves the chances of getting preferred programs, classes, scholarships, grants, loans, student jobs and campus housing.

Steps to follow when applying for admission:
  1. Application. Submit a completed application to Hesston College Admissions. Some academic programs may require a separate application. Application forms are online in the admissions section of the college website (www.hesston.edu). No application fee is required.
  2. Academic records. Arrange for official copies of the following records to be sent to Hesston College Admissions:
    1. High school transcript and/or General Education Development (G.E.D.) test results. Admission will be granted on the basis of a six or seven semester transcript, but a final transcript showing graduation date and grade point average must be on file before the student can attend classes. This requirement may be waived for students with an associate degree or higher. For academic records, home-schooled applicants are required to submit 1) an outline or transcript of coursework covered including grades earned or a GED test score, and 2) standardized test (ACT/SAT) scores. The Admissions office may also request a certificate of high school completion from the home state.
    2. Transcripts of all previous college course work taken (if applicable).
    3. Results of all exams taken through Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or other testing agencies (if applicable).
  3. SAT or ACT test scores. Hesston College is test optional. Students who enroll for fall 2024 have the option to have the ACT or SAT test considered for acceptance if it benefits them. (All nursing, engineering and aviation majors have a test score requirement.) To submit SAT I (Scholastic Aptitude Tests) or ACT (American College Test) scores, send them to the following codes: 6274 for SAT and 1416 for ACT. Hesston College will superscore ACT and SAT tests when students submit multiple scores to the college. Non traditional students who have not completed one of these tests will be required to take ACCUPLACER before acceptance. This requirement may be waived for students with an associate degree or higher. Hesston College will thoroughly review each student’s application and transcript and may require additional supporting materials to make an acceptance decision.
    Students who are citizens or residents of U.S. territories may be required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if they did not study at an English speaking high school.
  4. Prepayment. Upon acceptance, submit a deposit of $200. The fee is refundable upon request until May 1. This tuition deposit is applied toward first term tuition expenses.
  5. References. Hesston College requires references for applicants to the nursing and aviation degree programs and students admitted on Academic Contractual Acceptance. References may also be requested for any student in the application review process. It is preferred that references be submitted by high school teachers or guidance counselors who know the applicant well. Applicants who have been out of school may use employers or pastors and nursing program applicants who are employed in health care must include one reference from the current employer. The college will not accept references from the prospective student’s personal friends or relatives. Persons providing references for applicants should complete the form at hesston.edu/reference.

Test Scores

Test scores are used at Hesston College to assist in academic advising, career counseling and in determining scholarship eligibility and probationary status.

Students age 21 and younger are required to have ACT or SAT test scores on file in the Registrar’s Office and are advised to take these prior to their first term at Hesston.

Students over 21 years of age who have taken the SAT or ACT test should have scores sent to Hesston. Those who have not completed one of these tests will be required to take a general purpose placement test when they arrive on campus.

Test-optional Admissions Information for 2022-23

In recognition of the challenges many students have faced in taking the ACT or SAT test during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hesston College has implemented a “test-optional” admissions policy , for applicants who wish to enroll for their first-year of college in the fall 2022.

Students may still submit ACT or SAT scores for consideration in the application review process. Your Admissions Counselor will explain the benefits of both options.

Test scores are required for certain academic programs (nursing, aviation, honors program)

Hesston College continues to thoroughly review a student’s application, transcript(s) and any additional supporting application materials to make an admission decision. If more information is needed, your admissions counselor will reach out to you and let you know about the additional steps.

Admission may be granted to first year applicants who have an unweighted high school grade point average of 2.5 or above (on a 4.00 scale), and a thorough review of the student’s application, transcript(s) and other supporting application materials.* Applicants who do not meet these criteria will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee; admission may be granted or denied. Non-academic criteria may also be considered in the admission process.

*Entrance into certain academic programs may have additional requirements.

Academic Scholarships

Academic scholarships are based on a student’s cumulative high school unweighted GPA and class rank. A separate application is not required. Students who qualify for an academic scholarship will be notified by their admissions counselor.

International Student Admissions

  1. Application for Admission (no fee is required) You may apply online or request a paper application
  2. Photo (passport-style photo)
  3. A copy of the secondary school transcript (courses taken and grades earned). If the applicant has taken any national examination, a copy of the results must be sent. If the applicant has completed any university study, that transcript should also be sent.
  4. Evidence of English language proficiency required in most cases. Hesston College accepts these minimum scores: 400 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT), 32 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT), 4.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pre 2 on the STEP EIKEN test, 350 on the TOEIC
  5. Evidence of adequate financial resources (bank statement or bank letter, etc.) which shows the availability of funds for a minimum of the first year of study at Hesston College.

Re-admission

Students who have previously attended Hesston College may apply for readmission by notifying the admissions office. The student’s original file will be reviewed and updated records will be requested as needed.

Students who have been dismissed from Hesston College must apply for readmission through the Academic Development or Student Development Committee.

Students whose studies at Hesston College have been interrupted by five years or more may be required to meet requirements of the catalog at the time of re-admission.

Transfer of College Credits to Hesston

Hesston College recognizes certain course work completed at other colleges and universities. Certified transcripts should be sent directly to the Admissions Office at Hesston from the issuing institution. Transcripts are reviewed by the registrar and academic advisors. Accepted courses are recorded on the student’s Hesston College transcript after the student has successfully completed one term of study at Hesston.

Transfer students planning to earn a degree from Hesston College must complete one term of residency with a minimum of 12 credit hours at Hesston. Only six hours may be transferred in at the end of a student’s experience at Hesston to complete degree requirements.

College level course work completed at accredited institutions may generally be transferred if (1) it is equal to or substitutes for a specific course required in a degree program at Hesston and if (2) the hours of credit transferred plus the hours to be completed at Hesston do not exceed the number of hours required for a degree. Only courses with a grade of C or better are considered. Credits from non-accredited institutions will be reviewed after the student has completed one term of study at Hesston.

College credit may be awarded for certain advanced high school courses approved by the Mennonite Secondary Education Council (MSEC) and Mennonite Board of Missions (MBM). Requests for credit should be made to the Registrar.

Credit by Examination or Experience

Hesston College may grant advanced placement and/or award credit for satisfactory completion of the following:

  • Advanced Placement (AP) exams given by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB)
  • Exams given by the College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  • Term of service with Youth Evangelism Services (YES)
  • Prearranged experiences with Mennonite voluntary service agencies
  • Certificates earned in licensed practical nursing and aviation
  • Comprehensive course exams given by Hesston College instructors

Students desiring credit should have exam scores and other pertinent records sent directly to the Admissions Office at Hesston by the issuing institution. A maximum of 12 hours may be accepted (16 for licensed practical nurses.) Accepted credits are recorded after the completion of one term of study at Hesston. A fee is charged for recording the credit.

Classification

Students are classified at the beginning of each school year for the entire year. Students with less than 30 hours of college credit are considered freshmen. Students with at least 30 hours of credit when fall term begins or who likely will meet graduation requirements by the end of the academic year have sophomore classification. Students entering Hesston College with a prior college degree and part-time students not pursuing a degree are unclassified.