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How can I find out which admission counselor is responsible for my high school?
Each counselor in the Providence College Office of Admission is assigned a geographic territory that will be his or her responsibility. Counselors travel to these areas during the fall months to attend college fairs and visit with high school students and their counselors. Each counselor is responsible for completing the “first read” in our multiple read process of the applications that come from that specific geographic territory. The counselor will also present and advocate for that student in our Committee on Admission. We encourage both students and school counselors to be in touch with the counselor who works with their area.
*Find your counselor on our Contact Our Office webpage.
*See the college fairs we will be attending in your area by visiting our College Fairs page.
Does Providence College prefer to receive electronic applications or paper applications?
We do not have a preference for either electronic or paper applications. All applications will be input into our data system and matched up with those pieces of the application that arrive separately. Regardless of application type, students are notified about the status of their application via e-mail. This email will confirm the receipt of the application and provide a checklist of missing application pieces. Please encourage your students to send us a legible e-mail address that will be active throughout the application process.
What should we do if we receive notification that an application piece that has been sent is missing?
Please understand that our Office of Admission processes over 10,000 freshman and transfer applications and their respective separate “pieces” (recommendations, transcripts, test scores, etc.) between October and March. Some pieces may land in the wrong place during this process, or may never reach us at all. We ask that you resend the application piece so that it may be properly filed with the application.
When sending separate pieces of applications or applications themselves, please be sure that the student’s name and high school are clearly marked. They can be sent to:
Providence College
Office of Admission
Harkins Hall 222
1 Cunningham Square
Providence, RI 02918
Dates and Deadlines
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Early Action
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Regular Decision
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Fall Transfer
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Spring Transfer
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Application Deadline
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November 1
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January 15
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April 1
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December 1
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Notification
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by January 1
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by April 1
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beginning
April 15*
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2-4 Weeks After Completion of Application
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*Please note that all deadlines are postmark deadlines.
How does Providence College review an application?
The application process at Providence College is both a holistic and individualized process. Our 15 admission counselors carefully review each application for admission, and work to select the students who are the best fit for PC from many different perspectives. There are no cutoffs of any type employed during the review – every student’s application is read thoroughly regardless of the student’s “numbers” (G.P.A., class rank, SAT/ACT scores).
The most important piece of the application for admission is the student’s high school transcript, which will give us a sense of the student’s academic fit to PC. We look closely at each student’s curriculum and G.P.A., considering both in the context of the student’s high school environment. Beyond the transcript, the subjective pieces of the application, including the list of extracurricular activities, the application essay, and counselor and teacher recommendations are all very important components of the review. If a student has submitted standardized test scores, they will also be considered, but do not outweigh high school academic performance.
Our website provides a more thorough explanation of our Review Process, and if you have any questions, we encourage you to call our office to speak with a counselor. In addition, Assistant Dean of Admission Scott Seseske writes an admission blog that takes an in-depth look at the admission process from our side of the desk.
How does PC's test-optional policy affect the way applications are reviewed?
The adoption of our test-optional policy for admission has not changed the way that the admission staff reviews applications, as the primary focus has always been on the student's high school career rather than on a standardized test score. The high school transcript (the combination of curriculum and G.P.A.) is the most important component of the admission review. The admission staff will then consider the subjective pieces of the application, including extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations. No additional requirements for admission have been added with the adoption of the test-optional policy.
Do you only accept a certain number of students from each high school or each geographic area?
No. There are no quotas in the Providence College application process that would restrict the number of students invited from the same high school or the same geographic area.
Will all students who apply to PC from my high school receive their decision letters at the same time?
All students who apply to PC at the same deadline will receive their decision letters in the mail at the same time. For students who apply Early Action (postmark deadline of November 1), decision letters generally will arrive before January 1. For students who apply Regular Decision (postmark deadline of January 15), letters generally will arrive before April 1. All types of decision letters (invite, defer, wait list, deny) are mailed at the same time.
Are admission decisions available to applicants on the web?
No. All admission decisions are communicated via letter through the mail. We do not e-mail decision letters to students, nor do we make admission decisions available online.
What percentage of applicants to PC come from public high schools? Catholic high schools? Private high schools?
For the Class of 2012, approximately 54% of applicants were from public high schools, 6% of applicants attended private (non-Catholic) high schools, and 39% of applicants went to Catholic high schools.
If a student is denied Early Action, can he/she reapply during the Regular Decision process?
No. A deny decision at Early Action is a final decision, and a student may not reapply during the Regular Decision process. At PC, there is no competitive advantage to applying Early Action and the review process remains consistent from Early Action to Regular Decision. Therefore, if a student is clearly not competitive in our Early Action review process, we know that this student will also not be competitive during the Regular Decision review - this is why we do render deny decisions at Early Action.
Can a student reapply once he or she has been denied admission to PC?
If a student has been denied admission to Providence College (either directly or is not invited off of the Waiting List), he or she must attend another institution for one year and apply to Providence College as a transfer student.
Who is eligible for merit scholarships? How do they apply?
All applicants to Providence College are automatically reviewed for merit scholarships. There is no separate application process. Merit scholarships are offered to those students who are invited into the selective Liberal Arts Honors Program. The merit scholarship review relies most heavily on the student’s academic performance. Competitive candidates for the Liberal Arts Honors Program are expected to have completed the most rigorous program of studies possible during their high school careers and have achieved grades that place them at the top of their class. For more information about Grants and Scholarships at Providence College, visit our Financial Aid webpage.
Do admission counselors share admission decisions/information with school counselors?
If the school counselor feels the admission information is necessary to their counseling relationship with the student, we will share admission decisions and other pertinent information. We do so as a professional courtesy, and with the understanding that all information shared is confidential. No admission decision is final until the student receives notification by mail.