To limit the number of employees on campus, to help flatten the transmission curve of coronavirus, Northwestern State University will implement teleworking arrangements for most employees beginning Monday, March 23, 2020. We will continue to process admission and we encourage you to apply at any time! Employees are available to assist you remotely by email at applications@nsula.edu.
Please do not mail or fax anything to our office until further notice. Please send all documents through email. We will accept college and high school transcripts and test scores by email if they are sent from the issuing institution. Immunization and selective service records can be emailed by the applicants.
We appreciate your patience as we work to process your admission and we hope that you and your family stay safe and well during this unprecedented event. You can find information regarding NSU’s response to COVID-19 at www.nsula.edu/covid-19. We look forward to having you join us in the future…and as always “Fork ‘em Demons!”
University Admissions & Placement Update Summer & Fall 2020 First-Time Freshmen
In response to the rapidly evolving impact on secondary and postsecondary education of the current covid-19 pandemic, the Board of Regents approved emergency guidelines for admissions and placement due to the cancellation or postponement of standardized tests whose scores are used in determining student eligibility.
Developed in close consultation with the Louisiana Department of Education, system chief academic officers and the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Aid (LOSFA), the updates address alternative criteria for placement into college courses and admission to postsecondary institutions. Current minimum admission criteria do not require ACT scores for admissions only for Math and English placement.
Students who have met the Regents Core and GPA (Flagship: 3.0; Statewide: 2.5 and Regional: 2.0), but have no ACT or SAT score on file to demonstrate proficiency in English and Math may meet subscore admissions or placement criteria by:
- Successfully completing postsecondary departmental exams and/or placement assessments at the institution where they plan to enroll, (see table below) OR
- Successfully completing placement assessments offered by community colleges and submitting scores to the institution where they plan to enroll (see table below) OR
- In keeping with Regents’ Minimum Admissions Criteria policy, institutions can still evaluate for other factors in addition to minimum admissions requirements. Institutions with applicants who have not met the minimum test score requirements, or have no scores available as required by the Board of Regents Minimum Admissions Criteria for First-Time Freshmen, may rely on other factors, such as trends in academic performance, rigor of coursework, challenging high school curriculum, class rank, special talents or quality of extracurricular activities, to determine final admission ;OR
- Enrolling in co-requisite support in course(s) where the student is deficient
Incoming students from non-English speaking countries who do not have access to the TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency exams (per Academic Affairs 2.18) due to disruptions caused by covid-19, may meet English proficiency requirements through the Duolingo English exam if accepted by the institution. Scores on the Duolingo English exam must be concorded and comparable to the current TOEFL and IELTS minimum scores needed to indicate proficiency.
Minimum Admission Criteria
Click on one of the admission types below for the respective admission criteria.
Your decision to apply to NSU is the first step on your journey to becoming a NSU Demon and an important part of our great university. Not only will you find yourself surrounded by some of the state’s best students, but you’ll be learning from faculty who are dedicated to the art of teaching.
Contact Us
| Office of Admissions 306 Sam Sibley Drive Student Services Center, Suite 235 Natchitoches, LA 71497 |
Phone: 318.357.4078 Toll-Free: 800.767.8115 FAX: 318.357.4660 Email: applications@nsula.edu |
Staff Directory
| Taquita Bell Director of Admissions |
Vacant Administrative Coordinator IV |
| Chasity Tousek Admissions Records Analyst tousekc@nsula.edu |
Lora Hayes Administrative Coordinator IV sfhayesl@nsula.edu |
| Mikaela Sarpy Administrative Coordinator IV sarpym@nsula.edu |
Donna Trichel Administrative Coordinator IV tricheld@nsula.edu |
| Lisa Fortenberry Administrative Coordinator IV fortenberryl@nsula.edu |
Admissions Process
We want the admission process to be a smooth one for you, so we’ve prepared a list of different admission documents that we might need from you. Not all items below are required from every applicant, so please refer to the letter you receive in the mail to determine which requirement(s) you are missing at that time. The following are critical steps of the admission process, so click on each item for full information.
If you graduated from a Louisiana state approved high school 4 years ago or longer, you will need to request your official transcript from your high school to be mailed or faxed to the Office of Admissions. If you earned a GED or HiSET, we will need the official test scores from the institution that awarded the diploma.
Official transcripts and test scores are those that are delivered to the Office of Admissions in an unopened school envelop from the high school or testing agency or faxed/emailed directly to the Office of Admissions from the high school or testing agency.
~ OR ~
Immunization Compliance Form – Please complete the compliance form if records are available. The form can be completed digitally, and emailed to the admissions office using the email address applications@nsula.edu. Compliance forms can also be printed and filled out by hand, and faxed to 318.357.4660. Please email or fax Proof of Immunization records from Physician or Care Provider as well.Louisiana Law (R.S. 17:170.1 Schools of Higher Learning) requires all students entering Northwestern State University to be immunized for the following: Measles (2 doses), Mumps, Rubella—required for those born on or after January 1, 1957; Tetanus-Diphtheria (within the past 10 years); and against Meningococcal disease (Meningitis). The guidelines presented on the back of the “Proof of Immunization Compliance Form” are for the purpose of implementing the requirements of Louisiana R.S. 17:170.1, and of meeting the established recommendations for control of vaccine-preventable diseases as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the United States Public Health Service (ACIP); and the American College Health Association (ACHA). Students not meeting the MMR & TD requirement will be prevented from registering for subsequent semesters.
| Units | Courses |
|---|---|
| 4 ENGLISH | English I English II English III English IV |
| 4 MATH | Algebra I/Applied Algebra I/Algebra I – Pt. 2Geometry/Applied GeometryAlgebra IIFinancial Math/Math Essentials/Advanced: PreCalculus/Advanced: Functions & Statistics/PreCalculus/Calculus/Probability and Statistics/Discrete Math/approved elective |
| 4 SCIENCE | BiologyChemistry2 units from: Physical Science/Integrated Science/Physics I/Physics of Technology I/Aerospace Science/Biology II/Chemistry II/Earth Science/Environmental Science/Physics II/Physics of Technology II/Agriscience II/Anatomy and Physiology/approved elective (including approved IBCrelated course) |
| 4 SOCIAL STUDIES | Civics/AP American Government + Free Enterprise (1/2 unit each)American HistoryWorld History/World Geography/Western Civilization/AP European HistoryWorld History/World Geography/Western Civilization/AP European History/Law Studies/Psychology/Sociology/Civics (2nd semester, ½ unit)/African American Studies/approved IBCrelated course/(Religion I, II, III, IV for nonpublic schools) |
| 2 FOREIGN LANGUAGES | 2 units from same language or 2 speech courses |
| 1 ARTS | Fine Arts Survey or 1 unit: Art/Dance/Music/Theater Arts/Applied Arts/approved IBC-related course |
| 19 UNITS |
