The admissions process can be intimidating! We’re here to help.
An interview is not required, but we encourage you to visit SNU. Discover our school and students first-hand, and meet us in person.
You can also help us better understand who you are by submitting a personal statement, academic letter(s) of recommendation, and/or a School Report from your high school counselor with your application.
Admission Requirements – Your Academic Record
APPLY as a FRESHMAN if you have not taken any college classes since receiving your high school diploma (or equivalency). If you have taken any college classes since graduation, apply as a Transfer Student.
Your application will be considered for standard acceptance if you have a minimum 2.6 cumulative Grade Point Average to date.
Scholarships
If your GPA is 2.8 or higher you will automatically be considered for a merit-based scholarship. Incoming freshman students with a 3.5 GPA and/or scores of 1250 combined on the SAT I or 28 on the ACT are eligible to apply for the Honors Program.
Credit for High School
We expect that you have successfully completed a college preparatory curriculum. This typically includes four years of English, three years of mathematics (including two years of algebra and one of geometry), two years of social studies, and two years of laboratory science; two years of a foreign language are encouraged but not required. You may be eligible for transfer credits for A.P. and other advanced coursework completed during high school.
Special Circumstances
We recognize that not everyone follows a traditional path through high school. If you have a Home School or high school equivalency diploma, or your academic record falls below our standards, you will still be considered for admission. It is especially important that you provide as much information as possible to help us understand your unique situation.
How to Apply
#1 Submit Your Online Application
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, although we strongly recommend that you complete your application as early as possible. You will usually receive a decision within two weeks of completing all your application requirements.
- You do not have to complete your application in one sitting - you can save it partially completed, then log back in to finish it later. Don't forget to keep track of the email address and password you use to log in! Use any Start Your Application link to log back in.
- You can enter a personal statement directly into the application.
Information about submitting the Common Application is at How to Apply.
#2 Submit Your Required Documents
- Request your official high school transcript(s) sent directly to SNU Tahoe
- Request your SAT or ACT scores sent directly to SNU Tahoe (SNU CEEB Code: 4757). IMPORTANT: We are test optional for the Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 application terms. If you will not be submitting a test score (ACT or SAT), we will require at least one letter of recommendation.
- You can add a personal statement (if you did not include one in your application), a School Report from your high school counselor, and/or Letter(s) of Recommendation to your application file. A letter of recommendation is only required if you are not submitting an ACT or SAT test score.
Contact Us!
Email address for digital documents: admissions@sierranevada.edu.
Mailing address for official transcript(s) and other documents:
Admissions Office | Sierra Nevada University | 999 Tahoe Boulevard | Incline Village, NV 89451-9500
Fax: 775.831.6223
College Board (SAT) CEEB Code: 4757
ACT Code: 2497
Special Circumstances
Home Schooled Students
Home-schooled students must submit a curriculum list and course descriptions. In addition, home-schooled students must submit an SAT or ACT score report including two SAT subject tests, one in mathematics and one in English Literature or History.
Admission with High School Equivalency Degree
A high school equivalency degree is accepted in place of a regular high school diploma. However, applicants with a high school equivalency receive close scrutiny to determine if they have the appropriate academic experience to succeed at Sierra Nevada University. Applicants must have a minimum score of 50 in each sub-category, and must include a detailed personal essay discussing why they left school and why they wish to enroll at Sierra Nevada University. We also require an official ACT or SAT score report. A personal interview with a member of the Admission staff may be required.
Provisional Acceptance
Students whose academic record falls outside our standards may be eligible for Provisional Acceptance. These students will receive additional mentoring and support services, and must maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Transfer Credits for Freshman Applicants
College Credit while in High School
Entering first-year students who have taken college courses during their junior or senior year of high school or in the summer prior to entering Sierra Nevada University must report such work to the Office of Admission. At the student’s request, the College Registrar will determine whether such work will receive credit at Sierra Nevada University.
Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
The Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Board usually are taken during the senior year of high school in conjunction with certain courses. Depending on the subject, three to six semester credits of college credit may be granted for each AP examination in which a student earns a score of 5, 4, or 3. Official notification from the College Board must be provided to the College in order for the student to gain such credit.
International Baccalaureate Exam (IB)
Three to six semester credits of College credit will be granted for each IB exam in which a student earns a score of 7, 6 or 5. Official notification from the IB Program must be provided to the College in order for the student to gain such credit.
Military Credit
Students may be granted credit for military school coursework, based on the recommendations for institutions of higher education in the appropriate volume of the American Council of Education Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. The student must provide the Registrar with an official Armed Forces transcript in order to have such credit evaluated.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
SNU grants credit for the CLEP examinations. Please contact the college for further details.