Lewis & Clark selects students with strong academic records and promise who seek a challenging liberal arts curriculum characterized by breadth and depth. Successful applicants are individuals who, through their varied talents and interests, will contribute in distinctive ways to the wider communities of which they are a part. As a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, Lewis & Clark subscribes to the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practices.

Application Options

Students may apply online via the Common Application (www.commonapp.org). If students use this option, the application fee is waived. Students who prefer to apply using a paper application must use the Common Application form, which is readily available from high school counseling offices and at the website above. There is a $50 application fee for using the paper form.

Fall Semester Admission Calendar

First-Year Applicants

Transfer Applicants

Midyear Admission

First-year and transfer students may also be considered for January admission. Evaluation is based on the criteria stated above and applicants are encouraged to apply as early in the fall as possible, but no later than November 1. Notification is made after September 1 on a rolling basis.

Advanced Standing

See Advanced Standing.

Further Information

Visit www.lclark.edu or contact us at

Office of Admissions
Lewis & Clark
College of Arts and Sciences
0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Road
Portland, Oregon 97219-7899
Phone: 800-444-4111 or 503-768-7040
Fax: 503-768-7055
admissions@lclark.edu

Potential transfer students can contact a transfer counselor directly at transfer@lclark.edu.

Summer Sessions

Students in good standing at other accredited U.S. colleges or universities may enroll in summer session courses without applying for admission to Lewis & Clark.

* See also Costs, Advance Deposits.

Recommended Academic Preparation

Admission to Lewis & Clark is selective. The most important factors in determining admission to the College of Arts and Sciences are the quality of a student’s academic program and the grades earned in college preparatory courses. The Admissions Committee also considers writing ability, quantitative skills, standardized testing, leadership, community service and work experience, personal interests, cocurricular activities and talent, and expressed interest in Lewis & Clark.

Lewis & Clark recommends that first-year students have completed a high school curriculum including a minimum of the following:

Students who have performed well in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or honors courses are given preference in the admission process. The Admissions Committee may consider applicants whose academic preparation is different from that described above if other aspects of their record indicate potential for success in Lewis & Clark’s academic program.

Home-schooled students are encouraged to apply via Lewis & Clark’s Portfolio Path to Admission and to contact the admissions office to discuss the best ways to present their academic preparation to the committee.

Scholastic Assessment Test or American College Test Scores

With the exception of international students, students applying through Lewis & Clark’s test-optional Portfolio Path to Admission, and transfer students with at least 61 transferable semester credits, the College of Arts and Sciences requires all applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. First-year applicants should take one of these tests before February 1 of their senior year and arrange to have the scores sent to Lewis & Clark, either by the testing agency or on an official high school transcript.

Test-Optional Portfolio Path to Admission

Lewis & Clark has offered the test-optional Portfolio Path to Admission since 1991. Students who choose the Portfolio Path option still submit the Common Application and other required documents.  In addition, applicants must also submit an academic portfolio and a total of two academic teacher recommendations: one from an English, social studies, or foreign languages/literature teacher and one from a math or science teacher. Applicants may choose whether or not to submit standardized test scores.

A portfolio must contain one sample of graded writing (such as an essay exam, research paper, or other analytical or expository piece; creative writing does not meet this requirement) and one sample of graded quantitative/scientific work (such as a math/science exam or a science lab report). In addition to these two pieces, Portfolio Path students may also submit one sample of their choice, such as visual or performance artwork, creative writing, or additional academic work. Applicants should submit an academic portfolio that demonstrates to the Admissions Committee the student’s intellectual curiosity, depth and breadth of curriculum, and preparation for college work.

Transfer Admission

Transfer students—about 60 of whom enroll each year—bring a welcome maturity and diversity to Lewis & Clark and are an important part of the entering student group. Students are considered transfer applicants if they have completed 12 or more semester credits of college-level work after graduating from high school or earning the GED. They are admitted on the same selective basis as first-year students and are eligible for financial aid and campus housing. Transfer applicants are expected to have achieved their preparation for Lewis & Clark through high school and early college coursework, and to have further demonstrated their ability to succeed by doing well in an appropriate selection of courses. Lewis & Clark encourages transfer applicants to visit the campus and schedule an interview with a transfer counselor.

Transfer Application

A complete transfer application must contain the following:

• Online (free) or paper ($50 fee) Common Application with personal essay.

• Common Application Supplement.

• Official secondary school transcript including verification of graduation or GED certification. This is required even if the student has been awarded an AA degree and/or has been out of high school for several years.

• Official transcripts from each college or university attended.

• SAT or ACT scores. Unless they will have completed two years of transferable college work (92 quarter credits or 61 semester credits) before enrolling at Lewis & Clark, transfer students are required to provide test scores on their high school transcript or from the appropriate testing agency.

• Recommendation from a college professor.

• College Official’s Report form.

Transfer Credit Policies

Transfer students generally receive full credit for satisfactory work completed at other regionally accredited colleges and universities in courses judged to be equivalent to those offered at Lewis & Clark. Preliminary transcript evaluations accompany letters of acceptance. Coursework is evaluated for transferability only on a course-by-course basis. No “block” credit will be granted for associates or transfer degrees. Transfer credit is not granted for coursework with a grade below C (2.000), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), life experience, credit by examination, or distance-learning courses, including online, correspondence, and televised courses. Credit may not be granted for college coursework completed over 20 years ago. Credit is also not granted for college courses used in any way for high school graduation. If a student has completed college-level coursework at a regionally accredited college or university, but is unable to present a high school diploma, a General Education Diploma (GED), or other high school equivalency diploma, courses will be evaluated for transfer credit on a course-by-course basis.

In order to be awarded a Lewis & Clark degree, students must fulfill the institution’s academic residency requirement by completing at least 60 semester credits at Lewis & Clark out of the 128 semester credits required for the degree. Thus, a maximum of 68 semester credits may be transferred from other institutions. A maximum of 4 semester credits of physical education/activity may be transferred. One quarter credit equals .67 semester credits.

Transfer students must complete graduation requirements outlined in this catalog. After Lewis & Clark receives a reservation deposit and before the transfer student enrolls, the Office of the Registrar evaluates transcripts of all previous college work to determine credit that is transferable toward Lewis & Clark’s General Education requirements. To determine whether courses completed elsewhere meet requirements for an academic major, students should consult the department or program chair of that major.

International Student Admission

As part of its commitment to international education, Lewis & Clark seeks to bring to the campus academically qualified students from diverse areas of the world. International student applicants are expected to be graduates of academically oriented secondary schools and meet entrance standards equivalent to those of U.S. applicants. The International Student Admissions Committee follows, as a minimum standard, recommendations for “U.S. institutions with selective admissions requirements” published by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offices.

For complete information about international student admission, contact

Office of International Students and Scholars
Lewis & Clark
College of Arts and Sciences
0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Road
Portland, Oregon 97219-7899
Phone: 503-768-7305
Fax: 503-768-7301
iso@lclark.edu
www.lclark.edu/offices/international

Visiting Student Program

Each year Lewis & Clark welcomes a few guest students who are in good standing at other accredited U.S. colleges or universities. Students apply to attend Lewis & Clark for a semester or year while they are sophomores, juniors, or seniors.

Course registration for visiting students is on a space-available basis. No Lewis & Clark financial aid is available. Campus housing is a possibility if there are room vacancies; students should work directly with the residence life office if they choose to pursue this option.

To apply, the student must submit a letter stating why he or she wishes to enroll and his or her goals while here, along with the Lewis & Clark visiting student application form, official transcripts of his or her college/university work to date, two faculty recommendations, and a recommendation from the dean of students at his or her home institution. Lewis & Clark’s Office of Admissions must receive all application materials by August 1 for fall admission and by December 1 for spring admission. Students who wish to stay more than one year must reapply to Lewis & Clark.

For further information contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@lclark.edu.

Special Student Program

A special student is a non-degree-seeking student who wishes to take a course, or courses, for academic credit at Lewis & Clark.

Course registration for special students is on a space-available basis. No Lewis & Clark financial aid is available.

To apply, the student must submit a letter stating why he or she wishes to enroll and his or her goals while here, along with the Lewis & Clark special student application form, and official high school or college transcripts. Lewis & Clark’s Office of Admissions must receive all application materials by August 1 for fall admission and by December 1 for spring admission. Registration for subsequent semesters is subject to review by the Admissions Committee.

For further information contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@lclark.edu.

Deferred Enrollment

Admitted students may choose to defer their enrollment at Lewis & Clark for up to one year. A nonrefundable deposit is required to hold the student’s place for a future semester. During the deferral period, a student may not attend another institution on a full-time basis. Full-time status is considered to be enrollment in 12 or more credits per term. No more than 11 credits per term and no more than 22 semester credits overall will be accepted as transfer credit. Those interested in deferred enrollment may contact the Office of Admissions for more information.

Campus Housing Requirement

Because of the residential nature of Lewis & Clark, all new students are required to live on campus their first two years (four semesters). Students are exempt from this policy if they are living with their parent(s) in the Portland area, are married, have a dependent, or are 21 years of age or older. Entering transfer students with at least 28 semester credits of transferable college work are also exempt from the campus housing requirement.