Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the cost to attend Salem College?
- The comprehensive fee, which includes room, board, and tuition for 2005-2006, is $26,226. Day student fees are $16,975.
- Do you offer merit scholarships?
- Salem offers merit awards to students of exceptional talent. These awards generally go to students with excellent GPAs and SAT or ACT scores combined with significant achievements in activities and service. Music scholarships are also available to incoming students with outstanding musical ability who intend to major in music.
- Do you accept transfer students?
- Transfer students may apply for admission for the Fall, January Term, or Spring semester. Each application is reviewed individually and must include official transcripts from the high school and colleges (with catalogues) attended by the prospective student. Each student should also submit her SAT or ACT scores and a letter of recommendation.
- Do I have to use a Salem application?
- In addition to using the paper application, students may apply to Salem in several ways: through Salem´s web site (www.salem.edu/admissions/apply.php), through Princeton Review (www.review.com), or through Peterson´s Web site (www.petersons.com). Also check with your high school guidance office for forms and software options including ExPan, Apply!, and College Connector.
- Do I need an interview?
- An interview is not required for admission but recommended if the student is interested in a scholarship. Salem recommends an interview to become acquainted with each student on an individual basis. Interviews can be done on campus, by phone, or when possible at the student´s high school guidance office.
- What is the faculty-student ratio?
- Our faculty-student ratio is 13:1; which allows for individualized attention. Faculty members are very accessible to students.
- What percentage of the faculty has their Ph.D.?
- Ninety-seven percent of Salem professors have their Ph.D. or terminal degrees in their disciplines. Faculty members hold degrees from George Washington, University of Virginia, University of Texas at Dallas, Princeton, Radcliffe College, Yale, Emory, Duke, Harvard, Rice, Northwestern, and the University of Wisconsin. 50 percent of our faculty are women.
- Do you give Advanced Placement (AP) credit?
- Yes, AP scores are accepted. The college awards credit for tests yielding a 4 or 5 based upon departmental requirements.
- Can you design your own major?
- Yes. Students may work with their advisor and the associate dean of the college to pursue an interdisciplinary major that is not offered as a part of the college curriculum. The student-designed major must examine a subject area by integrating the perspective of two or more disciplines and use existing resources in the curriculum.
- Do you have study abroad programs?
- Yes. Salem students may work with their advisor to study abroad through a variety of programs. It is recommended that the student enroll in one of the established programs sponsored by American colleges and recognized by the Institute of International Education.
- What varsity sports do you have at Salem?
- Salem offers varsity sports teams for basketball, cross-country, equestrian, field hockey, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.
- What kind of housing do you have?
- Salem has seven residence halls on campus all with varying styles. Babcock and Gramley dorms are designated for the freshmen class. There is transitional apartment-style housing available for seniors.
- What is security like on campus?
- Salem College has an outstanding safety record; annual statistics may be obtained from the Public Safety Office. Public Safety is on duty 24 hours. Each student is issued a key to her dorm lobby and the doors to the dorm rooms are equipped with coded combination locks. There are security phones throughout campus and in each dorm lobby in which public safety officers can be contacted. Public Safety offers an escort service for those students who prefer not to walk across campus alone at night.
- Can I have a car?
- Salem students may have a car on campus all four years.
- Does Salem have exchange programs with other colleges?
- Yes. Salem has cross registration with Wake Forest University. A full time student in good academic standing may register for courses at Wake Forest University that are not offered by the faculty at Salem. Salem College provides an opportunity for a student interested in public affairs to spend a semester at American University in Washington, D.C. In addition, a student may be nominated to study at St. Peter´s College, University of Oxford, England, during the summer.
