Guided by the Constitutions of the Society of the Divine Word (Const. 511.4), when Vocation Directors (Recruiters) and the Admissions Committee make decisions about candidates, they look for positive evidence of:

• sound physical and mental health;

• a religious spirit appropriate to the candidate’s age;

• the necessary talent for the education required;

• social skills appropriate to the candidate’s age;

• active participation in the life of the Church;

• concern and openness for the missionary ideal and vocation.

Pre-Screening of Seminary Students

A candidate who contacts the College concerning admission is not given application papers, but is assigned to a Vocation Director.  The Vocation Director maintains contact with the candidate from this initial stage through the admission process.  In most cases, the Vocation Director visits the candidate at his home, invites the candidate to visit the College and interviews the candidate.  If the Vocation Director is convinced that the candidate is serious and is likely to meet the criteria as previously outlined, the Vocation Director offers the candidate application materials.  The ensuing application procedures are designed to gather sufficient information about the candidate so that the Admissions Committee can make an informed judgment of the candidate's suitability for admission to formation and one of the education programs at Divine Word College (ESL, college, post-college).

• Applicants are interviewed by a Vocation Director at the applicant's home, school or Divine Word College.

• A campus visit by prospective students is usually required.

• Applicants submit the following documents:

• Signed application form

• Autobiography

• Official academic transcripts from each school attended

• Course descriptions and/or syllabi for college classes when the applicant is requesting transfer credit

• High school diploma or GED scores

• SAT or ACT scores, of available and appropriate

• TOEFL or alternative test score, if appropriate

• Health report and up-to-date inoculation record

• Pastoral recommendation

• Two character recommendations

• Baptismal and confirmation certificates

• Criminal background check

• $25 Application fee

• Two photos

• Application for Federal Student Aid (eligible students)

• Where applicable, a letter of recommendation from the diocese or religious community with whom the applicant was previously affiliated

• Psychological testing or consultation is required when appropriate.

• The Admissions Committee meets to review all documents gathered during the application process and makes it decision on admission and placement.

• Send information to:

DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS                                                            Tel:      1-800-553-3321

Divine Word College                                                                            FAX:    1-563-876-5515

P.O. Box 380                                                                                            e-mail:  svdvocations@dwci.edu

Epworth, IA  52045-0380                                                                      Websites:  www.dwci.edu

                                                                                                                            www.svdvocations.org

 

While the primary mission of Divine Word College is the education of men who are seriously considering religious vocations as missionary priests and brothers, the College welcomes other individuals wishing to utilize the College's educational resources.  Most non-seminary students will fall into the following three categories:

Degree-Seeking Students (full or part-time)

Application Process - Applicants submit the following documents:

• Application form

• Submit a letter of recommendation

• Official academic transcripts from each school attended

• Course descriptions and/or syllabi for college classes when the applicant is requesting transfer credit

• SAT or ACT scores, if available

• TOEFL or alternative test score, if appropriate

• Health report and current inoculation record

• $25 application fee.

This information is presented to the College's Admissions Committee for formal acceptance into the College.  The Director of Admissions will generally respond to the applicant within 14 days regarding the committee's decision.

Non-Degree-Seeking Temporary Students (full-time)

Application Process - Applicants must submit the following documents:

• Application form

• Submit a letter of recommendation

• Official academic transcripts from each school attended

• Course descriptions and/or syllabi for college classes when the applicant is requesting transfer credit

• SAT/ACT scores, if available

• TOEFL or alternative test score, if appropriate

• Health report and current inoculation record.

This information should be submitted to the Admissions Office and is processed by the Director of admissions.  The Director of Admissions will generally respond to the applicant within seven days after all the information is received.  The Registrar's Office will be notified of acceptance so the student can register for classes.

             Non-Degree-Seeking Temporary Students (part-time)

Individuals interested in taking an occasional class complete a short application.  Applications should be returned to the Admissions Office.  Generally, applications will be forwarded to the Registrar immediately so that the student can register for classes.

 

Vocation Directors make an assessment of students applying to Divine Word College.  They look for positive indicators for each of the characteristics listed below.  A serious deficiency in one category can jeopardize admission.  The candidate's age and experience may affect the degree to which he demonstrates these characteristics.  The Vocational Director prepares a written assessment of the prospective student for the Admissions Committee addressing the following:

• sincere interest in responding to a religious missionary calling;

• sound faith and spiritual life;

• involvement in local parish or other service projects;

• generosity of spirit;

• concern for others;

• emotional stability;

• ability to accept responsibility;

• a sense of purpose in life;

• the capacity for and pattern of lived celibacy for an appropriate period of time;

• willingness to live in a cross-cultural environment.

Academic Assessment of Prospective Students

An applicant should have at least average intelligence, which may be indicated in a variety of ways, including academic transcripts ("C" or 2.00 cumulative GPA); standardized testing; and/or rank in class (upper two-thirds).  An applicant must have a high school diploma, or the applicant must submit official scores of the General Educational Development (GED) Test.

Students who have completed a four-year high school program in the United States are expected to have ACT or SAT scores reported to the Admissions Committee.  Students admitted as freshmen without ACT or SAT scores will take an assessment test during the first semester of college to help the college conduct a longitudinal study of freshmen and to aid in the advising process.

In some circumstances, documentation to show academic ability may be impossible to gather especially if an applicant's education documents are not available from his home country or were permanently lost.  The Vocation Director will make every attempt to gather information about an applicant's academic ability through interviews, recommendations from persons who know the applicant, unofficial grade reports, recommendations from ESL teachers, or letters attesting to the applicant's academic history.  With extenuating circumstances, an applicant without complete academic documentation may be admitted to the ESL program.

An applicant whose primary language is not English is required to submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score or take an English language proficiency test at Divine Word College prior to placement into the regular college program.  An equivalent standardized test of English proficiency, such as the ACT Compass Test, may also be submitted.

If an applicant does not submit an English Language test score during the application process, if accepted, the new student will be required to complete testing during orientation week in the first semester of attendance at the College.  Test scores will determine which classes a student may take.

Students who completed some of their education outside the United States but who did not complete high school may be admitted to the ESL Institute without a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) Test.  These students will be required to complete the GED before admission to the college program.  Students who complete ESL before the GED may take part-time college courses for no more than two semesters while completing the GED.  It should be noted that acceptance into the College without a high school diploma or GED is an exception to the norm.

When an applicant is admitted, he is placed in the Intensive English Language Institute if his TOEFL score is below 500 (173 for the computer-based TOEFL, 61 for the Internet based TOEFL), or if the on-campus proficiency exam indicates the need for additional language instruction before entering the College program.  Students with TOEFL scores near 500 (173 CBT or 61 iBT), but below 550 (213 CBT or 80 iBT), may be placed in the College program, but may also be required to take part-time ESL classes.

An equivalent standardized test of English proficiency, such as the ACT Compass Test, may also be used by the College to assess English skills.  An applicant who has a TOEFL score of 550 (213 CBT or 80 iBT) or higher and a writing sample score of six will be placed in the College program without any further requirements to take ESL classes.  Applicants with a writing sample score below six may be placed in ESL 084, Freshman ESL Composition.

 

New Students:  Assessment and Placement

All new, full-time students will be required to complete assessment testing during orientation week in order to determine placement into appropriate courses.  Assessment tests will include reading, writing and math skills.  Students may be admitted to either the regular college program or the ESL program if they require further language support.  Students in the regular college program may be required to take basic, non-credited courses as needed.

Students required to take an English language test may do so during the application process or any time prior to admission.  If a student performs well on a language test and results indicate he is not in need of ESL support, the student will be exempt from taking the test during orientation week.  On the other hand, if a student's English language test score on a test prior to enrollment indicates he will need ESL classes, the student may retake the test during orientation week to see if his ESL level has changed.

New full-time students who are not seeking a degree will be exempt from the math assessment test.  These students would include those at the College to complete Philosophy requirements for future Theology studies.  Students place in full-time ESL classes will have their math assessment deferred until they are ready to begin regular college classes.

 

Application Deadlines

The Admissions Committee ordinarily processes applications within two weeks of receipt of all the required documentation. Applicants are encouraged to complete the application process as early as possible.  Applications will be processed until July 15 for the fall semester and until December 1 for the spring semester.

The Director of Admissions will send a letter to each applicant informing the applicant of the Admission Committee’s decision.

 

Transfer Students

A student wishing to transfer from another accredited college or seminary should follow the normal Application Procedure.  Official transcripts must be submitted to the Director of Admissions.  If transfer credit is being requested, the applicant must submit course descriptions or course syllabi for all college classes in question.  Refer to the section on Transfer Credit in the Academic Regulations section of this catalog for the process of accepting transfer courses.  In order to process transfer credits in a timely manner, applicants should submit their information as early as possible.  A letter of recommendation from the Director of Formation is also required if the applicant is transferring from a seminary (or had been previously in another seminary formation program).

Many students enter the college program after spending time in English as a Second Language.  Before enrolling in regular college classes, ESL students must undergo educational and formational assessments by their instructors and formators.

English Language Assessment

Students admitted to the ESL program are assessed at the end of each semester to determine their readiness for promotion to either the next level of full-time ESL instruction, part-time ESL instruction or full-time academic (college) studies.  Student achievement of ESL outcomes is assessed using teaching recommendations, class performance, assessment of writing ability and English proficiency test scores.

• Teacher recommendations/grades:

Students are continually assessed during the course of the semester using the set of outcomes developed by the Institute and specific to the level of instructions.  Teachers measure each student's acquisition of language using a variety of class tests and assign grades based on the student's language proficiency at the end of the semester.  Homework, hard work and participation will help improve the student's knowledge, but promotion is based solely on the realization of the outcomes for that level.

• Writing assessment

At the end of each semester, students complete a timed, in-class writing sample to evaluate their ability to write with limited time for revision.  Scores on this instrument are used for placement within the ESL Institute and for placement in ENG 111 and ENG 112.

• Language Testing

All students enrolled in the Intensive English Language Institute take a standardized language test at the end of each semester.  The results of this test, together with class grades and the instructors' placement recommendations, are taken into account when placement decisions are made by the Institute.  When the student's performance in all three areas indicates a readiness for academic study, a recommendation is made by the Director of the Intensive English Language Institute for the student's transition into the academic college program either as a 'special freshman' receiving ESL support, or as a 'freshman' receiving no ESL support.

Students wishing to retake a standardized language test, such as the TOEFL or Compass test, may do so if they:

• take the test at another institution at their expense, or

• write a letter to the Director of the Intensive English Language Institute detailing a plan of English study over the summer recess and requesting permission to retake the test at Divine Word College prior to the fall semester.

• Reporting

Following the English language assessment as outlined above, the Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Formation review all ESL students.  As appropriate, students transition from one ESL level to another.  When students meet the required English Language criteria as previously outlined, and meet formation expectations appropriate to their level, they will transition to the regular college program.  The students are notified of the change of status by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The Early Admission Program allows students from high schools in the area to enroll in lower division college courses. Applicants must have completed the junior year and are considered unclassified part-time students who are not pursuing a degree.

International students are subject to the admission policies of Divine Word College and the regulations of the Citizen and Immigration Immigration Service of the United States Department of Homeland Security.   If a student is accepted, an I-20 form will be issued to the student in order to apply for a student visa from the United States government.

An official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or an alternative standardized test score report is required for all non-native speakers of English who are applying to the College. The TOFEL score report must be submitted with completed application papers to the Director of Admissions.  If no test score is available, the applicant must complete an English language test during Orientation if accepted to the College.

International students who are seeking admission into the full-time degree program must exhibit proficiency in reading, writing and speaking English, as well as the ability to understand English with ease. Students with TOEFL scores near 500 (173 CBT or 61 iBT), but below 550 (213CBT or 80 iBT), may be placed in the College program, but may also be required to take part-time ESL classes.  An equivalent standardized test of English proficiency, such as the ACT Compass Test, may also be used by the College to assess English skills.

Information about the TOEFL can be obtained from: TOEFL/TSE Services, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151.   For students who are transferring from a foreign university, the regulations on the acceptance of transfer credits are given under the sections Transfer Students and Examinations and Tests.  Federal Financial Aid is not available to international students. An applicant preparing to become a priest or brother in the Society of the Divine Word may apply for a Divine Word College scholarship.

Advanced Placement Program (AP)

Divine Word College participates in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. High school students who have performed satisfactorily in advanced college level courses before college entrance and who have demonstrated their achievement in the Advanced Placement Test of the College Entrance Examination Board may have the results submitted directly to Divine Word College for credit.

A student who receives a four (4) or five (5) rating in the Advanced Placement Test will automatically receive college credit in the subject.

Applicants for advanced placement should request their high school counselor to obtain the test from the College Entrance Examination Board, Princeton, NJ 08540.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)