Mount St. Mary's College, Weekend College
Mount Saint Mary's College
Home » Weekend College » B.A. Programs » FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about Weekend College

 

What GPA does the Weekend College require for admission to the program? 
The Weekend College program at Mount St. Mary's College does not have a minimum g.p.a. requirement for admission to the program.   Admission requirements are as follows:

  • Completed and signed application with application fee
  • Personal interview
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended 
  • Official high school transcripts (that reflect graduation) or GED if the applicant has completed less than 24 transferrable college units.

Will Mount St. Mary's accept credits I earned at other colleges?  Mount St. Mary's Colleges accepts credits earned at accredited institutions that are deemed equivalent to courses offered as part of the College's baccalaureate curriculum.  A preliminary transfer evaluation may be performed by a Weekend College advisor.  contact an advisor 

How much time can I expect to spend on homework?  How much time should I plan to spend on homework?  Consistent with the traditional Carnegie unit, a student should expect to study two hours per unit, per week.   For example, a student enrolled in one 3-unit course should plan to study six hours per week for that course.  Some students have successfully completed courses by studying during lunch hours, reading in grocery check-out lines, giving up TV two nights a week, getting up an hour earlier, etc.  The format of the Weekend College allows each student to determine what method of time management works best for him or her.

Who are the faculty? The faculty of the Weekend College are the same outstanding faculty who teach in the traditional week-day college. How much time should I plan to spend on homework?  Consistent with the traditional carnegie unit, a student should expect to study two hours per unit, per week.   For example, a student enrolled in one 3-unit course should plan to study six hours per week for that course.  Some students have successfully completed courses by studying during lunch hours, reading in grocery check-out lines, giving up TV two nights a week, getting up an hour earlier, etc.  The format of the Weekend College allows each student to determine what method of time management works best for him or her. 

Is the program co-educational? While most of the programs at Mount St. Mary's College are primarily for women, the Weekend College (in addition to the graduate and nursing programs) is co-educational.  Both men and women are encouraged to apply.


Will my diploma say "Weekend College?" Students who graduate from Mount St. Mary's College through the Weekend College earn the same degree as students who complete the traditional week-day baccalaureate curriculum.  No distinction is made between traditional students and weekend students when a degree is conferred.   The diploma will not say "weekend college."

How will I know which courses to take?   Every student in the Weekend College is assigned an academic advisor who provides guidance regarding course selection and tracks the individual student's progress toward graduation on a semester basis.   Advisors are available for consultation during the week (by phone, fax or in person) and on instructional weekends.  meet the staff. academic planning

Can I take a semester off? Juggling a multitude of responsibilities is often the greatest challenge working adult students face in their quest to complete their degrees.   Career conflicts, health problems, financial difficulties or any other of a myriad of obstacles may arise and require a student to take a temporary leave of absence from the program.  While advisors recommend that students keep "one toe" in the program if at all possible (perhaps by taking a lighter unit-load for a semester) so that momentum isn't lost, students enrolled in the weekend college are allowed to take a leave of absence for a maximum of three semesters without having to reapply to the College.

What are the attendance policies?  Because classes meet only every two to three weeks, regular class attendance is essential for academic success in the Weekend College program.  Individual instructors may institute varying attendance requirements, but as a rule of thumb, students are advised the following:
- If you know prior to the start of the semester that you are going to have to miss an entire class weekend, you should not enroll that semester. 
- If an emergency arises and a class weekend must be missed, it may be possible to make up missed work (this at the instructor's discretion), but because of the weekend format, it is extremely difficult to do so.
- If you miss two class weekends (one third of the semester) it is not possible to pass that particular semester's courses.

How much can I expect to pay for books?   For every 3-unit course, students can expect to pay $75 to $125 for books.

How quickly can I graduate?  The Weekend College program is designed to allow working adults to complete a four-year bachelor's degree in four years.  To achieve that goal a student will need to complete 9 to 12 units per semester and maintain regular, year-round attendance.  Likewise, a student with 90 units to complete could expect to graduate in 9 semesters (at 9-12 units per semester), a student with 60 units completed could graduate in 6 semesters, and a student with 30 units left to complete could do so within one year.

When is the Weekend College office open? The Weekend College office is open during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8:00AM to 5:00PM and on instructional weekends.  

If I drop a course, will I get a refund? Each semester a refund schedule is published as part of the Schedule of Classes.  To be eligible for a refund, the student must complete and submit an approved Drop/Add form to the Office of the Registrar by the published deadlines.