Credit Awards & Testing

Test Optional

Carroll College is Test-Optional! This means that students can be admitted to the college and be awarded merit scholarships ranging from $17,000 to $24,000 without submitting an ACT or SAT test score. The admission decision will be based on the application materials, including high school transcripts, essay, and letters of recommendation.

However, students are required to submit an ACT or SAT score if:

  • Students who have reported unweighted academic GPA of 3.0 or lower
  • Students who are home-schooled, attend a school that does not provide letter grades, or have a GED/HiSet (High School Equivalency)

Applicants wishing to submit a test score should plan on taking ACT or SAT test before May 1, 2023 for use in course placement, academic advising, and potential merit award increase.

Applying Test Optional

Students can apply using either the Common Application or the Carroll College Application. All applications are automatically set as test optional. Carroll will include any submitted test score in the merit calculation if it is advantageous to the applicant.

Calculating Final Merit Awards

Initial merit awards are calculated based on the information submitted during the process. Until August 1, 2022 students may choose to submit test scores if and when it helps them gain additional merit aid. Students should work with their admission counselor to ensure the correct test scores are reported.

Test Optional student merit awards are based on GPA and range from $24,000 per year for four years, to $17,000 per year for four years.

Merit levels with GPA and test scores can be calculated using the Merit Aid Calculator.

Submitting test scores after the admission decision

In some cases, if a student has taken the SAT or ACT we may request test scores after the student has been submitted for help in placing them in the appropriate levels of Math and English. Submitting these scores after admission will not affect Financial Aid or the admission decision.

Carroll College Advanced Placement (AP) Test Policy

High school students who receive scores of 4 or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination are granted college credit in appropriate subjects. Courses and credits are posted to the student's Carroll transcript upon receipt of the official College Board scores. Note: Credit is awarded only for scores of 4 or 5. 

Carroll College Advanced Placement (AP) Policy

Examination Title Credits Awarded Carroll Course Equivalency
Test Scores 4 5 4 5
Art: 2D Design 3 3 ART 289 (portfolio required) ART 289 (portfolio required)
Art: 3D Design 3 3 ART 289 (portfolio required) ART 289 (portfolio required)
Art: Studio Art - Drawing 3 3 ART 112 (portfolio required)  ART 112 (portfolio required) 
Art: Studio Art - General 3 3 ART 112 (portfolio required) ART 112 (portfolio required)
Art History 3 3 ART 110 ART 110
Biology 4 4 BI 101 BI 101
Calculus AB 4 4 MA 131* MA 131*
Calculus BC 4 4 MA 131* MA 131*
Chemistry 4 4 CH 111 CH 111
Chinese Language and Culture 3 3 FL 189 FL 189
Computer Science A 4 4 CS 110 CS 110
Computer Science Principles 3 3 CS 189 CS 189
Economics: Micro 3 3 EC 201 EC 201
Economics: Macro 3 3 EC 202 EC 202
English Language/Composition 3 4 ENWR 101 ENWR 102
English Literature/Composition 3 3 ENLT 215 ENLT 215
Environmental Science 3 3 ES 189 ES 189
European History 3 3 HI 209 HI 209
French Language 3 3 FR 101T FR 102T
German Language 3 3 GM 101 GM 102
Government & Politics: US 3 3 PO 104 PO 104
Government & Politics: Comparative 3 3 PO 102 PO 102
Human Geography 3 3 GIS 189 GIS 189
Italian Language and Culture 3 3 FL 189 FL 189
Japanese Language and Culture 3 3 FL 189 FL 189
Latin 3 3 LA 101 LA 102
Music Theory 3 3 MUS 189 MUS 189
Physics 1 4 4 PHYS 201 PHYS 201
Physics 2 4 4 PHYS 202 PHYS 202
Physics C: Mechanics 4 4 PHYS 205 PHYS 205
Physics C: Electricity/Magnetism 4 4 PHYS 206 PHYS 206
Psychology 3 3 PSY 105 PSY 105
Spanish Language and Culture 3 3 SP 101T SP 102T
Spanish Literature and Culture 3 3 SP 289 SP 289
Statistics 3 3 MA 207 MA 207
United States History 3 3 HI 121 HI 121
World History 3 3 HI 103 HI 103

*Students who accept this credit cannot then take MA 121-122 or MA 131. However, students who feel uncomfortable with their calculus background may opt to decline their AP calculus credit. No student may receive credit for both MA 121-122 and MA 131.

Revised July 2020


Carroll College International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam Policy

High school students who receive a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate higher-level examinations are granted college credit in appropriate subjects. Credit is not awarded for subsidiary level examinations, Theory of Knowledge, or extended essays. Courses and credits are posted to the student's Carroll transcript upon receipt of the official International Baccalaureate transcripts. Note: Credit is awarded only for scores of 5, 6, or 7 on higher-level exams.

Carroll College International Baccalaureate (IB) Policy

Examination Title Credits Awarded Carroll Course Equivalency
Art (Visual) 3 ART 110
Biology 4 BI 101
Business & Management 3 BA 100
Chemistry 4 CH 111
Classical Languages 3 LA 102
Computer Science 4 CS 189
Economics 3 EC 202
English Language & Literature 4 ENWR 102
English Literature 3 ENLT 215
Film 3 THT 189
French Language & Literature 3 FR 102T
German Language & Literature 3 GM 102
Geography 3 GEOG 201
Global Politics 3 PO 115
History of Africa 3 HI 189
History of the Americas 3 HI 189
History of Asia and Oceania 3 HI 189
History of Europe 3 HI 209
History, 20th Century World 3 HI 103
Mathematics 4 MA 131*
Music 3 MUS 189
Philosophy 3 PHIL 101
Physics 8 PHYS 201 and PHYS 202
Psychology 3 PSY 105
Social/Cultural Anthropology 3 AN 204
Spanish Language B 3 SP 102T
Spanish Language & Literature 3 SP 102T
Theatre 3 THT 111

*Students who accept this credit cannot then take MA 121-122 or MA 131. However, students who feel uncomfortable with their calculus background may opt to decline their IB calculus credit. It is noted in the catalog that no student may receive credit for both MA 121-122 and MA 131.

Revised July 2020


College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Policy

CLEP may enable Carroll students to receive college credit for what they already know, to bypass introductory courses, or to fulfill Carroll College Core Curriculum or major and program requirements. Using CLEP credit to fulfill major and program requirements requires the approval of the department chairperson. Students will not receive credit for courses whose content is at a lower level than what they have already completed at Carroll College. See the Carroll College CLEP Policy

Questions?

We are happy to guide you through every step of the admission process. Contact your Admission Counselor or contact us at admission@carroll.edu, and we will make sure you get the information you need to make an informed college decision.