LHU extends SAT/ACT optional admissions policy through fall 2022
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Lock Haven University has announced an extension of its test-optional admission policy for students applying to the university through fall 2022.
First-year applicants to the university will not be required to submit either a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT) score to complete an application for admission. The policy was originally implemented for fall 2020 to accommodate students who were impacted by test date cancellations because of COVID-19.
LHU’s office of admissions will continue to thoroughly review each applicant and, in some cases, require additional information such as a phone interview. All LHU majors qualify for the SAT/ACT waiver except accelerated health science programs (3+2 pre-physician assistant and 3+3 pre-physical therapy). New applicants are encouraged to submit test scores if they are available.
There is no fee to apply to LHU and the enrollment deposit remains at the lowered amount of $100. Distance parameters for students who are required to live on campus have been changed to more than 35 miles from the university and students are required to live on campus during their second year.
Recently, the board of governors for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education voted to freeze basic in-state tuition for a third consecutive year, even while confronting financial challenges brought on in part by the coronavirus pandemic.
Basic in-state tuition for undergraduate students will remain at $7,716 for the 2021-22 academic year. Also remaining the same will be the system’s technology fee for students, which stands at $478 for the academic year.
LHU will award financial aid for first-time freshmen and first-time transfer students that combines merit-based aid, need-based aid and federal and state aid.
Eligible students will receive the scholarship at the time they are admitted, based on their high school grade point average. Scholarships for in-state students range from $500-$2,500 and out-of-state scholarships will range from $2,000-$4,000. This scholarship strategy helps students understand a reduction in their price earlier in the process, according to Stephen Lee, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs.
As students complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), they also will receive need-based aid if they are eligible. Need-based aid will be awarded based on a student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and financial need that was not met with merit-based, state or federal aid.
In addition, the LHU Student Retention Fund and the Emergency Student Fund provide resources that are being used to reduce financial stress that students and their families are experiencing because of the pandemic. To give to the Emergency Student Fund, visit www.givegab.com/campaigns/lhu-emergency-student-fund.
LHU also is finalizing a plan to administer a third round of High Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) to financially support its students. The funding provided through HEERF will help to defray costs students have experienced as a result of the pandemic. While the strategy is currently being discussed, it will incorporate financial need to ensure that a maximum benefit is achieved for students and their families.
“During such challenging times for our nation and our university, we recognize the financial stress that families and students are facing,” Lee said. “Through a variety of financial aid avenues, we are looking for all possible options to support our students’ financial needs and ensure that they continue successfully on their path to graduation.”
The LHU campus is open for daily visitors. The admissions office is following masking and social distancing policies to keep visitors safe. Visits to campus can be scheduled by visiting www.lockhaven.edu/visit/.
For more information on Lock Haven University, visit www.lockhaven.edu, email admissions@lockhaven.edu, or call 570-484-2011.
