St. John Fisher College welcomes qualified transfer applicants from other regionally accredited two- and four-year institutions.

Applicants are reviewed when the first two items listed below are on file. The Committee on Admissions makes decisions on a rolling basis. Notifications are mailed to applicants two to three weeks after an application is complete. Transfer Credit Evaluations are provided to students upon or soon after being accepted to the College.

Procedures for admission are:

• Submit application.
• Submit official transcripts of all previous college work, including official score reports from Advanced Placement, CLEP, International Baccalaureate, if relevant. Once St. John Fisher College receives these transcripts, they become part of the student’s official academic record and cannot be released and/or forwarded to any other individual, including the student.
• SAT or ACT scores are not required for students who have completed 24 or more college credits.
• Transfer students who have completed fewer than 24 hours of college credit are required to submit an official high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores.
• Every entering student is required to provide an acceptable health history as well as a record of current immunizations. These documents must be presented to the Health and Wellness Center prior to the start of the semester. Please see Immunization Requirements.

Admissions Requirements

Transfer candidates must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (4.00 scale) in order to be considered for admission, for some departments, a higher GPA may be required. Exceptions will be reviewed on an individual basis. Students transferring to St. John Fisher College from colleges operating under the quarter system will have their credits evaluated by taking two-thirds of the total number of acceptable hours taken at the other college(s). For example, if a student takes and passes 60 acceptable quarter hours at another college, a total of 40 hours will be transferred to Fisher’s semester-hour system.

Procedures applicable to the various types of transfer students/credits are listed below.

Students With Associate Degrees

The College guarantees acceptance of a minimum of 60 credits in transfer to applicants who hold A.S., A.A., or A.A.S. degrees from fully accredited* colleges at the time of transfer, provided the courses are in reasonable conformity with the St. John Fisher College curriculum and no Fisher credits were used to earn that degree. Normally, the College does not accept credit for courses with earned grades below “C;” however, in some cases this policy may be waived to ensure that associate degree holders receive the minimum 60 credits. In most cases, these associate degree holders will be able to complete their bachelor’s degree in four semesters of full-time study at St. John Fisher College.

*Fully accredited means that a college is accredited by both the State Department of Education and the appropriate regional accrediting association.

Students transferring to the College with an associate degree may require more than an additional 60 credits (or more than two academic years) to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

• In certain majors/programs, state regulations require that a specific number or level of courses be completed either at the upper-division level or at the college conferring the bachelor’s degree.
• Transfers from an associate degree program to one at the bachelor’s degree level may involve a significant change in academic orientation similar to a change in major within the same college (for example, from history to chemistry). Therefore, it may be necessary for the student to enroll in certain prerequisite courses at St. John Fisher College before completing the major requirements.
• In certain programs (for example, Education), some courses require a minimum grade of “C” for successful completion. If a course transferred as part of an associate’s degree carried a grade lower than “C,” that particular course must be repeated at St. John Fisher College to satisfy the major requirement. Since credit cannot be awarded twice for the same course, the transfer credit will be lost when the course is repeated at the College. If extra credit exists on the associate degree transcript, the lost credit will be replaced with other credit. If no additional credit is available, the student’s transfer total will be reduced.

Students From Two-Year Colleges Without Associate Degrees

Students who transfer to the College without an associate degree but with coursework from programs which grant A.S., A.A., or A.A.S. degrees will not be able to transfer credit for courses in which grades below “C” are obtained. Regardless of whether the student has an associate degree or not, the maximum amount of credit that can be applied to a degree from St. John Fisher College from a two-year college or a combination of two-year colleges will be 66 credits or their equivalent. This limit includes courses taken in the summer, in the evening, or through interinstitutional registration before the student has enrolled at the College, as well as courses the student may take at any two-year college after enrolling at St. John Fisher College. This limit also applies to credits a student may have obtained through sources such as CLEP, IB, and AP.

St. John Fisher College 2+2/Dual Admission Transfer Agreement

This agreement establishes cooperative degree programs between select community colleges and St. John Fisher College. Students currently enrolled at a participating community college are eligible to be considered for this cooperative degree program. In most cases, students selected for this program will, upon completion of a prescribed sequence of courses leading to an associate’s degree from the participating community college, be able to complete the appropriate bachelor’s degree in two years of full-time study at St. John Fisher College. All coursework must be completed in conformity with St. John Fisher College’s Standards of Academic Progress.

Student Selection

Candidates must present strong records of academic achievement and preparation. Candidates selected for the program will receive confirmation from the participating community college.

Participants in the 2+2/Dual Admission cooperative degree program must complete their associate’s degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00. Some agreements may require a higher GPA. In addition, they must complete the prescribed sequence of courses for their designated academic program.

Program Selection

2 + 2/Dual Admission agreements are available in all undergraduate majors at Fisher.

A complete list of 2 + 2/Dual Admission agreements and the participating community colleges is available by contacting the Office of Transfer and Graduate Admissions at (585) 385-8064.

Application Procedures

Students who are applying for admission into a 2 + 2/Dual Admission agreement are initially required to file only the community college application for admission. Formal application to Fisher is necessary for students participating in the 2 + 2/Dual Admission program. Participants are required to submit the St. John Fisher College Application for Transfer Admission the semester prior to enrolling at St. John Fisher College.

Transfer Students From Four-Year Colleges

For transfer of credit, courses must be in reasonable conformity with the curriculum of St. John Fisher College and a grade of at least “C” must have been earned in these courses. There is no limit to the number of credits that can be transferred from four-year institutions; however, students must be aware of the St. John Fisher College residency requirements.

Credit From Non-Collegiate Institutions

The American Council on Education (ACE) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) evaluate selected educational programs in non-collegiate institutions, such as the armed forces, industries, the Chartered Life Underwriters (CLU), and American Institute of Banking (AIB) programs. ACE and NYSED recommend appropriate baccalaureate credit; St. John Fisher College accepts these recommendations in awarding transfer credit, provided that the courses are compatible with the character of the College.

Credit Through Correspondence Courses

Credit for correspondence courses will only be given when it is obtained through accredited institutions. The maximum number of correspondence course credits is nine, and credit will not be accepted for correspondence courses taken in a student’s major.

Maximum Transfer Credits

The maximum transfer credit awarded for any combination of associate’s degree, Advanced Placement (AP), Excelsior College Examinations (ECE), International Baccalaureate (IB), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and ACE and NYSED recommendations for credit based on study in non-collegiate institutions will be 66 credit hours or their equivalent. This limit includes courses and examinations taken through interinstitutional registration before the student has enrolled at St. John Fisher College, as well as courses or examinations taken after enrolling at the College.

Residency Requirement

Every student must complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence at the College and take a minimum of one-half of the major courses in residence. All students must complete 30 of their last 36 credits in residence at the College.

St. John Fisher College recognizes its role in maintaining a safe community for its students and College employees. As part of this effort, applicants for admission to the College (undergraduate or graduate) are required to disclose any prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges (felony or misdemeanor, with the exception of any proceedings involving “youthful offender adjudication” as defined in NYS Criminal procedure Law Section 720.35 or any conviction sealed pursuant to NYS Criminal procedure Law Sections 160.55 or 160.58) as well as any past disciplinary suspensions or dismissals from higher educational institutions. Additional review may be required for those applicants seeking admission to programs in the Wegmans School of Nursing, the Wegmans School of Pharmacy, or the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education.

Prior criminal or disciplinary actions are not an automatic bar to admission. The College recognizes that automatically depriving past offenders of an education may not be in the best interest of the individual, the educational mission of the College, or society at large. However, this recognition must be balanced against the College’s need to carefully evaluate and determine the possibility that admission or presence of the student on campus poses an undue risk to the safety, security or welfare of the College or the College community, or is otherwise, on balance, not in the College Community’s best interest. While the Committee will exercise its judgment in a thoughtful, rational manner, in the end, the decision of the Committee as to whether or not to recommend admission is in the Committee’s absolute and sole discretion.

In all cases in which an applicant to the College has a criminal conviction, pending criminal charges, or has been suspended or expelled from an institute of higher education, additional information will be requested and reviewed by the Admissions Special Review committee.

Continued Self-Disclosure

After being admitted and prior to matriculation, any pending charges in any state or country or the conviction of a crime (felony or misdemeanor, with the exception of any proceedings involving “youthful offender adjudication” as defined in NYS Criminal procedure Law Section 720.35 or any conviction sealed pursuant to NYS Criminal procedure Law Sections 160.55 or 160.58) must be reported to the College. This requirement continues throughout the period of enrollment at St. John Fisher College (including between semesters).

Penalty for Failure to Self Disclose

Failure of the applicant to self-disclose criminal convictions, pending charges or suspensions/dismissals from a higher educational institution on the admissions application or during any period of enrollment (including between semesters) is a falsification of the record. Upon discovery of such failure to report, the following actions will take place:

• If the applicant is not yet enrolled, the offer of admission to the College may be rescinded;
• If enrolled, the student will be subject to the student conduct process which may include an interim student conduct action and other penalties up to and including expulsion.

The Nursing Learning Resource Center has specialized learning centers to provide students with hands-on experiences to learn technical, assessment, and critical thinking skills that prepare them for the competencies required for patient care in clinical practice sites.

The School is home to the Glover-Crask Simulation Center, a 10,400-square foot space that mirrors a hospital unit. Center features include:

• Five individual simulation rooms, including an obstetrics and pediatric room, with specialized simulation medical equipment
• Community space used for home care visit role-play and scenarios
• Control room for faculty simulation facilitation
• Three debriefing rooms
• Additional classrooms
• Faculty offices

The Simulation Center provides enhanced training and experience through the use of a Pyxis MedStation system, the leading automated medication dispensing system supporting decentralized medication management.

The School’s Learning Resource Center is designed to provide guided instruction for junior and senior nursing students, as well as resources for graduate students.

The facility contains two major nursing laboratories. The nursing skills lab is an undergraduate skills laboratory with equipment, supplies, and medium fidelity simulation mannequins for practice of technical skills in simulated hospital or nursing home settings. The Health Assessment Lab includes examination tables and equipment found in ambulatory/primary care settings.

The full-time learning resources coordinator, learning resources director, and full-time simulation lab director coordinate learning activities and provide a safe, caring environment for students to learn skills and practice evidence-based patient care.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) provides technical support for the College. This includes managing and maintaining the computer labs, Instructional Technology Enhanced Classrooms (ITEC), multimedia equipment, faculty and staff computers, printers, and software on campus. OIT also supports the College’s telephone and network infrastructure, servers, and administrative applications.

Service Desk

The OIT Service Desk is available to assist you with your technology questions and is the primary contact for all support issues and service requests. Contact via:

Email: oitservicedesk@sjfc.edu
Web: www.sjfc.edu/services/oit/
Phone: (585) 385-8016

The Service Desk is located in the basement of Kearney Hall in K-053 with a Satellite Desk located in the Learning Commons on the first floor of Lavery Library. Both available for walk-up assistance during office hours. Current hours are posted on the OIT website. In-addition to walk-up assistance, the Service Desk provides 24/7 phone support for issues such as password resets and account access. The OIT website (www.sjfc.edu/services/oit/) is designed as a resource for the Fisher community with information about accessing technology resources at St. John Fisher College.

Computer Labs

Each computer lab offers access to a variety of software, including productivity and academic applications, and a variety of hardware, including PCs, printers, and scanners.

The Kearney Academic Computing Lab is available 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week via card-swipe access when the College is open. Lab assistants are on duty throughout the week. Hours will be posted in the open area of the lab.

To learn more about the College’s computer labs including up-to-date computer availability and policies, please visit the OIT Knowledge Base item at: https://sjfc.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/KB/?CategoryID=6509.

Media Services

OIT Media Services supports the St. John Fisher College Community, which includes current faculty, staff, and students.

OIT Media Services provides support for ITEC (Instructional Technology Enhanced Classroom) equipment, audio/visual support for on-campus events, media duplication and media transfer, assistance with using media equipment on campus, and media equipment loans.

To reserve equipment or learn more about the services that Media Services provides, please visit the OIT Knowledge Base item at: https://sjfc.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/KB/?CategoryID=6509

Web-Based Services

The College provides several high-quality web-based services designed to enhance student learning and improve the college experience. The most commonly and heavily used services are described below. Other services provided include admission applications, library catalog, and other databases.

mySJFC

my.sjfc.edu is the online community for students, faculty, and staff at the College and provides a single site for the most commonly accessed online resources at the College including Student Gmail, Blackboard, Fish ‘R’ Net, ResLife Online, Hoonuit, Qualtrics, and links to many other useful sites. For most services you only need to log in once.

Blackboard

Blackboard is a comprehensive and flexible web-based course management system that is used by many faculty members. It can be used to provide course materials in a variety of formats, allowing students to use the materials at their own pace and in their own time. For more information about Blackboard, visit the Education Technology page at: https://www.sjfc.edu/services/educational-technology/technologies/blackboard 

Student Gmail

Student Gmail is the College’s student email system. All students are assigned St. John Fisher College email accounts and are expected to monitor those accounts for important communications from College offices. Notifications sent by email include, but are not limited to, course cancellations, deadlines, registration and billing information, and changes in College policies.

Fish ‘R’ Net

Fish ‘R’ Net is the College’s web-based student information system where students register for and withdraw from classes, and view their class schedule, final grades, transcript, transfer credits, and other academic information. The site also allows students to view and pay their tuition and fee charges and access Atomic Learning, our technology training tool. Information on using Fish ‘R’ Net can be found at www.sjfc.edu/services/registrar.

Passwords

New and continuing students can change or reset their network password for Gmail, Blackboard, mySJFC online without visiting the OIT Service Desk in person. To reset your password please visit http://passwordreset.sjfc.edu/.

Computer Privacy

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) respects the privacy of all users. System administrators monitor systems and network activities to promote performance and integrity. OIT personnel do not routinely monitor an individual’s computer use, examine files, or read email in an individual’s account. Exceptions may be necessary if a use or activity is suspected of disrupting the computing network or facilities; violating local, state, or federal law; or being an inappropriate use of computing resources as described by College policy located in the Student Code of Conduct.

Writing Center consultants assist students with writing tasks from all disciplines and during all stages of the writing process. Individualized service and extensive writer participation during tutorials enable students to become more skillful writers.

Resources include a library of style manuals, handbooks, dictionaries, workbooks, and user-friendly handouts. Computers and printers are also available for student use during regular operating hours.

Hours vary by semester. Writing center services are free of charge to all Fisher students. “Walk-ins” are welcome but subject to tutor availability. The Writing Center is located on the top floor of the Academic Gateway. More information about the Writing Center is available at https://www.sjfc.edu/services/writing-center/.

By fostering collaborative, student-centered relationships, the staff in the Center for Career and Academic Planning guide students in their development and achievement of meaningful educational goals. Our work is guided by the following values:

• Knowledge: of curriculum, resources, policies, and best advising practices
• Respect: for students, for the College, and for all invested in a student’s success
• Openness: to new ideas and viewpoints, to reflection, and to change
• Equity: of access to appropriate resources for all students
• Growth: as students transition from who they are to who they will become
• Understanding: of self, of others, of our capabilities, and of our place within the larger community

Career Services

The Center for Career and Academic Planning provides a comprehensive menu of services that assist students in all phases of the career development process. Regardless of your starting point, we can provide assistance with self assessment, career exploration, goal identification, decision making, planning, and job search.

Through the Center, students can obtain advice and guidance regarding career and major choices, gain work-related experience, make meaningful connections with alumni and employers, and learn the latest job search strategies. Junior and senior level students are encouraged to enroll in ITDY 109, a credit-bearing course on career development and effective job search strategies.

Students and alumni can remain informed by visiting the Career and Academic Planning website at www.sjfc.edu/student-life/ccap/ for programs and resource information.

Career Counseling and Search Resources

Choice of Major or Career

Individual counseling is available to assist students in identifying, refining, or affirming a chosen major or career direction through the use of assessment activities and inventories, including the Strong Interest Inventory® (SII) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI).

Online Resources

Handshake – a very user-friendly technology to search for work study, internships, and job opportunities and to learn about career-related events occurring on campus and in the community. It can also be used to research employers and connect with peers about their experiences.

CareerShift – an advanced job search tool that returns search results from numerous career sites, company pages, and job boards. Fisher students and alumni have free access to this tool through the Center..

Alumni LinkedIn Group – an active group where students can connect to alumni in various fields for networking and career advice. The LinkedIn Alumni Group has over 3,500 members representing numerous industries.

Career Guides – on topics such as job searching, networking, interviewing, cover letters, references, and sample resumes are available online and in print.

Research Links – to specific careers, industries, salary information, job outlook, and professional associations.

Workshops and Events

Each semester the Center hosts a number of workshops for students on a range of career related topics such as: Effective Resume Writing, Internships, Job Search Strategies, Interviewing, Networking, LinkedIn, Utilizing Social Media in Your Job Search and Choosing a Major.

Graduate School Fair and Law School Night

Enables students to explore graduate school options, learn about the admissions process and academic expectations, and meet recruiters for diverse graduate programs.

Career Fairs

The Center hosts annual recruiting events that include an Accounting Fair, Nursing Fair, and the Spring Career and Internship Fair. Additionally, in collaboration with a local college consortium, Fisher sponsors a STEM Career Fair, Fall Mini-Conference for Educators, and Teacher Recruitment Day (TRD).

Experiential Learning Support

Internships and experiential learning programs offer students in all class years an opportunity to gain practical work experience in a professional capacity over the summer months or during the academic year. We work closely with many academic departments to source internships that relate to student majors and/or career aspirations.

On-Campus Recruiting

On-campus recruiting provides students with the opportunity to interview with recruiters and hiring managers throughout the academic year. Additionally, employer information sessions are open to all students, offering visibility and exposure to recruiters and potential career paths.

Job Postings

Job postings are updated daily from local and national employers that include full-time, part-time, internships, work-study positions, and seasonal employment opportunities. All postings are available on the Center’s online database, Handshake, which can be accessed by all students and alumni.

The Center for Career and Academic Planning is located on the main floor of the Lavery Library..

Advising Services

While students will be assigned a specific department academic advisor after freshman year and once they have declared a major, all students are welcome to utilize the advising services that the Center has to offer throughout their time at St. John Fisher College. The Center’s advising services include:

• Freshmen advising, seminar, and programming
• New transfer student advising, seminar, and programming
• Guidance and programming for students who are deciding on or changing majors/minors
• Creating success plans to support students to overcome academic hurdles
• Clarifying academic policies and procedures to help students navigate their academic programs

Peer Tutoring

Peer tutoring is a service that students who are excelling or struggling can utilize. The goal of tutoring is to help the students find ways to learn course material more successfully. A tutor can assist by discussing notes, clarifying textbook material and reviewing practice problems. Although tutors do not complete student work assignments, they provide additional support that should complement and reinforce classroom learning. Student effort is required for tutoring to be successful.

Peer tutoring is provided at no cost for a variety of introductory undergraduate courses (many 100-level and 200-level courses) during the fall and spring semesters.

Peer tutors are students who have completed the courses they tutor with a grade of B+ or higher and have received the recommendation of a faculty member or department chair.

Student Accessibility Services

St. John Fisher College is committed to creating equal access for all students with disabilities. The dedicated staff works with each student on an individual basis to determine reasonable accommodations based on appropriate documentation submitted by the student. The Student  Accessibility Services Office, in compliance with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and Title III of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, as amended), ensures access to academic programs, services, and facilities.

If you are unsure if you are eligible for services or have concerns about obtaining the correct documentation, please do not delay meeting with our staff. We are happy to review policies and procedures with you in person and in some cases, may be able to provide provisional accommodations allowing you time to gather any needed documentation.

For additional information, contact Joy Breeden at (585) 385-5252, sas@sjfc.edu, or view our website at www.sjfc.edu/student-life/student-accessibility-services/.

International Student Advising

Upon admission to St. John Fisher College, the Center for Career and Academic Planning will work closely with international students as they navigate the processes required to begin their academic career. These processes include: completing a statement of financial support; gathering all materials needed to apply for and obtain their Form I-20 for nonimmigrant student status; and securing all other documents needed for entry into the United States, which may include an F-1 visa and an I-94 arrival form.

When students arrive, an international student advisor will provide guidance as students make the academic, social, and personal transitions into a new environment, and will create opportunities for international students to interact with the Fisher community as they become more familiar with the campus and the Rochester area. The international student advisor will also work alongside each student throughout their studies to provide important information regarding travel, employment, maintenance of status, and post-degree options. For more information, please contact Matt Lake in the Center for Career and Academic Planning at (585) 385-8050.

The Center for Career and Academic Planning is located on the main floor of the Lavery Library.