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What does the admissions committee look for in an applicant?
When the committee evaluates candidates for admission, it looks at five main things: a student’s academic performance in high school; standardized test scores; the essay; recommendations; and extracurricular involvement.
Students who Trinity accepts have made the most of their opportunities. Those who attend schools that offer honors, Advanced Placement, or International Baccalaureate courses should take those upper level courses when possible. Trinity considers the additional challenge of those courses
to be similar to the challenge of a college course.
Trinity accepts both the ACT and the SAT and has no preference for which exam a student submits. The middle 50% of last year’s class had scores ranging from 1220-1370 on the SAT and from 27-30 on the ACT (with 25% having higher and 25% having lower scores).
Information about extracurricular
involvement also gives the committee a well-rounded view of each
applicant. Special attention is paid to activities in which a
student has been active over a number of years or has gained
leadership experience.
A student’s essay has two purposes. In part, it is to evaluate a student’s ability to express him or herself through writing. However, it is also to learn more about the applicant. The essay helps the admissions committee have a clearer picture of the applicant beyond the objective information provided in his or her transcript. It also affords an opportunity for the committee to understand more about how he or she will contribute to Trinity’s community as a student and as a graduate of the university.
Recommendations from the student’s guidance counselor and a teacher are required to help the committee to learn more about each student’s personality and character. These also provide a place to address special concerns or explanations about the applicant’s academic performance.
What test scores must I have to be admitted?
Since our admissions committee evaluates each application individually, we do not report "minimum" scores. Additionally, each application is unique and each aspect of it important, so it is impossible to know whether or not a candidate is admissible based solely on a test score. However, we give a mid-range "ballpark" figure to give students an idea of how competitive their scores are. The middle 50% of last year’s class had scores ranging from 1220-1370 on the SAT I and from 27-30 on the ACT. Additionally, 25% of students had higher scores than this, and 25% had lower scores.
I’m considering retesting. Should I submit my old SATI or ACT scores?
Yes. The admissions committee considers the highest subtest scores from all testing dates. For the SAT we combine the highest verbal and math scores, for the ACT we
re-average the score based on the highest verbal, math, reading, and science reasoning scores. Therefore, submitting additional scores can never hurt an application.
Do you require SAT II exams?
No. However, if a student would like to submit SAT II exams we will evaluate those scores as another supporting document to the application. We do encourage home-schooled students to submit SAT II exams in areas other than math and English.
How do I apply for scholarships and financial aid?
Last year 80% of Trinity’s students received merit scholarships or financial aid from the university and almost half of our first year students received a merit scholarship from Trinity. All students are considered for merit scholarship based on their application for admission. Awards are given to those with excellent academics and leadership based on the same criteria that are considered for admissions purposes.
Students who wish to apply for need based financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is usually available from your high school guidance counselors, but students with questions may contact the Offices of Admissions or Financial Aid.
Do I have to live on campus my first year?
Yes. Students are required to live on campus for the first three
years, and 30-40% of seniors live on campus as well. Trinity feels that a residential campus is an integral part of our learning environment. Trinity’s students are active and inquisitive. Often conversations that begin in the classroom extend into the residence halls and even the cafeteria. We believe this "community" of scholarship is important to the development of superb critical thinking skills. In addition, roughly one-third of our senior students choose to live on campus for a fourth year. This statistic speaks well of the caliber of our residence halls and of the quality of student life on campus.
Are all of Trinity’s residence halls co-ed?
Yes. Some are co-ed by floor or
wing, while others are co-ed by suite but house men and women on the
same floor/wing.
For more info on Residence Halls click here.
May I bring a car my first year?
Yes. Parking permits cost $50 per year. Students who do not own cars often use San Antonio’s transit system, VIA. There are two bus stops on campus. VIA is safe and, yes, the bus route includes stops near San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk.
How do I get college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes?
Students may acquire up to 36 semester hours through credit by examination. AP credit is given for scores of 4 or 5, with the exception of English Language and Composition, which requires a score of
5, and Calculus BC, which requires a score of 3. IB credit is given for scores of 5, 6, or
7 on the exams. You may contact the Office of Admissions for a brochure that details the exams that give credit for specific courses.
Does Trinity offer any athletic scholarships?
No. As a NCAA Division III school, Trinity offers no athletic scholarships. However, the university does have excellent teams in both men’s and women’s sports. For the past five years, Trinity has won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference’s President’s trophy for winning the most championships in the conference.
Additionally, the men's soccer team won the national
championship this Fall and the women's basketball team won the
national championship last Spring.
For more info on the Trinity Athletics, click here. |
