COVID-19 Admissions FAQs
We understand that COVID-19 may be affecting your college search process. Please know that our team in the Office of University Admissions is always here to support you, especially during this time.
COVID-19 does not currently affect our process to release admission decisions on a rolling basis. Our team is working hard to ensure you receive your decision in a timely manner.
You may contact the Office of University Admissions at 800.840.8577, 478.301.2650, or admissions@mercer.edu. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. If you leave a voicemail or send an email after 5:00 p.m., we will respond to you by the next business day. You may also contact your admissions counselor via phone or email.
The Office of University Admissions will begin offering in-person campus tours on Monday, June 15. Tours will be available Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. for a limited number of guests, and registration is required. Please understand that in-person campus tours will not include a residence hall tour at this time.
We have implemented enhanced cleaning and sanitizing of campus facilities along with a number of new operating procedures to help protect the health of our students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors.
If you are currently unable to visit campus in person, we encourage you to explore Mercer through our virtual visit options, including our live, counselor-led virtual information session and our student-led interactive virtual tour.
Submit your $500 enrollment deposit by May 1 to secure your spot in Mercer University’s incoming class as well as your access to housing self-assignment and priority registration. This will enable you to take next steps in the enrollment process to prepare for housing self-assignment and Summer Orientation in June. We understand that COVID-19 may be affecting your college search process, and all enrollment deposits will be refundable until June 1, 2020.
Yes, the housing contract deadline has been extended from May 8 to June 1, 2020, and the housing self-assignment period has been changed from May 27-June 3, 2020, to June 3-10, 2020.
The deadline to submit final high school and dual enrollment transcripts is July 31, 2020. However, if you are unable to have transcripts sent to us by the deadline due to COVID-19’s impact on schools, we will work with you to ensure we have the official documents we need prior to your enrollment at Mercer.
Yes, we can accept an unofficial copy of your transcript as a placeholder for an official copy in order to evaluate your file for an admission decision. Official transcripts will be required prior to enrollment. Contact your admissions counselor or the Office of University Admissions to discuss how to submit an unofficial transcript.
We understand that COVID-19 has impacted some standardized test dates, causing them to be canceled or rescheduled. We will work with you over the coming weeks to ensure you have the opportunity to submit your test scores. If you plan to take the SAT or ACT after May 1, please contact your admissions counselor.
In response to COVID-19 and the cancellation of spring SAT and ACT testing dates, first-year applicants for Summer or Fall 2020 affected by these cancellations may choose to apply to Mercer as Test Optional to be considered for admission without submission of SAT or ACT test scores. Mercer continues to review applications holistically, and first-year applicants for Summer or Fall 2020 may be admitted without submitting SAT or ACT test scores if they meet other admissions requirements and criteria.
Mercer’s Test Optional admission policy allows first-year students to apply to Mercer and be considered for admission without submitting official SAT and ACT scores. Instead of submitting test scores, Test Optional applicants must submit an additional essay response and an additional academic-based letter of recommendation.
While students may apply as Test Optional, some state-funded scholarships, University-funded merit scholarships, and special scholarships and programs require standardized test score submission, including the Zell Miller for Georgia residents, Presidential Scholars Weekend, Heritage Scholars Day, Stamps Scholars Program, and Special Consideration Program for the School of Medicine.
The College Board has announced that students will be able to take free AP Exams online this year. At Mercer, we understand the hard work that you have put into your AP classes, and we will continue to accept AP scores, including from the new online test. For more information about how your credits will transfer to Mercer, visit our Registrar’s Office website. For more information about changes to AP Exams, visit CollegeBoard.org.
Due to the COVID-19 Public Health emergency, students who graduated from an eligible high school or completed an accredited home study program on or after March 14, 2020, have until December 30, 2020 to obtain a minimum score of 1,200 on the combined critical reading and math portions on a single National Administration of the SAT or a composite scale score of at least 25 on a single National or State/District Administration of the ACT as required for the Zell Miller Scholarship Program eligibility.
Note: You must also have a final HOPE calculated high school GPA of 3.7 or higher and have at least 4 rigor credits (based on the transcript submitted to GSFC by the high school. High schools have until June 30 to submit transcript records.
For more information, visit the Georgia Student Finance Commission website.
Students who graduated from a HOPE eligible high school or an accredited Home study program with a minimum 3.0 HOPE calculated GPA may be awarded the HOPE Scholarship for Fall term 2020.*
*Must meet all eligibility requirements.
Upon earning and submitting a qualifying test score to GSFC, the postsecondary institution you attend may confirm your eligible score for the Zell Miller in GSFC’s system. The initial HOPE Scholarship for Fall term 2020 will be canceled and you can be retroactively awarded Zell Miller Scholarship for the Fall term 2020.
You may be refunded any tuition you paid initially when the Zell Miller Scholarship award is applied to your account at your institution.
For more information, visit the Georgia Student Finance Commission website.