New students may enter at the beginning of any trimester. Trimesters during a calendar year start approximately at the beginning of February, at the beginning of June, and at the beginning of October. One calendar year (12 months) consists of three trimesters and approximately seven weeks of student break. Two trimesters comprise one academic year. Classes may be scheduled from 8:00 AM to 10:35 PM, Monday through Thursday and 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM Friday. Weekend classes may be scheduled from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday. Class schedules vary each trimester and may require a student to attend class other than at times he or she prefers.

Wade College offers three degree track programs: (1) associate degrees; (2) post-associate bachelor degrees; and (3) direct-entry bachelor degrees.

Determine Your Program Eligibility

General Requirements

Application Info

Prospective students may apply for admission as early as one year in advance of the desired class starting date. Since annual enrollment is limited by facility space, interested students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible. A completed Application for Admission and/or a Tuition and Enrollment Agreement must be completed and signed by the candidate and parent or guardian (if applicable) and delivered with a $25.00 application fee to the Admissions Department at least two weeks prior to matriculation. All applicants are required to interview with a representative from the Admissions Office prior to the start of classes. It is highly recommended that this interview take place at the college; however, in circumstances where the applicant's home is a great distance from the college, the interview may be conducted by telephone or via the Internet. During the admissions interview, the applicant's educational and career goals are discussed, along with the goals and objectives of the college's educational program. If a beneficial situation exists, the prospective student will be invited to enroll in the college.

Applicants are expected to register within 30 days of their acceptance. Prior to matriculation, all accepted applicants must, at a minimum, verify high school graduation or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) by submitting a copy of their final high school transcript showing a final grade point average and date of graduation or copy of their GED certificate, whichever is applicable, or by submitting a homeschool transcript that meets the Texas State Graduation Requirements as approved by the State Board of Education (per the Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 74).

Transcripts

If Wade College has reason to believe that an applicant's submitted copy of the final high school transcript and/or copy of the GED certificate is not valid or was not obtained from an entity that provides secondary school education, then Wade College reserves the right to: (1) request documentation from the secondary school that confirms the validity of the student's final high school transcript and/or GED; (2) confirm with or receive documentation from the relevant department or agency in the state in which the secondary school is located that the secondary school is recognized as a provider of secondary school education; and (3) defer the student's acceptance until validation is complete.

International transcripts must be in English or be accompanied by an official English translation. International transcripts must be translated by a NACES (www.naces.org) certified foreign educational credential evaluation service into a format utilizing the 4.0 grade standard.

Assessment

Matriculating students into either an associate degree program or a direct-entry baccalaureate degree program may* be required to complete ACCUPLACER placement exams, and/or other college-level standardized tests, for purposes of ascertaining whether or not college preparation courses in the areas of mathematics and/or English composition are necessary in order to be successful in other required coursework. If college preparation courses are necessary, students are required to register for those courses in addition to the regularly-scheduled courses required for graduation.

Placement exams must be taken prior to or during new student orientation; the student's schedule is planned accordingly at that time. Additionally, an adjusted schedule of courses required for graduation may be necessary. A student is encouraged to meet with an appropriate Academic Advisor to ascertain the effect college preparation course(s) may have on his or her degree plan and/or normal time for degree completion.

Students may request a waiver from taking the ACCUPLACER exam based on their SAT, ACT, and/or high school English/Math GPA.

*ACCUPLACER Assessment Waivers:

SAT Minimum Score of 500 in English (waives English assessment)
SAT Minimum Score of 500 in Math
ACT Minimum of 20 in English (waives English assessment)
ACT Minimum of 20 in Math
High School English Course Average 3.0 or greater (waives English assessment)
High School Math Course Average 3.0 or greater (waives Math assessment)

Associate Degree Programs

Wade College adheres to a policy of open admissions at the associate degree level for:

  • High school graduates from an accredited high school
  • Graduates from a nontraditional secondary educational program (home school)
  • Students who have either successfully completed at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours that did not result in the awarding of an associate degree, but that is acceptable for full credit toward a baccalaureate degree at any institution or were enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program where at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours were successfully completed, including credit hours transferred
  • Or those holding either:
    • a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED)
    • a certificate or other official completion documentation demonstrating that the student has passed a state-authorized examination (such as the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), or, in California, the California High School Proficiency Exam) that the state recognizes as the equivalent of a high school diploma (certificates of attendance and/or completion are not included in this qualifying category)
    • or an associate degree from a higher education institution accredited by an organization recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education.

This policy precludes admitting students based on qualitative selection procedures. The philosophy of admission is that an educationally-motivated individual is entitled to the opportunity for improved professional and personal success. The college provides a supportive educational environment so that an individual with a sincere interest will have the opportunity to meet the educational rigors placed upon them and successfully progress through course requirements.

Direct-Entry Bachelor Degree Programs

Students eligible for admission into a direct-entry bachelor degree program must meet at least one of the following requirements in addition to the associate degree program admissions requirements:

  • the successful completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours at higher education institutions accredited by an organization recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.25
  • or the successful completion of a standardized testing score (1000 on the SAT or 22 on the ACT); or a confirmed top 20% high school graduation rank
  • or a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.5 or above, based on a 4.00 scale or higher, on an official high school transcript.

Post-Associate Bachelor Degree Programs

Students seeking a post-associate bachelor degree must have earned an associate degree from Wade College in the requisite program and will be required to meet additional admission requirements at the time of application.

All applicants seeking a post-associate bachelor degree will be evaluated on the basis of their previous education at Wade College, background, and stated or demonstrated interest in the applicable program. Minimum requirements for acceptance include:

  • Candidate must be a graduate of Wade College, having earned an associate degree in the requisite program.
  • Candidate must have earned a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.25 or above, based on a 4.00 scale, for coursework completed at Wade College. Candidates earning less than a CGPA of 2.25 may file a written appeal with the Office of the President; submission of supplementary materials to enhance the candidate's admission file may be required to evaluate a candidate's potential for academic success.

A student entering a post-associate baccalaureate degree program in either fashion design and product development or interior design must have earned credit in all prerequisite courses offered in such respective major at the associate degree program level prior to matriculating into either program at the baccalaureate level; students wishing to transfer to these programs at the baccalaureate level must complete all necessary prerequisite courses prior to baccalaureate matriculation.

Accepted students may enter in the fall, spring, or summer trimesters

  • A completed Application for Admission and/or a Tuition and Enrollment Agreement must be completed and signed by the candidate and parent or guardian (if applicable) and delivered with a $25.00 application fee to the Admissions Department at least two weeks prior to matriculation.
  • With their Application for Admission and/or a Tuition and Enrollment Agreement, candidates are required to submit an official copy of their Wade College transcript, portfolio, and official transcripts from other postsecondary college(s) not previously submitted.

It is the goal of Wade College to notify all candidates within three (3) working days as to their application status: accepted, rejected, or for the need to supply additional information.

For information on graduation rates, median debt of graduates completing our programs and other important information, please visit our Student Consumer Information page.

Wade College is a drug-free school. For more information regarding the policy, health risks, drug and alcohol laws and penalties, education and counseling resources, please visit our Annual Security Report & Safety Plan and our Drug & Alcohol Policy.