Virginia Guaranteed Admission Agreements

Virginia Guaranteed Admission Agreements

  • Richard Bland College

    • Richard Bland and Mason are updating the Guaranteed Admission Agreement (GAA). In the interim, Richard Bland students are offered GAA admission with a 2.85 GPA, ENGL 101 and 102, and one math course from MATH 110 or 200 or 217 or 251.  A Letter of Intent is no longer required.

The Guaranteed Admission Agreement Advantage

Transferring to Mason via the GAA is one of the smartest decisions you can make. Graduating with a transfer associate degree before enrolling at the University allows you to:

  • Transfer up to 75 credits from the community college
  • Fulfill Foundation and Exploration (lower level) Mason Core requirements which allow you to begin your major coursework in your first semester
  • Qualify for the Virginia Two-Year College Transfer Grant for admitted students with a 3.00+ GPA
 

Guaranteed Admission Agreement Frequently Asked Questions

What is required for GAA admission?

  1. Graduate from a VCCS college or Richard Bland College with an AA, AS or AA&S degree.
  2. Meet the minimum 2.85 cumulative GPA requirement at time of application and upon graduation.
  3. Meet the March 1 or October 1 transfer application deadline and the March 10 or October 10 transcript(s) deadline.
  4. Take the three required courses (two English and one Math) at the VCCS college or RBC and earn grades of C or better in each course. There are alternative ways of meeting this requirement. Be sure to read the GAA for details.
  5. Earn at least 30 credit hours (including the English and Math courses) at the VCCS college or RBC.
  6. Earn no grade lower than a C in any course, or any previous institution used for admission consideration, that has not been repeated with a grade of A, B or C. D or F grades must be repeated before applying for GAA admission.
     

What are the benefits of GAA vs. regular transfer admission?

If offered GAA admission, you are assured that you will transfer as a junior and will be awarded at least 60 transfer credits. You will also receive a waiver of Foundation and Exploration (lower level) Mason Core requirements at Mason. More information about the Mason Core can be found at https://masoncore.gmu.edu. All new GAA transfers receive a prioritized course-by-course transfer credit evaluation.

Which English courses meet the requirement for GAA admission consideration?

VCCS: ENG 111 and ENG 112
RBC: ENGL 101 and ENGL 102
 

Which math courses meet the requirement for GAA admission consideration?

These math/statistics courses will satisfy the Mason Core and GAA quantitative reasoning requirement. The course must be earned with a grade of C or better before application to Mason. VCCS students should choose one of the following:

VCCS MTH 154 = MATH 106
VCCS MTH 155 = STAT 105T
VCCS MTH 261 = MATH 108
VCCS MTH 263 = MATH 113
VCCS MTH 288 = MATH 125
VCCS MTH 245 = STAT 250

RBC students choose one of the following:

MATH 110
MATH 200
MATH 217
MATH 251

NOTE: Both VCCS and RBC have revised their math offerings since 2014 when the GAA’s became effective. The Admissions Committee recognizes that students may have repeated a MTH or MATH course with an original grade of D or F after the newer math courses were implemented. For example: VCCS MTH 151 is now offered as MTH 154. Mason will recognize the repeat of an older course with the newer course. Be certain to read the section on repeated courses.

How does the Mason Admission Committee review repeated courses for GAA consideration?

GAA applicants must present grades of A, B or C in every course indicated on academic transcripts. Students with D or F grades must repeat and replace poor grades before applying to Mason. The Admission Committee utilizes the last A – F grade earned in a course, not the highest grade earned when calculating a cumulative grade point average for transfer admission. Students who have not repeated D or F grades before applying to Mason will be denied GAA admission.

Am I eligible for GAA admission if I’ve attended another college or university other than my GAA community college?

If you attended a college or university prior to attendance at your Virginia community college, the Admissions Committee will review your academic record for the five-year period prior to application to Mason. Your cumulative grade point average at the non-GAA institution must be 2.85 or higher, to match the 2.85 required at your community college.
If you transferred to another institution after leaving your GAA community college you are ineligible for GAA admission. We will be happy to consider you for regular transfer admission.