Spring Pathway Option for Waitlisted Freshmen

William & Mary will offer students on our freshman waitlist a pathway to spring admission if they meet the requirements specified below while completing one full-time semester at an accredited community or junior college (including but not limited to, Richard Bland College or a Virginia Community College), or selecting an academic study abroad opportunity with Verto Education.

Beginning around mid-May of each year, waitlisted freshman students remaining on the waitlist (ensure to respond to the waitlist communications from W&M) will need to fulfill the following requirements by the stated deadlines to qualify for spring admission to William & Mary:

Between May 15 and June 15, submit the pathway intent form located on the Waitlist Tab of your W&M Application Status Portal.
Submit your official final high school transcript including your date of graduation by July 15. Students must demonstrate continued strong academic standing. Final senior grades below a C will disqualify the student from pursuing this pathway.
Complete at least 12 transferable credits (full-time semester) in the fall from a public community/junior college or one of the three approved locations from Verto Education. Attendance at a four-year institution is not an approved option for this spring pathway.
Earn at least a 3.0 GPA with 12 or more semester credits with no individual grade below a C- for the fall semester.
For students who have completed the spring pathway intent form, our office will follow up with a form to re-open your freshman application in August which will be due by September 15.
In October, you will be required to upload your grade progress by completing the Mid-Term Report or using a screenshot of your online learning portal (such as your Canvas or Blackboard dashboard) by October 28. For Verto students in good standing, Verto will submit your mid-term grades on your behalf.
Official offers of admission to William & Mary will be sent to those who submitted strong mid-semester grades around mid-November. All offers of admission are contingent on continued strong academic standing.
Send us an official college transcript from your fall college as soon as your fall grades are posted, and no later than January 5. For Verto students in good standing, Verto will submit the final/official college transcript on your behalf.
Continue to meet high standards of personal and academic conduct. For Community/Junior College participants, please complete the student/applicant portion of the College Report and then forward it to your institution's Registrar or Dean of Students to complete the college official portion and return it to us (email or upload to the portal) by January 5. For Verto students in good standing, Verto will submit the College Report on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who is eligible to pursue the spring pathway program?

Any freshman/first-year applicant that was given a waitlist decision and remains on the waitlist. This option will be available for students to pursue after May 15 (Freshman Regular Decision admission offers are released around April 1 of each year). This program is not available for (waitlisted) transfer students. Students must complete all the requirements above to successfully qualify for spring admission.

Do I also need to complete a Common Application for Transfer this Fall to pursue this program?

While students will be considered transfer students, pathway students do not need to submit a new Common Application. Acceptances will be made in mid-November upon receipt of mid-semester grades and they will be conditional pending final grades. We will reactivate the application submitted as a freshman applicant.

Is housing guaranteed for students pursuing this program?

While traditional transfer students are not required to live on campus, Spring Pathways students are required on-campus housing to live on campus for their incoming spring semester as well as the immediately following fall and spring semesters. A student is expected to occupy their assigned on-campus room unless a written notice of approval and/or contract release is issued from Residence Life to the student. The housing application is completed by deposited students pursuing this program in December (please refer to Tribe Guide Checklist once available) with assignments made in January by Residence Life.

Am I still eligible for Financial Aid in the spring?

Yes, we encourage students to complete the FAFSA & CSS Profile reflecting W&M for the upcoming academic year by November 1 for need-based financial aid consideration. There are no merit scholarships available for spring pathway students. Official award offers will be shared with students in early December. In the meantime, families are encouraged to utilize our Net Price Calculators to best estimate costs.

Are there any minimum age requirements?

There are no minimum age requirements for the community/junior college pathway.

Studying Abroad with Verto does require participants to be 18 years of age by June 1 to participate in the approved locations in Italy and Spain, and 17 years of age by the first day of the fall semester for the London Verto location.

Can I use my previous dual enrollment and AP/IB/CLEP credits to help meet the 12-credit requirement?

While the test credits can possibly transfer, they cannot count towards the 12-credit minimum. Students must enroll in at least 12 credits (15-16 recommended for Verto) for the fall semester and must complete the semester with 12 credits with no grade below a C and 3.0 overall.

Is the community college option limited to Virginia Community Colleges and Richard Bland College in Virginia?

Students can attend any community/junior college (associate-degree awarding institution) that is most convenient to them that offers a transfer-oriented curriculum. Students pursuing the community/junior college pathway are strongly encouraged to make an advising appointment after June 1 with Dean Pinier.

If I complete the intent form, am I obligated to attend W&M in the Spring?

No, the intent form is non-binding. If students are no longer interested in pursuing this option they can reach out to transfer@wm.edu and we will remove them from future communication.

Is there a way for me to check which courses are transferable?

Students should make their Pathway course selections after consulting W&M's Catalog and Course Descriptions. Courses will be granted W&M equivalent credit when they are close matches to courses currently offered at the university. W&M elective credit is granted to courses that are transferable, but not currently offered at the university. Generally, lower-level general education courses in the areas of math, English, sciences, and humanities with a grade of C (2.0) or better are transferable. Remedial coursework does not transfer to William & Mary.

NOTE: Virginia Pathway students should consult course equivalencies guides specific to Richard Bland College, as well as any Virginia Community College System (VCCS) institution. Students may also reference courses from a variety of institutions on the TransferVA website.

To view how the Verto courses transfer to William & Mary, please visit our page on Verto Course Equivalencies.

As an international student, can I participate in this program?

This program is open to international students, however, please note that due to the quick turnaround time from decisions to the start of the spring semester, it may be difficult or not feasible to complete the requirements for certain visas (such as an F-1) in time for spring orientation and enrollment.

Can I defer my spring semester if admitted?

No, this pathway is not available to students wishing to defer the spring semester. Students pursuing this option must plan to attend the spring semester after completing their fall semester with Verto or a community/junior college. While deferrals will not be approved, students needing this option would be encouraged to apply through our traditional transfer route for a future semester.

Do Spring Pathway students participate in orientation?

Yes! All of our pathway and spring-entry transfer students participate in our five-day (and in-person) orientation immediately prior to the start of the spring semester with our Student Transition Engagement Programs (STEP) Office. More information will be available in November on the Tribe Guide webpage.

When do students register for W&M classes and sign up for housing?

Pathway students are not considered official William & Mary students until they've received a formal admission offer, have submitted the enrollment deposit, and we've confirmed that the pathway requirements have been met. Students will then be eligible to complete the housing application and register for courses after they've submitted the enrollment deposit in December and have completed all pre-orientation tasks shared with them at that time on the Tribe Guide Checklist.

Who should I contact regarding the Verto Academic Semester Abroad pathway?

After decisions are released on April 1, additional information can be found on the Verto Education website, and questions may be directed to globalstudyprogram@vertoeducation.org. Waitlisted students interested in Verto can inquire and apply directly to Verto Education here.

Please note that the London, Seville, and Florence locations are the only approved locations for the spring pathway program. While Verto does offer additional locations and full-year opportunities that students are welcome to pursue, they would no longer qualify students for guaranteed admission. Students would instead be encouraged to apply as a traditional transfer student for a future semester.

Students who deposit with Verto are eligible for a refund from Verto if they are selected from our waitlist to attend William & Mary in the fall.

Who should I contact for more information about this program?

Should you have any questions regarding the community or junior college pathway program please contact us at transfer@wm.edu.