Prerequisites

Office of Admission / Become a Teacher / Prerequisites

Application process

  1. Priority deadline: November 25th (the Sunday after Thanksgiving). Note that scholarship applications can’t be accepted after this date.
  2. TEST SCORES
    1. Make sure your test scores are in good shape; if not, register to take a test NOW and start studying. You can’t begin the MAT until you have these scores in hand. You must have one of the following:
      1. SAT > 1100
      2. ACT > 24
      3. Praxis core scores: Reading > 156, Writing > 162, Math > 150
      4. GRE > 297 [Required for any applicants who were not undergraduates at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and international students]
    2. SAT, ACT and Praxis Core scores should be submitted to St. Mary’s College of Maryland. If you are using GRE scores, bring an official score report to the EDST department chair for verification, as the SMCM system is not set up to accept GRE scores.
  3. GPA
    1. Check on your GPA. Is it higher than 3.0? 
      1. If not, make an appointment to talk with someone in Ed Studies about your options.
      2. For prerequisite courses, you cannot have a grade lower than a C.
  4. COMPLETING PRE-REQUISITES

    1. Make sure you have completed (or have a plan for completing) all the pre-requisites for your intended certification area. Print out the checklist for your area and actually fill it in. The pre-requisite checklists can be found here. You have to have all pre-requisites completed by the start of the MAT (July 2019), not by the time of application.
    2. Note that applicants in some certification areas are required to pass Praxis II content tests before beginning the MAT (July 2019). Specific information is available on each pre-requisite checklist.
  5. TRANSCRIPTS
    1. If all the classes you are counting towards your MAT pre-requisites were taken at SMCM, forward an unofficial copy of your transcript that includes the classes you are enrolled in this semester (you can print this on Portal)
    2. If you took some of your pre-requisites at other institutions, have official transcripts sent to Department Chair, Educational Studies, 18952 E. Fisher Ave, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686. 
  6. APPLICATION ESSAY
    1. To apply, you will need to give us a 2 pages (single spaced) essay addressing this prompt: 
Visualize yourself in a diverse classroom environment where student needs vary in academic, socioeconomic, linguistic, and developmental aspects. Welcome to today’s classroom. What challenges do you anticipate could arise in this classroom, and how would you work to address them? (Focus on your problem-solving and interpersonal skill set.) How would you develop resilience in both your students and yourself as you pursue improved student outcomes? What draws you to become an educator given the demands of today’s classroom?
  1. REFERENCES
    1. You are required to submit 3 total references. The form to submit them is here; you can forward this link to the 3 people providing the references. Additional letters are not needed but can be emailed to mat@smcm.edu if you would like. We need references from:

      1. Two faculty who have taught you.

        • If it has been more than five years since you completed your undergraduate degree and you are unable to solicit such letters, contact faculty in Educational Studies for other options.
        • *Note: Faculty members from SMCM’s Department of Educational Studies do not write recommendations.
      2. One person who has supervised you interacting with children/adolescents, who can speak to your work and professionalism with the children/adolescents. 
  2. SCHOLARSHIPS

    1. If you are going to apply for scholarships: Track down evidence of your total current student loan debt; also start estimating how much loan debt you will need to take on next year to complete the MAT.
    2. Here is the form you will fill out when you apply for scholarships. Please be sure you only fill it out once.
    3. Scholarship applications can’t be accepted after November 25 (the Sunday after Thanksgiving).
  3. FINANCIAL AID

    1. Find out more about Financial Aid
  4. FILL IN THE APPLICATION
    1. Information on the application is here.

Switching Careers?

  • We offer a 5-week post-bachelor’s program prior to the MAT for people who (a) have a bachelor’s degree, (b) are at least a year out from graduation, and (c) have extensive experiences working with children. Contact the Department Chair at mat@smcm.edu for more information about the Career Switcher Pathway.

 

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Annual Security & Fire Safety Report

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act, SMCM publishes an Annual Security & Fire Safety Report. The report contains information regarding campus safety and security including crime reporting, crime prevention, college policies, drug and alcohol abuse, and sexual misconduct. The report also contains the three previous years’ crime and fire statistics for on campus locations, non-campus locations and adjacent public property.

For questions regarding information contained in the college’s annual security report or to request a hard copy please contact to Christopher Coons at ccoons@smcm.edu.