FAQs: U.S. high school applicants (Fall 2025)

Frequently Asked Questions

Standardized Testing

I am applying for Fall 2025. Are my ACT and/or SAT scores required?

No. McGill University is extending the option of excluding ACT and/or SAT scores to Fall 2025 applicants. This applies to students completing a US high school diploma in the USA or elsewhere and to most undergraduate programs*. Further information at https://www.mcgill.ca/undergraduate-admissions/apply/requirements/us 

*Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Arts, BA&Sc, Education (including Kinesiology), Engineering (including Architecture), Management, Nursing, and Science.

I have chosen to have ACT and/or SAT scores excluded from the review of my application. How will my application be considered?

In order to make the best-informed admission decision possible, McGill Admissions will consider all academic aspects of your application. This includes grades, breadth of course choice, challenge level of courses (rigour), rank in class (if available), and completed examinations results, such as Advanced Placement (AP). You may be asked to provide a school profile.

How will I notify McGill that I want to exclude my ACT and/or SAT and SAT Subject Test scores from the review of my Fall 2025 application?

If you wish to opt out of submitting ACT/SAT scores for admission consideration, indicate this in your application. This decision will apply to all your application program choices for Fall 2025. Please note that once the application is submitted, it will not be possible to make any changes to your decision regarding the 'out-out' policy. See also www.mcgill.ca/undergraduate-admissions/apply/requirements/us

I want to be considered for a McGill Entrance Scholarship and have chosen to have my standardized test scores excluded from the review of my application. How will my scholarship application be reviewed?

I would like to self-report my AP exam results. How can I do that?

You will enter your AP exam results on your application for admission. Note that results for all completed examinations such as AP and IB are expected to be declared on the application, including the dates of any planned examinations.

If I am completing the IB Diploma, can I choose to exclude my SAT/ACT test results from my application?

If you are completing the IB diploma concurrently with the U.S. high school diploma at a high school located in the U.S.A., you are considered to be a U.S. high school applicant and can decide whether to 'opt-out' from providing ACT/SAT scores at the time of application. Should you not be admissible on the basis of your high school marks, you will be reviewed for admission on the basis of IB requirements and your Predicted IB results may be requested.

 

Self-Reporting Grades

Will I be required to self-report my grades?

Yes, if you are completing a U.S. high school diploma at a high school located in the U.S.A., you will be required to self-report your grades. If your school has an alternate grading scale (e.g. not A-F or percentage grades) or you studied outside of the USA in 11th or 12th grade, you will not be able to self-report and will need to upload your transcripts. This will be reflected in your application checklist. Please see mcgill.ca/undergraduate-admissions/apply/self-reporting-usa for more information.

Will I be able to self-report grades of ‘Pass’, ‘Satisfactory’ or ‘Credit’?

If you have received a ‘Pass’, ‘Satisfactory’ or ‘Credit’ grade notation, you will have the option of choosing these notations on the self-reporting form.

How do I report college courses I have taken separately from my high school?

If you have taken college/university-level courses that do not appear on your high school transcript, make sure you indicate this on your application. If you have not done so, please contact Service Point to have this added to your application. If you are enrolled in an early college program where you attend college in the last few years of high school, you will be asked to upload a transcript for these courses.

How do I enter a course I do not yet have a grade for?

After selecting the Grade Type click on "Other Grade/Status," and select "In Progress (IP)”

How do I report my in-progress 12th grade courses?

There are several Course Length options in the self-reporting form. Please see below. If you have not graduated from high school, do not use ‘Final Grade’ to report your 12th grade courses.

Course length options:

Your school year is divided in two semesters or terms

  • Your course lasts all year and you will receive two semester grades: select ‘Full year – grades by semester’
  • Your course lasts one semester in the Fall: select ‘One semester – Fall only’
  • Your course lasts one semester and is scheduled for Winter: select ‘Semester – Winter Only’ and leave this grade as IP


Your school year is divided in three trimesters or terms

  • Your course lasts all year and you will receive three trimester grades: select ‘Full year – grades by trimester’
  • Your course lasts one trimester in the Fall: select ‘One trimester – Fall only’
  • Your course lasts one semester and is scheduled for a later term: select ‘One trimester – Winter only’ or ‘One trimester – Spring only’ and leave these grades as IP


Your school year is divided in four quarters, with or without a mid-year cumulative grade

  • Your course lasts all year and you will receive four grades: select ‘Full year – grades by quarter’

 

Why can’t I submit my self-reported grades?

If you are trying to submit your self-reported grades but the Submit button isn’t active, ensure that you are not leaving a required grade as ‘IP’.

In order to submit the form, you must have actual (not IP) grades for at least five 11th grade and four 12th grade courses for the Fall term. Wait to submit your grades until you have received progress grades for all of your current courses. If you are enrolled in fewer courses than this, please contact Service Point by completing the Applicant Contact Form.

If you are asked to submit updated mid-year grades, you will need to provide final or interim grades for the following terms:

First (fall) semester
First two quarters
First (Fall) trimester

Only subsequent 12th grade terms (second semester, second and third trimesters, third & fourth quarters) can be submitted with a grade of IP.

I self-reported a full year course as Fall only, do I need to correct this?

No, this will not affect the review of your file as long as the correct grade for that course was declared. If you are asked to provide updated mid-year grades, you will be able to update the course length at this time.

 

Updating or Self-Reporting Mid-Year Grades 

I’ve been asked for updated mid-year grades, but I already submitted these in my initial submission.

If you have no new grades to provide and won’t receive any new updated grades before March 1st, please let Service Point know by completing the Applicant Contact Form.

I have new grades to report for my 12th grade courses, but the self-reporting module won’t let me update my grades after my initial submission.

You will only be able to provide new grades if, after an initial review of your file, we request updated mid-year grades. At that time, you will need to return to the self-reporting module to submit your updated results.

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