How to Apply to Mathematics at Lawrence University: A Small Liberal Arts College Where You Declare the Major by the End of Sophomore Year, with a Mathematics BA and a Mathematics-Economics Major, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisconsin) is a college of arts and sciences with a conservatory of music. Undergraduate mathematics belongs to the Department of Mathematics in the College. You apply to the university as a whole and declare a major after you arrive. Here is what you need to know, based on the university’s website, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science is not covered here, and neither are statistics and data science or other majors.

1. Degrees and directions in mathematics

• Degrees: the mathematics page says students can pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics or a combined Mathematics-Economics major; a mathematics minor is also available. The pages read do not list a BS in mathematics.
• The mathematics major (2026-27 catalog year): MATH 140 Calculus, 155 Multivariable Calculus, 200 Complex Sequences and Series, 230 Discrete Mathematics and 250 Linear Algebra; five 6-unit electives from four categories (algebra and combinatorics, analysis and topology, applied mathematics, statistics and data science), covering at least three categories and with at most two from statistics and data science; one course with a strong programming or computational focus; and a 6-unit independent study project in the senior year (the Senior Experience).
• Mathematics-Economics: the mathematics core plus statistical modeling, probability and one course from mathematical statistics, Bayesian statistics or real analysis, together with introductory economics, microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and one economics course numbered 400–580; students have an advisor in each department; the senior project is either ECON 602 with STAT or MATH 698/699, or a 6-unit project approved by both departments.
• Neighbouring programmes: the department also supports an interdisciplinary major and minor in Statistics and Data Science, and computer science is a separate major, described separately and not covered here. The advising page links sample four-year plans for mathematics, mathematics-economics and the mathematics-statistics track (2025-26 catalog year; they sit on SharePoint and were not read).
• Honors: the mathematics pages read do not describe an honors sequence; this is not published there, so ask the department or the admissions office.
• Teacher certification: mathematics majors can seek certification to teach mathematics at the secondary level (grades 4-12), and can add a second-area endorsement through a minor.

2. Admission route: apply to the university, declare the major after entry

• When applying: neither the Apply page nor the mathematics page read says whether you must name mathematics on the application or whether it is reviewed by major, and there is no separate admission line for mathematics. This is not published in those pages; please confirm with the Office of Admissions (admissions@lawrence.edu, 920-832-6500).
• Declaring: the advising page says all students are expected to declare a major before the end of sophomore year, ideally before advance registration advising begins in the spring term, and then move to an advisor in the major. Declaration is done through a Registrar’s form (login required). The pages read do not give grade or capacity conditions for declaring.
• Major advisors: the page lists the faculty who can advise prospective mathematics majors (Abhishek Chakraborty, Scott Corry, Alexander Michael Heaton, Julie F. Rana, Andrew J. Sage and Elizabeth K. Sattler). Minors do not need an official advisor and are encouraged to consult the department chair.
• Moving in from another major: the pages read set no separate condition; the declaration rule above applies.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school mathematics: the requirements page says students intending to major in mathematics or physics must take all three calculus courses (140, 155, 200), and that sufficient preparation means strong high school mathematics, including a pre-calculus or elementary functions course. The Apply page asks for 17 units of high school work, including 3 years of mathematics (with 4 years of English, 3 of social science and 3 of natural science).
• ALEKS placement: the advising page says students must take the ALEKS math placement assessment to decide where to start: MATH 102 Foundations in Math (proctored assessment required, no minimum score); MATH 103 Preparation for Calculus (45); MATH 140 Calculus (75); MATH 155 Multivariable Calculus (75, and students start here only with AP, IB or Calculus I transfer credit); MATH 200 (75, and only with multivariable calculus transfer credit).
• AP: the advising page says a 4 or 5 on AP Calculus AB or BC earns credit for MATH 140 and allows students to start with MATH 155 after the ALEKS assessment; if a student elects to take MATH 140, no additional AP credit is awarded. The requirements page adds: 4 or 5 on AB or BC gives 6 Lawrence units; 4 or 5 on AP Precalculus gives 6 units (for MATH 103); 4 or 5 on AP Statistics gives 6 units (for STAT 107), and students wishing to study statistics should then enrol in STAT 255.
• IB: the advising page says IB mathematics scores of 5, 6 or 7 earn credit for MATH 140 and allow ALEKS placement into 155. The college credit page says IB diploma students receive 6 units for each higher-level exam with a 5 or higher and 3 units for each standard-level exam; students without the diploma receive 6 units per higher-level exam; up to 48 units in either case.
• A level: only from original certificates; up to 6 units are awarded for a “C” or better, and the page gives a total of up to 48 units, described as six courses, without further explanation.
• Competitions: the website does not say how mathematics competitions are viewed in admission.

4. Rounds, materials and testing

• Rounds (Apply page, for fall 2027 entry): Early Decision (binding) 1 November 2026, decision by 1 December; Early Action 1 December 2026, decision by 15 January 2027; Early Decision 2 (binding) 15 January 2027, decision by 1 February; Regular Decision 15 January 2027, decision by 1 April. Applications continue to be accepted after 15 January. Conservatory applicants also have an Early Action round on 1 November.
• How to apply and fee: the Lawrence Application, the Common Application or the Coalition application on Scoir; the Apply page says all three are free to submit.
• Materials: transcripts and one teacher recommendation letter (the page does not say it must come from a mathematics teacher). The pages read do not describe essay requirements; see the Apply page.
• Testing: ACT or SAT scores are not required for admission or scholarship consideration, and applicants decide whether to send them. School codes: ACT 4596, SAT 1398, TOEFL 1398.
• Competitive profile: the Apply page says competitive applicants typically pursue the rigorous coursework available to them across core subject areas, with a strong academic GPA.

5. US domestic applicants: costs and aid

• Costs (2026-27): the tuition page lists tuition of $61,407 a year ($20,469 a term), fees $312, housing (double room) $7,047 and meal plan $6,792, a total of $75,558; estimated extras are $750 for books and supplies, $450–$1,200 for transportation and $1,200 for personal expenses. Lawrence is residential and students choose a housing and meal option. The page shows one tuition rate, with no in-state and out-of-state difference. The rates for fall 2027 entry are not published in the pages read; check when released.
• Aid: the aid page says Lawrence awarded more than $58 million in scholarships and grants in 2024–25, 99% of students receive aid, and average grants and scholarships are $47,300; it also tabulates average aid and average cost after aid by family income (for example, $5,500 for incomes of $0–$39,999).
• Merit scholarships: the Main Hall Green Award and a full-tuition scholarship have applications available from 1 January; further merit scholarships range from $120,000 to $168,000, spread evenly over four years, based on the application for admission and awarded at admission.
• Applying for need-based aid: new students file the FAFSA (school code 003856) plus either the CSS Profile (code 1398) or the Lawrence Financial Aid Application. Priority dates: 8 November for Early Decision and Early Action; 22 January for Early Decision 2 and Regular Decision; aid is notified at the time of admission. Wisconsin residents may be eligible for the Wisconsin Tuition Grant (FAFSA by 1 April each year), and students from Vermont, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia may be able to use state grants out of state.
• Home-state priority or guaranteed admission: not mentioned in the pages read.

6. International applicants

• Who counts: the website treats applicants as international if they study in the US on an F-1 or J-1 visa, are in the US on a non-immigrant visa, intend to enter on a student visa, or are American dual citizens who received most of their secondary education outside the US.
• English: the international requirements page accepts any one of: English as the primary language, or a counsellor letter or school profile showing English as the language of instruction; TOEFL iBT 80 overall (tests before 21 January 2026) or 4.0 on the new 1–6 scale (tests on or after 21 January 2026, shown as an approximate equivalent); IELTS 6.5 overall; Duolingo 115; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 580; ACT English/Writing 24. Scores must be sent directly by the testing agency.
• Materials: an official high school transcript (with an English translation), a passport copy, proof of English, and the Lawrence University Certification of Finances form, which appears in the applicant portal after you apply and is due within five days after the application deadline, with supporting documents such as a bank statement, an employer letter, a sponsor letter with bank statement, or a sponsor programme letter. Other forms such as the CSS Profile are not accepted as substitutes.
• International deadlines (that page shows no year, so please check): Early Decision 1 November (notified 1 December, reply by 15 December); Early Action 1 December (notified 15 January, reply by 1 May); Early Decision 2 15 January (notified 1 February); Regular Decision 15 January (notified 1 April, reply by 1 May).
• Scholarships and aid: all admitted students are automatically considered for merit scholarships and need-based aid; once awarded, scholarships and aid are guaranteed and renewed at the same level through graduation. The website says full scholarships are not available and international students must contribute financially.
• English support: ESL resources, a Summer Institute for international students, and the Pathways Program, whose first year focuses on English and which typically leads to graduation in four and a half to five years.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not say whether the Gaokao is considered; this is not published there, so ask the Office of Admissions. The admissions staff page lists an Admissions Counselor – International (cheyenne.a.koscher@lawrence.edu).
• Transcripts and school-leaving materials: no China-specific requirements are published in the pages read; the general international requirements are in section 6 (transcript with English translation, passport copy, English proof, certification of finances).
• English: applicants from China can use any of the options in section 6. Transfer applicants who studied outside the US also need a credit evaluation (see below).

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5.
• Department scholarships and research: the mathematics pages read do not mention math-specific scholarships. Majors complete a 6-unit independent study project in the senior year; the department encourages students to apply to National Science Foundation REU programmes and to options such as the Budapest Semester in Mathematics; the advising page also links a “Student Research at Lawrence” page (not read).
• Outcomes: the mathematics page says graduates are prepared for careers that value nuanced analytical thinking and creative problem solving, including finance, consulting, teaching, business, actuarial work, and graduate school in mathematics or related disciplines. It prints no specific employment data.

9. Transfer students

• How to apply: the transfer page says to use the Lawrence Application or the Common Application, free of charge, with rolling admission; after admission the university provides a transfer credit evaluation. You can book a one-on-one transfer consultation. Domestic transfer deadlines are not given in the pages read (rolling admission).
• Degree requirements: a minimum of 216 units for the BA or the bachelor of music; transfer students must complete at least six terms (two years) in residence at Lawrence or on Lawrence-affiliated programmes and earn 108 units (about 18 courses).
• Mathematics-specific requirements: the pages read do not give the department’s transfer requirements (GPA, calculus or linear algebra sequence). Calculus placement uses ALEKS and transfer credit (section 3: MATH 155 needs Calculus I credit; MATH 200 needs multivariable calculus credit).
• Credit: send official college transcripts and course descriptions to the admissions office for the registrar’s evaluation; college courses taken in high school also need the official college transcript. The transfer FAQ says domestic applicants may send a transcript for an informal, non-binding review, and that transfer students awarded 54 or more units (no more than half from one department, and at least one course from three of the four academic divisions) can expect the First-Year Studies requirement to be waived.
• Housing: the FAQ says students are required to live on campus, with exceptions for fifth-year students, married students, students with a documented domestic partner and students with dependent children.
• International transfer applicants: the international requirements page welcomes applicants with 12 or more college credits after high school or an associate degree; all official college transcripts are required, and credits from outside the US need an ECE or WES evaluation; English proof may be waived if the language of instruction was English; a valid US visa can be transferred with a new I-20. Deadlines (no year shown): fall (September) 1 April, with the certification of finances on 6 April and notification by 15 May; winter (January) 23 September; spring (April) 1 February.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• ED 1 November; EA 1 December; ED2 and RD 15 January; no application fee; one teacher recommendation; testing optional
• FAFSA (003856) plus the CSS Profile (1398) or the Lawrence aid application; priority dates 8 November or 22 January

International applicants (including China):

• TOEFL 80 (4.0 on the new scale), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115 and others (or a waiver); passport copy; transcript translation
• Certification of Finances within five days after the application deadline; whether the Gaokao is considered is not published

After entry:

• Take the ALEKS placement, start the calculus sequence in the first year, use AP/IB credit as in section 3, and declare a major by the end of sophomore year

Transfer students:

• Rolling admission and no fee; book a transfer consultation; at least six terms and 108 units in residence

Sources: Lawrence University, Mathematics; Mathematics: advising and support; Mathematics: major and minor requirements; Apply and deadlines; College credit (AP, IB, A level); Transfer admissions; Transfer FAQ; International applicants; International admission requirements; International scholarships and aid; Aid and affordability; Financial aid checklist for prospective students; Tuition and fees; Admissions staff. The dates on the Apply page carry years (November 2026 to April 2027, matching fall 2027 entry); the dates on the international requirements page show no year, so please check them. See the university website for the latest.