Application Process

Special Note:

SAS began accepting applications from current 10th grade students with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0 in September 2023. If accepted, those students will begin 11th grade full time at SAS for the 2024-2025 school year in August, 2024 (including a MDC college math course) in Summer B at MDC that runs from June 17, 2024 to July 26, 2024). Information/Application meetings will be held for interested 10th graders and their parents in September and October 2023 at all 5 SAS campuses (see “Recruitment” page on this website for detailed information). However, everything that a prospective applicant in the SAS Class of 2026 needs to apply has been posted on this page. 

Students currently in 10th grade during the 2023-2024 school year can use the MDC application and the “SAS Application” links listed below in Steps 1 and 2 to initiate the application process. The SAS application and qualifying test scores must be submitted to the SAS registrar by the student/parent by 3:00 pm on December 1, 2023 to be included in the first group of qualified applicants. When the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of seats available on said date, a random selection process is used to admit eligible applicants, and if necessary, a waitlist initiated at a particular SAS campus. After December 1, 2023, SAS continues to accept applications at each site. Once capacity is reached at a particular SAS campus, students who continue to apply and qualify are added to a waitlist for that campus. Students are frequently admitted from the waitlist as space becomes available in the second half of the school year.

Each one of the five SAS campuses is considered a separate entity for determining if a random ranking is necessary on December 1, 2023. Once the application process begins, and students begin applying and present passing scores on the entrance test, qualified applicants go into a pool and are treated equally. That means that someone who is deemed qualified on September 15 does not have any advantage over someone who is deemed qualified on November 30. We also treat all applicants equally in terms of GPA and test scores. A student is either qualified or not qualified. No preference is given to someone who has a higher GPA or higher test score over someone with a lower GPA or lower test score as long as both students meet the minimum SAS entrance thresholds for GPA and test scores. Students who qualify with passing test scores after December 1 are either added to a waitlist if that SAS campus is already full or admitted immediately to a specific SAS campus if that campus has not yet reached capacity.

Step 1

Complete a Miami Dade College application as a prospective School for Advanced Studies student. This will generate a MDC ID# which is needed for the SAS application for 2024-2025 that is referenced in Step 2.  The normal $30 MDC application fee does not apply to SAS or any other dual enrollment high school applicant. The most important aspects of applying to MDC first, is that you need a MDC ID number in order to complete the separate SAS application listed below in Step 2 and SAS applicants must indicate on their MDC application that they are applying to School for Advanced Studies. Sometimes after applying to MDC, students receive a message from MDC that says “the student has been accepted.” This means the student has been accepted at MDC and does not mean the student has been accepted to SAS. That is a separate process.

Link to MDC application  https://mdcwap.mdc.edu/apply/#/login 

Complete new admission application for MDC.

1. Select Summer 2024 start as SAS will require that students take a MDC math class the summer before they begin the school year at SAS.

2. Select that you won’t be a college graduate by the time you start at MDC.

3. Select that you are in 10th grade.

4. Indicate “no” to the question about whether you want to stay at your current high school while taking courses with MDC (SAS courses are all offered at an MDC Campus).

5. Then select that you want to apply to the School for Advanced Studies. You can then complete the rest of the application by inputting demographic and personal information as usual.

Upon submission, you will automatically be placed in the Pre-Bachelor of Arts Program (#14902) if you completed #5 above indicating on the MDC application that you want to apply to the School for Advanced Studies. That is very important because it allows the SAS registrar to enter MDC morning courses if you are accepted into SAS and attend SAS during the 2024-2025 school year. If you previously applied to MDC and did not indicate that you want to apply to School for Advanced Studies, you may have to apply to MDC again using a different email address but the same MDC ID number that the college issued to you previously.

Please be aware that the applicant must select the Summer of 2024 as their beginning semester at Miami Dade College to apply to SAS. That is because SAS requires each incoming 11th grader to have taken a MDC Math class prior to beginning their full time coursework at SAS in August, 2024. Also, please be aware that the Program/Degree at MDC for SAS students is “Pre Bachelor of Arts #14902.” This is the program of study for SAS students when filling out this version of the MDC application. This is a temporary designation that can sometimes be modified later on. 10th grade students applying to SAS during the 2023-2024 school year will be graduating in June, 2026.

After going to this MDC webpage, click on “New Application” and then click on “Accept Terms and Continue”, then proceed to complete the MDC application (as a SAS applicant). To apply to SAS an applicant must complete both an application to MDC (to get a MDC ID number) and a separate SAS application that is linked below in Step 2. MDC will email a MDC ID number within 24 hours to the email the applicant indicates on their application. (be sure to check your spam mail for that email if you do not receive it within 24 hours). Please know that the Summer Term of 2024 will be the start point on the MDC application for a SAS student applying for the 2024-2025 school year. That is the only option since SAS normally requires incoming students to take a class at MDC from June to July, 2024.

Anyone experiencing problems getting the MDC ID number should email (registrar@mdc.edu) and explain the nature of the problem. MDC has stated that they will respond to those emails and help the applicant to resolve whatever issues the student is experiencing in obtaining a MDC ID number.

After you receive your MDC ID number, then move to Step 2 below.

Step 2

Use the link below to complete the 2024-2025 School for Advanced Studies Application. Students may only apply to one SAS campus at a time. Students may not apply to both SAS and AAA at the same time.

School for Advanced Studies 2024-2025 Application

Be sure to indicate which SAS campus you are applying to. The five SAS sites are SAS Homestead, SAS Kendall, SAS North, SAS West, and SAS Wolfson campuses. You can only apply to one SAS campus (not multiple campuses).

Be sure to enter your MDC ID # as the answer for question 5 on the SAS application.

SAS will begin to process applications and move to Step 3 (for submitted SAS applications that meet criteria) during the week after the first two recruitment meetings on Saturday, September 16. 

Step 3

Complete, sign and return the SAS Agreement of Understanding that will be sent to applicants by the SAS registrar after SAS receives the SAS Application for 2024-2025 (submitted virtually by the applicant) and the SAS registrar verifies that the applicant meets minimum SAS GPA requirements. This completed “Agreement of Understanding” (with signatures) must be scanned and emailed to the registrar at the campus the applicant is applying to (email addresses for each SAS campus registrar are listed below) or hand delivered in person. Only after that can the SAS registrar authorize testing at MDC for the applicant which is detailed below in Step 4.


Step 4

After the SAS Registrar verifies the applicant’s GPA, the SAS registrar will then submit a request to MDC that a “permission to take the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG Test” be authorized. MDC will then email instructions to the applicant on how to make an appointment to test. 

SAS cannot process applications from students with an unweighted GPA below 3.00. The GPA must be verified before the process continues. In addition, passing all sections of the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG at the levels indicated on the “Agreement of Understanding” is also required to be admitted to SAS. Therefore, utilizing the online MDC PERT/ACCUPLACER NG practice material (linked below in Step 5) is very important. Preparing for the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG is a must since the SAS applicant only gets two attempts at any MDC entrance test whether it be PERT or ACCUPLACER NG.

All test scores should be emailed to the email address listed below or delivered to the registrar at the SAS campus where the student is applying (PERT, ACCUPLACER NG or PSAT10/NMSQT from 9th grade)

SAS Registrars by campus:

SAS Homestead- Ms. Pimentel pimentels@dadeschools.net 

SAS Kendall-Ms. Wallace (jwallace@dadeschools.net)

SAS North-Ms. Valerio (valeriom@dadeschools.net)

SAS West- Ms. Dairen Perez (dsanchez@dadeschools.net)

SAS Wolfson – Ms. Fairclough-Miley (tfairclough@dadeschools.net)

Special Boundary Note

SAS Homestead Campus – Students living south of SW 152 St. (Coral Reef Drive) must apply through the SAS Homestead Campus. If admitted, MDCPS will provide free bus transportation to and from SAS Homestead as long as the student lives more than 2 miles from the SAS Homestead Campus and south of SW 152 St.

SAS Kendall Campus boundaries are north of SW 152 St. and south of SW 8 St.

SAS North Campus boundaries are north of Okeechobee Road up to the county line of Miami-Dade County.

SAS West Campus boundaries are for students living in an area south of Okeechobee Road, east of SW 137 Avenue, west of 826 (Palmetto Expressway), and north of SW 8 Street. 

SAS Wolfson Campus has no boundaries but also does not have buses provided by MDCPS. Free Metrorail and Metrobus passes are provided to SAS Wolfson students.

Students who live in Broward or Monroe counties can apply to SAS but are responsible for their own transportation.

Please inquire about specific transportation arrangements at the SAS campus you are applying to.

Step 5 – Get Tested

Directions for School for Advanced Studies Placement Testing administered by Miami Dade College

What is the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG?

As part of the admissions process for MDC and before enrolling in SAS, prospective students can take the PERT (SAS recommends PERT) or ACCUPLACER Next Generation (NG), which are Miami Dade College’s basic skills assessment tests. The PERT has three sections that must be passed for SAS admittance: Writing (103). Reading (106), and Math (123). The ACCUPLACER NG also has three sections that must be passed. The minimum ACCUPLACER NG scores necessary for SAS admittance are:  Reading (256+), Writing (253+), and Math (QAS score 261+). 

Test scores must result in course placement for ENC 1101 and MAC 1105. This can be done through any combination of sections on the PERT, ACCUPLACER NG, or PSAT/NMSQT (PSAT10).

New this year:

If an applicant took the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT10 in 9th grade and earned a minimum score of 530 on the Math and 500 on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing sections, they may present proof of those scores (obtained from the student’s College Board account) to the SAS registrar as a substitute for taking the ACCUPLACER NG or the PERT. The PSAT 8/9 is not valid for this purpose.

Minimum passing score requirements for SAS admission are also listed on the SAS Agreement of Understanding. The test administration takes approximately 3 hours and is done on a computer with no time limits. For SAS admissions purposes, a SAS applicant is permitted to take MDC assessment tests (PERT or ACCUPLACER NG) only TWO times total. The first attempt is free and the fee for the second attempt (in person) is $10 payable to MDC Bursar. An extra fee for using a credit card to pay for the second attempt will be assessed which may raise the total to $13.

How do I prepare for the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG?

Information about each section of the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG and sample questions are provided via the MDC Test Preparation web page. Please review this information prior to taking the test. 

Link to PERT Test Prep Material: https://www.mdc.edu/testing-tests/TestPage.aspx?testId=41 and click on the tab labeled “Test Preparation.”

Link to ACCUPLACER NG Test Prep Material:  https://practice.accuplacer.org/login

When, where and how do I take the actual PERT or ACCUPLACER NG? The ACCUPLACER NG is available on campus (in person) by appointment.

Applicants must schedule an appointment using the MDC testing website to take a “in person” placement test in the MDC test center (select the specific MDC campus where you want to schedule the appointment). No SAS applicant can schedule a PERT or ACCUPLACER NG appointment prior to GPA verification and until the SAS registrar has sent an test authorization for that student to MDC. After MDC receives the test authorization from the SAS registrar, the college then communicates with the applicant by email as to how to schedule an appointment and provides the student with a link to make that appointment.

Testing and Assessment Department Contact Information at SAS Sites

SAS sitesRoomPhoneEmail
HomesteadC300305-237-5105homestead_testing@mdc.edu
KendallBuilding R, 5th floor305-237-2341kendall_testing@mdc.edu
North1160305-237-1015north_testing@mdc.edu
West2110305-237-8979west_testing@mdc.edu
Wolfson3104305-237-3011wolfson_testing@mdc.edu

Testing and Assessment Department Contact Information at SAS Sites

Students who are testing for SAS admission must have a Miami Dade College ID number, an email from MDC with instructions on how to schedule a PERT or ACCUPLACER NG test appointment, and an acceptable photo ID.

Important Testing Information:

Previous attempts at the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG taken during 9th grade may be used for SAS admission (for the SAS Class of 2026) eligibility if testing occurred after 9/1/2022 and the scores meet SAS minimum standards  for PERT or the ACCUPLACER NG that were in effect at the time of the test.

If the applicant took the PSAT10/NMSQT in 9th grade, and scored a minimum of 530 on the Math section and 500 on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing section of the exam, they may present those scores to the SAS registrar as a substitute for the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG. The digital PSAT will be given to 10th graders who attend MDCPS public schools in October 2023 and those results may come back to the students at some point in November or December 2023. Those PSAT scores, if high enough, can be submitted to the SAS registrar in attempt to meet SAS eligibility. However, students should go ahead and test on the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG in September – November, 2023 so as to not depend on those PSAT scores to qualify them for SAS eligibility by December 1, 2023.

What do I need to do after testing?

Email the test score report that you receive from MDC to the SAS Registrar at the SAS site you applied to regardless of whether the scores meet SAS minimum admissions criteria or not. Applicants that need a second test attempt are required to wait 2 weeks before making a second attempt.

SAS Homestead- Ms. Pimentel (pimentels@dadeschools.net)

SAS Kendall-Ms. Wallace (jwallace@dadeschools.net)

SAS North-Ms. Valerio (valeriom@dadeschools.net)

SAS West-Ms. Dairen Perez (dsanchez@dadeschools.net)

SAS Wolfson – Ms. Fairclough-Miley (tfairclough@dadeschools.net)

The SAS Registrar will verify the scores via the MDC electronic database student record keeping system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can a student apply to SAS if they did not attend  the September or October 2023 “in person” meetings? Yes, but the sooner the better since space is limited and a waitlist may be created after December 1, 2023 at one or more SAS campuses if the capacity at that campus is reached on that date.

2. Can I use previous PERT or ACCUPLACER NG results to meet testing requirements for SAS (Class of 2026)? Yes, if the student tested on PERT or ACCUPLACER NG after September 1, 2022 and documentation of those scores can be obtained at MDC.

3. Do I need to apply to MDC if I already have a MDC ID#? Yes, however you should apply as a SAS 10th grade applicant with a different email address than was originally used.

4. Can I be considered for admissions if I do not currently have an unweighted GPA of 3.0?   No

5. Are SAS students eligible for transportation services through MDCPS? Yes, if the student lives more than 2 miles away from the SAS site they are applying to and adhere to our campus boundaries (buses are not provided at SAS Wolfson – however Metrorail and Metrobus passes are provided to SAS Wolfson students).

6. Can I apply to more than one campus at a given time? No

7. Do I need to submit the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG or PSAT10/NMSQT exam results to SAS prior to the December 1, 2023 admissions deadline? Yes, if the student is to be considered for admission in the first group of qualified applicants. However, SAS will continue to admit qualified applicants after December 1, 2023 if space permits.

8. How will the Agreement of Understanding be sent to prospective students? The SAS registrar will transmit that document by email  to applicants who complete and submit the online  “SAS Application for 2024-2025 listed above in Step 2 and have a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0 can be verified. Private school students, out of county, out of country,  and students who do not attend a MDCPS high school must submit a transcript to the SAS registrar so a GPA can be hand calculated before testing can be authorized.

9. How will the test referral form be sent to students who completed the SAS/MDC application package? After the SAS Registrar verifies that the applicant has the minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0, the SAS Registrar will submit a form to MDC which authorizes the student to test. Additionally, MDC will email the student after the student has been authorized to test for SAS indicating how to schedule an appointment to test.

10. Do private and home school students and out of county applicants need to submit a transcript as part of the application process? Yes, the SAS registrar must hand calculate the unweighted GPA before sending an authorization to test on the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG at MDC and therefore has to receive the transcripts from private school applicants, etc. and verify the unweighted GPA of at least 3.0 before SAS can authorize testing.

11. How will students be notified of the admissions decision? SAS will send a letter by late December 2023 or January 2024 indicating whether or not the student was admitted in the first group of qualified applicants or if they have been placed on a wait list. A random ranking is only done when the number of qualified applicants exceeds spaces available at a particular SAS campus on December 1, 2023. However, SAS will continue to accept applications after December, 2023, and space permitting, continue to admit eligible applicants throughout the early months of 2024.

12. Does SAS use a lottery selection process for admissions? Yes, but only if the number of qualified applicants at a particular SAS campus exceeds spaces available on December 1, 2023. It should be noted that many, if not most, students who might initially be placed on a waitlist ultimately are admitted each year.

13. Is there an application deadline to apply? No. However priority will be given to applicants who qualify by December 1, 2023.

14. If I’m not selected at my first choice campus, can I be considered for another campus, assuming seats are still available? Yes, but the application for the first choice campus must be withdrawn at that point and the student would be removed from the wait list for the first choice campus.

15. Are parents responsible for the cost of college tuition and books if their child attends MDC through SAS? No. There is no charge to SAS students for their tuition at MDC or their college or high school textbooks (textbooks must be returned at the end of the semester).

16. What are the minimum scores necessary for SAS admission on the PERT?  The state of Florida has set higher minimum standards for the ACCUPLACER NG as opposed to PERT and that is why SAS is recommending that students use their two MDC assessment test attempts on the PERT instead of the ACCUPLACER NG. Please see minimum PERT or ACCUPLACER NG scores in STEP #5.

PERT scores of minimum 103 on Writing, 106 on Reading, and 123 on Math may be more accessible than the minimum scores needed for the ACCUPLACER NG.

Additionally, if the student seeking admission to the SAS Class of 2026 took the PSAT/NMSQT (PSAT 10) in 9th grade (October 2022) and earned a minimum score of 530 on the Math section and 500 on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing section of the exam, then those scores can be presented to the SAS registrar as an acceptable alternate admissions test. The digital PSAT that most 10th graders take in October  2023 can be used with the same minimum thresholds. However, the results from that test may not be available in time for the SAS priority deadline of December 1, 2023. Therefore, applicants are advised to test at MDC on the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG exams and submit the results to the SAS registrar at the SAS campus they are applying to prior to December 1, 2023.

17. Are there online resources for the PERT or the ACCUPLACER NG? Yes, on the MDC testing website. Please click on the link below labeled “How do I prepare for the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG”? https://www.mdc.edu/main/testing/examprep/

18. Must the prospective student make an appointment with MDC for the ACCUPLACER NG exam? Yes, but only after the  SAS registrar authorizes the  student to do so.

19. Do I need to inform my current school that I’m applying to School for Advanced Studies? No

20. Do I need to obtain authorization from my current school in order to take the PERT or ACCUPLACER NG exam? No, the SAS registrar will submit the authorization to test to MDC on behalf of SAS applicants after receiving the application documents and verifying the student’s GPA.

21. If I attend SAS, can I still participate in athletics through my neighborhood high school? Yes

22. If accepted to SAS, do I continue attending my school? Yes, Students admitted to SAS for 11th grade in August, 2024 will finish their 10th grade year (2023-2024) at their current high school. After June 7. 2024, the students who are accepted into SAS will not return to their 10th grade high school for any classes.

23. Does SAS offer high school extracurricular activities? Yes, many clubs and activities are offered at SAS. Some of them are listed on the SAS website.

Look under the heading of “Schools” on the SAS website homepage, then click on the subtab labeled “Offered Clubs and Activities” and you will find clubs that are specific to the campus you are applying to. Clubs vary from year to year and from SAS campus to SAS campus.

Some of the school wide activities are discussed at the link below:

https://www.sasdreamfactory.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=474115&type=d

24. Can I take the PERT or the ACCUPLACER NG test more than two times? No. (additionally, the first test attempt is free but MDC charges $10 -$13 for the second attempt). A maximum of two attempts at a MDC placement exam is acceptable for SAS applicants.

25. If I am part of a magnet program, when do I notify my current school that I will be attending SAS for the following school year? Within 10 days of meeting with the SAS counselor for the “intake” session (these meetings with the SAS counselor usually occur in February or March).

26. Why does the SAS applicant applying to MDC only have one option when it comes to indicating the MDC start date of Summer Term of 2024?

That is because SAS will require that incoming SAS juniors in the SAS Class of 2026 take a MDC math class in the summer before they begin the school year at SAS in August of 2024.  The particular required MDC math class will vary according to the student’s performance on the PERT or the QAS math portion of the ACCUPLACER NG test. The SAS counselor will assist the student to enroll in what is called “Summer B” at MDC which runs 6 weeks from the third week in June through the end of July.  It may also be suggested that students who have not completed the required PE credits by the end of 10th grade also take a PE class at MDC in Summer B. The SAS counselor will not be able to help applicants enroll in Summer A which begins in May because applicants are still attending their current 10th grade high school at that point.