Pauline E. Drake Scholars
About the Pauline E. Drake Program
The Pauline E. Drake Scholars (PEDS) Program was designed to assist the nontraditional college student, which is defined as an individual who:
- Is at least 25 years old and graduated (or was scheduled to graduate) from high school at least five (5) years ago
- A student who has previously attended college, but did not complete her degree and is returning to college after time off
- A student who graduated from high school, entered the work force, and is now attending college for the first time
Important Dates: Fall Term
Application Deadline: April 15
Decision Notification: May 15
Confirm Your Enrollment: July 1
Admission Requirements for the Pauline E. Drake Program
A complete application will include:
- Completed application for admission through the Common Application
$40 online application fee (Transfer, PEDS, and Guest Applicants are not eligible for fee waivers) - Official high school transcript
- Official transcripts from each post-secondary school attended (Make sure you list every college and university you’ve ever attended on your application. Inaccuracies are cause for denial or dismissal.)
- Two letters of recommendation from any of the following: college professors or administrators, college or school counselors, supervisors or employers
Official high school transcript or GED record - Resume
- The resume length should be no more than two pages and should include the applicant’s name on each page. It should also include the high school(s) and college(s) attended, GED results (if applicable), work history, community activities, honors and awards.
Program Tuition and Fee Schedule
Outlined below are the Tuition and Fee costs and the Payment Plan schedule for all students registering under the Pauline E. Drake Program who are carrying one to eleven credit hours for the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters. The basic tuition cost for the 2026 - 2027 academic year is $969.00 per credit hour. All students enrolled in six or more credit hours are required to pay mandatory student fees totaling $1,783.00 per semester. Students enrolled in twelve or more credit hours will be charged Spelman’s regular tuition and fees rate, totaling $16,804.00. Students registered for 11 credit hours or fewer must follow the rates noted on the fee schedule below. The required payment must be made by July 15, 2026, for the Fall 2026 semester, and by January 4, 2027, for the Spring 2027 semester.
| Credit Hours | Tuition Rate | Tuition Charge | Mandatory Fees | Total | Required Down Payment |
| 1 | $969.00 | $969.00 | $0.00 | $969.00 | $659.00 |
| 2 | $969.00 | $1,938.00 | $0.00 | $1,938.00 | $1,318.00 |
| 3 | $969.00 | $2,907.00 | $0.00 | $2,907.00 | $1,977.00 |
| 4 | $969.00 | $3,876.00 | $0.00 | $3,876.00 | $2,636.00 |
| 5 | $969.00 | $4,845.00 | $0.00 | $4,845.00 | $3,295.00 |
| 6 | $969.00 | $5,814.00 | $1,783.00 | $7,597.00 | $5,166.00 |
| 7 | $969.00 | $6,783.00 | $1,783.00 | $8,566.00 | $5,825.00 |
| 8 | $969.00 | $7,752.00 | $1,783.00 | $9,535.00 | $6,484.00 |
| 9 | $969.00 | $8,721.00 | $1,783.00 | $10,504.00 | $7,143.00 |
| 10 | $969.00 | $9,690.00 | $1,783.00 | $11,473.00 | $7,802.00 |
| 11 | $969.00 | $10,659.00 | $1,783.00 | $12,442.00 | $8,461.00 |
SPECIAL NOTES: Additional fees may apply, including charges for science labs, private music lessons, and late payments. Students attending the College for the first time are also required to pay a one-time new student fee totaling $405. Graduating seniors will be assessed a $670 graduation fee upon submitting an application to graduate through the Registrar’s Office.
Transfer Credit Policy
The College will award transfer credit for comparable coursework in which the student has earned grades of “C” or better, provided that the institution at which the credit was earned is accredited by its regional accrediting agency. The College’s registrar evaluates the transcripts of incoming transfer students to determine course equivalents for general and divisional requirements. Department chairpersons evaluate transcripts of incoming transfer students to determine course equivalents for departmental requirements. For Additional Transfer Credit Guidelines, visit the Transfer Applicants page.
For information on course sequences and academic policies and procedures, please see the Spelman College Bulletin (PDF) and the Spelman College Course Sequence Booklet (PDF).
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