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Admission Requirements

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Admission Requirements

The Program’s Admissions Committee selects applicants who satisfy the admission criteria and demonstrate the capability of completing the Program to become diagnostic medical sonographers.  All qualified applicants are considered for admission without regard to age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

Educational Requirements

There are seven prerequisite college level courses that must be completed prior to acceptance regardless of other background education or experience.

The seven required prerequisite courses are:

  1. Human Anatomy and Physiology I
  2. Human Anatomy and Physiology II
  3. Physics
  4. Communications or Speech (Including English)
  5. Information Technology (Introduction to Computers)
  6. Psychology
  7. Algebra or Higher-level Mathematics

College-level courses must be completed at an accredited college with a minimum grade of “C” or 2.0 in each course and a minimum overall college GPA of 2.5.
Courses excluded from consideration are:

  1. Remedial courses
  2. Developmental studies courses
  3. Courses with essentially non-academic content (orientation, career courses, etc.)
  4. Non-transferable courses (grades of “D” or lower)
  5. A status of good standing(not on probation, suspension, or expulsion) at the last institution attended.

Prerequisite courses must be completed at a regionally accredited United States post-secondary institution. Postsecondary education must be from an institution accredited by one of the following entities in this link;  Accreditation Schools

Transfer credits, for sonography-specific courses, from other Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs will not be accepted.  Advanced placement is not available.

Critical Test Score Requirements

To be considered for admission into the DMS program, students must submit a critical test score that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements listed below.  (Possible Critical Tests: SAT, ACT, Compass, ASSETT Exam, ACCUPLACER, or ACCUPLACER Next Generation)

Submit one or more of the following critical scores; SAT, ACT, Compass, ASSET Exam, or ACCUPLACER Generation Next requirements.

    1. Scholastic Aptitude Reasoning Test (SAT I) – minimum math and critical reading (verbal) total score of 830 (writing section not included)
    2. American College Test (ACT): minimum composite score of 17
    3. COMPASS minimum reading score of 74 and minimum math score of 37
    4. ASSET minimum reading score of 40 and minimum math score of 40
    5. ACCUPLACER minimum reading score of 61 and minimum Elementary Algebra score of 67
    6. ACCUPLACER Generation Next minimum reading score of 237, and elementary algebra (previous to 2021) or Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS) (after 2021) of 258

Reference Requirements

Applicants must provide email addresses (submitted within the application) for references.  References should be persons who have supervised the applicant for at least six months in an evaluating position (such as supervisors or educators). Friends, relatives, clergy, and co-workers are not acceptable references. Applicants should contact references before applying. The school will email a reference form to those listed in the application.

Health-Related Experience

Documented health-related experience of work or formal clinical education in a health-related profession, volunteerism in a healthcare setting, and/or shadowing in a sonography setting is preferred when possible.  Proof of experience should be formally submitted with the application.

International Student Requirements

An applicant will be classified as an “International Student” if the school credentials he/she submits for evaluation are from schools or colleges outside of the United States. Click here for details. 

ARDMS Compliance Predetermination Review for Felony or Misdemeanor Conviction

If an applicant has a felony or misdemeanor conviction, the ARDMS must determine eligibility for the Registry examination before the applicant is interviewed by the program. Click here for details. 

Interview Requirement

Applicants must be a minimum age of 18 years old.  Applicants who meet the minimum requirements and who have submitted all supporting documents to the program are invited to complete an interview.  Incomplete applications will be disqualified.  The application and pre-entrance requirements will not be returned to the applicant, nor forwarded to another institution.

The required documents for the DMS general sonography program are:

  1. Official transcripts for all 7 prerequisite courses
  2. Official transcript for critical test score
  3. References
  4. Health care related experience (Optional)

Pre-interview Program Documents Requirement

Once an interview is scheduled, the applicant is sent pre-interview documents that include an overview of the program and technical standards.  Applicants must sign forms indicating that they have reviewed the program technical standards and are able to comply with these standards.

Selection Process

All application materials are reviewed and scored.  The Admissions Committee will select the best applicants.  Factors considered are:

  • Academic achievement – GPA and critical scores
  • Candidate responses to interview questions
  • Employment history
  • Volunteer activities or shadowing
  • References
  • Perceived communication skills, motivation, and maturity.
  • Compliance with all application requirements

Candidate Notification

The Program notifies all applicants of their final decision, by email, following the Admissions Committee meeting.  Candidates who are offered placement in the program must submit the acceptance form by the deadline date.

Admission to the school is competitive and the Admissions Committee reserves the right, in every case, to accept or reject any applicant based on previous academic performance, motivation, personality, or health and character as determined by the application process, interview, review of academic and sociological data, references, and investigation.

Questions about Admissions?

Please contact our admissions specialist.

Admissions Office
Malon Brown, BS
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (404) 616-3610

Admissions – Official Documents (transcripts or other official documents)

Schools of Radiation and Imaging Technologies
Grady Health System
80 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE
Box 26095
Atlanta, GA 30303-3050
Email admissions documents to [email protected]

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