Clarification on Provisional Admission?

I've been hearing the term 'provisional admission' pop up quite a bit recently. Could anyone explain to me what this means? Does it hold the same weight in the application process as a regular admission?

Provisional admission, as the name suggests, is like a conditional offer extended by a university or college. It means you've been accepted to the school but there is some condition, or provision, that you must meet in order to fully secure your spot in the class. The specifics depend on the institution and they will detail the terms in the admissions offer.

It could be anything from maintaining your current level of academic performance in your high school classes to submitting additional documentation. For international students, it could be about providing evidence of language proficiency.

In terms of its weight in the college application process, as soon as the provision or condition is met, provisional admission converts to a regular admission, and holds the same weight and benefits. It's key to address any requirements promptly to ensure your place is secured. If the condition isn't met, the college has the right to rescind the offer of admission.

An example of this would be if a student were to be provisionally admitted under the condition they maintained a certain GPA in their final semester of high school. If the student's grades fell below that threshold, the college could retract their acceptance. So overall, provisional admission is just as valuable as regular admission, provided the conditions associated with it are met.