School of Business approves new admissions policies

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Business has approved new policies for direct and competitive admissions to its Bachelor of Science in Business program.

The new policies will accelerate student engagement with the school’s academic advisors, Business Career Services team and co-curricular programs with the goal of improving student retention, academic progress and post-graduation outcomes.

“We are confident that early exposure to the School of Business advantages our students and their learning experiences,” said Christopher Anderson, associate dean for undergraduate programs. “In particular, early student engagement with our academic and career advisors is key to the development of a professional mindset for success at KU and beyond.”

The School of Business began admitting first-year students in fall 2012. This fall the school’s freshman-to-sophomore retention rate was about 94 percent — its highest rate ever.

Fall 2020 direct admission to the School of Business will depend on an index score that combines high school GPA and ACT composite or SAT equivalent. Under the revised policy, incoming first-year KU students will be eligible for admission into the School of Business with index scores (ACT score divided by 10, plus high school GPA) equal to or exceeding 5.55. The new policy will allow more first-year students with an interest in business to begin school- and major-specific courses. The change also aims to attract students who otherwise might not choose to attend KU.

“This is a student-friendly change that is a win for KU and the School of Business,” said Paige Fields, Dean of the KU School of Business. “Many students who would have been competitively admitted as juniors under the old policy will now be directly admitted as first-year students under the new policy. Additionally, we hope that the policy’s flexibility will attract students who want to study business but, without being directly admitted, might not come to KU.”

Transfer students and first-year KU students who do not qualify for direct admission into the School of Business can still apply for competitive admission. Currently, competitive admission requires junior standing and completion of six pre-admission courses. Under new competitive admission policies to be implemented in fall 2020, students must have sophomore standing and complete three pre-admission foundation courses: accounting, statistics, and microeconomics.

More information about direct and competitive admissions policies can be found on the School of Business website.