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Indiana University Bloomington
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is College Direct Admission?
Most undergraduate students entering IU begin their studies in the University Division, where they remain until they complete requirements for admission and are accepted into a degree-granting school, e.g., the College of Arts & Sciences.  Direct Admission enables invited students to bypass this step and declare a major in the College at the start of their freshman year, effectively aligning them with departmental resources and academic advising in their chosen field of study.

Are there advantages to being extended an invitation of Direct Admission to the College?
Receiving an invitation for College Direct Admission is an honor bestowed on a small number of exceptionally talented and accomplished incoming freshmen.  The College of Arts & Sciences recognizes these scholars with early entrance to the College, thereby enabling them to commence their studies at the start of their freshman year with direct access to academic advising in their chosen field(s) of study and opportunity to add or change majors at any point in time.  Essentially, the advantage of being selected for Direct Admission is that invited students are given the liberty to pursue their area(s) of interest in the College with extensive access to departmental support and resources from the very beginning of their academic career.

When do recipients of College Direct Admission declare their majors?
With early entrance to the College of Arts & Sciences, these scholars have the opportunity to declare their first major prior to beginning their freshman year.   Once on campus, they may add or change majors and minors at any time during their academic career.

Are there any majors that recipients of College Direct Admission may not declare at the start of their freshman year?
The Individualized Major Program (IMP), Interior Design, Musical Theatre, and Studio Art BFA are preferred admission programs with additional steps required for admission to these majors.  Students interested in these majors should contact the respective departmental advisors directly for more information.

Can incoming freshmen be directly admitted to the College as well as another school on campus, such as the Kelley School of Business or the Jacobs School of Music?
Although many students choose to pursue degrees in more than one school on campus, scholars selected for College Direct Admission are only permitted to begin their first year of studies at IU as students in the College of Arts & Sciences.  Additional degree objectives within other schools can be initiated once students have successfully completed at least one semester on campus.  

Do students offered Direct Admission to the College automatically have access to all other programs on the Bloomington campus?
Directly admitted students may change degree objectives within the College of Arts & Sciences at any time.  Other Bloomington schools (e.g., the Kelley School of Business, the Jacobs School of Music, etc.) have separate entrance requirements.  Students interested in pursuing programs offered in other schools on the IUB campus would have to follow the application procedures required by each school.

Does Direct Admission exempt invited students from any degree requirements in the College?
No College student is ever exempted from degree requirements.  However, experience has shown that most students who receive invitations of College Direct Admission have already completed several degree requirements by virtue of scores achieved on tests such as Advanced Placement (AP) and through International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.  To be considered for advanced placement in specific courses or to earn special credit, students must send copies of their standardized test scores or other documentation to the IU Office of Admissions.

What happens if a student does not receive an invitation of Direct Admission to the College?
Freshmen admitted to the Bloomington campus generally begin their studies in the University Division, where they can explore possible programs of study and begin to satisfy entrance and degree requirements for their degree-granting school of choice, e.g., the College of Arts & Sciences.  Students who wish to earn a major in the College must complete at least 26 credit hours of coursework counting toward a degree in the College with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000, and have satisfied the English composition requirement.  When students in the University Division have satisfied these entrance requirements – generally at the end of their freshman year – they will be certified into the major department listed on their record, or they may apply for admission to another school on campus. 

Are students transferring to IU Bloomington from another four-year or two-year college, or from another IU campus eligible for College Direct Admission?
College Direct Admission is an honor reserved exclusively for exceptionally qualified incoming freshmen each fall semester.  Transfer students must meet regular the regular entrance requirements of the College of Arts & Sciences.  Transfer students who do not initially qualify for entrance to the College will begin their studies in the University Division and move into the College when they become eligible.

When are students notified that they have been selected for College Direct Admission?
Invitations for Direct Admission are issued on a rolling basis between December 1 and March 1.

Who serves on the College’s Direct Admission Selection Committee?
Faculty, deans, and professional staff members in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Will the College of Arts & Sciences provide application status updates to inquiring prospective students and their parents?
No.

Do students invited for Direct Admission automatically receive financial scholarships from the College of Arts & Sciences?
No. 

Who should prospective IU students contact if they wish to visit campus and learn more about the College of Arts & Sciences?
The College of Arts & Sciences conducts daily information sessions between September and May.  Contact the Office of Admissions to arrange a visit.