Admissions for Undergraduates: Twin Cities

Policy Statement

1. Undergraduate students are admitted to a college at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus to pursue a baccalaureate degree. The Office of Admissions is responsible for undergraduate admission decisions.
2. Students are admitted as either
   1. New High School (NHS) students, who have graduated from high school but have not previously matriculated to a post-secondary education institution. (They may have earned college credits while they were enrolled in high school.)
   2. New Advanced Standing (NAS) students, who have graduated from high school, who have enrolled in or earned credit in courses at another post-secondary education institution during the academic year. The NAS category includes students transferring from another University of Minnesota campus.
3. New Student Enrollment management. The enrollment management process includes determining the enrollment targets for future academic years, and the criteria and standards to be used by the Admissions Office in admitting NHS and NAS students to the colleges.
   1. Enrollment targets. Each college is responsible for proposing to the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost (the Provost) enrollment targets for the numbers of NHS and NAS students to be admitted. These proposed targets are subject to the review and approval of the Provost and, as appropriate, the Vice President for Clinical Affairs. This effort is coordinated by the Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education, in collaboration with the undergraduate-admitting colleges and the Office of Admissions.
   2. Criteria for admission. In collaboration with the undergraduate-admitting colleges and the Office of Admissions, the Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education will set the criteria that are to be used by the Admissions Office in admitting NHS and NAS students to the colleges. These standards are subject to the review and approval of the Provost, and as, appropriate, the Vice President for Clinical Affairs.
4. Conditions to matriculate. The University will communicate to admitted students the conditions that may be imposed on a student before the student is allowed to matriculate (begin taking courses toward a degree). For example, admission is conditional upon continuing with a consistent grade trend in final term high school courses and providing proof of high school graduation (or for NAS students an appropriate proxy for this requirement). Such conditions apply to students new to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, but not to students transferring from one college to another within the Twin Cities campus. 
5. The University of Minnesota reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant.

Exclusions

This policy is not applicable to the Duluth, Crookston, Morris, and Rochester campuses.

Reason for Policy

The colleges and campus administration work together to set enrollment targets for the admission of NHS and NAS students to the University, to ensure that colleges have expected numbers of students, and that University resources (classrooms, curricula, advising, housing) are available to serve the admitted students.

The colleges and campus administration work together to establish admission criteria, which the Office of Admissions uses to evaluate applicants, to admit applicants who can be successful in the degree programs offered by that college.

This policy implements criteria and requirements for accreditation established by the Higher Learning Commission.

Procedures

Forms/Instructions

Appendices

Frequently Asked Questions

Contacts

Definitions

Degree-seeking student

A student who has been officially admitted to a University of Minnesota college to pursue an undergraduate degree program.

Matriculate

The process by which a student accepts the University’s offer for admission and indicates that the student intends to enroll.

New Advanced Standing (NAS)

Students who have graduated from high school, who have enrolled in or earned credit in courses at another post-secondary education institution during the academic year. The NAS category includes students transferring from another University of Minnesota campus. (Students who enroll in coursework the summer after their high school graduation will continue to be considered NHS)

New High School (NHS)

Students who have graduated from high school but have not previously matriculated to another post-secondary institution. They may have earned college credits while they were enrolled in high school.

Non-degree student status

Non-degree students are not officially admitted into a University of Minnesota degree program for the semester(s) of course enrollment. Non-degree status may include those students who are admitted for a future semester and students who are degree-seeking at another institution, but taking classes at the University of Minnesota.

Responsibilities

Applicant

• Provide full and accurate information on application for admission.
• Notify the Office of Admissions if there are any changes to the information provided in the application.

Office of Admissions

• Participate in enrollment management processes; provide guidance to undergraduate admitting colleges and the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education to assist in target setting and criteria used in the admission process.
• Communicate admissions review criteria to prospective students and applicants.
• Receive and review applications.
• Communicate admissions decisions to applicants.

Undergraduate-Admitting Colleges on the Twin Cities Campus

• Recommend enrollment targets and standards for admission.

Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education

• Oversee processes for setting enrollment targets and standards for admission.
• Oversee Office of Admissions.

Executive Vice President and Provost (Provost)

• Review and approve enrollment targets and standards for admission.

Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Dean of the Medical School

• In collaboration with the Provost, review and approve enrollment targets and standards for admission for undergraduate health sciences programs.

Related Information

• Higher Learning Commission, Criteria and Requirements for Accreditation
• Administrative Policy: Promoting Timely Graduation by Undergraduates

History

Amended:

May 2016 - Comprehensive Review, Minor Revision. 1. Reinforces the understanding that students are admitted to pursue a degree. 2. Specifies that the Office of Admissions is responsible for undergraduate admission decisions. 3. Aligns with the current practice of new student enrollment management. 4. More explicitly states in #5 that the U of M has the right to deny admission. 5. Removes the statement that students who are admitted with missing high school preparation requirement are not required to satisfy those requirements before receiving a baccalaureate degree.

Amended:

October 2014 - Clarifications related to Higher Learning Commission accreditation requirements.

Amended:

April 2009

Effective:

April 2009