Students who enter the University of Denver beginning in fall 2010 with the intention of majoring in business will face new competitive entrance requirements for the Daniels College of Business.
The secondary admission process is designed to reduce the number of undergraduate business majors from roughly 2,200 to 1,800 over the course of four years.
“Nationwide, the interest in business degrees is increasing, and as the Daniels College of Business’ reputation has grown, so have our numbers,” says Dan Connolly, associate dean for undergraduate programs at Daniels. “By reducing the number of students, we will be able to continue to deliver a high-quality educational experience in the personal manner for which we are known.”
Daniels joins many other schools — including Texas Christian University, Notre Dame, the University of Virginia and Southern Methodist University — in implementing a secondary admission process.
Students will be able to enter the Daniels College of Business through three channels. A very small number of highly accomplished candidates will be invited to be admitted upon application to the University. Transfer students also will be evaluated for direct admission to Daniels when applying to DU, provided they have met the prerequisite course requirements. The vast majority of students will participate in the secondary application process during the fall quarter of their sophomore year. Students who are currently enrolled in the University of Denver will not be subject to the new admission requirement.
To apply, students must first complete seven prerequisite courses and pass the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist exams for Microsoft Excel 2007, Word 2007, and PowerPoint 2007. The application process includes an online application, submission of a cover letter and resume, and an interview with business professionals.
Using a whole-person evaluation approach, admission decisions will be based on a student’s academic performance and promise, involvement in the University and surrounding communities, quality of resume and cover letter, interview performance, and overall well-roundedness. Those who are not admitted on their first attempt may apply again during the next application cycle, provided their applications and credentials have changed substantially to warrant a second consideration, Connolly says.
Students interested in pursuing one of five business minors are not required to complete an application.
A committee of key stakeholders from around campus has spent the last two years crafting the secondary admission process plan.
“Our admission staff has worked closely with key Daniels personnel in their planning and implementation of the secondary admission process, and we fully endorse the strategic plan to enhance the academic quality and overall experiences for undergraduate business students,” says Todd Rinehart, DU’s assistant vice chancellor for enrollment and director of admission. “Prospective students expect first-class business programs to have a secondary process, so the new Daniels plan is comparable to other universities they are applying to. Furthermore, we have reassured our prospects that if they continue their stellar academic performance as a DU student, they will be strong candidates for admission to the Daniels College of Business.”
Connolly says the feedback he has received has been positive. “This is an opportunity for us to create engaged classes of students who are dedicated to studying business and who will graduate as capable, well rounded and highly polished individuals.”