College Events & Happenings
Here is the Texas Tech Preview registration website; this will be a great event for students who are wanting to visit campus in the Fall. October 9, 2023
This is the Austin Scholars Reception registration. This would be a great opportunity for high-performing students to meet with our Honors College here in the Austin area.
2024 Applications Now Open
Students can apply through Common App or ApplyTexas and recieve a decision in 2-4 weeks once all required items are received. The priority scholarship deadline is December 1.
No More SRAR
Texas Tech no longer requires the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). Students will upload a transcript on RaiderConnect.
Applications are open
Students can choose from Common App or our Golden Gopher Application—we don’t have a preference! No essays, no letters of recommendation, and no test scores are required. Visit z.umn.edu/apply.
Upcoming events
You and your students are invited to learn more about the Gopher experience at special events this fall. We look forward to seeing you!
Application review changes
After the June SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action in college admissions, the University of Minnesota adjusted the context factors considered during holistic review of applications to no longer include a student’s race/ethnicity. Additionally, family employment/attendance at the University is no longer considered during application review. A student can choose to answer the optional application questions about these topics, but that information will no longer be displayed to the application reviewers.
Application Review Changes
The United States Supreme Court ruled in June that colleges and universities who receive federal funding cannot consider an applicant’s race or ethnicity in admissions decisions. Based on that ruling and an exceptionally deep review of the context factors considered in holistic review, the University of Minnesota made the following adjustments to holistic admission review:
Race and ethnicity:
A student’s response to the optional questions on our application about race and ethnicity will NOT be displayed to the admissions committee and are NOT considered at any point during the University of Minnesota admissions decision process.Family attendance or employment at the U of M:
A student’s response to the optional questions on our application about family attendance or family employment at the University of Minnesota will NOT be displayed to the admissions committee and are NOT considered at any point during the University of Minnesota admissions decision process.
These changes are reflected in an updated set of context factors in our holistic review process.
Because the U of M values diversity, equity, and inclusion, our application was updated to have all students complete the short-answer question on diversity. Previously, this short-answer question was optional.
The University values diversity, broadly defined to include diversity of experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and talents. Enrolling a diverse community of scholars interested in learning with and from each other fosters discussion and discovery inside and outside of the classroom. Please share briefly how you might contribute to, or benefit from, our community of scholars. Please limit your short answer to 1,000 characters or approximately 150 words.
We remain steadfast in our educational mission of inclusion and access, to remove barriers to higher education for underrepresented populations, and to ensure that all members of our community have equitable access to the University and its resources. We will continue our recruiting efforts—including special events showcasing our multicultural communities— that have yielded increased diversity in our freshman and transfer entering classes, and we always welcome applications from every student who desires to become a Gopher.
Upcoming Events
For students:
Learn more and register on our upcoming events page.
Experience Minnesota
Saturday, September 23Special Receptions showcasing programs for the:
African and African American community
Monday, October 9Asian and Pacific Islander community
Monday, October 16Hispanic, Chicanx, and Latinx community
Monday, October 30
American Indian Visit Day
Wednesday, October 11Fall for Minnesota Campus Visits
Thursday, October 19, Friday, October 20, and Saturday, October 21Goldy’s Early Access Pass (for 9th and 10th grade college access groups)
Wednesday, November 15
Application Basics
PLATFORMS:
Students can choose from Common App or our Golden Gopher Application. We don’t have a preference!
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Application form
$55 application fee or fee waiver (integrated into our application)
Self-reported Academic Record (the Courses & Grades section of Common App or Academic Record section of the Golden Gopher Application)
See our freshman application checklist for full details. ACT/SAT scores, essays, and letters of recommendation are not required.
AUTOMATIC CONSIDERATION:
Applications completed by January 1 will be automatically considered for…
Admission
Scholarships
University Honors Program
No separate forms or materials are needed!
DEADLINES
> November 1
Early Action I Deadline and
deadline for Nursing majors
Receive a decision by January 31
> December 1
Early Action II Deadline
Receive a decision by February 15
> January 1
Regular Deadline
Receive a decision by March 31
REVIEW PROCESS:
During our holistic review, each application is thoughtfully assessed by multiple admissions team members using our academic and context review factors. Decisions are never made using formulas, and there’s no single number or factor that guarantees admission.
DECISION TRACKING:
Applicants: Students can check Application Tracker for important updates on their application.
High School Counselors: Counselors can use Slate.org to view status updates for students at their school.
Application Updates
Our application for Fall 2024 is live, as of August 1, 2023! Here are the requirements:
Application form (UK Application or Common Application)
Official high school transcript
$50 application fee or qualifying fee waiver
ACT/SAT scores (optional)
Official ACT/SAT Scores- Testing Center or Transcript
UK has extended our test-optional pilot through the 2028-29 academic year and we will accept ACT/SAT scores directly from the testing centers and/or from the student’s official high school transcript.
If you include test scores on transcripts, we will automatically pull those from the student’s transcript and include them with their file. This is to benefit students who want us to receive their scores and to eliminate the need for them to spend time or money requesting an official score report. Test scores will never be used in a way that would negatively affect a student’s admission or scholarship opportunities. Students need not be alarmed if they prefer to be test optional but know that we see their test scores on their high school transcript. They will only be used if they can help a student in the admission, scholarship or class placement process.
Combined Application
UK offers a combined application, meaning that students can apply for admission, the Lewis Honors College, competitive scholarships, and/or the William C. Parker Belonging Scholarship within one application.
Deadlines
December 1, 2023
Early Action (non-binding) admission
Lewis Honors College
Academic scholarships
Competitive scholarships
Priority deadline for belonging scholarships
February 15, 2024
Regular decision admission
Deadline for belonging scholarships
Essays
Students may address any of the Common Application essay prompts for their admission essay requirement, regardless of whether they apply through Common Application or the UK Application.
Students interested in the William C. Parker Belonging Scholarship Program can choose one or both essay prompts below as a portion of the application process:
“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”
“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”
Students can apply for Competitive Scholarships and/or the Lewis Honors College using this prompt:
“Kentucky is one of four states that is a Commonwealth. The term means the state is for the common good. What do you consider to be for “the common good” and how do you hope to use your life experiences, challenges, uniqueness, and intellect to contribute to the common good in your community, as you define it?”
Scholarship Updates
Fall 2024 Freshmen scholarship opportunities are posted with full details on our website. UK is continuing our commitment to making scholarship opportunities available to students who qualify, whether they apply with or without test scores. Once admitted, eligible students are automatically considered for academic scholarships. For both academic and competitive scholarships, the completed admission application and all supporting documents, including high school transcript, must be received as soon as possible, but by no later than December 1, 2023 for scholarship consideration.
Our UK Visitor Center continues to host campus visit experiences for prospective students. In addition to our admissions information session and campus tour, we offer customized visits including: academic college visits, self-guided tours, diverse student visits and first-generation student visits. Build an on-campus visit to UK here: https://visit.uky.edu/
Throughout the fall, we will be hosting Big Blue Open House experiences to give students an opportunity to explore our campus, academic programs, and departments all in one day. Registration is live here for the following dates:
Saturday, September 16
Friday, September 29
Friday, October 6
Friday, November 3
Friday, November 17
Monday, November 20