Section 681.1.1. Admission of undergraduate students directly from high school.

Students desiring admission to the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, or the University of Northern Iowa must meet the requirements in this rule and also any special requirements for the curriculum, school, or college of their choice.

         1.1(1) Application. Applicants must submit a formal application for admission, together with the appropriate application fee as approved by the state board of regents pursuant to Iowa Code subsection 262.9(3) and detailed in rule 681—1.7(262), and have their secondary school provide a transcript of their academic record, including credits and grades, rank in class (when available), and certification of graduation. Applicants must also submit SAT Reasoning Test or ACT scores. Applicants whose primary language is not English must also meet the English language proficiency requirement specified by each university. Applicants may be required to submit additional information or data to support their applications.

         1.1(2) Admission criteria.

            a.                Effective for students who seek admission prior to fall 2009. Graduates of approved Iowa high schools who have the subject matter background required by each university and who rank in the upper one-half of their graduating class will be admitted to any regent university. Applicants who are not in the upper one-half of their graduating class may, after an individual review of their academic and test records, and at the discretion of the admissions officers:

             (1)             Be admitted unconditionally,

             (2)             Be admitted conditionally,

             (3)             Be required to enroll for a tryout period during a preceding summer session, or

             (4)             Be denied admission.

            b.                Effective for students who seek admission in fall 2009 and thereafter.

             (1)             Decisions on admission to a regent university are based on the following four factors: performance on standardized tests (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT); high school grade point average (GPA); high school percentile rank in class (when available); and number of high school courses completed in the core subject areas. A primary regent admission index (RAI) will be calculated for each freshman applicant using the formula below when the high school has provided a class rank.

RAI

=

(2 × ACT composite score)

+

(1 × high school rank expressed as a percentile)

+

(20 × high school grade point average)

+

(5 × number of high school courses completed in the core subject areas)

Note:  For purposes of calculating the primary regent admission index, the ACT composite score has a top value of 36 (SAT scores will be converted to ACT composite equivalents); high school rank is expressed as a percentile with 99 percent as the top value; high school GPA is expressed in a four-point scale; and number of high school courses completed in the core subject areas is expressed in terms of years or fractions of years of study.

             (2)             Graduates of approved Iowa high schools who have the subject matter background required by each university and who meet the regent admission index of 245 required for automatic admission will be admitted to any regent university. Applicants who do not meet the regent admission index of 245 for automatic admission or for whom a regent admission index cannot be calculated may, after an individual review of their academic and test records, and at the discretion of the admissions officers:

            1.      Be admitted unconditionally,

            2.      Be admitted conditionally,

            3.      Be required to enroll for a tryout period during a preceding summer session, or

            4.      Be denied admission.

The regent universities recognize that the traditional measures of academic performance do not adequately describe some students’ potential for success. Therefore, the regent universities strongly encourage all interested students to apply for admission. Applicants who feel their academic record is not an accurate reflection of their potential for success are encouraged to provide supplemental information explaining their circumstances, in addition to the application, academic transcripts, and test scores.

An alternative regent admission index (RAI) will be calculated for each freshman applicant using the equation below when the high school has not provided a class rank.

RAI

=

(3 × ACT composite score)

+

(30 × high school grade point average)

+

(5 × number of high school courses completed in the core subject areas)

Note: For purposes of calculating the alternative regent admission index, the ACT composite score has a top value of 36 (SAT scores will be converted to ACT composite equivalents); high school GPA is expressed on a four-point scale; and number of high school courses completed in the core subject areas is expressed in terms of years or fractions of years of study.

Freshman applicants from Iowa high schools who have an RAI of at least 245 and who meet the minimum number of high school courses required by the regent universities will qualify for automatic admission to any of the three regent universities. Freshman applicants who have an RAI below 245 may also be admitted to a specific regent university; however, each regent university will review these applications on an individual basis, and admission decisions will be specific to each institution.

         1.1(3) Graduates of approved high schools in other states may be held to higher academic standards, but must meet at least the same requirements as graduates of Iowa high schools. The options for conditional admission or summer tryout enrollment may not necessarily be offered to these students.

         1.1(4) Applicants who are graduates of nonapproved high schools will be considered for admission in a manner similar to applicants from approved high schools, but additional emphasis will be given to scores obtained on standardized examinations.

         1.1(5) Applicants who are not high school graduates, but whose classes have graduated, may be considered for admission. These applicants will be required to submit all academic data to the extent that it exists and achieve scores on standardized examinations which will demonstrate that they are adequately prepared for academic study.

         1.1(6) Early admission.

            a.               Students with superior academic records may be admitted, on an individual basis, for part-time university study while enrolled in high school or during the summers prior to high school graduation.

            b.               In rare situations, exceptional students may be admitted as full-time students to a regent university before completing high school. Early admission to a regent university is provided to serve persons whose academic achievement and personal and intellectual maturity clearly suggest readiness for collegiate level study. Each university will specify requirements and conditions for early admission.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 262.9(3).

[ARC 2051C, IAB 7/8/15, effective 8/12/15]