Undergraduate Admissions

ADMISSIONS

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Friends University is committed to providing a quality liberal arts education in the context of a Judeo-Christian perspective. Undergraduate students are admitted based on their potential for achieving academic success.

1. Read the Academic Admissions Standards Policy and the Community Life Standards Policy before starting the application.
2. A signed, completed application and a non-refundable application fee.  For an application, call 316-295-5100 or 1-800-577-2233; or visit http://www.friends.edu
3. Official transcripts from all institutions attended, sent directly from the institution to the Admissions Processing Office - 2100 W University Ave, Wichita, KS 67213.
4. Official ACT or SAT scores if entering as a freshman and under the age of 23.
5. If an incoming freshman, a product (ACTxGPA) of 45 or above for full admission. Provisional admission is granted for products within the range of 20-44. A product below 20 is denied admission.
6. If a transfer student (15 or more college credit hours) or exempt from the ACT requirement, a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above for full admission.

Definition of ACT-GPA Product:   (GPA x ACT composite score) = ACT-GPA Product

ACT-GPA Product is the ACT composite score multiplied by the cumulative Grade Point Average. An adjusted scale is used for students submitting SAT scores.

• Applicants with an ACT-GPA product of 45 or above are fully admitted to Friends University.
• Applicants with an ACT-GPA product between 20 and 45 are to be admitted provisionally.
• Applicants with an ACT-GPA product of 19 or less are not admitted to Friends University.
• Applicants out of high school more than five years or who are 23 years or older need not take the ACT, but must have a 2.0 high school grade point average.
  

1. Transfer students with fewer than 15 transferable semester credits must submit ACT/SAT scores and official high school transcripts. Consideration for admissions will fall under the same standards as entering freshmen.
2. Transfer students with 15 or more transferable semester credits and a grade point average of 2.0 or higher are to be fully admitted to Friends University.
   
   
   1. Transfer students who have accumulated between 16 and 57 credit hours with a GPA between 1.6 and 2.0 are to be admitted provisionally.
   2. Transfer students who have accumulated between 16 and 57 credit hours with a GPA lower than 1.6 will not be admitted.
   3. Transfer students who have accumulated between 58 and 88 credit hours with a GPA between 1.8 and 2.0 are to be admitted provisionally.
   4. Transfer students who have accumulated between 58 and 88 credit hours with a GPA lower than 1.8 will not be admitted.
   5. Transfer students who have accumulated more than 88 credit hours with a GPA lower than 2.0 will not be admitted.

Note: Transfer Student Credit:  Credit is transferred with the grade earned in the course at the institution where the course was taken. All grades are calculated for a transfer GPA, including courses that might have been deleted from consideration by an “academic fresh start” at the transferring institution. Students should be aware that credits may be transcripted but not counted toward major or graduation requirements. “D” grades in major courses and certain other courses are not accepted toward graduation.

ART EDUCATION TRANSFER STUDENTS:  PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT

All art students who transfer art hours from other colleges or universities must submit an Art Proficiency Portfolio.  Art Education students may not enter student teaching until this requirement has been met.  For students who don’t meet the initial portfolio review, a proficiency development plan will be developed so that the student will have a clearly defined process for reaching proficiency.

This is not a formal admissions requirement, but may delay entry into professional teaching programs at Friends University until satisfied.

Required Items for the Art Proficiency Portfolio:

• 6 to 8 pieces of BEST work
• Photographs of large or heavy works like sculpture
• One example of artistic process from start to finish
• A variety of art media represented in the 6 to 8 pieces of artwork

Portfolios will be rated using an Art Placement Portfolio rubric which includes the following components to be rated:

• Content
• Formal order/composition
• Mastery of media & Presentation of artwork
• Problem solving process

Development Plan:

For students who do not meet the initial portfolio review, a proficiency development plan will be developed so that the student will have a clearly defined process for reaching proficiency.  The deficiency areas will be determined on the Art Proficiency Portfolio Rubric.  For example, a score of 1 in the Mastery of media component requires a student to take a Drawing 1 or Painting 1 course.  A score of 2 or below in the formal order/composition component or the problem solving process component requires the student to take the Design 1 course.  These courses can be used as elective credit.

1. Applicants with GED composite scores of 50 or more are to be fully admitted. (ACT/GED product of 750 or more)
2. Applicants with GED composite scores between 45 and 50 are to be admitted provisionally. (ACT-GED product 495 to 749)
3. Applicants with GED composite scores below 45 are not to be admitted.
4. Applicants who are 23 years or older do not need to take the ACT.

ACT-GED Product is the ACT composite score multiplied by the GED composite score. An adjusted scale is used for students submitting SAT scores.

An international student application may be attained through the Friends University Admissions Office or via the Internet at www.friends.edu. The applicant should send the following to the Friends University Admissions Office:

1. Application for Admission and non-refundable application fee.
2. Completed and signed Declaration of Support along with the most recent bank statement on the applicant’s or sponsor’s account. A letter, signed by the applicant’s bank manager on bank letterhead, must also be provided, which specifies the name of the account holder and the current balance. This document should show that the applicant will have sufficient financial support for at least the first year of school. Costs that must be considered include tuition, books, fees, housing, health insurance and living expenses.
3. Official High School Transcripts.
4. Official College or University Transcripts if the applicant has U.S. post-secondary education experience.   If post-secondary experience is non-U.S., student must provide an official transcript evaluation from a NACES accredited service (www.naces.org) and the official transcript from the foreign institution.
5. Official TOEFL score if student is applying from a non-English educational experience or ACT/SAT score for English-speaking educational experiences. 

Students transferring from another SEVIS university within the United States must complete items 1-6 above as well as a “Transfer Request Form.” This form is completed by the previous university’s international student advisor. This form verifies that the student has the immigration status necessary to transfer. The transfer process is complete once the student enrolls in class and Friends University registers this enrollment in SEVIS. The student must also sign their new transfer I-20 no later than 15 days within the start of the program.

For a prospective F-1 visa student from outside the United States, there is a requirement of a one time fee to be paid to the United States Department of Homeland Security. This fee must be paid BEFORE applying for an F-1 visa at a United States embassy/consulate and/or before entering the United States. For more detailed information, please visit the Student and Exchange Visitor Program at www.ice.gov/sevis.

All international students must have a high school equivalency cumulative grade point average (CPGA) of 2.0 on a 4-point scale to be admitted.

Native speakers of English from a country in which English is a national language will not be required to submit a TOEFL score.

Non-native speakers of English who have graduated from high school where the language of instruction is English will not be required to submit a TOEFL score. The Director of Admissions has the right to waive the TOEFL requirement for students presenting a grade of B or better in an introductory composition class from a regionally accredited U.S college or university.

The following is a list of TOEFL (Internet based) score requirements. Please remember that an acceptable ACT/SAT score can be used to be fully admitted instead of a TOEFL score.

• All other international students will need a internet based TOEFL score of 63 to be fully admitted.
• An international student with a internet based TOEFL score between 52 and 62 will be provisionally admitted.
• An international student with a internet based TOEFL score between 40 and 51 will be reviewed on an individual basis by the Admissions Committee and the International Student Advisor for consideration for admission. Additional documentation of English proficiency may be requested.
• An international student with a internet based TOEFL score below 39 will not be admitted to the University.

Students wishing to take coursework at another institution, while studying at Friends University, may do so on a guest basis. To be a guest student, an international student must maintain at least half-time enrollment with Friends University and must maintain a full course of study. Authorization to be a guest student must be granted by the International Student Advisor.

EFFECTIVE FOR 2012-2013 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT APPLICANTS:  (Cabinet approval 2.12.2012)

An international student application may be attained through the Friends University Admissions Office or via the Internet at www.friends.edu. The applicant should airmail or express mail the following to the Friends University Admissions Office:

1.  Application for Admission and non-refundable application fee.  Timeline for international students: 60/30/15 days

• 60 Days - Application received prior to program start date.
• 30 Days - All admissions supporting documents and deposits received to admit applicant to Friends University prior to program start date
• 15 Days - Applicant arrives and sets a meeting with the International Student Advisor, Designated SEVIS Officer (DSO) prior to program start date.
• International students with an F1 visa who are already in the United States attending another institution may have a shorter timeline for application and documentation, however they need to report to the International Student Advisor (DSO) at least 15 days prior to the program start date.

2.  Financial Documents

• Completed and signed Financial Pledge form.
• Proof of sufficient financial support to cover the first year of school.  Estimated cost of $35,500 includes:  tuition, books, fees, housing, health insurance and personal expenses.
• Deposit of $5000. to be applied towards one year medical insurance, tuition and other deposits/fees.
• The remaining balance of one semester tuition is due prior to enrollment nad must be cleared through Student Account Services before enrolling in classes.

3.  English Proficiency

• Native speakers of English from a country in which English is a national language will not be required to submit a TOEFL score.
• Non-native speakers of English who have graduated from high school where the language of instruction is English will not be required to submit a TOEFL  score. The Director of Admissions has the right to waive the TOEFL requirement for students presenting a grade of B or better in an introductory composition class from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
• The following is a list of TOEFL (Internet based) score requirements. Please remember that an acceptable ACT/SAT score can be used to be fully admitted instead of a TOEFL score.
  • All other international students will need an Internet-based TOEFL score of 63 to be fully admitted.
  • An international student with an Internet based TOEFL score between 62 and 52 will be provisionally admitted.
  • An international student with an Internet based TOEFL score between 51 and 39 will be reviewed on an individual basis by the Admissions Committee and the International Student Advisor for consideration for admission. Additional documentation of English proficiency may be requested.
  • An international student with an Internetbased TOEFL score below 39 will not be admitted to the University.

4.  Education Documents

• If secondary or post-secondary experience is non-United States, applicant must provide an official transcript to a NACES accredited service (www.naces.org) for evaluation.  Secondary schools need U.S. equivalency, graduation date and GPA.  Post-Secondary schools need U.S. equivalency, course-by-course evaluation, number of earned credits and CGPA.  The official evaluation from a NACES accredited service must be sent directly to Friends University. 
• If secondary or post-secondary experience is in the United States, an official transcript from the institution must be sent directly to Friends University.
• All international students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average or 2.0 on 4.0 point scale to be admitted.

5.  Government Documents

• SEVIS I-901 fee must be paid BEFORE applying for an F-1 visa at a United States embassy/consulate and/or before entering the United States.  For more detailed information, please visit the Student and Exchange Visitor Program at www.ice.gov/sevis.
• After receipt of the letter of admission from Friends University, international students transferring from another United States school must complete and sign a Transfer Request Form.  This form verifies that the student has the immigration status necessary to transfer.
• Initial F1 Visa international students and transfer students must report to the International Student Advisor (DSO) within 15 days of the program start date.

6.  Health Documents

• Acquire Friends University sponsored health insurance.
• Comply with the Friends University Health and Wellness office prevention and immunization requirements before living in on-campus housing or attending class.

International students wishing to take coursework at another institution, while studying at Friends University, may do so on a guest basis.  To be a guest student, an international student must maintain full-time enrollment with Friends University and must maintain a full course of study.  Authorization to be a guest student must be granted by the International Student Advisor (DSO). 

Students who wish to reactivate their admission after interrupting their enrollment at Friends University for one or more enrollment terms must complete an application form. Any student returning after a two-term absence becomes subject to the Catalog and program in effect at the time of their re-entry.

Students who have been academically dismissed from another institution will not be considered for admission to Friends University until at least one semester without enrollment at any college has been completed.

Full Admission: Students who have met the stated academic standards.

Provisional Admission: Provisionally admitted students will be referred for appropriate assistance and other academic and student support services. Students enrolled in a traditional program must enroll in Learning Strategies Seminar and will be limited to 14 credit hours for their first semester. They may be required to enroll in specified courses to assist them in achieving academic success.

Conditional Admission: Students who do not meet the specified academic standards for full or provisional admission will be denied admission to the University. These students may appeal this decision by submitting a letter requesting an exception. Transfer and GED students must also submit their official high school and ACT transcripts. Appeals will be reviewed on an individual basis by the Admissions Committee.

Tentative Admissions: In some circumstances, students who have not submitted all official documents (including an eight-semester high school transcript) may be admitted tentatively. Any financial aid, for which the student is eligible, will not be disbursed until the requirements for admission are completed. If complete and acceptable transcripts have not been received by the Admissions Processing Office no later than four weeks after classes begin, the student will be: 1) administratively withdrawn and 2) obligated for the cost of attendance during this tentative admission as established in the published refund policies.

Persons seeking exceptions to stated University policies regarding admissions policies must first confer with the admission counselor they are working with to gain input on whether their request for exception is appropriate. The prospective student can, at their discretion, make their request in writing for an admission exception to the Admissions Exceptions Committee. The Admissions Exceptions Committee along with input from the University Registrar, Academic Affairs, Admissions Processing and the student’s academic advisor will determine if the request will be granted.  The student will be informed in writing of the decision for the requested exception.

Persons who do not intend to secure a degree from Friends University but who wish to take specified courses may be admitted under a special student status. A maximum of 15 semester hours may be accumulated under this status. No transcript or ACT scores are required. (If a student decides to continue enrollment, he or she must apply for admission as a degree-bound student.)

Students who do not intend to secure a degree from Friends University but whose sole intent is to transfer credit back to their parent institution may be admitted under a guest student status. A student may attend this University for two semesters under this status. A letter of good standing from the Registrar of the parent institution is required. (If a student decides to continue enrollment, he or she must apply for admission as a degree-bound student.)

1. Students should be high school seniors who are currently enrolled in high school.*
2. Limit of one course per semester not to include private fine arts classes.*
3. Students must be admitted to Friends University and meet the specified criteria. This includes:
   
   1. Admissions application
   2. A non-refundable application fee
   3. Six- or seven-semester transcript
   4. ACT or SAT scores
   5. A written recommendation from a high school administrator or counselor
   6. An ACT-GPA product of 55 or greater
4. Students will be charged a per credit hour tuition fee.  See Fee Schedule for current rate.

*Request for exceptions to the criteria must be made in writing and submitted to the Director of Traditional Undergraduate Admissions. The Admissions Committee will evaluate requests on an individual basis.

Upon yearly agreement with identified local high schools, students may enroll in approved courses for concurrent high school and Friends University credit. To enroll, students must meet the following criteria:

1. Student must be a high school junior or senior.
2. Student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above.
3. Concurrent credit is only awarded for yearlong courses.
4. A minimum grade of “C” must be achieved during the first semester of the high school year-long course.
5. Student must have approval from an instructor, principal or counselor.
6. Student must have permission from a parent or guardian.
7. The student will be charged a per credit hour tuition fee. This non-refundable charge will be collected with the registration materials at enrollment. There will be no late enrollments or refunds of charges. The college admission and registration will be done the first two weeks of the start of second semester at the identified local high school.
8. Student fees and new student fees will not be assessed.
9. High School concurrent courses will be transcripted by Friends University.  For the student to receive college credit, a minimum course grade of ‘C’ for each semester of the high school course must be achieved.  Letter grades submitted by the high school instructor of A, B, or C will be posted to the student’s Friends University academic record.  All other grades will be transcripted as ‘NC’ or no credit awarded.
10. Up to 36 hours of concurrent credit may be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Persons wishing to audit traditional undergraduate courses may do so by completing an application for admission and paying all regular fees. Tuition is then charged at one-half the regular rate, no credit is given and there may be less obligation for coursework. To audit a class a student must check the “audit” section on the enrollment card.

This Friends University program opens classes to senior citizens 65 years of age and older at a reduced tuition rate. Applicants to this program will pay one-half of the regular published credit hour rate. Audit classes are charged at the regular published audit rate. This program is restricted to enrollments in traditional undergraduate coursework. Enrollments will be permitted on a space available basis and will be subject to an admission fee plus any lab fees required.