Schools · Programs · Policies · Courses · Index · AU Home
Undergraduate Catalog 2001-2003

Admission

Admission | Entering Freshmen | Adult Student Admission | Transfer Students 
International Students | Special Admission Status | Second Bachelor's Degrees | Veterans 
AU/WCC Joint Admissions Articulation | Illinois Articulation Initiative


Admission:

Aurora University admits qualified students from varied geographical, cultural, economic, racial, and religious backgrounds. In each candidate, Aurora University looks for two general qualities: academic ability enabling a person to benefit from the University's excellent programs and a diversity of talents and interests that will make our campus community a better and richer place to learn. Applications will be considered on the basis of academic ability, character, activities, and motivation.

All correspondence about admission and campus visits should be addressed to the Office of Admission and Financial Aid, Aurora University, 347 S. Gladstone Avenue, Aurora, Illinois 60506-4892. For further information about admission to the University, call 1-800-742-5281, or visit our website at www.aurora.edu.


Entering Freshmen:

Students who have completed fewer than 15 semester hours or 22.5 quarter hours of college work are regarded as entering freshmen and are considered for regular admission on the basis of the following general requirements:


Adult Student Admission:

Aurora University is proud of its long tradition of service to nontraditional, adult students. Undergraduate students over the age of 23 are considered on an individual basis under guidelines established by the faculty. The University recognizes that many factors besides prior academic record may be important indicators of an adult student's potential for success in college. If a student has taken courses at other colleges, transcripts will be required; however, the University also considers such factors as career experience and community service in evaluating adult students for admission. Proof of high school graduation or completion of the G.E.D. is required, but high school grades are not normally used as an admission criterion for adult students.


Transfer Students:

Students who have completed at least 15 semester hours or 22.5 quarter hours of transferable work at other accredited colleges or universities are admitted primarily on the basis of their prior college records. Proof of high school graduation or completion of G.E.D., will be required for applicants with less than 30 semester hours of transferable college coursework. Regular admission is granted to students who have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale at previous colleges; students with previous GPAs of less than 2.0 are considered on an individual basis and may be admitted "on warning" at the discretion of the University.

Transfer of Credit: 
Credit earned at previous colleges with a grade of at least C- is transferable if it is non-technical in nature, is comparable to credit offered at Aurora University, or is generally considered applicable to programs such as those offered by the University. Only credit earned at regionally accredited schools or at schools accredited by CORPA-recognized accrediting bodies is considered for transfer through the normal process. Credit considered acceptable for transfer is listed in a separate section of the student's permanent record by the Registrar. Transfer credit is applied to general degree requirements with the approval of the Registrar and to the student's major with the approval of the appropriate program faculty, subject to the limitations of the University's residence requirement and in accordance with the Academic Regulations. Students should be aware that some programs of the University have time limits for the transfer of credit into the major, although there is no general time limit for the University. Grades earned at other schools are used to determine transferability of credit, and as a criterion for transfer admission, but are not included in the student's Aurora University Grade Point Average.

Credit Transfer for Students Holding Associate Degrees: 
Students holding a transfer-oriented associate degree (A.A. or A.S.) from a regionally accredited college may have met all lower-division general education requirements for a bachelor's degree from AU. Two upper division general degree requirements must be completed in order for the associate's degree to qualify as meeting all general-education requirements. An admission counselor can provide information concerning requirements that still need to be met.

Nontraditional Sources of Credit: 
Learning achieved through the military or in other organized training programs may be credited in those cases where it has been evaluated by the American Council on Education. In addition, Aurora University accepts credit earned through the CLEP, DANTES, APP, ACT-PEP, and NLN Mobility testing programs; for information on CLEP testing at Aurora University, contact the Office of the Registrar. A maximum of 68 semester hours of prior community college, CLEP, and APP credit is allowed for transfer students. A portfolio assessment program is available to students who have significant prior learning from career achievements, individual study, or volunteer work; credit assessed through this program, up to one full year of college work (30 semester hours), may be applied to meet several areas of the degree requirements for graduation. An additional nine semester hours of credit may be earned for a Career Investigation Field Experience (CIFE) petition as part of the portfolio assessment.


International Students:

Students from other countries are admitted to Aurora University on the basis of the following criteria:

Credit previously earned at foreign institutions is evaluated by the Registrar in accordance with AACRAO guidelines and thus may be deemed transferable to Aurora University. Certified English translations must accompany original transcripts in any other language; the Registrar requires evaluation of foreign transcripts by an outside evaluator at student expense. International students who have completed work at other U.S. colleges or universities must submit official transcripts and, at the discretion of the University, may be considered for admission as transfer students on the basis of this work.


Special Admission Status:

Student-at-Large: 
A student, who does not hold a bachelor's degree and is not seeking a degree, but wishes to enroll in a few courses for credit, is defined as a student-at-large. Prerequisites must be satisfied for the courses in which a person wishes to enroll. Only 15 semester hours can be taken as a student-at-large. The standard tuition rate applies, and financial aid is not available.

Post-Undergraduate Student: 
A student, who holds a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and wishes to enroll in undergraduate courses for credit, but not to seek a second degree, may do so as an extended student. The standard tuition rate applies.

Provisional Student: 
A student, who has applied for regular admission but has been unable to supply all necessary documentation due to circumstances beyond the individual's control, may be provisionally admitted to the University at the discretion of the Vice President for Enrollment. If provisionally admitted, a student may register for classes for one term at their own risk (since the records of the educational background are incomplete). An application file must be complete and approved before a student is allowed to register for a second term. Financial Aid is not available.

Conditional Admission: 
A student, who has applied for regular admission but has an academic record that does not meet ordinary admission standards, may be conditionally admitted to the University at the discretion of the Admission Review Committee. Academic progress will be regularly reviewed. The student is required to participate in other remedial coursework and programs designed to help assure academic success.

Students who are admitted conditionally are required to attend the STAR (Students Targeted for Academic Rewards) summer orientation program. The STAR orientation is an intense five-day residential preparation program that introduces students to the academic and social world of college through films, faculty lectures, class work, small group discussions, panel discussions, and structured activities. STAR participants will get invaluable exposure to college life and will be introduced to the support system available to them.


Second Bachelor's Degrees:

If a student already holds a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and wishes to earn a second degree from Aurora University, he/she may do so by meeting the University's residence requirement (30 semester hours, including the last 24 semester hours in the degree), by completing an approved major that contains a minimum of 24 semester hours not included in the major of the first degree.

Holders of bachelor's degrees from Aurora University may earn a second major by completing any approved major that contains at least 18 semester hours not present in the first major. Earning a second bachelor's degree requires completing the major requirements for that degree, including at least 24 semester hours not present in the major in the first degree.

For detailed information on the completion of a second degree at Aurora University, contact the Director of Academic Advisement.


Veterans:

If a person has served in the United States armed forces and wishes to use veterans' benefits to attend Aurora University, contact the University's Veterans Affairs Officer in the Registrar's Office. Veterans must follow the admissions requirements and procedures outlined in this catalog. For certification of eligibility for education benefits under one of the public laws, apply for Veterans Administration benefits through the Veterans Affairs Officer.


Aurora University and Waubonsee Community College Agreement for Joint Admissions and Degree Completion Articulation:

The Aurora University (AU) and Waubonsee Community College (WCC) Joint Admissions Agreement is intended to better-serve students in the WCC service area by providing a means for students to be simultaneously admitted to both institutions. This agreement is designed to simplify the process of degree completion for students who wish to begin at WCC and continue at AU.

When jointly admitted, a student will work with advisors at both Waubonsee and Aurora to plan courses for maximum transferability, and will be able to enter Aurora University after completing the Waubonsee degree without going through any further admission process.

In order to be eligible for joint admission under this agreement, a student must meet all applicable admission requirements of both WCC and AU, at the time of joint admission. Students must agree in writing to the exchange of admission and advising information between WCC and AU. This program is open to any eligible student at WCC.


Illinois Articulation Initiative:

Aurora University participates in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), which eases the transfer process among many Illinois colleges and universities. The IAI is a major, statewide, cooperative agreement among participating Illinois colleges and universities to facilitate successful transfer of course credits from one participating institution to another. A general education core curriculum has been defined by IAI and if students follow the prescribed curriculum, the credits will generally satisfy general education requirements at participating Illinois colleges and universities. It should be noted that the agreement currently applies to general education requirements, although IAI core curriculum for specific transfer majors is also being developed.


Posted: 11 March 2002