Resolution on Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

for the University of Delaware

Whereas, it is the responsibility of the Faculty of the University of Delaware to determine the educational and academic policies of admission, and,

Whereas, the University of Delaware strives to enroll students who are academically prepared to benefit from curricula offered at the University, and,

Whereas, the Faculty recognize the educational benefits of a student body that represents a diversity of social and cultural backgrounds, talents, and life experiences, and,

Whereas, the University of Delaware strives to serve the residents of the State of Delaware by admitting academically qualified Delawareans, be it therefore,

Resolved, that the Faculty endorse the following policies of admission to the University of Delaware.

1. Applications for undergraduate admission shall be reviewed for acceptance by an Admissions Committee from the Admissions Office.

2. First-year applicants must complete a minimum of 18 academic units in high school (grades 9-12) from college-preparatory or higher-level courses. These courses shall include at least:

· Four units of English.

· Three units of Mathematics.

· Three units of Science (including two units with laboratories).

· Four units of History or Social Studies (at least two of the units must be in History, and one of the History units must be in World History). An additional unit in Mathematics or Science may be substituted for one of the two Social Studies units.

· Two units of Foreign Language.

· College preparatory electives to bring the total to at least18 units.

3. First-year applicants must submit scores from the SAT Reasoning Test and/or ACT (with Writing).

4. The Admissions Committee shall monitor the academic performance of University of Delaware students to determine appropriate standards for high school grades and standardized test scores understanding that these may be affected by the rigor of the applicants’ high schools and course selections.

5. All aspects of a student’s application for admission may be considered. As part of its holistic reading of an application, the Admissions Committee may consider teacher, school counselor and other letters of recommendation, applicants’ admissions essays and other submitted materials, applicants’ extracurricular accomplishments and awards, and other indicators of character or perseverance.

6. Additional components may be required for majors that demand special talents or academic preparation, such as auditions, portfolios, or more stringent math and science preparation.

7. Applicants to the Honors Program may be required to submit additional materials, such as two SAT Subject Tests and an additional essay.

8. Delaware residents are encouraged to meet the requirements outlined in the published “UD Commitment to Delawareans" (Attachment 1) and shall be offered admission so long as they are academically prepared.

9. Home-schooled applicants and applicants from unaccredited high schools must furnish scores from both the SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests, or they may submit an ACT with Writing in lieu of the SAT Reasoning and Subject Tests.

10. Additional testing (such as a “TOEFL” or “IELTS” examination) or enrollment in an English language program may be required as a condition of admission in the case of applicants who are not native English speakers.

11. Guidelines shall be set for transfer admission to the University in consultation with the colleges and academic departments.

12. The Admissions Committee may modify the admission requirements or set special conditions of enrollment when necessary to admit students with unique or non-traditional educational backgrounds, such as returning adult students, home-schooled students, or special needs students, or students who for other reasons would be strong additions to the University community on either the Newark or the Associate in Arts Program campuses so long as compelling evidence exists that they are academically equipped to handle curricula at the University.

13. Personal behavior and ethical conduct may be considered as factors for admission, and admission may be denied or rescinded when a student’s conduct has been inconsistent with the principles set forth in the University’s Student Code of Conduct.

14. The Faculty shall review annually, through the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies, the educational and academic admissions policies of the University, recommend changes to the Faculty Senate for approval, and advise the Director of Admissions on their implementation.