From the Director Scholarship Initiatives Designed to Assist Financially Disadvantaged If I Said, “Wow, What a Year!” Would You Be Surprised? I Doubt It

Information for High School and Community College Educators

Fall 2006 Volume 23:1 New scholarships open doors to Iowa The University of Iowa has two new From the director scholarship initiatives designed to assist financially disadvantaged If I said, “Wow, what a year!” would you be surprised? I doubt it. Cyberspace was students and to attract nonresident full of speculative rhetoric all year. I’m writing to give you our observations and to students. report on the characteristics of the class of 2010. The Iowa Pathways Program was Fall 2006 produced a record University of Iowa established to assist financially enrollment of 4,289 first-year students. We also disadvantaged, high-achieving received a record number of first-year applications undergraduate students from Iowa. with 14,337, and saw increases in both resident and The award of approximately $14,000 nonresident applicants. provides for all of students’ direct Our recent enrollment history may help put this educational costs, including tuition, year’s numbers into perspective. Fall 2002 was the fees, room, board, and books. To be last time we experienced record first-year student eligible, students must be accepted enrollment, with 4,184 students. For the next three to The University of Iowa, come from years, we intentionally made the class smaller to a family with a parental income at ensure the quality of the educational environment or below 150 percent of the poverty during a time of declining state support. The level, rank in the top 10 percent of entering class of 3,849 students in fall 2005 was their high school class, and maintain right on target. a GPA of 3.00 while attending The We were pleased when conditions allowed us to University of Iowa. increase our target for first-year students to 4,000 Another new scholarship program, for fall 2006. This seemed to be a comfortable the Iowa Heritage Program, will number, but the first day of classes brought more students than we had envisioned. award $1,500, renewable in subse- This fall, our yield for both residents and nonresidents increased, producing a quent years, to entering nonresident growth of more than 6 percent in Iowa residents and more than 19 percent in non- undergraduate students who have a residents—who hail from 39 states and 11 foreign countries. Our domestic diversity parent, stepparent, legal guardian, or improved by more than 13 percent. Our application numbers started out high and grandparent who graduated from The remained so throughout the year. When students paid the acceptance fee, more of University of Iowa. them really meant it! There were fewer “placeholder” deposits this year compared For more information about with last. merit-based scholarships, including At press time for this newsletter, the data are still being audited. By the end of the Presidential, Old Gold, National October, we should have the complete First Year Profile ready to send you, along Scholars, National Merit, and Transfer with enrollment reports. We expect no significant changes for fall 2007 in our scholarships, among many others, approach to making admission decisions for first-year students. Visit www.uiowa visit www.uiowa.edu/admissions/ .edu/admissions/undergrad/first-year to review admission requirements and to see undergrad/costs. application materials. This site will be especially helpful for schools that do not provide class rank data for students. Transfer enrollment continues to be quite stable, with 1,227 new transfer students enrolled this fall. The numbers are down slightly from last year, but overall we tend to enroll about this many each year. I would direct your attention to the transfer news in this newsletter, as we have increased transfer requirements begin- Kiplinger’s Personal Finance ning in summer 2007, and started the 2 Plus 2 Guaranteed Graduation Plan. As always, please contact our office directly if you have any questions or comments. magazine ranked Iowa City No. 10 on its list of “smart Sincerely, places to live.”

Michael Barron Assistant Provost for Enrollment Services and Director of Admissions 800-553-iowa

New transfer admission requirements announced Beginning in summer 2007, transfer students applying to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must have: • A 2.50 cumulative GPA (previously a 2.25) on at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) of acceptable graded credit. • Completed the High School Course Requirements, including: ˚ 4 years of English/language arts ˚ 2 years of a single foreign language ˚ 3 years of science, including one full-year course from two of the following areas: biology, chemistry, or physics. The third course can be from any area, such as general science, physical science, environ- mental science, and anatomy and physiology. ˚ 3 years of social studies Students in The Iowa Edge program take part in a team-building exercise at The University of Iowa’s ˚ 2 years of algebra High Adventure Challenge Course. The Iowa Edge is a weeklong program that helps first-year ˚ 1 year of geometry students of color and first-generation college students with the transition to university life. OR ˚ An Associate of Arts (AA) degree New program gives students an edge from an Iowa community college participating in an articulation One week before fall 2006 classes President Gary Fethke and Iowa City agreement with the University started, about 45 first-year students Mayor Ross Wilburn. and a cumulative transfer GPA of color and first-generation college Helping to coordinate The Iowa Edge of at least 2.00 from all colleges students participated in The Iowa are staff and faculty from the Office of attended. AA degree holders from Edge program. Admissions, Tippie College of Business, Black Hawk College in Illinois must The Iowa Edge is a recruitment- Iowa Biosciences Advantage, Office have a cumulative transfer GPA to-retention program designed to of Support Service Programs, New of 2.25 from all colleges attended. build community among diverse new Dimensions in Learning, Opportunity at Transfer students with an approved students, as well as to provide program- Iowa, Women in Science and Engineer- AA degree are exempt from the ming to help students transition from ing, College of Engineering, Student High School Course Requirements. high school into college. The Iowa Disability Services, Academic Advising Edge included programs on academic Center, Office of Student Life, Univer- Students with fewer than 24 semester expectations, campus resources, sity Housing, and Orientation Services. hours will be considered based on a diversity, leadership, personal finance, For more information about The Iowa combination of high school and college and building relationships. Speakers Edge, visit www.biz.uiowa.edu/upo/edge. academic records, as well as ACT or SAT included University of Iowa Interim scores.

All incoming students are now required to take an online course called AlcoholEdu. The course is part of a nationwide program to help educate college students about the wide-ranging effects of alcohol.

New role for Admissions staff member Admission counselors David Malott is the new senior counselor Guinevere Banks Sheila Schechinger and assistant to the director of transfer Territory: Illinois Territory: Illinois relations. Malott brings much expertise BA, African American World Studies, BA, Sociology, 1998; BBA, Management to the position with more than eight years 2004, The University of Iowa; MA, and Organizations, 2003, of experience in the Office of Admissions. Public Administration, Nonprofit The University of Iowa He holds a bachelor’s degree from Oregon Administration, 2006, University of Hometown: Wheaton, Ill. State University and South Dakota Joined UI Admissions: 2003 a master’s degree Hometown: Lynwood, Ill. from the University Joined UI Admissions: 2006 Laura Spencer of Florida. He can Territory: Northeast Iowa, be reached at Megan Cassat Minnesota, Illinois 319-335-1565 or Territory: Northwest Iowa, South Dakota BA with Honors, History, 2005, by e-mail at david- BA, Communication Studies and Psychol- The University of Iowa ogy, 2006, The University of Iowa Hometown: Arlington Heights, Ill. [email protected]. Hometown: Sioux Falls, S.D. Joined UI Admissions: 2005 Joined UI Admissions: 2006 Jacqueline Kleppe Williams Brian Emerick Territory: Linn, Johnson, Territory: Select areas of Cedar counties in Iowa southeast Iowa BA with Honors, Journalism and Mass 2 Plus 2 makes for easier transition BA, History, 2002, Gustavus Adolphus Communication and Communication The University of Iowa launched the 2 Plus College; MA, Student Development Studies, 1998, The University of Iowa 2 Guaranteed Graduation Plan this fall for in Postsecondary Education, 2006, Hometown: Bennett, Iowa Iowa community college students who plan The University of Iowa Joined UI Admissions: 1999 to transfer to Iowa. This program encour- Hometown: Hayfield, Minn. ages long-range planning and aims to ease Joined UI Admissions: 2003 Kevin Zalanowski student transition to the University. Territory: Des Moines area, Students who sign up for the program Annabelle Hullana Wisconsin, Michigan must meet graduation checkpoints while Territory: Southwest Iowa, BA, History, 2001, Pennsylvania State Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas University; MA, Student Affairs attending community college and while BA, Communication Studies, 2006, Administration in Higher Education, at Iowa. The University will provide these The University of Iowa 2004, Ball State University students with a number of benefits, Hometown: Mundelein, Ill. Hometown: Altoona, Pa. including a UI e-mail account, access to Joined UI Admissions: 2006 Joined UI Admissions: 2004 advisors and the Pomerantz Career Center, discounted tickets to cultural and selected athletic events, and, most importantly, guaranteed graduation within four years. The University is initially offering this program to students in select majors at the following community colleges: Kirkwood, Scott, Muscatine, Clinton, and Iowa Western. The program will expand to other Iowa community colleges in the near future. Check out www.uiowa.edu/2plus2 or call 800-553-IOWA for more details.

Left to right: Jacqueline Williams, Brian Emerick, Megan Cassat, Kevin Zalanowski, Sheila Schechinger, Laura Spencer, Annabelle Hullana, Guinevere Banks

Information for High School and Community College Educators

Fall 2006 Volume 23:1

Nonprofit Organization Office of Admissions U.S. Postage 107 Calvin Hall PAID Iowa City, IA 52242-1396 Permit No. 45 Iowa City, IA

inside Fall 2006 program days • Enrollment milestone Black & Gold Day ICN • New scholarships Friday, Oct. 6 Monday, Oct. 16 open doors Monday, Oct. 9 Wednesday, Oct. 18 Monday, Oct. 23 • Iowa students get an edge Black & Gold Day Tuesday, Oct. 24 and Transfer Day Monday, Oct. 30 • 2 Plus 2 eases transition Friday, Oct. 13 Wednesday, Nov. 1 Friday, Oct. 20 Monday, Nov. 6 • New transfer Friday, Oct. 27 Wednesday, Nov. 8 requirements Friday, Nov. 3 Monday, Nov. 13 Campus visit tours offer the best way to make Friday, Nov. 10 Thursday, Nov. 16 an informed college choice. Join UI staff and • Admissions staffer Friday, Nov. 17 students for a day full of activities at one of this takes new role Friday, Dec. 1 fall’s Black & Gold Days. • Meet the admission counselors

Iowa Update is published by the University of Iowa Office of Admissions and produced by University Relations Publications. It is specifically designed for secondary school and community college staff concerned with the transition of students to postsecondary education. Editorial staff: Kathryne Bassett, Christopher Clair, Madelaine Jerousek-Smith, Joanna Malott, Jane Warner. Design: Sondra Cue. The University of Iowa Contributing Writers: Anne Gannaway, Valerie Garr, Tom Paulsen. Photographers: Tom Jorgensen, Tim Schoon. Printed on recycled paper. subscribes to the statement of principles of good practice The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, national origin, in the admission process of color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preference. The University the National Association for also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to University facilities. For additional information, contact College Admission Counseling. the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 319-335-0705.60634-10/06