Before New Student Orientation

Official transcripts from each institution at which you earned credit must be sent from those institutions to the KU Office of Admissions and Scholarships for evaluation. This includes college-level offered as dual enrollment through your high school.

Generally, academic courses transfer from any regionally-accredited college or university. The School to which you have been admitted will determine if transfer courses fulfill degree requirements. Remedial, vocational and technical courses will not transfer.

If you want to know if KU has received transcripts and/or test scores, use the following link: www.admissions.ku.edu/status.

When you come to New Student Orientation, bring a copy of your grade report, transcript, AP and/or IB test scores for all completed and current course work so your academic advisor can help you select the appropriate courses. You will have an opportunity to turn in transcripts after checking-in at New Student Orientation. Do not open official sealed transcripts.

If you have taken Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams through high school programs, you may be eligible to earn credit at KU. The University accepts AP and IB exam scores in several areas. Credit, not grades, will be assigned. You must have your official scores mailed to the KU Office of Admissions and Scholarships.

In some cases, your score may exempt you from a course requirement. Higher scores, depending on the subject and the score, may give you credit hours toward your degree. Detailed information on credit or exemptions for AP and IB may be found at www.admissions.ku.edu/credit/earned.shtml.

To have your AP scores sent to KU, contact the Advanced Placement Program at www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html or at (609) 771-7300 and give them the KU code, 006871.

To have your IB scores sent to KU, contact the International Baccalaureate Program at www.ibo.org or at (212) 696-4464.

If KU has not received your scores by the time you attend New Student Orientation, you will enroll in classes as if you were not receiving advanced placement or credit. Once your scores are received, you will have the opportunity to work with an academic advisor to make schedule changes for courses affected by the scores.

The Office of Admissions and Scholarships provides a credit transfer and earned credit web site that will give you a good indication as to how your courses will transfer. It can be found at www.admissions.ku.edu/credit/earned.shtml.

It is University policy that you complete English (ENGL) 101 and 102 during your first two semesters at KU. If you qualify, you may take the honors section, ENGL 105, which replaces 101 and 102. Successful completion of the Freshman/Sophomore English Requirement builds your writing competency which is necessary for success in upper-level college courses.

You may be exempt from ENGL 101 with certain ACT English or SAT verbal scores.

• An English ACT score of 31-33 or an SAT verbal score of 600-640 places you in ENGL 102.
• An English ACT score of 34-36 or an SAT verbal score of 650+ places you in ENGL 105.

If you were admitted to the University Honors Program:

• An English ACT score of 31+ or an SAT verbal score of 600+, places you in ENGL 105.
• An English ACT score of 27-30 or an SAT verbal score of 500 to 590 places you in ENGL 102 and you are eligible to take the English Department's Honors Placement Examination for possible admission to ENGL 105.
• An English ACT score of 26 or lower or an SAT verbal score below 500 places you in ENGL 101.

If you have not met the math requirements for your degree, it is University policy that you take math during your first semester at KU. This is to ensure that you 1) immediately build on the mathematics skills you acquired most recently and 2) complete math courses that are prerequisites for many other courses.

Helpful Hint - Some programs at KU require multiple math classes beyond MATH 101 while others may not. It is important that you know what math classes are required for your major interests.

Math placement is based on your math ACT/SAT scores. Students should enroll in the highest level math for which they are qualified based on the following chart:

You must have the minimum ACT/SAT score to enroll in specific math courses as indicated in the math placement table unless:

1. You have already received credit for the prerequisite for a course through advanced placement or transfer credit.
   OR
2. You have taken KU's math placement test to determine your initial placement in math courses. The test is offered on campus in Snow Hall. For test dates and registration information, visit the Mathematics Department website.

Reminder - English or math courses taken for college credit while still in high school as well as credit received through AP/IB will affect your placement in first semester courses. Please be certain you have had your transcripts or scores sent to the Office of Admission and Scholarships so that they may be processed before your orientation session.

The Bachelor of Arts and some Bachelor of Science degree programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences require proficiency in a foreign language. This is true of some of the professional schools as well. Students who have taken a foreign language in high school or at another college or university may continue the study of that language or start a new language. For more information on the wide variety of languages offered, see the Foreign Languages at KU web page.

Helpful Hint - If you did not take a foreign language in high school or college, you do NOT need to take a placement exam.

For French, German or Spanish: If you have taken French, German or Spanish in high school and plan to continue the study of that language, you should take the free, online placement exam at least one week prior to your orientation session. Use the password listed below. Follow the instructions on the screen and bring your results with you to New Student Orientation.

For all other languages, ask your Academic advisor how to contact the department for placement.

You will have an opportunity to change your major on Day One after checking in.

The best place to start is at the web sites for the various schools or the departments of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Links to schools and departments may be found at the following link: www.advising.ku.edu/choosemajor/majors.shtml.

Disability Resources is housed in the Academic Achievement and Access Center (AAAC). Information and contacts can be found at http://www.achievement.ku.edu/disability/. Additionally, there will be an early-bird session during check-in that focuses on disability resources at KU.

Remember that you are new to the college experience. Some concepts and procedures may be new to you, but remember you will become more familiar with them over time. New Student Orientation is also your first opportunity to meet with KU administrators, staff and students, both current and new. They understand that you are new to KU, so be ready to ask questions. Come ready to listen and willing to learn.

Academically, you will have the opportunity to choose or change your major and select relevant courses. If you have not yet chosen a major, you will be able to choose courses that will work toward a wide variety of majors. Having thought about these topics before you come to New Student Orientation will be helpful to you. Remember to be open to new and different courses and/or majors you may have not heard of before coming to New Student Orientation.