Missouri Journalism School to Admit Freshmen for the First Time

COLUMBIA, Mo.

For the first time in its 93-year history, the Missouri School of Journalism will admit some students directly from high school this spring. In the fall, the journalism school also will begin admitting pre-journalism students already enrolled in the University of Missouri-Columbia's honors college who have maintained 3.0 grade-point averages.

"Our intent is to make it simpler for our best students to enter the school directly and at the same time reduce the amount of bureaucracy involved in the admissions process," says Dean Mills, dean of the journalism school.

Students who qualify will no longer need to formally apply directly to the school, as admissions will be automatic for those who meet the honors college's eligibility criteria. Students are honors-eligible if they receive an ACT score of 29 or higher, SAT of 1280 or higher and are in the upper 10 percent of their high-school classes.

To ensure qualification for upper-division status, freshman and sophomore majors still need to maintain a 3.0 grade-point average and complete all the school's current general education and other requirements for first- and second-year students. Students with GPAs below 3.0 will be allowed to continue in journalism on a space-available basis. Existing and incoming pre-journalism students who are not honors-eligible will remain eligible to apply for admission to the school in the second semester of their sophomore year. These application procedures remain the same.

"We want our students feel like they are part of the school as freshmen," Mills says. "This is a big step in that direction."