Online Application Now Available

CPU Director answers commonly-asked questions about the program and the application.

Dear Prospective CPU Applicants,

I wanted to clarify some information about the application process, admission criteria, and benefits of the program.

First, we have made one procedural change from last year’s application: we now require only one faculty recommendation instead of two. The faculty member you choose should be able to comment on your quantitative skills and knowledge. Second, I’d like to answer three commonly-asked questions.

• Question 1: Are there any grade/GPA requirements in order to apply or be accepted to the Certificate Program? There is a fairly wide range of both cumulative GPA and prerequisite course averages (we evaluate both) among accepted students. Our minimum average for the prerequisite courses is 3.0. Please be assured that we evaluate your complete academic record, with special attention to the most recent quarters. We understand that students’ grades can be affected by many factors over time, and we take that into account.
• Question 2: Do you give preference to students who have taken the honors sequence of various courses? You do not have to take the honors sequence in order to be a competitive applicant.
• Question 3: Do I have to be interested in finance or consulting to benefit from the program? While it’s true that many of our alumni work in those two industries, CPU alumni also work in technology, government, health care, education, and not-for-profit organizations. The knowledge and skills you gain in the CPU are applicable to any industry, field, organization, or work sector that collects and analyzes information for “business” purposes. This body of knowledge can be used in policy development, science, program or product design, planning, technology innovation, human services, government, and the arts, to name just a few. So please don’t think that the CPU courses and experience wouldn’t be relevant if you’re not interested in business per se. “Business” is a very broad term, and is really more of a common sense approach to work than any particular type of organization or financial orientation.

Finally, the application is now available online and is due no later than midnight Sunday, February 19, 2012.

Please contact me if you have questions or want to talk about how the CPU may fit into your interests and current plans.

Sincerely,


Carol Henes
Director, Kellogg Certificate Program for Undergraduates