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Procedures, Evaluation and Decision
Graduate Admissions Office
Upon receipt of Inquiry
The Graduate Admissions Office replies with the
following:
- instructions on how to apply using the online application,
- URLs for the downloadable PDF application instructions
and forms, and
- contact information for the graduate programs.
Upon request, the Graduate Admissions Office sends application
instructions and forms by mail.
Upon Receipt of Application
1. Creation of a Dossier
The Graduate Admissions Office creates a dossier for each
application received and records receipt of the following:
- application form
- application fee
- required transcripts
- GRE scores, if required
- TOEFL/IELTS scores, if required
- Residency Declaration Form, if required
- Confidential Financial Statement for International
Applicants, if required
Once submitted, application materials cannot be returned
to the applicant and are released only for admissions and
scholarship evaluation purposes.
2. Forwarding of Program Specific Documentation
Program specific documentation requirements that have been
sent to the Graduate Admissions Office are forwarded to
the appropriate graduate program.
3. Generation of Evaluation or Review Sheet
Once complete, each application dossier is processed by
a graduate admissions specialist, who verifies the accreditation
of the institutions attended by the applicant and evaluates
the applicant's academic records. Depending on the GPA of
the applicant, the specialist generates either an evaluation
sheet (GPA above or equal to 2.7) or a review sheet (GPA
below 2.7).
4. Generation of Weekly Admissions Status Reports (Status Report Legend)
Graduate programs may request reports by sending an email
to info@grad.hawaii.edu.
Graduate Programs
Upon receipt of an application dossier forwarded
by the Graduate Admissions Office, each graduate program shall:
1. Verify that the applicant meets the admissions requirements
of the graduate program.
2. Record standardized exam scores (if received by the
graduate program) on the evaluation or review sheet, if
the scores have not yet been recorded by the Graduate Admissions
Office.
3. Indicate the recommended admissions action for the applicant.
In the case of an applicant (both domestic and international)
with a GPA below 3.0, the following are possible actions:
- Admission by Exception
An applicant with a GPA above or equal to 2.7 but below
3.0 may be admitted by exception, upon recommendation
by the graduate program.
- Admission by Petition
An applicant with a GPA below 2.7 is considered
inadmissible. However, the graduate program may petition
the Graduate Admissions Office to re-evaluate the applicant.
The petition should present evidence indicating the applicant's
potential for successfully completing the intended degree
objective. Examples of evidence include relevant letters
of recommendation, education, training, experience or
publications, etc.
4. Indicate the financial aid decision on the evaluation
sheet, for admissible international applicants. In the case
of a pending financial aid decision, the program should
still indicate the recommended admissions action and return
the application dossier to the Graduate Admissions Office.
As soon as a financial aid decision is made, the graduate
program must inform the Graduate Admissions Office.
5. Signs and makes copy of evaluation/review sheet to keep
on file with the graduate program.
6. Retains transcripts that are stamped "Department
Copy." (If transcripts are received by the graduate
program, the program should send the transcripts to the
Graduate Admissions Office, with institutional envelopes
attached to the transcripts to certify that they are official.)
7. Returns the rest of the dossier to the Graduate Admissions
Office.
Final Decision
Final admissions decisions rest with the Graduate Admissions
Office, which takes into full consideration the recommendations
of the graduate programs. Admission decisions may be based
on a comparison of the relative merits of all applicants applying
to the graduate program or to an area of concentration for
that particular semester.
Admitted
The Graduate Admissions Office sends the following to applicants
who have been admitted:
- An admission letter indicating the tuition status and
course deficiencies (if any). A copy of the letter is
sent to the graduate program.
- A Statement of Intention to Register.
- Instructions on how to download the required health
form from the University Health Services' Web site.
- A form for the English
Language Institute, if applicable.
- Visa documents, if applicable.
Denied
The Graduate Admissions Office sends a denial letter to
the applicant. A copy of the letter is sent to the graduate
program.
Some of the common bases of denial are undistinguished
academic records and poor standardized exam scores, inadequate
preparation or background for advanced academic or professional
study, unclear or unfocused graduate study objectives. In
addition, applicants may be denied admission due to the
inability of the graduate program to accommodate all qualified
applicants, due to limited space or other resources or lack
of faculty to advise the students in their specified areas
of interest.
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