Appealing an Admission Decision
How to Appeal
Students who are not admitted to the University may submit an appeal through Undergraduate Admissions. Students who are admitted to the University but not to a specific college may submit an appeal directly to the college.
Appealing to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism
Appealing to the School of Media Arts & Studies
Appealing to the Russ College of Engineering and Technology
Appealing to the College of Business
Appealing to the University
Students who are not initially admitted to the University may appeal the admission decision by sending a request for reconsideration to admissions@ohio.edu. The message should be directed to the attention of Dr. Mateo Remsburg, assistant vice president for enrollment management and executive director of Undergraduate Admissions.
In the body of the message, the student should indicate why he or she believes that the admission decision should be reconsidered. Generally, successful appeals present new information or offer clarity that was not available at the time of the original decision. Applicants are encouraged to submit any new supporting documentation that may strengthen the request. It is helpful to include a list of the items that Undergraduate Admissions should expect to receive in advance of making a decision on the appeal.
If an applicant intends to submit new transcripts or test scores, they should be sent officially through the school or testing agency. In some cases, schools provide term grade reports when a revised full transcript will not be available. Examples of other documentation that could be submitted directly might include any of the following:
- A personal essay explaining the applicant's academic preparation to succeed at OHIO.
- Letter(s) of recommendation, especially from counselors and/or teachers who can speak first-hand about the student's academic preparation.
- Lists of extracurricular activities, honors, and awards. Parents/guardians may submit supplemental letters of support, but Undergraduate Admissions can review only those requests for reconsideration that are written by the applicant.
If the deny decision was determined by the Dean of Students review process, a request for reconsideration not only should include any available updated academic information, but also should present information regarding the applicant's disciplinary record that was not available at the time of the original decision. Appeal materials should fully disclose the context and details of the offense that precipitated a DOS review.
Appeals are reviewed on a rolling basis, with decisions rendered approximately twice a month. Appeal decisions are final. Applicants may reapply to a future entry term but should present new information.
Applicants appealing the admissions decision are encouraged to submit their appeal materials by the priority date of April 1. Appeals will be considered after this date on a space-available basis.
Appealing to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism
Students who are admitted to the University but who are not admitted to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism may appeal the decision without risking University admission. A faculty committee conducts review of appeal materials, which should include:
A written letter of appeal formally requesting a review. The letter should address admission criteria and discuss why the applicant feels his or her credentials should be reassessed. The applicant should detail contributions he or she would bring to the School, including any personal or professional experiences. Please note that, in the tradition of sound journalism, the School seeks fact rather than persuasion.
Updated grades and/or test scores (transcripts must be official).
An essay response of no more than three typed, double-spaced pages to the question "How would attending the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism help you serve your community in the spirit of social responsibility?"
Journalism appeal materials should be sent to:
Journalism Appeals
Undergraduate Admissions
Chubb Hall 120
1 Ohio University Drive
Athens OH 45701
admissions@ohio.edu
Subject line: Journalism Additional Consideration
Applicants appealing the admissions decision are encouraged to submit their appeal materials by the priority date of April 1. Appeals will be considered after this date on a space-available basis.
Appealing to the School of Media Arts & Studies
Students who are admitted to the university but who are not admitted to the School of Media Arts & Studies may appeal the decision without risking University admission. A faculty committee conducts review of appeals materials, which should include:
A written letter of appeal formally requesting a review. The letter should address admission criteria and discuss why the applicant feels his or her credentials should be reassessed. The applicant should detail contributions he or she would bring to the School, including any personal or professional experiences.
Updated grades and/or test scores (transcripts must be official).
An essay response of no more than three typed, double-spaced pages to the question "Why does attending the School of Media Arts & Studies meet your academic goals now and your professional goals after graduation?"
Media Arts & Studies appeal materials should be sent to:
Media Arts & Studies Appeals
Undergraduate Admissions
Chubb Hall 120
1 Ohio University Drive
Athens OH 45701
admissions@ohio.edu
Subject line: Media Arts & Studies Additional Consideration
Applicants appealing the admissions decision are encouraged to submit their appeal materials by the priority date of April 1. Appeals will be considered after this date on a space-available basis.
Appealing to the Russ College of Engineering and Technology
Students who are admitted to the University but who are not admitted to the Russ College of Engineering and Technology and who feel that their application was not an accurate reflection of their capabilities may choose to appeal without risking University admission by submitting the following materials:
A written statement explaining why the applicant should be admitted into the Russ College. This could include why the student is prepared to "Create for good."
Any other information that was not available at the time of initial review. This may include updated transcripts showing a higher GPA, new standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, etc.
Most successful appeals show additional evidence of a student's academic preparation, including strong grades and scores in math and science.
Russ College appeal materials should be sent to:
Russ College Appeals
Undergraduate Admissions
Chubb Hall 120
1 Ohio University Drive
Athens OH 45701
admissions@ohio.edu
Subject line: Russ College Additional Consideration
Russ College appeal materials may also be submitted via e-mail to admissions@ohio.edu with a subject line "Russ College Additional Consideration." To ensure that your appeal is not reviewed until we have everything you wish to include, be sure to list the additional information we should expect to receive.
Applicants appealing the admissions decision are encouraged to submit their appeal materials by the priority date of April 1. Appeals will be considered after this date on a space-available basis.
Appealing to the College of Business
Students who are admitted to the University but who are not admitted to the College of Business may appeal the decision without risking University admission.
Showcase why you should be admitted to the College of Business. Please help us to better understand your potential as a student and future leader. These are examples only; feel free to be creative. Submit as many (or as few) of these items as you would like.
Essay. As a College, we value students with high potential and demonstrated aptitude, and we are looking for students with ambition who will be involved in extracurricular activities at the College of Business during their academic career. Use your essay to tell us more about who you are and who you plan to become through the College of Business. You can address admission criteria and discuss why you feel your credentials should be reassessed for admission. You can detail the contributions you bring to the college, including any personal and/or professional experiences that make your application extraordinary.
Extracurricular Activities and Work Experiences. List, in order of importance to you, the activities (school, community, sports, work, etc.) that you feel have been your most significant since the beginning of your freshman year. Indicate the years you participated, positions held and honors won, and comment on your major achievements.
Updated grades and/or test scores. Please include a complete list of dates on which you took the ACT/SAT. You can also reference an updated official transcript that will be sent from your high school, showing a strong senior year.
College of Business appeals materials should be sent to:
Chubb Hall 120
1 Ohio University Drive
Athens OH 45701
Applicants appealing the admissions decision are encouraged to submit their appeal materials by the priority date of April 1. Appeals will be considered after this date on a space-available basis.