Admission Requirements Requirements Specific to the MA School Counseling Program The School Counseling program accepts applications primarily for summer admission. Review of applications will begin on January 25th for Summer and Fall admission. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their application materials prior to this date to receive full consideration for admission to the program. Applications will be acted upon when the applicant pool is sufficient to support a group interview process. If the applicant pool is sufficient, admission will be allowed for fall and spring sessions; however entrance in the spring session will be limited to courses not requiring prerequisites. The number of applicants admitted is limited based upon the standards set forth by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling Related Education Programs (CACREP). Students may be required to complete a national background check prior to clinical placement to ensure eligibility for working with children and adolescents in schools (For more information from Iowa Code 282--25.3). Applicants must provide documentation of successful experiences with school age children and/or adolescents including a minimum of 1 year post bachelor's degree teaching or school related experience. This 1 year post bachelor's experience may be waived for those applicants providing evidence of direct service experiences (paid or volunteer) with school aged children and/or adolescents. The admissions selection process is conducted in three phases. Phase I - Applicant files are reviewed independently by the school counseling faculty. Faculty are considering GPA, GRE, and overall file during this first phase. Applicants who meet these requirements are progressed to Phase II of the admissions process. Phase II - Applicant files in this phase are rated based upon their personal statements, documented success with school age children and letters of recommendations. The school counseling faculty seriously consider these interpersonal indicators in the admissions process to be important for individuals entering a career in professional school counseling. Successful applicants at this stage proceed to Phase III. Phase III - Applicants who progress to this phase are invited to campus for interviews. This process is typically a 1/2 day meeting with school counseling faculty. Interviews will be both individual and small group. Current school counseling and counselor education students may be involved in these interviews. If an applicant is denied admission, the applicant may wish to schedule an appointment with the coordinator of the school counseling program to discuss their applicant file and future career objectives. Any applicant who is denied admission may reapply at the next admissions cycle. Applicants must also meet the Admission Requirements of the Graduate College Admissions Process for All Programs in the Department Applicants must fill out an application. In order to apply to any program within the Department of Rehabilitation and Counselor Education, applicants must send certain application materials to the Office of Admissions and other documents directly to the Department. For the best consideration for financial aid, early applications (as early as January for fall admission) are strongly encouraged. Apply If you Apply Online, the $60 application fee ($100 for international students) is payable by Discover, MasterCard, or Visa. If you cannot pay by credit card, you may Download and Print an Application* and pay the fee by check or money order in U.S. currency made payable to "The University of Iowa." Materials to send to the Department: - Your official academic records/transcripts of all previous college work, including both graduate and undergraduate.
- Three (3) current Letters of Recommendation [PDF] from persons in a position to assess the applicant's prospects for completing his or her graduate degree and commitment to the profession. Academic references are preferred.
- A statement of reasons for seeking an advanced degree, including a statement of your personal career objectives
- A personal or telephone interview with faculty also is required. Generally, this interview is scheduled once complete application materials are received. In reviewing applications, the faculty considers the composite qualification of candidates across all required areas. No one criterion is used in selecting candidates.
Materials to send to Admissions: - A second set of your official academic records/transcripts
- Your official GRE General Test scores from the Educational Testing Service (the University's institutional code is 6681). These scores are used in aggregate as an indicator of as the respective program's reputation. On an individual level the scores may be used as criteria for special graduate assistantships or awards.
- International students must send their official TOEFL scores from the Educational Testing Service (the University's institutional code is 6681). Depending on the TOEFL score, the student may be required to take and pass course work in English usage, designed to test the proficiency of international students.
- International students are required to provide a TOEFL score with their applications. Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement.
Individuals with disabilities who are considering application are advised to contact the Office of Student Disability Services at 3100 Burge Hall, 335-1462. Contact information Through The University of Iowa's nationally recognized programs, students master a body of knowledge and ultimately contribute to it through their own scholarship and research. Iowa's graduate students work closely with a faculty of scholars who are committed to lives of learning. Together, faculty and students work in an atmosphere of academic freedom and intellectual verve that stimulates creative and innovative thinking. Iowa's graduate programs have both depth and breadth. Iowa's graduate students actively participate in the life of a large and multifaceted University community. They receive specialized attention within their own disciplines while they exchange ideas with people from throughout the University's 10 colleges and more than 90 degree programs. No one criterion is used in selecting candidates.All interested persons are encouraged to apply. In reviewing applications, the faculty considers the relevant qualifications of candidates across all required areas. Specific questions concerning the status of your application should be directed to the Office of Education Services, N310 Lindquist Center, (319) 335-5260. Applicants are encouraged to check with the financial aid office for deadlines regarding financial aid. |