Graduate Admissions Manual

116 Pages·2015·6.64 MB·English

Spring
2015
He

Graduate Admissions
Information for Advisors

Office of Graduate Admissions
Texas Tech University Graduate School
Updated January 2015
Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Table of Contents

Graduate Admissions .................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Schedule of Advisor Availability –Fall 2014 .............................................................................................. 4
Section 1: Application Processing in the Office of Graduate Admissions .................................................... 5
Graduate Admissions Staff ........................................................................................................................ 6
Graduate School Organizational Chart ..................................................................................................... 7
Graduate Application Processing .............................................................................................................. 8
Application Requirements .................................................................................................................... 9
The Evaluation Process ......................................................................................................................... 9
Official Transcripts and Diplomas ....................................................................................................... 10
Test Scores .......................................................................................................................................... 11
English Proficiency Measures .............................................................................................................. 12
Conditional Admission for English Proficiency .................................................................................... 12
Returned Application Decision Processing ............................................................................................. 13
Communication with Admitted Applicants ......................................................................................... 14
Time Tickets for Graduate Students ....................................................................................................... 15
Residency for Tuition Purposes .............................................................................................................. 16
Holds ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination Requirement for New Students ......................................................... 19
Additional Information Regarding International Applicants .................................................................. 20
Conditional Admission for English Proficiency .................................................................................... 20
I-20 Issuance ....................................................................................................................................... 20
Types of I-20s ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Section 2: How-To Information for Graduate Advising Faculty and Staff .................................................. 22
Graduate Application Review for Advisors ............................................................................................. 23
Online Review Access.............................................................................................................................. 25
Reviewing Applicant Records .................................................................................................................. 27
Electronic Application Worksheet .......................................................................................................... 32
How to Request a Reset of Your Submitted Recommendation Status ............................................... 34
Important Worksheet Notes ............................................................................................................... 34
Updating Funding Requests After Decision Submitted .......................................................................... 35
Applicants with Below-Minimum English Proficiency Scores ................................................................. 36
Technical Assistance on the Graduate Applicant Review Site ................................................................ 37
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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Conditional Admissions for English Proficiency ...................................................................................... 38
Running Graduate Admissions Reports in Cognos .................................................................................. 42
Looking Up TTU Transcripts .................................................................................................................... 50
Section 3: Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 51
Application Process Flowchart ................................................................................................................ 52
Area of Study Admissions Codes ............................................................................................................. 53
Conditions Boilerplate ............................................................................................................................ 58
I-20 Issuance Flowchart .......................................................................................................................... 59
Sample eRaider Activation Email ............................................................................................................ 60
Sample Acceptance Letter ...................................................................................................................... 61
Sample Acceptance Letter – Conditional Admission for English Proficiency .......................................... 62
Texas Education Code 51.842 ................................................................................................................. 63
Texas Education Code 51.917 ................................................................................................................. 64
Types of Visas .......................................................................................................................................... 65
Graduate Application Status Definitions and FAQ .................................................................................. 69
Prospective Students .......................................................................................................................... 70
Applicants ............................................................................................................................................ 71
International Applicants ...................................................................................................................... 80
Newly Admitted Students ................................................................................................................... 83
Newly Admitted International Students ............................................................................................. 85
Residency for Tuition Purposes........................................................................................................... 86
Acceptable Credentials for Graduate Admissions .................................................................................. 92
Glossary ................................................................................................................................................. 106
Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................................................. 112

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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Introduction

Graduate Admissions: Information for Advisors was created to provide graduate faculty and
staff the knowledge and skills to use the tools provided by Texas Tech University as they review
prospective graduate student applications.

This manual is divided into three parts:

1. Application Processing in the Office of Graduate Admissions (GA) – this section explains
how GA staff process prospective students throughout the application lifecycle,
including a staff directory.

2. “How to” – this section explains how graduate advising faculty and staff can use various
resources such as Banner, the Graduate Application Review Page, Xtender, Cognos, and
more.

3. Appendix – this section includes various handouts which provide additional information
advisors may find useful, including Texas statutes affecting graduate admission,
acceptable credentials for graduate admission consideration, and frequently asked
questions.

This manual will not answer every question you may have, so please contact us by telephone or
email. Please feel free to contact me directly if I can provide any additional information or
assistance. I am available via telephone [phone]), email ([email protected]), or on
TTU’s Microsoft Lync instant messaging system. Thank you for helping us better serve our
graduate students!

With grateful appreciation,

Shelby L. Cearley, Director of Graduate Admissions
Schedule of Advisor Availability –Fall 2014

Walk-In/phone advising is available in Administration Room 328 at the following times:

8 AM-12 PM 12-1 PM 1-5 PM
Domestic Kelsey Brunson Unavailable – Lunch Evelyn Arnold
Terri Kirkpatrick Lacey Whitaker
International Kristina Luera Unavailable – Lunch Darina Brackeen
Rebecca Enis Mary Katherine Bartlett

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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Section 1: Application Processing in
the Office of Graduate Admissions

Applicant
Graduate Graduate
Department Admissions

The Office of Graduate Admissions works with both applicants and graduate
departments to facilitate the admission of quality applicants to Texas Tech
University. This section outlines what our staff does during the application
process.

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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Graduate Admissions Staff

Vice Provost of Graduate Affairs/Dean of Director of Graduate Admissions/Designated
the Graduate School School Official

Mark A. Sheridan Shelby L. Cearley
[email protected] [email protected]
806-834-5537 806-834-1678
Lead Graduate Admissions Counselor Senior Graduate Admissions Counselor
Recruiting Coordinator Recruiter

Shannon Samson Gayle Jeffers
[email protected] [email protected]
806-834-5201 806-834-8327
Chief Evaluator/Residency Determination Chief Evaluator/Designated School Official
Officer (Domestic) (International)
Credential evaluation, processes acceptances, Credential evaluation, processes admissions, matriculation
matriculation cleanup, GPIDEA/Athletic admissions cleanup, initial I-20 issuance

Evelyn Arnold Rebecca Enis
[email protected] [email protected]
806-834-3695 806-834-3893
Chief Evaluator/Designated School Official Senior Lead Evaluator/Residency
(International) Determination Officer (Domestic)
Credential evaluation, processes returned Credential evaluation, processes acceptances
recommendations, initial I-20 issuance

Darina Brackeen Terri Kirkpatrick
[email protected] [email protected]
806-834-3602 806-834-4922
Senior Lead Evaluator (International) Senior Lead Evaluator (International)
Credential evaluation, data entry, reports Credential evaluation, data entry, reports

Mary Katherine Bartlett Cy Cawthron
[email protected] [email protected]
806-834-2612 806-742-2787
Senior Lead Evaluator (Graduate) Evaluator (Domestic)
Credential evaluation, data entry, reporting, electronic Graduate Admissions data entry
test score maintenance, GTMP/PGRD decisions

Lacey Whitaker Kelsey Brunson
[email protected] [email protected]
806-834-6804 806-834-6884
Evaluator (International) Document Imaging Specialists
Graduate Admissions data entry

Kristina Luera Mary Hildebrand | Sharon Trang
[email protected] [email protected] | [email protected]
806-742-2787 806-834-1621 | 806-834-4368

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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Graduate School Organizational Chart

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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Graduate Application Processing

There are two types of applicants, domestic and international. Domestic applicants are U.S.
citizens, immigrant permanent residents and undocumented illegal aliens. International
applicants are all other international applicants, including asylees and refugees. Applicants have
a choice of two applications:

1. ApplyTexas application (http://www.ApplyTexas.org) – online application mandated by
the State of Texas for all public higher education institutions. Applicants create a profile
which can be used for multiple applications, and they can submit their fee payment via
credit/debit card before submitting their application.
2. Paper application (available at http://www.gradschool.ttu.edu or in our office) –
application in PDF format. Applicants must submit payment either via our secure fee
payment webpage or by submitting payment via mail or in person to our office. We
encourage applicants not to send cash through the mail.

Additionally, there are two types of admission:

• Degree-Seeking
Master
o
Doctoral
o
• Non-Degree-Seeking
GTMP – Graduate Temporary student; up to 12 grad hours
o
PGRD – Post-Graduate; undergrad classes only
o
CPED – Continuing Professional Educational Development
o
CERT – Teacher Certification (College of Education)
o
FCSC – Family & Consumer Science Teacher Certification (College of Human Sciences)
o
GCRT – Graduate Certificate
o

There are certain situations in which an applicant will need to submit a different form, the
Graduate Application Change Form:

• Add/Change Current Application – this form is for TTU graduate applicants who are not
currently enrolled as graduate students and who wish to add to or change their study
objective or level of study and submit the $50 application change fee. A note of “add
program” or “change program” will appear on the Admission Decision Worksheet.
• Change of Initial Entry Date – an applicant can apply for a deferral of their admission or
of their application for the same program and submit the $50 application change fee. A
note of “Change Entry Date” will appear on the Admission Decision Worksheet.
• Request to Be Readmitted – students who have been accepted into the Graduate School
and fail to register or previously enrolled TTU Graduate School students who are not
currently enrolled as graduate students at Texas Tech University who wish to be
readmitted to the Graduate School must reapply for graduate admission and submit the
$50 application change fee. Our staff will send new worksheets to the student’s
department. There is no guarantee of readmission.
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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Application Requirements
Domestic Applicants International Applicants
1. Application 1. Application
2. Application fee 2. Application fee
• Initial application - $60 • Initial application - $60
• Any subsequent application - $50 • Any subsequent application - $50
Includes changes of entry date, Includes changes of entry date,
add/change application, and readmit add/change application, and readmit
3. Residency Questionnaire – included in 3. Official proof of English proficiency
ApplyTexas and paper initial application 4. Official transcripts of all post-secondary
4. Official transcripts of all post-secondary college/universities attended, including
college/universities attended official English translation
5. Resident Alien Card (permanent residents 5. Official diploma/degree certificate of all post-
only) secondary degrees earned, including official
English translation
6. Proof of financial support (optional)
7. Passport Bio Page (optional)

The Evaluation Process
Advisors in the Office of Graduate Admissions begin the application evaluation process by
reviewing the application itself. We then review the academic credential(s), which involves the
following tasks:

• Verifying accreditation of the issuing college/university,
• Determining degree equivalency, and
• Calculating GPAs

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), our
regional accreditation body, mandates that a foreign bachelor’s degree must be equivalent to
120 semester credit hours in order to be considered equivalent to a comparable US bachelor’s
degree. A list of acceptable credentials for applicants who attend foreign schools is available in
the appendix and also on our website. A prospective student must have a credential in the
“Basic First Degree” column to be eligible for admission consideration. In some situations, we
must combine degrees (such as the 3-year BCOM from India plus a 1-year post-graduate
diploma course) to get an equivalent bachelor degree. We note this on the Remarks section of
the electronic application worksheet. Please note that no transfer credit can be awarded if the
home country graduate degree is used in combination with another degree to equate to a US
bachelor’s degree.

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Spring 2015 GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Official Transcripts and Diplomas
We must receive at least six semesters (or three years) of bachelor-level coursework in order to
review an application. Unofficial documents are acceptable for evaluation purposes, but official
documentation must be received within the first semester of attendance. This is a SACS
accreditation issue, not a Graduate Admissions one. Notarized copies are not considered
official.

Prospective students must include all post-secondary colleges/universities attended on their
applications, and they must also provide official transcripts from those schools as part of their
application materials, even if transfer credit appears on another school’s transcript. Failure to
include that information on either the application or to submit those transcripts is considered
an omission of pertinent applicant information and is therefore a violation of Texas Tech
University’s academic integrity code; it can lead to automatic denial of admission or removal
from the university if the applicant has been admitted. As our advisors review applications, they
will contact applicants to ask for an updated application if there are any discrepancies between
the educational information on the application and credentials received. A copy of the email
will be available in the applicant’s Xtender record; samples of the email we send are available in
the appendix.

International transcripts and diplomas must be submitted in the original language and be
accompanied by an official English translation. Many schools provide English translations.
Applicants can also have professional translations done in their home country, but it must be a
literal, word-for-word translation. We prefer that applicants do not submit their own English
translation. We recommend that applicants use Rev (www.rev.com) or Credential Consultants
(www.credentialconsultants.com) if they need a professional translation.

Prospective students who have degrees earned outside the United States must also submit
official diplomas or degree certificates. Some degrees may not be complete at the time of
application, so a diploma/degree certificate is not required at time of application or of
admission. Official English translations are also required if the diploma/degree certificate is
issued in a language other than English.

For all applicants, we must receive at least unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary
institutions before we will evaluate the application, even if courses taken at one institution
appear as transfer credit at another institution. Transfer credit does not always include all
courses taken at a previous institution and may not include the full academic history needed for
your department to make an admission decision based on a holistic review of the applicant’s
full and complete academic history. The only exception to this policy is for applicants currently
enrolled in their first semester at an institution.

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