Dec 07, 2024  
2023 - 2024 Adler Catalog 
    
2023 - 2024 Adler Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Admission Policies and Procedures



Application Process

Adler University takes pride in its diverse student body, representing a wide range of professional interests, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, gender identification, and academic and work histories. The University admits individuals with outstanding academic achievement and a commitment to social responsibility. Ideal candidates for admission are those who will make a difference in their communities and the lives of the individuals and families they plan to serve upon graduation. Applicants nearing completion of a baccalaureate degree may apply for admission contingent on successfully completing the undergraduate degree.

Applicants must submit the following:

  • Adler University Application for Admission.
  • Application fee ($30.00).
  • Statement of intent.
  • Resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Transcripts from all colleges or universities attended. Official transcripts are required from all degree-granting programs.
  • Letters of recommendation and accompanying recommendation form.*

The GRE general test is optional for applications to the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program.

*See minimum admission requirements under each program for specific program requirements around letters of recommendation.

Application for admission is completed online. Students submitting U.S. or Canadian transcripts should have official transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions. A transcript evaluation service must evaluate other international transcripts Please contact the Office of Admissions for specific transcript evaluation requirements.

The Office of Admissions does not maintain student files for students who do not enroll by their intended start date. Supporting admission documents without a submitted application will be kept on file for one year.

Application Deadlines

Priority Deadlines

While applications are accepted throughout the year, the following deadlines ensure students receive full consideration. Programs fill early, and applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the application process at least six to 12 months before their desired term of entry.

Applicants seeking admission to the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program should submit all application materials by the priority deadline of February. 15 for interviews to be scheduled and notification of acceptance to be completed by April 1. Those admitted must notify the Office of Admissions and submit their tuition deposit no later than April 15, indicating their intent to enroll for the subsequent Fall term.

Space permitting, applications submitted after the deadline will be accepted subject to the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP) criteria. These criteria state that acceptance of an offer of admission given or left in force after April 15 commits students to not solicit or accept an offer from Adler University without first obtaining a written release from any institution to which a commitment has already been made.

Chicago Campus

Admissions Deadlines

Early Consideration

Priority Available

Space Entry

Term of

All doctoral programs

December. 1

February. 15

August. 15

Fall

All M.A./M.S. programs

February. 1

April 1

August. 15

Fall

Master of Arts in Counseling: Specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

 

 

 

Fall, Spring, and Summer

Certificates

Rolling Admissions

All

Evaluation of Applicants

The Admissions Committee will review completed applications. Approved applicants will then be scheduled for an interview with a member (or members) of the respective department at the Adler University faculty.

Applicants are evaluated on many factors, including the following:

  • Academic performance.
  • Content and clarity of written and verbal communication.
  • Strength of recommendations.
  • Personal and professional presentation throughout the admission process.
  • Community service interest and/or experience.
  • Professional and/or prior work experience.
  • Integrity, motivation, and personal ethics.

Acceptance of Admission

Students who have been fully admitted into a degree program may be able to defer their admission for up to one year from their original term of admission. To defer admission, students must sign their statement of acceptance, submit the appropriate tuition deposit, a $500 non-refundable deferment fee, and a statement indicating why they would like to defer their admission to the Office of Admissions. Students who are approved to defer  will be notified in writing and will be subject to:

  • Program requirements in effect at the time of the new application.
  • Forfeit their scholarship award and will not be eligible for scholarships the following year.

Students who defer but do not matriculate must reapply for admission as outlined in the current catalog’s Application Process - Chicago Campus section.

International Applicants

In addition to submitting a completed application, all transcripts from outside Canada or the United States must be evaluated by an acceptable transcript evaluation service such as World Education Service (wes.org) or Educational Course Evaluation (ece.org). A course-by-course international credential evaluation must be submitted. Students must send in all of their transcripts for the course-by-course analysis.

English Language Proficiency Assessment

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Pearson Test of English (PTE). Students who have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an accredited program in Canada or the United States may not be required to take an English proficiency exam. Applicants should request that the testing service send language proficiency test scores directly to the University. These test results are valid for two years only.

TOEFL (ETS.ORG/TOEFL)

Adler University Chicago Campus’s code number for receiving test scores is 1147.

Applicants who take the paper-based TOEFL must receive a minimum score of 580.

Applicants who take the computer-based TOEFL must receive a minimum score of 240.

Applicants who take the internet-based TOEFL must receive a minimum score of 92.

IELTS (IELTS.ORG)

Applicants who take the IELTS must receive a minimum Academic score of seven overall with no band score lower than seven.

PTE (PEARSONPTE.COM)

Applicants who take the PTE must receive an overall minimum academic score of 62.

International applicants must also submit documentation of sufficient financial resources to complete the program and provide for living expenses while attending Adler University. Once enrolled in the program, students must pay tuition and fees according to the University’s payment schedule. Current international students will not be allowed to register for classes if they have an outstanding balance that jeopardizes the student’s ability to remain in the United States under their F-1 student visa.

Students accepted into a degree program at the University will be issued an I-20 upon receipt of their financial verification paperwork. Students should allow enough time to secure an F-1 student visa in their country for travel to the United States. The student is responsible for providing the Office of Admissions with a current foreign address and mailing address, if different, along with the intended U.S. address. I-20s cannot be mailed to post office box numbers.

Once students arrive on campus, they must notify the Office of Compliance and update their U.S. address. Homeland Security requires this information, and student I-20s cannot be updated until we receive this information.

International students must have their I-20s updated each year they attend Adler University. Students must maintain full-time status each term as outlined by the University for their program. If the student has extenuating circumstances that require less than full-time enrollment, the student can work with the Office of Compliance to obtain an exemption from the federal government.

Students should not attempt to enter the United States without their current and updated I-20. Although the University does not provide financial assistance for international students in the form of financial aid or tuition reduction, students are eligible for Adler University scholarships and on-campus employment unless otherwise noted.

Students-at-Large / Non-degree Seeking

Students who wish to take classes for personal pursuits unrelated to a degree program at Adler University or qualified graduate students and mental health professionals may be admitted as students-at-large/non-degree-seeking (SAL/NDS) students. Qualified professionals may take courses as SAL/NDS students for continuing education credit or professional enrichment as long as they meet the minimum eligibility for admission. Graduate students in degree programs at other regionally accredited institutions are responsible for verifying whether Adler University courses will be transferred back and accepted for credit with their home institutions.

SAL/NDS applicants must submit a completed application, non-refundable $30 application fee, statement of intent, resume or curriculum vitae, and official transcripts from all degree-granting undergraduate and graduate schools attended. The Admissions Committee will review applications and applicants will not be allowed to register until they have been approved for admission as SAL/NDS students.

If admitted as SAL/NDS, a student may complete a maximum of nine credits within one academic year and must comply with all prerequisites and course requirements as given in the Adler University Catalog.

Graduates of Adler University degree programs who are approved as SAL/NDS students may take up to 18 credits within one academic year. SAL/NDS students are not eligible for financial aid and may not enroll in courses reserved for students fully admitted to particular degree programs. Appropriate courses taken for credit may apply toward completing a degree for SAL/NDS students who are admitted to a degree program within one year of completing SAL/NDS courses. Successful completion of coursework, however, does not guarantee admission to a degree or certificate program. A student-at-large whose application to a degree or certificate program has been denied may not enroll in further courses or continue as a student-at-large.

Because SAL/NDS students are limited to a total of nine credit hours of coursework within one academic year, persons who plan to pursue a degree or certificate program should apply for admission at the earliest opportunity.

Students-at-large who have completed nine credit hours of courses may not register for additional classes until they have been formally admitted to a degree or certificate program. Those who seek admission to a degree or certificate program within one year of completing their last course as a SAL/NDS student will not be required to pay an additional application fee. Still, they will be required to submit additional information as required to complete a degree program’s application fully.

Changing or Adding Programs

Doctoral students may apply to add a master’s degree program, and master’s degree students may apply to change from one Adler University master’s degree program to another by submitting the appropriate application forms. Students must satisfy admission requirements for the degree or certificate program at the time of application to the new program. Acceptance into and/or successful completion of one degree or certificate program does not guarantee admission to another program.

Master’s degree students who wish to apply to a doctoral program must apply for admission as outlined in the current catalog’s Application Process - Chicago Campus section. The application deadlines for doctoral applicants also apply to Adler University master’s students applying to a doctoral program. Once all materials are received, the Admissions Committee will review the application and determine whether the applicant will be scheduled for an interview with doctoral core faculty as the final stage of the application process. Students from master’s programs who have been accepted to a doctoral program must complete all requirements for their master’s degree no later than one year after acceptance.

Readmission

Students who were previously enrolled at Adler University but withdrew from their degree program, or were administratively withdrawn, may submit a new application for admission no less than one year from the withdrawal date. Applications will be evaluated according to current admission requirements. If readmitted, applicants are subject to the program requirements in effect at the time of the new application. This also applies to students who seek to return to Adler University following a withdrawal in good standing.

When previously withdrawn students are granted readmission to the University or when alums apply for admission to a different program, a case-by-case review of the student’s prior academic record will be done to determine whether credit can be granted for formerly completed coursework. Many factors are pertinent to the University’s determination to give credit for previously completed coursework, including but not limited to:

  • The length of time that has passed since the coursework was originally completed.
  • The grade earned in the course.
  • The performance evaluation completed by the student’s faculty adviser/ supervisor.
  • Curriculum changes which may have occurred and been formally instituted since the student’s withdrawal from the University. There are no fixed and absolute rules regarding granting credit for previously completed coursework. Instead, a formal review of each applicant’s unique academic and training history will occur, and a determination will be made at the discretion of the Admissions Committee in consultation with the program director. A formal audit of previously completed coursework will be undertaken only after enrollment in a degree program.

Transfer Credit

Students accepted for admission may be granted transfer credit for graduate-level courses previously taken at another accredited institution within the last five years. Upon enrollment into a degree program, a review of the student’s unique academic history will occur, and a determination about granting transfer credit will be made at the discretion of the University. Requesting transfer credit is an extensive process involving reviewing previous academic work, including syllabi and grades earned. Adler University policy is that transfer credit must be requested with all supporting documentation received by the end of the second semester of enrollment.

Transfer of credit is subject to the following conditions:

  • Transferred course credit is restricted to graduate-level courses from recognized and regionally accredited degree-granting institutions.
  • Completed course matches 80% of the content of the course requirement.
  • Number of credits earned for the completed course matches or exceeds number of credit hours for the requested course.
  • Transfer of credit is not granted for practicum or internship.
  • Transfer of credit is granted only for courses in which the grade earned was a B or higher. Pass/fail or credit/no credit courses are ineligible.
  • No credit will be transferred for coursework that is more than five years old.

A maximum of 12 credit hours from other accredited institutions may be transferred into a master’s program; a maximum of 24 credit hours may be transferred into doctoral programs. Students will be charged a transfer of credit fee for each course evaluated for transfer consideration. Please reference the current fees and tuition schedule for the transfer credit fee information.