When the University of Kentucky Office of Admissions receives a completed application, our staff begins a review of prior academic history and test scores (if submitted). If a student does not meet the certain admission requirements to the university as outlined by UK and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, their application will be reviewed through a comprehensive holistic review process.
In the holistic review process, we evaluate applicants as whole individuals, not just by isolated factors such as GPA or test scores. This means that students are considered not only by their academic performance but also personal achievements, extracurricular involvement and leadership.
Staff members across different offices at the university may be involved in the holistic review of the application. Once those reviews take place, the college to which the student applied will initially evaluate the application. However, based on an applicant’s academic preparation and a program’s requirements, the student may be considered for admission to a different college within the University of Kentucky. The college best positioned to support the applicant’s success will make the final determination for admission.
Due to the complex nature of the reviews taking place, specific timelines for a decision will vary from student to student. While decisions resulting from holistic review may be made on a rolling basis, freshman applicants who meet our deadlines will be notified of their admission status no later than the end of March for the following Fall semester. Please reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Admission if you have any questions.
The FAQs below will help you better understand what holistic review entails, what we look for in applicants, and how you can submit the strongest possible application.