Admissions Appeals

Suspension, Appeals and Academic Standing

Suspended students who wish to appeal a current semester suspension can do so through the suspension appeals webpage.

August admissions and suspension appeals are reviewed on a weekly basis. No interviews for admission appeals will be held.

Suspension Information | Financial Aid (SAP) Appeals | Academic Standing

I was denied admission / do not meet automatic admissions standards. Can I still be admitted?

At the University of Central Oklahoma, students have the opportunity to appeal a denied admission decision. For the committee to consider your appeal, fill out the online Admissions Appeal Form.

• Undergraduate Admissions Appeal Form
• Questions? Contact: appeals@uco.edu

Suspended students who wish to appeal a current semester suspension can do so through the suspension appeals webpage.

*Note that once the form has been started, you must complete and submit the form or start over (no progress can be saved). Instructions for the appeals process can be found below; review them before beginning your Admission Appeal Form.

Admission Appeals Process

1. Review UCO’s Admissions Appeal Policy and steps on the UCO admissions appeal webpage.
2. Prepare your appeal:
   Set up necessary Computerized Placement Tests (CPTs);
   Write a personal essay; and,
   Collect recommendation letters and additional documents.
3. Complete and submit Admissions Appeal Form
4. Admissions will email the applicant to schedule an interview. Following the interview, you will receive the committee’s decision within 24 hours.

Required Documents

• Personal essay – Write 250-500 words addressing:
  • What success at the college level looks like to you;
  • How you specifically plan to succeed at UCO;
  • Any extenuating or special circumstances that affected past academic performance; and,
  • Your overall educational and career goals.
• Recommendation letter(s) – Written statements from individuals (former teachers, instructors or professors, community or religious leaders, work supervisors or colleagues, etc.) attesting to your ability to be academically successful at UCO. Letters from family members will not be considered.
• Additional documents – Optional submission of documents that corroborate details from your personal statement or recommendation letters. Submission of supporting documents is acceptable but not required during initial submission. The committee may reach out requesting specific documents prior to your interview.

Appeals are reviewed and interviews scheduled on a monthly basis. After your scheduled interview, you should have an email containing the committee’s decision within 24 hours. Appeals that are not complete by the scheduled interview date will be denied. Items submitted less than two (2) business days before the scheduled interview will not be added to the appeal, and will not be considered by the committee. Completion and submission of an appeal does not guarantee admission to UCO.

Appeals Dates and Deadlines

Admissions appeals are reviewed on a monthly basis with the committee making final decisions on submitted petitions the second Friday of each month. All appeals and documents must be submitted the Friday prior in order to be considered; if there are missing items, your appeal may be reviewed the following month.

Suspension appeals are reviewed on a monthly basis and follow the same structure as admissions appeals above.

Both admissions and suspension appeals will be reviewed weekly during peak periods of August for fall and December/January for spring. No interviews will be conducted for appeals during peak time. 

Appeals FAQs

Computerized Placement Tests | Interview Scheduling | Required and Additional Documents

What is considered a valid basis for admissions appeals? Who can apply for admissions appeals?

Any applicant that has received a denial admission decision is eligible to appeal that decision. An appeal should be focused on the applicant having: a reasonable chance of academic success in general or in a particular program, and/or an unusual talent or ability in performing arts, visual arts, sports, etc.

Additional bases for appealing your admission could include academic improvements shown by improved grades on an updated transcript; updated ACT or SAT scores; medical circumstances for yourself, one of your dependents or immediate family member; or, other personal or extenuating circumstances that impacted your prior academic performance.

What information will the Appeals Committee not consider?

The committee will not consider an appeal or personal statement completed or submitted by an individual other than the applicant. Documents and information submitted after the deadline (two business days before the committee meeting/interview) will not be presented to or reviewed by the committee.

Computerized Placement Tests (CPTs)

I don’t know whether I need to take a Computerized Placement Test (CPTs). How can I find out?

A CPT will be required for any subject (English, reading, math) that you have not demonstrated college readiness in at the time of your application. College readiness is measured by:

• Scoring a 19 or higher on specific subjects on the ACT or the SAT equivalent. Subject scores of 18 or below in math, reading and English will require CPTs. ACT scores must be within five years to be valid; and,
• Completion of college-level courses corresponding to each subject:
  • English is demonstrated by passing English Composition I (ENG 1113);
  • Math is demonstrated by passing College Algebra (MATH 1513); and,
  • Reading is demonstrated by passing courses with heavy reading loads such as History or Psychology.

If your school uses different course names or codes, use the Transfer Equivalency Database to help.

How do I set up and prepare for my Computerized Placement Tests (CPTs)?

To set up your CPTs, you can visit the Testing Services website and schedule an appointment or contact their office directly at testingservices@uco.edu. If you would like to prepare for your English and/or reading CPTs, you can access free study guides made available by Accuplacer.

• English (Writing) CPT
• Reading Comprehension CPT

I cannot physically come to UCO’s campus to take the CPTs. Is there any way to take the test(s) remotely?

If you cannot come to campus to take the CPTs, then you may contact Testing Services at testingservices@uco.edu to request assistance setting up remote proctoring. Note that remote testing may not be available in all circumstances.

Interview Scheduling

I need to change my interview timeslot or push my interview forward to the next month’s meeting time.

If you need to change the date or timeslot for your interview with the Appeals Committee, email appeals@uco.edu as soon as possible. Make scheduling change requests no less than two (2) business days before your interview.

Is the interview required? Can I waive the interview and the committee decide based only on my Appeals Form and submitted items?

The interview portion of appeals is strongly encouraged but not required. The interview provides applicants with another chance to convince the committee of their ability to succeed at UCO. The committee additionally takes time to ask a set of questions to help make the decision on your case. If you are not able to interview with the committee, email appeals@uco.edu. Your appeal will still be reviewed at the monthly Appeals Committee meeting and a decision emailed to you within 24 hours.

Required and Additional Documents

What initial documents do I need to turn in with my appeal?

All appeals applicants should refer to the instructions found above for required documents. Applicants should submit a personal essay, at least one recommendation letter and any supporting documentation that they would like to committee to consider. Additionally, applicants should have submitted all necessary and appropriate transcripts and test scores to UCO’s Undergraduate Admissions.

What kinds of supplemental/supporting documentation are required to be submitted to the Appeals Committee?

No specific supporting documents will be required for an initial appeal submission. However, the Appeals Committee may request additional supporting documentation after an initial review of your appeal. Applicants have the ability to upload any additional documentation in the Appeals Form. After the form is submitted, additional documents can be emailed to appeals@uco.edu.

I submitted my Admissions Appeal Form with all required documents, but I now have some additional documents (recommendation letters, supplemental or supporting documents, etc.). Can I still submit these documents to be considered with my appeal?

Once you have submitted the Appeals Form, there is no way to reopen and add information or attachments to it. If you have additional items that you would like to submit after you have submitted your form, you can email them to appeals@uco.edu. Have all additional forms submitted at least two (2) business days before your scheduled interview. Items submitted less than two (2) business days before your interview may not be included in your packet or considered by the committee.

I applied as a Concurrent student and was denied. Could I qualify for an appeal?

Concurrent students are not eligible for admission appeals. To enroll through concurrent enrollment, high school students must meet the established admission criteria. For more information about concurrent enrollment, visit the Concurrent Enrollment webpage or email concurrent@uco.edu.

How likely is my appeal to be approved or denied? Can I do anything to improve my chances?

Appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by a committee that will review your Appeal Form, admissions documents such as test scores and transcripts, and submitted documents, as well as an interview with you. Because of the individualized nature of the appeals process, it is not possible to provide a likelihood of approval or denial.

The best ways to improve your chances are to read and follow all instructions carefully, submit items before deadlines, schedule necessary tests and your interview and communicate any issues that you are having throughout the process to appeals@uco.edu.

The Appeals Committee denied my appeal. Can I petition again or challenge their decision?

Once the Appeals Committee has decided on an appeal, no more appeals will be considered for the same applicant in the same term. If you are denied, you will be notified via email with a recommendation from the committee. The committee’s recommendation will include the necessary steps to be admitted to UCO at a later date. The decision of the Appeals Committee on a particular appeal is final and cannot be further appealed.