Undergraduate Admissions

Admissions Requirements

• Lamoni Campus — Traditional Students

  To be considered for acceptance to Graceland, all applicants must be a high school graduate or have a GED high school equivalency certificate/diploma and qualify in the following criteria:

  • rank in the upper 50 percent of your high school class;
  • have a 2.50 grade point average or above based on a 4.00 system.

  Applicants who do not meet this criteria may be considered individually. Please review the Alternative Procedure for Acceptance for more information. If accepted, they may be required to take developmental courses.

  All students will need to submit an online application.

  GED students will need to submit:

  • an online application;
  • all GED tests;
  • official GED paperwork.

  ACT/SAT Requirement:

  Effective November 14, 2020, ACT & SAT test scores are permanently optional for undergraduate Admissions. Please contact your Admissions Counselor with any questions.

  A placement test will be required to determine proper placement in English and math if ACT or SAT scores are not submitted.

• Lamoni Campus — Home School Students

  Graceland is happy to welcome applications from homeschooled students. We know that homeschoolers make important contributions both in the classroom and as part of student life and we make a deliberate effort to accommodate the special circumstances of homeschooled students during the admissions process.

  To maintain a universal standard of achievement among applicants, while also allowing flexibility, Graceland requires two of the following three criteria:

  • a portfolio demonstrating the breadth and depth of learning by the applicant. The portfolio may express the unique learning of the homeschooler during the years of high school or the last four years of learning. Admissions will assess the quality of the portfolio to determine whether it reflects sufficient preparation for success during college;
  • a homeschool transcript prepared by the teachers/parents, an independent or supervising teacher, or an organization with whom the student is registered or affiliated;
    the cumulative grade point average must be 2.50 or above based on a 4.00 system.

  A further description of the portfolio and transcript is available from the Admissions Office.

  Applicants who do not meet the above criteria may be considered individually. If accepted, they may be required to take developmental courses as specified in policies for admission of high school students.

  A homeschooled student who has 24 or more college credits will need to comply with Graceland’s transfer student policies. Placement tests may be required.

• Lamoni Campus - Alternative Procedure for Acceptance

  Graceland University has developed standards for acceptance based on commonly used indicators, which reflect a prospective student has been prepared and has the potential to complete college level work at a passing level. These indicators are chosen as they reflect a student’s aptitude for certain subjects, commitment to their education, and performance.

  The alternate procedure for acceptance is designed to provide a pathway for admission for students who do not meet these standards. This process gathers additional information which may be helpful in determining the readiness of a prospective student, which may not be adequately reflected by the acceptance criteria.

  Recruiters are to consult with the VP of Enrollment when they become aware of a student, for which the alternate procedure may be appropriate for consideration. Additional pieces of information will be requested by the Dean of Admissions, or designee, on a case-by-case basis, and may include the following:

  1. A written statement from the student answering the following questions:
     • What factors have led to your below standard grade point average, test score, or class rank?
     • What have you done, and when, to improve your academic or testing performance?
     • What steps will you take at Graceland to set yourself up for success both academically and personally?
     • What coping strategies do you utilize when managing stress?
     • What are some challenges you anticipate you might face in college? How will you choose to respond?
  2. Up-to-date High School transcripts including the most recently completed semester, when possible.
  3. 2-3 Letters of recommendation, email, or reference-check-style interview, from a high school employee who can verify college readiness. The interview can be documented in a report and submitted for review by an Admissions Counselor, Coach, the VP of Enrollment, or their designee. The following information will be requested:
     • Please describe __(name of prospective student)__ as a student and community member.
     • Please describe their character/work ethic in the academic environment.
     • Do you believe __(name of prospective student)__ is ready for college level academic work?

  The Admissions Counselor, Coach, or VP of Enrollment, will communicate directly with the prospective student, outlining what is requested and a deadline for completion. Once collected, information regarding prospective student athletes will be evaluated by the Athletic Director, or designee, and forwarded to the VP of Enrollment, for review and acceptance decision. All other prospective students will be forwarded directly to the VP of Enrollment, or their designee.

  When a decision has been reached, it will be communicated to the Admissions Counselor/Coach and the Admissions Specialists to have the prospective student’s record updated to reflect the acceptance decision.

  The Admissions Counselor, Coach, the VP of Enrollment, or their designee will contact the student to let them know the decision within one week of submission of all requested materials.

• Independence Campus — Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program
  • 61 hours of required college courses — general education and prerequisite courses;
  • Prerequisite course & GPA requirements;
    • GPA of 2.5 (January) or 2.75 (June) either cumulative or prerequisite
    • a grade of C or above in all prerequisite courses
    • grades of retaken courses will replace the original grade for GPA calculations. However, multiple low grades or withdrawals will also be taken into consideration
  • If you are currently in or have previously attended a nursing program, you will need a letter from that school stating you are currently in good standing or eligible to return to that program. 
    • We do not accept students who have failed out of a nursing program and are not eligible to return.

  Find out more.

• Independence Campus — Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education Program

  To be accepted to Graceland University as a transfer student, you must have:

  • attended college full-time for at least two semesters;
  • and/or accumulated 24 semester hours or more of credit with a 2.0 GPA or higher.

  In addition to being accepted into Graceland University, being accepted into the Teacher Education Program has additional requirements. Please contact your admissions representative or visit the Independence Elementary Education program page for more details.

• Online Programs - Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration

  In order to be considered for acceptance to Graceland’s online business programs, an applicant must:

  • submit an application form;
  • be a high school graduate or have a GED high school equivalency; certificate/diploma; qualify in two of the following three criteria:
    • Rank in the upper 50% of the class;
    • Have a grade point average of 2.50 or above based on a 4.00 system;
    • Have either a minimum composite ACT score of 21 or a minimum combined SAT score of 960.

  ** Applicants who do not meet the above criteria can submit a letter along with their application materials describing how they can be successful at Graceland University. Please share relevant career experience and other qualifications that will enable future success as a Graceland student.

• Online Programs - Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership

  In order to be considered for acceptance to Graceland’s Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership program, an applicant must:

  • submit an application form;
  • be a high school graduate or have a GED high school equivalency; certificate/diploma; qualify in two of the
  • following three criteria:
    • Rank in the upper 50% of the class;
    • Have a grade point average of 2.50 or above based on a 4.00 system;
    • Have either a minimum composite ACT score of 21 or a minimum combined SAT score of 960.

  ** Applicants who do not meet the above criteria can submit a letter along with their application materials describing how they can be successful at Graceland University. Please share relevant career experience and other qualifications that will enable future success as a Graceland student.

• Online - Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration & Organizational Leadership Dual Major Program

  In order to be considered for acceptance to Graceland’s Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration & Organizational Online Dual Major program, an applicant must:

  • submit an application form;
  • be a high school graduate or have a GED high school equivalency; certificate/diploma; qualify in two of the following three criteria:
    • Rank in the upper 50% of the class;
    • Have a grade point average of 2.50 or above based on a 4.00 system;
    • Have either a minimum composite ACT score of 21 or a minimum combined SAT score of 960.

  ** Applicants who do not meet the above criteria can submit a letter along with their application materials describing how they can be successful at Graceland University. Please share relevant career experience and other qualifications that will enable future success as a Graceland student.