Direct Admit Program

Welcome and thank you for visiting this webpage dedicated to the School of Business Direct Admit program!  All the information you’ll need about the program can be found below.  However, if you still have questions, feel free to contact me at jcotugno@uamail.albany.edu.    
 
Sincerely,
Jason Cotugno
Academic Advisor & Direct Admit Program Coordinator
School of Business

The first class of Direct Admits, Fall 2006

BACKGROUND

In the fall of 2006, the School of Business began to directly admit select freshmen to its normally restricted undergraduate program.  Known commonly as Direct Admits, these students were chosen based on their superior scholastic ability and a keen desire to study the fields of business and Accounting.  Since then, the students and accompanying program have grown tremendously.  With each coming fall, more students have been identified as Direct Admits by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.  Also, in response to this increase, a variety of programs and initiatives designed for these individuals have been implemented.  These include an annual Welcome Reception for freshmen each September, early exposure to School of Business advisors and services during the sophomore year, and increased communication through the creation of a Direct Admit listserv.  All the while, Direct Admits are encouraged to attend workshops, panel discussions, and other programs normally designed for juniors and seniors.  All of these things, combined with Direct Admit-specific sections of courses and representation on the Dean’s Leadership Council, are in place to build community, ease the transition, and let all of these students know how vital they are to the success of the School of Business.  

REQUIREMENTS/ELIGIBILITY

Applicants are identified as Direct Admits to the School of Business by Undergraduate Admissions at the time of admission. To be eligible, applicants must choose either Business or Accounting as their intended major on Part I of their undergraduate application. In addition, candidates need an approximate high school GPA of 90% or better and 1200 or better SAT score (when considering Critical Reading and Math portions only) or 27 or better on the ACT.  For more information on eligibility, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 518-442-5435 or ugadmissions@albany.edu.   

BENEFITS

There are several “perks” to being a Direct Admit.  Here are just a few:

• A FORMAL WELCOME: When Direct Admits arrive on campus, they are invited to a Welcome Reception where they can interact with each other as well as upperclassmen, School of Business faculty, and staff. 
• SMALL CLASSES: The School of Business has created Direct Admit-specific sections of BLAW 220 (fall, freshmen year), BACC 211 (fall, sophomore year), and BACC 222 (spring, sophomore year).  Only Direct Admits of a given cohort can register for these courses making each of them a fraction of the size. 
• EARLY EXPOSURE TO SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADVISORS: Susan Maloney, Director of Undergraduate Student Services, and Jason Cotugno, Academic Advisor, formally take over advisement for Direct Admits in the fall of their sophomore year—at least one semester earlier than everyone else planning to major in business or Accounting!
• DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: Through the creation of the Direct Admit listserv, students are sent e-mails about programming, internships, and scholarship opportunities from the time they arrive on campus. 
• INVITATIONS TO PROGRAMS AND EVENTS: The School of Business recognizes Direct Admits as an exceptional group of students.  That is why they are often invited to programs and events catered to juniors and seniors.  This turns out to be a great way to network early on. 

 TESTIMONIALS/QUOTES FROM DIRECT ADMIT GRADUATES

“In my freshman year, one of the MBA students I had worked with was proctoring one of my exams. The student assumed I was there to proctor, too, but I had to tell him that I was a freshman and was there to TAKE the exam.” -Daren Pon, ‘10
	“The program gets together people who are serious.  I met people I can stay in contact with, who have the same mindset.  They want to succeed and want to do well.” -Janelle Murphy, ‘10
“When I first visited Albany as a high school senior, they said that the School of Business was very competitive, so getting the letter accepting me into the Direct Admit program was a confidence boost.” -Kaitlyn Vittozzi, ‘09
	“I pledged Delta Sigma Pi in the spring of my freshman year and got to know many people as a result.” -Alexis Imprescia, ‘10