As a charter member of the Character Collaborative, we evaluate applicants within the unique context of their environment and their opportunities inside and outside of school. Highly trained admission professionals assess their academic achievement, extracurricular engagement, and ethical character, in order to admit a diverse group of students who will work to make each other, the University, and the world ever better in alignment with Rochester’s mission and values.
Our holistic review process for undergraduate applicants includes, but intentionally goes beyond, numerical representations of academic performance, though we certainly expect strong performance in challenging academic coursework. We hope to understand much more about each applicant than simply their grades and standardized test scores. The students for whom Rochester is the best fit are driven by their intellectual curiosity and seek out opportunities for growth.
Our admission criteria connect directly to our students’ undergraduate experiences and outcomes through the College Competencies, Rochester’s framework for students to tell their story and serve as leaders in our shared future. They were created to ensure Rochester students are prepared with the skills employers and society seek in 21st Century college graduates.
