Understand NWU’s “Five-StAR” Admission Process

Nebraska Wesleyan University seeks to attract students who are prepared to thrive in an intensive educational environment and persist through graduation. Our holistic Standards of Admission Ratings process (StAR) gives us an objective means of rating each student’s academic preparedness.

How does StAR work? NWU officials rate students in six areas on a five-point scale. Those criteria include:

1. Assessment of the high school’s academic rigor
2. Assessment of the high school’s senior-year curriculum
3. Student’s high school GPA
4. High school’s college placement percentage
5. Student’s ACT or SAT scores
6. Student’s community engagement

A rating of three or higher indicates sufficient strength for admission in that area.

The ratings complement other demographic qualities of successful students. By combining these ratings with other demographic qualities, we develop a profile of students most likely to thrive at, and graduate from, NWU.

Resources that inform Nebraska Wesleyan’s StAR process include the student’s application, recommendations from teachers and counselors, recommendations from faculty or coaches, and interactions with our admissions staff.

Admission decisions also take into context the historic enrollment patterns of students from your high school. How often has your high school produced qualified NWU applicants in the past? What is the retention rate among NWU students from your high school? This information provides deeper context to the admission decision.

Nebraska Wesleyan University’s StAR process enhances access more fairly to underrepresented students.