Steps in the Application Process

• Attend an Advising Session
• Apply to the Masters in Counseling Program
  Transcript will be reviewed to tell you which classes you need
• Complete Pre-core and Pre-requisites classes
• Apply to the Clinical Cohort
  • MUST HAVE TWO YEARS POST BA Experience working with K-12 age children

First: Attend an Advising and Information Session for the Masters in Counseling Program to get information and receive an application. These are offered seven times a year and the times are on the IUS web site under School of Education, Graduate programs. You do not need to make a reservation to attend the session. The session will have an overview of the program and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. At the end of the session, if you are still interested in the program you will receive an application for the graduate school.

The Admission process has two steps.

There is a $35 application fee for any graduate program (waived if you were previously admitted to another IUS graduate program).

Step 1 - apply to the School of Education, Graduate Programs, Masters in Counseling. Your official undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts should be sent directly to the School of Education. If your degree is from any Indiana University campus, the transcript can be accessed by the computer system and you will not need to send for a transcript. You will be admitted if you have a 2.75 undergraduate GPA in any major OR if you have a Masters degree in any major with a 3.0 GPA. You cannot change your undergraduate GPA once you have graduated.

To be sure that your application is processed in time to register you should apply by August 1 for the fall term, October 1 for the spring term, March 1 for Summer I and June 1 for Summer II. However applications for Counseling are processed continually. Students should also be aware that registration for classes sometimes occurs 3-6 months in advance. Students waiting until the deadline to apply may be closed out of classes.

Step 2 - once you have satisfied the pre-requisite classes, the pre-core classes and have two years of post-BA experience with K-12 age children, apply to the clinical cohort. Make sure to follow the directions in this packet. Applications for the clinical cohort are only taken once a year, on April 1. The selected cohort (approximately 16-20 students) will begin the clinical classes in the second summer session of that same year. Students may still be completing requirements in the spring semester when they apply, but must be finished with all requirements at the end of that semester to be eligible for the Clinical cohort. Students will be notified in late April or early May of their acceptance into the clinical cohort.

Evaluation of Cohort Applications

The cohort applications are assessed, with points, on the following:

• Admission GPA (undergrad or grad)
• GPA in pre-core classes
• Grades on assessment papers in pre-core classes
• Total points on the 3 recommendation forms
• Years of post-BA experience with K-12 age children (minimum 2 years required)
• Bonus points: For experience in diverse settings; experience with students with disabilities; leadership experience; additional training related to counseling.

The highest scoring applicants are accepted. Usually two students are put on a waiting list in case someone drops before the first class. Students who are not accepted may re-apply the following year. They only need to update their resume. (Check with program coordinator in February to see if there are any application changes.) But students will go back into the pool and compete against all applicants. They will not be given preference.

No preference is given based on gender, race, ethnicity, teacher vs. non-teacher, or state of residence. All candidates are considered only on the criteria noted previously.

TAKING THE PRE-REQUISITE AND PRE-CORE COURSES DOES NOT GUARANTEE ENTRANCE INTO THE PROGRAM. STUDENTS MUST COMPETE AGAINST OTHER APPLICANTS FOR THE 16 PROGRAM SLOTS.

Students Entering With a Masters Degree In Education

A student who already has a master's degree in education, should attend an Advising and Information Session and then apply to the program in counseling. The program coordinator will review the undergraduate and graduate transcripts and inform the student of any classes that still need to be completed. Students must take G500 Orientation to Counseling at IUS. Second Masters students should apply to be a counseling major by November 1 before the spring they plan to apply to the clinical program so that the program coordinator has an opportunity to review the transcript to be sure the student has satisfied the pre-core classes and pre-requisites.

Transfer Students

Because the IUS program uses a cohort model and the skills are built from course to course and there are only 16 slots, it is not possible to accept any transfer students during the two clinical years. Transfer students may apply to the first year of the clinical cohort, but will have to take all of the clinical courses required of the cohort.

Occasionally there is room for someone who has a masters degree in social work or mental health counseling and has been working with children to enter the program. These students should contact the program coordinator for an individual appointment to look at transcripts and see how many courses would be needed. Typically the student would take 30 hours of class work, but would not have to retake the basic counseling courses. A 600 clock hour internship in the schools would be required. Due to the small size of the program only one or two students a year can be included under this post-masters in counseling program. Post-masters students will also have to submit the same materials that regular cohort applicants complete.