Application to the Business Major

1. Know Your Audience

What is your audience looking for? The Lundquist College of Business has a set of Holistic Standards that outline the qualities they are looking for in applicants. Which of these qualities do you have? How can you prove you have these?

Holistic Admission Standards

  • A strong academic record
  • Strong quantitative, written, analytical and oral presentation skills
  • A clarity of purpose with regard to academic and career goals
  • A global mindset
  • Demonstrated leadership on campus or in the community
  • Ability to overcome obstacles
  • Effective utilization of university/community resources and opportunities
  • Cultural competence
  • Demonstrated entrepreneurship

2. Resume

Check out our Resume Page for tools and templates.

What does the admissions committee like to see in a resume?

Your resume is a chance to communicate applicable skills, experiences, and your interests. Include bullet points and experience that help prove you have the qualities in the holistic standards listed above.

What are the main sections of a resume?

Header: name & contact information | Education: degree, major, concentration, minor, GPA, expected graduation date | Experience: leadership roles, paid positions, internships, club involvement, volunteer

What are some key formatting considerations?

  • 1-page, consistent formatting
  • No pronouns (I, we, they)
  • Use past tense throughout
  • Easy to read quickly
  • Experiences in order of newest to oldest
  • Start each bullet point with action verb

3. Cover Letter

Check out our Cover Letter Resource Page for tools and templates.

What does the admission committee like to see a cover letter?

The admissions committee wants you to focus your cover letter on how you embody a strong combination of the holistic standards and why the Lundquist College of Business should “hire” you.

What is the purpose of a cover letter?

  • Your cover letter is a chance to select a couple main selling points and show evidence of your skills using stories.
  • Demonstrates communication skills

What are some formatting considerations?

  • Same heading as resume
  • Write using complete sentences and paragraphs.
  • 1-page single spaced

4. Supplemental Questions

To check your grammar and spelling, first type your supplemental questions in a word processing program. There’s a strict limit of 2,500 characters (approximately 400 words) for each answer.

Identify a time in your life that required you to face a challenge or overcome an obstacle, describe how you approached the situation and what you learned from it.

  • Like experiences or situations in a life, work, or academic setting.
  • Focus on the skills or characteristics this built, and what you learned.

Tell us about your academic and career goals and describe how any leadership opportunities, academic coursework, university resources, and extracurricular activities you engaged in have helped you define these goals.

  • Like the industries & occupations you’re exploring, problems you want to solve, or the values that you want to align your career with.
  • Activities or resources could include: internships, clubs, study abroad, work, Greek life, academic advising, career services, tutoring, other services on campus, etc.
  • Reflect on what you’ve learned from these opportunities/ experiences/resources and how they contribute to your goals.
  • Try to focus mainly on influences during college.

Is there anything else relevant to your application that you would like to tell the admission committee? This question is optional and can be used to support your case if you are applying for admission without meeting the guaranteed admission requirements.

  • Last chance to align your application and promote yourself.
  • Good place to share life circumstances that affected your grades. (If you reference extenuating circumstances such as illness or a death in the family, please include supporting documentation.)

5. Get Feedback Before You Submit


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