You would first be admitted to IU. Then at a later date (after 2/1 when the review request was due) you would hear from Kelley. It’s a two step process!!
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Thanks for the apology. I’m trying to share the experience of my son in case there are other families who are in a similar boat - applied EA and still no decision.
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Kelley has clearly stated All will hear about the review request BY April 14.
Admission to IU is separate from Direct Admission to Kelley.
Notifications will be released on a rolling basis. All candidates will have a response by April 14th, 2025, by 5 pm ET.
I think, some people should start hearing as early as mid-Feb.
TL:DR probably but let me put it in one post. Reality of Kelley petitions is a few will hear very soon and almost everyone else will hear around April 1. Believe it don’t believe it entirely your choice.
Kelley will admit a very small group of petitions based on University priorities really soon - as early as tomorrow - because as someone pointed out correctly they want them at DA days. That has been high stat women applicants in the last few years, this is shifting to first gen college and historically unrepresented students. They will give almost zero credence to TO this year. From what I have heard women applicants will not get quite the bump as in years past vs the men.
After they admit this small group I would be surprised if a single person hears until April 1ish. And prepare now - hearing around Apr 1 means “wait list” for most. Which always gets the feelings going but it’s what IU Kelley does. Usually they’ll wait until real close to Apr 14 to tell you wait list but Apr 1 is a good target date. Nobody tells anyone they aren’t coming until they fail to enroll on May 1 and a decent number pay the deposit and string multiple schools along. Put your anger there not at IU Kelley.
They mean what they say in trying to give a holistic read to the petitions after this initial priority group. Let me write again - priority is not IU Kelley stating you are not quite what they want immediately - it’s do you meet a specific Kelley goal by the current apps today and then as they review to the April goal. Tough schools with no grade inflation, no GPA on transcript, multiple high schools, high one side of equation and just missed on the other, etc etc etc… are not Kelley Feb 1 priorities. That does not mean not desired by Kelley or not worthy. Especially for a group of students who for 13 years of school have been celebrated. You all have high stats.
Not being admitted on petition in time for DA days can feel hurtful. I want to go why can’t I attend. It’s a numbers game.
Petitions are a numbers game too - it has very little to do with your quality of an applicant - they’ll be able to accept maybe 1000 of probably over 18k received this year just based on what I know by April 14. Because there is a standard admit option, which I get it is not ideal, Kelley provides an option to students that Ross or Wharton does not. Embrace that and not the rejection is my advice. Literally not a single person knows if you are pre-biz or direct admit. You all get to make your own decisions there.
IU and it’s “80%” admit can create a feeling like who is IU to turn me down. You get to choose where you go to college. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. IU through its auto admit and career focus has made itself a top 10 school they aren’t turning that ship around.
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I so wish IU/Kelley is at least half as clear and communicative as you are despite not working at admissions.
UGA admissions director is a shining example of how to communicate with applicants.
This is helpful, and if you look at last year’s Petition Tracker board, the dates jibe.
Question - by “zero credence to TO” do you mean TO candidates will not get a proper look, or that TO will not weigh in the decision?
Thanks for taking the time to lay that out; clearly you have some knowledge here and it’s super helpful to set expectations. Curious on what other data is included in petition review, since it was said it was grades and score based, how first gen or URM would come in, unless by petition essay topic? Do they care about geographical distribution? Hopefully they are looking at increasing their Virginia represenation specifically 
If my son decided to give standard admit a try, would committing by May 1 give him a better chance in a waitlist petition or would they still award those equally to those who did enroll? 18K is a lot of petitions.
I agree Kelley is generous in both their DA threshold and the second chance option with standard admit, given their popularity. Wish my kid had gotten one more A to get over the GPA stat but that’s life.
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I’m sure your son will have quite a few options with direct admit to business school.
No matter the likelihood of standard admission, I’d not gamble with it, unless that’s the only viable option.
Also, I always take these US News “rankings” with a pinch of salt. Yes, Kelley is a great school, but many other which are lower in these fudged rankings are in reality much more selective, with much better overall outcomes, and much less crowded. The devil is in the details of these rankings.
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Yes, this is all such helpful information. I had the same “TO” question as well!
Also, I recall much further back on this thread and I need to look, but there were some really interesting major options mentioned should one not get into Kelley from petition, decide to go as “pre-business,” and end up not making the cut from a grade perspective after freshman year. Does anyone have any thoughts on alternative majors? I’ll look back in the thread and of course review IU’s website as well.
My OOs son submitted a petition in late Jan after accepted to the University with some merit as pre-business. He had the grades (3.7uw and 4.5w), but only 1320 on SAT. He’d love to go to Kelley, but having to wait until mid April feels so long. Will it really take that long?
Thank you! Very helpful
Just seeing the helpful post above. Looks like a low chance and April.
Would folks here pick Fisher or Smeal as second choice? We are OOS for both. He has visited both.
It’s an interesting process. My daughter has essentially moved on but will consider if she gets in from petition. She’s got a few more decisions coming but she’s currently deciding between PSU, Fordham and Wisconsin. We are in state for Isenberg and she got honors there and not too excited about it. Wish she would give it a better consideration. She got into Northeastern but we feel it’s too expensive. She has great merit and honors offer from Fordham and that would be my top choice for her. Obviously these kids are good enough to get into Kelley but they may not and that’s ok! I’m not a huge fan of their process but it seems to work for them.
I would go with whichever one your son likes better or cost if he’s indifferent. I get a really friendly vibe from Penn State and their alumni are very enthusiastic. How did he like the visit?
For what it’s worth, I’m hearing there is a lot of competition at Kelley as there are 2,500 kids each year in business and 1,000 in finance. 1,000!!! I’m hearing that unless your kid likes a competitive environment that the business frats and workshops can be extremely hard to get. And then that affects career placement. Idk. I see this waiting period as kind of a blessing. The more I see, the more I think Kelley isn’t the right fit for her. I’m sure it’s a great fit for some but I’m really becoming put off by some of the behavior I’m hearing about directly from other parents. Does anyone know if other schools have frats like this that are essentially gate keeping experiences and run solely by students?
Generally, I would choose direct admit if that’s an option.
Does your S have direct admit to Fisher? Smeal is not direct admit, here are the current criteria for the various Smeal majors: https://ugstudents.smeal.psu.edu/academics-advising/get-into-a-smeal-major/smeal-college-entrance-to-major-2024-25
I think once you are in SMEAL you are in. I know for finance you have to have a 3.5 gpa. But there is a difference between being admitted to SMEAL versus pre business right?
One can get to Smeal if they are admitted premajor to Smeal or are in DUS. The link above spells out the criteria including required GPA by major, but yes, the student is in if they meet all the criteria listed (it’s not holistic admission)…and just noting that the 3.5 required GPA to get into finance is a fairly high barrier.
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My understanding with SMEAL is that you need to have a 3.5 (finance majors) or a 3.2 (non-finance majors) your first year, plus have taken some required courses, and you are in. There is no real ‘direct admit’ for SMEAL – if you are admitted to SMEAL out of high school it basically means you have an advisor to help you through the process, vs. DUS (undecided) which has the exact same requirements but no advisor.
Related to the 3.2 vs. 3.5 requirement, I am really hoping that being non-finance for Kelley boosts the odds of a successful petition. We’ll see.
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Gotcha. That makes sense. Lots to consider. Seems like there are pros and cons for each school.
FWIW, we’re in the same boat – coming down to Kelley or Smeal for us. Clearing the hurdle of a 3.2 seems a lot less scary than getting all Bs or higher for regular admit to Kelley. One bad final exam can crush your prospects. 
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