Smeal Direct FAQ
The Smeal College of Business is introducing a new admissions process called Smeal Direct, effective for students admitted beginning in Summer/Fall 2026. This approach directly admits qualified first-year students into Smeal College upon acceptance to Penn State. Students admitted through Smeal Direct will have guaranteed placement into a Smeal major as long as they maintain appropriate academic progress. They will also have immediate access to Smeal resources and be integrated into the Smeal community from day one.
During the spring semester of their second year, students will apply for entrance into specific Smeal majors. Admission to majors will continue to be based on administrative controls, including coursework and minimum GPA requirements. Smeal Direct students who meet these requirements for their preferred major are guaranteed admittance. Smeal Direct students who maintain appropriate academic progress but do not meet requirements for their preferred major are still guaranteed a Smeal major. They will rank their preferred majors and will be admitted to the major for which they qualify based on these entry requirements.
A limited opportunity, called Smeal Second Year Entry, will exist for students from other colleges and campuses at Penn State, including the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), to apply to Smeal at the end of their first year, subject to availability and through a competitive process. Smeal Second Year Entry students are guaranteed a Smeal major, but are not guaranteed their first-choice major.
To support prospective students, their families and the entire Penn State community during this transition, Smeal has created a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ), which will be updated as new questions and information emerge. Community members are encouraged to use this page for reference and submit additional questions via the provided link at the bottom of the FAQ page.
Smeal Direct FAQs
Q: How is the new Smeal Direct admissions process different from the current one?
A: Prospective first-year students must select a Smeal major (Accounting, Actuarial Science, Corporate Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Real Estate, Risk Management, Supply Chain & Information Systems, or Business-Undecided) when applying to Penn State, indicating their intention to complete their studies at the University Park campus. Students can start at University Park or at any Commonwealth Campus, but the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) will no longer offer a guaranteed path to Smeal.
Q: How will the student experience differ under Smeal Direct?
A: Students admitted through Smeal Direct at University Park and at all Commonwealth campuses immediately join the Smeal community, gaining early access to Smeal resources, support services, and peer networks.
Q: When does the new admissions model take effect?
A: It applies to students admitted for Summer/Fall 2026 and onward.
Q: Why is Smeal adopting this new admissions model?
A: Admitting students directly allows immediate integration into the Smeal community, earlier access to support and opportunities, stronger cohort connections, and improved resource planning and management.
Q: Can students still apply through DUS and transfer to Smeal?
A: DUS will no longer be a guaranteed path into Smeal. Students from DUS or other colleges and campuses must apply through the competitive Smeal Second Year Entry process.
Q: Is there a path for students not directly admitted into Smeal?
A: Yes, through the Smeal Second Year Entry process, but entry is competitive, limited, and subject to space availability. Prospective business students are encouraged to apply directly to Smeal to maximize the opportunity to secure a business major.
Q: What is Smeal Second Year Entry?
A: It’s a competitive application process for students from other Penn State colleges and campuses, including DUS, to enter Smeal. Application criteria include academic achievement and other considerations. The criteria will be shared with interested students beginning in Summer/Fall 2026. Students apply for Smeal Second Year Entry in the Spring semester of their first year. If admitted, they will apply for a Smeal major during the spring of their second year. Smeal Second Year Entry students are not guaranteed their first-choice major.
Q: Are students guaranteed their first-choice major?
A: All students admitted to Smeal are guaranteed a Smeal major if they maintain appropriate academic progress. Students admitted via Smeal Direct who meet GPA and coursework requirements for their first-choice major are guaranteed their first-choice major. Students admitted via Smeal Second Year Entry are also guaranteed a Smeal major, but are not guaranteed their first-choice major.
Q: How does major selection work?
A: Students apply for specific majors in the spring of their second year, ranking their preferences. Major entry decisions are based on academic criteria, including GPA. Students who meet the academic criteria for their preferred major are guaranteed entry. All Smeal Direct students who maintain appropriate academic progress are guaranteed a Smeal major, but are not guaranteed their first-choice major.
Q: When do students apply for and enter their major?
A: Typically, students apply in the spring of their second year and begin their major in the fall of their third year.
Q: What if a student is unsure of what they want to study at Penn State?
A: The Division of Undergraduate Studies is committed to student exploration, engagement, and academic success. Although DUS will no longer be a guaranteed pathway into Smeal, they will continue to serve students who are exploring various degrees through exceptional academic advising, thoughtful guidance on institutional policies, and a strong dedication to the scholarship of advising. Students interested in studying business within Smeal are encouraged to apply to Smeal directly, even if they are still undecided about their specific business major. Students admitted to Smeal will spend their first two years in the college, completing entrance to major courses and having opportunities for major exploration.
Q: Can students admitted to Smeal begin their studies at a Commonwealth campus?
A: Yes. Students admitted via Smeal Direct can begin at a Commonwealth campus and transition to University Park at the start of their third year.
Q: When do Commonwealth campus students admitted through Smeal Direct transition to University Park?
A: At the beginning of their third year.
If you have additional questions not addressed here, please email smealadvising@smeal.psu.edu.