Smeal Direct

General information related to the Smeal Direct initiative.

Beginning Summer 2026, students admitted to the Smeal College of Business upon acceptance into the University will be guaranteed placement into a Smeal major, assuming appropriate academic progress.

Students enrolled at Penn State in a non-Smeal college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) but later develop interest in a Smeal major may apply to change into Smeal through Smeal’s Second-Year Entry process. Applications for the Smeal Second-Year Entry must be submitted in Spring semester of a student's first year.

Students must be in Smeal in order to pursue a Smeal major. Being accepted to Smeal from the initial application to Penn State is the only way to guarantee entrance into a Smeal major. First-choice majors cannot be guaranteed for students entering Smeal through Smeal's Second-Year Entry.

NOTE: The Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) is no longer a guaranteed pathway into Smeal.

APPLICATION AND ADMISSION TO PENN STATE

The application process and admissions structure remain unchanged within the Smeal Direct initiative. All applications to Penn State are handled through the Undergraduate Admissions Office. For more information, please visit admissions.psu.edu or contact admissions@psu.edu

Students applying for a Smeal degree should select one of the 10 Smeal majors on the application - Accounting, Actuarial Science, Corporate Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management, Business Analytics & Information Systems, Marketing, Real Estate, Risk Management, Supply Chain & Information Systems

All first-year students accepted into Smeal from high school will begin as Business Administration Pre-Majors (BA_PMAJ), regardless of the intended major selected on the application.

ENTRANCE-TO-MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Students admitted directly to Smeal from high school are eligible for a first-choice major by completing required coursework and meeting the cumulative GPA standard by the entrance-to-major deadline.

Cumulative GPA Requirements

Major Cumulative GPA
Accounting — ACCTG_BS 3.10
Actuarial Science — ACTSC_BS 3.20
Business Analytics & Information Systems — MIS_BS 3.10
Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship — CIENT_BS 3.10
Finance — FIN_BS 3.50
Management — MGMT_BS 3.10
Marketing — MKTG_BS 3.10
Real Estate — REST_BS 3.10
Risk Management — RM_BS 3.10
Supply Chain and Information Systems — SCIS_BS 3.10

Required Coursework

  • ENGL 15 (or equivalent)
  • MATH 110**
  • ECON 102
  • STAT 200 or SCM 200
  • ACCTG 211 ( or ACCTG 201 and ACCTG 202)
  • MGMT 301
  • MKTG 301
  • FIN 301

**Actuarial Science requires both MATH 140 and MATH 141

A grade of C or higher is required for all entrance-to-major courses, except for ECON 102.

ACCTG 211 (or ACCTG 201 and ACCTG 202), MGMT 301, MKTG 301, and FIN 301 must be completed at Penn State.

SMEAL SECOND-YEAR ENTRY

Students admitted to Penn State through another academic college or DUS and become interested in a Smeal degree will have equal opportunity to apply through Smeal’s Second-Year Entry application process.

Eligibility

  • First-year baccalaureate students admitted for or after Summer or Fall 2026 and enrolled at a Penn State residential campus.

  • Not eligible: World Campus students, transfer students, associate degree students, or non-degree students.

Application Details

  • The application must be submitted during the Spring semester of the first year.

  • The process is highly competitive, and first-choice majors are not guaranteed.

  • Academic performance and additional factors are considered in the review process.

Academic Requirements
To apply, students must:

  • Complete at least 24 Penn State graded credits at a residential campus by the end of Spring of their first year.

  • Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.10 at the time of application and through the end of Spring.

Required Courses (grade of C or higher) Transfer and other approved credit methods are accepted per Penn State policy. All coursework must be completed and appear on the Penn State transcript by the end of Spring.

  • ENGL 15 or ENGL 30 (or equivalent)
  • MATH 110, 140, or 141
  • ECON 102 or ECON 104

BEGIN AT A COMMONWEALTH CAMPUS

Starting at one of Penn State's 12 Commonwealth Campuses is a great option and possibility for many students beginning in Smeal. The 2+2 program gives flexibility to start in Smeal but at a campus, before transitioning to University Park for the final 2 years.

https://www.psu.edu/resources/first-year-students/2plus2plan

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Interested students that want to learn more about Smeal are encouraged to attend a Smeal Prospect Student Information Session virtually or in-person (https://www.psu.edu/admission/undergraduate/explore/visit/colleges).

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