Home > BBA > Standard Admission Requirements

Congratulations on choosing a business degree at TCU. We hope to see you in our halls and classrooms soon. However, you can't get into the prestigious TCU Neeley School of Business just by walking in the doors. Admission is competitive. Here’s a quick overview.

  1. Apply to TCU. List your first-choice major as pre-business. Apply now.
  2. Spend your first and second years at TCU completing all the pre-business requirements (Lower-Division Requirements).
  3. In your second year, apply to the TCU Neeley School of Business and declare your business major. 
  4. Spend your third and fourth years at TCU Neeley completing all your BBA graduation requirements. 

Decision Notifications

  • You’ll be notified of an admission decision by the Neeley Academic Advising Center before enrollment for the next semester opens.
  • If you are accepted to the business school, you’ll be assigned an advisor and will be notified by email to schedule an appointment to review your new academic plan.

Business is a popular major, so admission is competitive. Not everyone who applies will be accepted. But your first step is to follow every one of these steps. Click below for details.

  • Apply to TCU here. You need to apply to TCU before applying to the Neeley School of Business.  
  • List your first-choice major as pre-business, no matter what your eventual major will be. You will NOT be able to change your first-choice major to pre-business at orientation. You must change it with TCU admissions by a specific date before your registered orientation session. For questions, contact  frogmail@tcu.edu.
  • If accepted to TCU, attend New Student Orientation. 

These steps are required to continue as a pre-business student beyond the first year. 

  • Come equipped with a PC laptop or notebook. More about our PC policy below.
  • Complete these required courses by the end of your first year (note none may be taken as pass/no credit): 
    • BUSI 10153
    • BUSI 10151
    • ENGL 10803
    • MATH 10283 or MATH 10524
    • ECON 10223
    • ECON 10233
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above. If you don’t meet the minimum 2.75 GPA at the end of your first year you cannot continue as pre-business and must select a major other than business. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above is required to declare your major in your second year.
  • Complete 24 credit hours by the end of your first year. 
  • Pass Microsoft Office certification tests for PowerPoint and Excel. More about Microsoft Certification below.   
  • Attend Group Advising. Watch your email for information about freshman group advising at the Neeley Academic Advising Center in early March. 

How Will You Know You've Made It? 

Complete all the steps. We can't say this enough. Skipping even one step will disqualify you. 

These steps are required to be eligible to apply to the Neeley School of Business. 

  • Attend Group Advising. Schedule your appointment with the Neeley Academic Advising Center as soon as possible. You must be advised before you can enroll, and your advisor's calendar will fill up quickly.  
  • Complete the following required courses:  
    • ENGL 20803
    • INSC 20153  
    • INSC 20263  
    • ACCT 20353  
    • ENTR 20153 
  • Maintain an overall 3.0 TCU GPA; 2.75 for Lower-Division Requirements. 
  • Apply to the Neeley School here. 
  • Complete the following requirements through the TCU Online course Experience Entering Neeley after an application is submitted:
    • Neeley formatted résumé
    • In-person Interview
    • Virtual Interview

Neeley Fellows and BNSF Neeley Leadership students: Please follow advising information provided to you by your program. 

How Will You Know You've Made It? 

Complete all the steps. We can't say this enough. Skipping even one step will disqualify you. 

Once you have completed all of the requirements, you will be notified before enrollment for the next semester opens. Please remember, completing all the steps does not guarantee admission. We would like to accept every student who applies, but business is a popular major so admission is competitive. 

See your third-year requirements 

Since the majority of companies and businesses operate on a PC platform, we require all students to have a PC laptop or notebook computer to be better prepared for success in the business world. An Apple/Mac computer with PC software is not the same. There are critical differences in keystrokes and other functions that are taught in class. 

 windows icons

WINDOWS PC

Operating
System

MINIMUM
Windows 10 or 11

Productivity Tools

Microsoft Office:
Office 365 or Office 2019
https://it.tcu.edu/O365/ Access to Microsoft online and ability to download and install Microsoft for free

Processor Type

MINIMUM: Core i5 Processor
RECOMMENDED: Core i7 Processor

Memory

MINIMUM: 16 GB RAM
RECOMMENDED: 32 GB RAM

Hard Drive

MINIMUM: 512 GB
RECOMMENDED: 1TB

Virus and Spyware Protection Software

Sophos Antivirus is provided by the University. For software and instructions please visit http://it.tcu.edu/support/student-computing/. A free version of Sophos is available for all students and can be downloaded from my.tcu.edu

 

Resources For Purchasing a PC Laptop
A discount program CDW Government Sales is available at:  www.cdwg.com/tcustudent

See also:
http://www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/Laptops/Laptops

Microsoft Office certification is required for all business majors to provide you with advanced skills employers want.  

You must pass PowerPoint and Excel in your first year by the published deadline to continue as a pre-business student beyond the first year. Excel is a prerequisite for INSC 20153.  

All students entering Summer/Fall 2022 must pass the PowerPoint Exam by November 30, 2022 and the Excel exam by March 22, 2023.

Testing Schedule/Registration 

  • Tests are offered on weekdays only. Prep classes are offered weekly. Sign up for either through your account at my.tcu.edu, Academic Progress, Neeley, Microsoft Test/Prep. Read the add/drop policy carefully. 
  • You must sign up once for each test. 
  • Each test takes approximately 50 minutes. 
  • You will receive your results immediately upon completing each test, along with a printed score report. 

Cost 

  • $75.00 per test per attempt. 
  • $125.00 for each prep class. (If you fail the test after taking a prep class, you may retake the class at no charge within 30 days of your original class. Call 817-257-5220 to schedule your retake.)  
  • If you cannot make it to your test appointment, cancel at least 48 hours in advance by calling 817-257-5220. If you fail to cancel in time, you will be billed for the test.  

Scholarships 

Scholarships are available to cover the costs of the prep classes. Call 817-257-5220 for more information. 

Special Accommodations 

You must provide documentation from a physician detailing the extent of your disability and requirements for accommodation. Learn more by calling 817-257-5220. 

Military Reimbursement 

Service members and veterans may be eligible for military reimbursement for Microsoft Office certification exam fees. Learn more by contacting VA Education Customer Service at 888-442-4551. 

Other Testing Centers 

If you want to take your exams outside of the TCU area, locate a testing center in your area. Contact the Neeley Academic Advising Center at 817-257-5220 for instruction on submitting your online Microsoft Office transcript.