Is IU an oasis for mediocre, less than stellar students?

IU is developing a reputation as an A+ school for B+ students.

In a recent ranking by U.S. News & World Report, IU was ranked a top choice for students with “less than stellar” test scores and a “so-so” GPA, with a 69.2 percent acceptance rate of undergraduate applicants.

So what does this “safety-school status” mean?

The quality of the education offered at IU is not diminishing, but the quality of the applicant pool may be.

First of all, IU applicants are less pressured to achieve the high grades and scores that would normally be mandatory for acceptance to a prestigious institution. However, state schools should not make student acceptance increasingly difficult and competitive.

Rather, state schools should ensure education is accessible to students at all levels.

Prerequisites that hinder students from even applying are wrong, especially when a public, state school is obligated to offer opportunities to all high school students within its state.

As a state university, we believe it is imperative that IU ensure education is accessible.  
From the school’s perspective, this report of mediocrity should not at all diminish the work accomplished.

IU boasts one of the top business, music and journalism schools in the country, along with countless other programs. Not to mention the faculty, all of whom are distinguished in their fields. IU employs Pulitzer Prize-winning professors and is home to some the world’s most accredited academics.

Additionally, the IU campus has been cited as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States and has been included in Kiplinger’s “Top-Value Colleges.”

Indeed, IU offers programs and resources that are setting the standard for other universities.

So, what difference does it really make if a student receives a string of Bs in high school? What really matters is the education students receive upon arrival in college.  
IU enables students from all different socioeconomic backgrounds and demographics to pursue their passions, thereby providing a sturdy foundation to achieve success.

By accepting a larger percentage of the applicant pool, IU is simply making an education more accessible to a wider range of students.