Admissions requirements for future NIU freshmen will be lower in 1993 than the Illinois Board of Higher Education had originally required, but vocational provisions will be added.

Previously, the IBHE called for four credits of English, three credits each in social sciences, math and science and two credits in either a foreign language, art or music. But provisions for any vocational courses were never made, said Kathleen Kelly, IBHE associate director for academic affairs.

“It would be a shame if a student couldn’t take vocational courses,” said Robert Burke, NIU Office of Admissions associate director. Burke said vocational courses help high school students prepare for college and their careers.

Kelly said some people thought the curriculum was too rigorous which lead the IBHE to make changes in the admissions requirements for 1993.

According to the July 10 IBHE report, these changes would include 15 total credits:

*four credits in English

*two or three credits in social studies

*two or three credits in math

*two or three credits in science

*one credit of foreign language, art or music and three to four credits in the preceeding areas and vocational courses.

Kelly said the law was introduced last year to address certain problems, including a concern about the declining enrollment in high school vocational courses.

“Students might not hesitate to take vocational courses if they are recognized by the IBHE,” Burke said.

There was also the question of whether high schools could provide vocational coursework because the IBHE previously did not provide students an opportunity to take vocational courses, Kelly said.

Burke said vocational courses would not include classes such as auto shop but would include computer science and other classes that would “have a definite learning outcome” and help a student in his college career.

The old regime “called for provisional courses…the (IBHE’s) sole purpose was to influence students to take the right courses in high school for (college) success,” Kelly said.

Students applying to NIU must also meet certain criteria. For example, three of the four English credits must be from NIU-recognized courses emphasizing written and oral communication in literature.

Also, two credits of social studies, mathematics, science and one year of foreign language credits also must be from NIU-recognized courses, according to the IBHE report.

The report stated NIU-recognized courses have been examined for content according to guidelines established by NIU faculty to ensure students have an appropriate background for a college education.

Burke said, “The bottom line (concerning NIU-recognized courses) is that classes must meet traditional college prepatory standards.”