Admission Criteria

Please click here for important information about how to prepare to apply to the finance major.  

To begin the application process, click here.

When to Apply

The application opens on January 1st and is due Monday, June 30, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. All prerequisites must be completed by the application date in order to apply (note that prerequisites may be taken during spring term, but not summer term).

We also perform early admissions. If we are confident in your ability to succeed in finance, you have a strong application, and you apply by Thursday, May 15, at 11:59 p.m., you may have the chance to be admitted into the program early, prior to the final June deadline. If you apply prior to the early admissions deadline above, you will only be notified if you have been early admitted, which notification you will receive by June 1. If you are not accepted as part of early admissions, you will still be reviewed with the remaining applicant pool after the final June application deadline. If you receive and accept an offer of early admission, you will then be able to register during standard university priority registration for fall semester, which takes place in early June. All others admitted to the major (after the late June deadline) will register for their major classes in late July/early August, as directed by the MSB advisement center.

We welcome applications from students finishing their sophomore and junior years. We have observed that it is best if students apply as early as possible, including during their freshman year as recruiting for finance internships happens quite early. We often see students accept offers in the spring of their sophomore year for a summer internship between their junior and senior years. As a result, because recruiters are now interviewing and making offers to sophomores for junior internships, we advise students, where possible, to apply to the finance major after their freshman year. If you are denied after applying as a freshman, this will not hurt you if you reapply in future years. To the contrary, this will likely help you as long as you have improved your application further when reapplying, as it signals persistence, focus, dedication and resilience.

How to Prepare

Students should also understand that admission to the major is competitive. This varies from year to year, but in 2024, 566 applications were submitted, with 286 admittances. In order to assist students in preparing to apply, we offer the following guidance:

  • Earn strong grades, particularly in the prerequisite courses (ACC 200, FIN 201, and 3.0 hours from the following course(s) menu: ACC 310, ECON 110, GSCM 201/GSCM 211, IS 201, MATH 118, MKTG 201, or STAT 121). In admissions we will consider your:
    • Average prerequisite GPA
      • You should note that we consider the difficulty of the different course options in the menu option when evaluating your prerequisite GPA. In addition, Econ 110 is the most valuable course of the menu option you can take for purposes of applying to the finance major as it is a prerequisite class to many of our core courses. So while not a required prerequisite, if possible you should take it before applying to the major.
    • Last 30-credit-hour GPA
    • BYU GPA (calculations will use the posted university grades)
    • Other information from your academic record (Transfer credits/grades, AP/SAT scores, AP credit, etc.)
  • Where a student’s schedule allows, take and earn high marks in one or more of the following courses: IS 110 and STAT 121. This is especially important for students applying after their sophomore or junior year.
  • Join and actively participate in the Finance Society.
  • Attend at least one NetTrek.
  • Complete an on-campus internship.
  • Create a properly formatted and polished résumé.
  • Secure a meaningful summer internship.
  • Register for FIN 180: Finance Recruitment Prep. This class is designed for anyone interested in applying to the finance program and having a career in finance as it focuses on how to prepare for internships and job placements.

What Matters to the Admissions Committee

The admissions committee uses a holistic approach to assess applicants. Broadly speaking, the admissions committee is looking to admit students with a high probability of achieving successful outcomes upon completion of the major. When assessing the probability of an applicant achieving a successful outcome, the committee values the following:

  • Clear articulation of the applicant’s career and/or personal aspirations. Please note, the admissions committee welcomes a broad array of professional and personal aspirations.  
  • Concise explanation of how a finance degree will assist in the applicant’s pursuit of her/his stated aspirations.
  • Evidence that the applicant understands the path that will lead the realization of their aspirations.
  • Evidence that the applicant is making progress toward achieving their aspirations.

The admissions committee sees at least five broad categories in which applicants can demonstrate they are making progress toward achieving their aspirations:

  • Academic performance (prerequisite GPA, BYU overall GPA, etc.)
  • Personal attributes (communication skills, charisma, integrity, etc.)
  • Professional experience (on-campus internships, off-campus internships, case competitions, etc.)
  • Professional preparation (participation in the Finance Society, NetTreks, FIN 180, etc.)
  • Other (compelling backstory, leadership experience, overcoming hardship and adversity, etc.)