The OAC application process consists of three elements:

• Official Transcripts

• Application Form

• Entrance Exam

To guide you through the process, we have this checklist. You should find most of your questions concerning applications answered on this page. It explains what you will need to prepare, what to submit, when to do so and what to expect once you have applied. As part of the application process, the OAC may contact you for a phone interview. 

Step-by-Step Checklist for the Application Process:

1. Transcripts

Official transcripts from each college/university attended are required. If you have just begun your undergraduate studies, please submit your high school transcript(s). Transcripts may be submitted by fax to (949) 222-6558, as a high-quality scanned email attachment to oac@aynrand.org, or by postal mail to:

OAC, c/o ARI
2121 Alton Parkway
Suite 250
Irvine, CA 92606

If sent by mail, transcripts must be postmarked no later than April 15, 2012 for early admission, or July 29, 2012 for regular admission.

2. Application Form

A PDF copy of the full application form is available here for review. 

Please review the questions in advance before completing the form online, so you will know what information you will need to gather to complete your application. 

Applicants must complete the online form available here.

• Tip: Do not compose your written-response answers directly on the Web-based application form. Compose the statement in a word processor on your computer, saving a copy to disk.
• You should edit and proofread your answers in advance. Paste in your final, polished draft using the online form. Please see our formatting guidelines.

3. Entrance Exam

The entrance exam is conducted by email at a pre-specified date and time. 

On the application form you will be asked to select a date on which to write the entrance exam.

Be sure to make a note of the Date and Time you selected, as that is when the exam will be  administered.

• Note: ARI’s offices are located in California, and therefore the Exam times are listed in Pacific Standard Time. Please be sure to adjust the chosen test time to your time zone accordingly.
• If you have more than one email address, on the application form list first the one you check most frequently. This is the email address to which we will send the entrance exam.
• The entrance exam is required of all applicants. We expect applicants to have some familiarity with Ayn Rand’s ideas. Therefore, the exam presupposes that you have read The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, The Virtue of Selfishness, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, and Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. To prepare for the exam, you may wish to read or reread these books.
• The exam consists of three to five essay questions. All of the questions are of equal value for your overall grade of pass or fail. You should write as much as you think is necessary to answer each question, but keep in mind that you must answer all of the questions within the time limit of the exam.
• On the day of the exam, check your email at the appointed hour. If you do not receive your entrance exam by the time you chose on your application, please check your spam folder. If you do not find your exam there, please email oac@aynrand.org immediately. The time limit for writing the exam is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Follow the instructions, contained in the exam rubric, on how to submit your completed exam by email. Within two business days of submission, you will receive an email confirming receipt of your exam. Email us only if you do not receive the confirmation within two business days.

4. Results

By June 1 or September 1 (which date depends on when you apply to the OAC) you will receive email notification of the results. We will contact all applicants. If we are able to offer you a spot, that email will instruct you on how to enroll and register for courses. (If we have been unable to offer you early admission in June, you may still be considered for admission in September.)

If you applied for a tuition waiver and/or phone scholarship, we will let you know at this time whether we were able to offer you either or both.

Please do not contact ARI with questions about your admissions decision, as we are unable to respond to such inquiries.

5. Enrolling

• Prior to enrolling and as a condition of joining the OAC, you will be asked to sign and submit by postal mail the OAC Student Agreement Form (supplied with the notification email). All students are required to sign this form.
• You will be asked to submit by email or postal mail a photograph of yourself for the private OAC Student Web Site.
• After we receive your signed OAC Student Agreement, you will be added to the OAC Student email List.
• You also receive a copy of the OAC student handbook, which outlines our procedures and policies on grading and attendance.

During the summer, new students are registered for courses. The schedule of classes will be finalized by early October. A week or so before the start of the fall semester, we will invite you to log on to the website of the classes that you will be taking.