I’m not sure that’s what’s happening. I think it’s more that he doesn’t meet the minimum standards.
It makes sense with the applications to Inidiana. There business analytics program looks substantially easier to get into.
The business college at Indiana has a very good reputation. I'd be surprised if admission to their program was easy. Most Big Ten business colleges are well regarded.
Remember a couple of things:
1) Graduate business programs are relatively small compared to the undergraduate programs; and
2) Minimum standards are not particularly indicative of the actual admission standards for a particular group. Depends upon the number and quality of applications.
Let's suppose a graduate business program will admit 50 students and announces a minimum GPA of 3.0 and possibly a certain minimum GMAT score (if applicable, not all programs require them anymore). That 3.0 minimum threshold simply excludes you from consideration of you're below that. Exceeding that threshold doesn't guarantee you admission.
If there are 150 applicants who apply and 75 of them have a GPA of 3.5 or better, there's a good chance you're not getting in if your GPA stands at 3.25.