INDIANAPOLIS — Thousands of letters from Indiana’s higher education intuitions have already been delivered to Hoosier students as part of a new statewide program that seeks to put more kids on track for college.
The partnership between the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) and nearly 40 colleges and universities — equal to 80% of all those in Indiana — will ensure that rising high school seniors across the state gain “pre-admission” from at least three schools.
Education officials said during a CHE meeting Thursday that 327 high schools have so far opted to participate in the “Indiana Pre-Admissions: Your Path to College” initiative. As of September, more than 57,000 students have received a letter matching them with colleges and universities.
The number of pre-admissions students earned ranged anywhere from three to 38. The average number of pre-admitted schools listed on each student’s letter was 28, said Michelle Ashcraft, CHE’s associate commissioner for K-12 strategy.
The 2024 graduating class will be the first to participate. CHE staff said they hope to expand the program more in the coming academic years.
“This is just a really great opportunity to be able to tell students that they can go to school here in Indiana, and there’s going to be ways to afford it,” Ashcraft said.
CHE matched students to schools based on their GPAs and SAT scores.
Students are not promised direct admission to colleges and universities, however. Decisions are contingent upon maintaining eligibility criteria and taking the next steps to properly apply and enroll.
After getting their pre-admissions letter, students must still apply to schools via the Common App or on institutional websites. Soon-to-be-graduates will also be required to complete the FAFSA, as mandated by state lawmakers.
Still, CHE officials said the goal is to help students become more aware of their college options and help Hoosier students gain more access to financial aid.
The program is largely a response to Indiana’s declining college-going rate. Just over half of Indiana’s 2020 high school graduates chose to go to college. Five years ago, 65% of Indiana’s high school graduates pursued higher education.
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