Indiana Follows Texas to be Next State with “Auto Admit” Program
Written by The Ivy Institute, a college admissions consulting firm.
Indiana’s education authorities have introduced an innovative direct admissions program set to launch with the state’s high school class of 2024. Beginning in September, this groundbreaking initiative will encompass 327 Indiana high schools. Under this program, students will automatically receive admission offers from one or more of the 38 public and private colleges in the state that are participating in this venture. These institutions collectively offer a diverse array of educational credentials, ranging from short-term certificates to prestigious bachelor’s degrees.
Admission under this program will primarily hinge on students’ GPA and SAT scores. However, it is crucial to emphasize that students are still required to follow the formal application process for these institutions and fulfill any additional admission prerequisites set by the colleges.
Named “Indiana Pre-Admissions: Your Path to College” and led by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, this initiative has a paramount objective: to combat the concerning decline in college enrollment rates across the state. Recent data from the agency reveals that Indiana’s college-going rate currently stands at 53%, marking a gradual decrease from 65% in 2015 to 59% in 2019.
Distinguished participants in this pioneering program include Indiana State University, Ivy Tech Community College, and Valparaiso University.
This initiative draws inspiration from similar direct admissions programs successfully implemented in other states, such as Minnesota and Idaho. Notably, Idaho led the way in 2015, becoming the first state to introduce such a program.
Chris Lowery, Indiana’s higher education commissioner, is optimistic about the program’s potential impact. He emphasizes that it encourages students to consider institutions they may have previously deemed beyond their reach. This initiative aims to provide students with a broader range of possibilities and instill greater hope for their post-secondary education.
It is worth noting that Idaho’s direct admissions program yielded a notable 4% to 8% increase in first-time undergraduate enrollment. However, it had a limited impact on the college-going behavior of students eligible for federal Pell Grants, which primarily benefit low- and moderate-income individuals.
Under Indiana’s program, students will have the flexibility to apply through the websites of the participating institutions or utilize the Common Application — an online platform that streamlines the application process for students, allowing them to apply to more than 1,000 member institutions.
It is crucial to mention that the Common Application has been conducting its own direct admissions experiments since 2021. In the most recent round of this pilot initiative, the Common Application automatically extended admission offers to 33,000 students for 13 colleges. The results revealed that students who received these direct admission offers were twice as likely to apply to one of the colleges compared to their peers without such offers.
Additionally, the leadership at the Common Application underscored the vital role of financial aid in removing barriers to college access, recognizing its significance in fostering equitable opportunities for all students seeking higher education.
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