College admissions made easier: 300,000 students got accepted to college before applying, via this app
More than 300,000 students have been accepted into colleges even before completing their application because of this app. Get to know more below.
Common App, America's most used and widely accepted college application leads a direct admission program which made this possible.
The program involving 70 schools across 28 states, examines incomplete applications and gives out acceptances to those prospective students who meet a certain GPA and test requirements set by participating colleges; live in poverty-stricken areas; or whose parents have not gone to college.
The participating universities' batch acceptances coincide with the possibility that undergraduate enrollment rates are beginning to recover from a prolonged decline that began during the pandemic and months after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action, which essentially eliminated admissions procedures based on race.
Recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse found that college enrollment rates have upped this fall with Black, Hispanic and Asian students making up most of the undergraduate and graduate enrollment growth. Additionally, data from the Common App shows applications for enrollment next fall are predicted to be greater than before the pandemic.
"The goal here is to have every student in Common App feel not only worthy but welcomed. It's to inspire them to explore the many opportunities that they have ahead of them," said Jenny Rickard, CEO of the Common app in an interview with USA Today.
Direct Admission Programs are gaining popularity
Direct Admission Programs are gaining popularity because of two reasons. One is the colleges that wish to drive up the enrollment rate and the second is the students who are thankful to gain admission without the lengthy admission processes that require test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation.
Over the past ten years, the sheer quantity of direct admissions programs has increased dramatically. One of the first states to implement the scheme was Idaho in 2015, proactively admitting all public high school seniors to at least six in-state colleges and universities each year.
This year, Georgia introduced a similar initiative in which all public high school seniors are to be sent a letter notifying them of what in-state colleges and universities they will receive acceptances from if they decide to apply. Minnesota recently tapped thousands of students to participate in its pilot direct admissions program. And Niche, a for-profit education technology company that says it helps find and enrol students in the right schools, has expanded its program to 68 colleges.
