A new statewide program will alert high school students that they’ve been admitted to a college before they’ve even applied. But it could also be a boon to schools hungry for boosts in enrollment.
Among the many new laws passed by California lawmakers in recent weeks is SB 640, which, in part, establishes the statewide CSU Direct Admission Program. It builds off a pilot program already in place serving Riverside County high schoolers.
Through the program, some high schoolers across the state will be informed that they’re eligible to be admitted to the California State University before applying.
“We should make it as seamless for our students to go from 12th grade to the next stage of their education as was for them to go sixth grade to seventh grade,” California state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, who authored the bill, said in a statement in September. “Direct admission removes the applications hurdle that stops some students from going to college, and relieves the fear that they won’t get in anywhere.”
A survey from 2023 examined the pressure surrounding teenagers and young adults regarding college applications.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling survey found that 76% of respondents who’ve applied or are applying to college said that completing their application “feels like such a decisive moment in their lives.” Among students who hadn’t applied to college but planned to, nearly 80% perceived the overall application process as being challenging, albeit to different degrees.
But the program may also have another benefit. Cabaldon said that he is seeking to reverse enrollment declines impacting many campuses.
April Grommo, the assistant vice chancellor for strategic enrollment management at the CSU Office of the Chancellor, told Desert Sun that the program fulfills the CSU’s mission: to provide access to higher education and a four-year degree. But the pilot program implemented in Riverside County proved to increase enrollment, according to Grommo.
“I think we’re really fulfilling our mission and then also being able to increase enrollment at our campuses,” Grommo said of the program.
Some of the CSU’s Northern California campuses have faced enrollment declines, according to Grommo. But it’s far from an isolated event.
The National Center for Education Statistics found that between fall 2012 and fall 2021, total undergraduate enrollment in schools granting degrees decreased by 15%. However, last fall, total postsecondary enrollment rebounded above pre-COVID-19 levels for the first time, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center announced in January.
Grommo attributed the enrollment declines experienced at the CSU to several reasons, including how the COVID-19 pandemic meant that some of the Southern California students who’d have attended a northern CSU campus stayed closer to home. But a larger national trend of the declining birth rate also plays a role in college enrollment.
The statewide CSU Direct Admission Program, based on the way the legislation was written, won’t be applicable for every single high schooler in California.
“In our mission of access, (we) don’t want to exclude anybody, but the initial legislation is for those public districts, high schools and charter schools,” Grommo said.
Here’s what to know about the program.
When does the CSU Direct Admission Program begin?
The ongoing pilot program means there are some students who’ve already benefited from direct admission. But the statewide implementation of the program will impact students applying for college for the fall 2027 term.
How will I know if I’m eligible?
Essentially, a student receives an offer of admission to 16 CSU campuses in advance, and they’ll get notified via the mail. It’s based on the academic standards these students are set to meet in high school, Grommo said.
“It’s really up to the student as to whether or not they take the next step,” Grommo said.
Those next steps will include submitting an application from the CaliforniaColleges.edu platform (which will already have information about the student such as their high school coursework) and selecting which campuses and majors they want to apply to.
“Although students are admitted to the 16 campuses, they can apply to any of the CSU campuses during that process as well,” Grommo said.
The CSU Direct Admission Program eligibility accounts for coursework completed by the end of grade 11, according to AB 640. This includes on-track completion of A-G courses.
Which CSU schools are participating in the program?
The following campuses are participating in the pilot program, and are anticipated to participate in the program next year with the statewide rollout. These schools “all have capacity to serve additional, first-time freshmen students,” Grommo said.
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California State University, Bakersfield
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California State University Channel Islands
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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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California State University, Monterey Bay
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California State University, Northridge
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California State University, San Bernardino
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San Francisco State University
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California State University, San Marcos
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California high schoolers could get college acceptance before applying
