Some of Utah’s best students will get guaranteed admission notices from the University of Utah starting this fall before they even apply.
Under a new program called “Utah Direct,” high school seniors with a GPA of at least 3.5 in four Utah school districts won’t need to wait to find out if they’ll be accepted to the University of Utah. Instead, qualifying students will be sent a letter this fall guaranteeing their admission once they apply to the state’s flagship institution.
“We know the act of just applying to college can be daunting,” said Steve Robinson, vice provost for enrollment management at the U. “Hopefully letting students know their admission to the U is guaranteed before they even apply will reduce anxiety about the admissions process and help them feel better about going to college.”
Utah Direct’s admissions guarantees start while students are in high school—an outreach effort the U is piloting to help more Utah students see themselves at the university. The program is being tested in the Canyons, Granite, Davis and Provo school districts this year.
As part of it, students will be sent the following notifications:
Along with tracking students’ GPAs, district high school counselors will ensure students receiving the letters are also taking the core credits required for graduation. Since the U does not receive the students’ information, students who get a guaranteed admissions letter will still need to apply to the school. Applications are also required for students to be considered for scholarships. Approximately 5,000 Utah high school students will be eligible for guaranteed admission.
“Utah Direct is a really powerful message to our most at-risk students,” said Ben Horsley, the Granite School District superintendent. “The message is ‘We see the great work that you’re doing, you have incredible potential and we’d love to see you become a member of this fine institution and brighten your future.’”
Utah Direct students who complete their application to the U early will receive their official acceptance mid-fall.
Imporant admissions dates:
In addition to the Utah Direct program, the U is working to increase access for students across the state by rolling out a new scholarship program. The Arches Scholarship will provide students who have a 4.0 GPA in counties that are classified as at least 25% rural by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute with $15,000 in scholarship money per year, fall and spring semesters, and an additional $13,700 for their first year if they live in university housing.
“We want to help students in rural Utah have easier access to a University of Utah degree,” said Robinson.
The scholarship provides the same award as the Point of the Mountain Scholarship that was announced last year and has the same academic requirements.
To receive the Arches Scholarship students must meet the following criteria:
Moving forward, students from Summit County will now be eligible for the Point of the Mountain Scholarship, in addition to students from Utah County.
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