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Surrounded by a half-circle of 20 students from Aurora Central High School, Becky Palacios Romero fielded questions on Thursday afternoon about her time at the University of Colorado Denver.
The sophomore, an international business major, focused on her experience rather than convincing the students at her former high school that they should apply during the week’s final statewide free application day. That’s because every Aurora Public Schools student is now guaranteed acceptance and application fees waived if they meet certain GPA requirements.
Palacios Romero, knowing the group has the option to attend if they want, touched on a few of the more important campus issues: “The food in the dining hall is so good. Last semester, they even had sushi.”
The stress of the college application and financial aid process can dash college dreams, but CU Denver school leaders said they want the agreement signed on Thursday to show Aurora students the university has a place for them — and university officials are willing to help them get to campus. Only about half of Colorado high school graduates go to college and many question the overall cost and whether college is right for them.
This pact highlights a growing Colorado trend in recent months and in the last few years to simplify the four-year university application process. University leaders hope easier admissions policies will help students see themselves on campus and focus conversations on financial aid.
CU Denver announced a similar agreement in September with Denver Public Schools to take the guesswork out of whether students get accepted. Colorado State University Pueblo expanded its direct admissions program on Oct. 3 to include Denver. DPS students will get a letter notifying them they’re accepted before they apply.
Schools such as Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Colorado School of Mines established similar admissions guarantees as CU Denver in recent years. School leaders at Adams State University started the first direct admissions program in 2024. They also send acceptance letters to San Luis Valley students before they apply.
Senior Kimberly Villalobos, 17, didn’t initially have CU Denver in her list of top schools. The guaranteed admissions announcement, coupled with Palacios Romero’s visit, helped her see CU Denver as a campus that might be for her.
Villalobos was one of the first to raise her hand to ask Palacios Romero a question. She wanted to know whether the school would help her even if she’s unsure of her major.
Palacios Romero told her it’s OK to explore her options and try different classes.
“You can mix it up a bit,” Palacios Romero said. “Those credits will help lead on to the major you choose.”
Palacios Romero said after she talked to students that she wished the admission guarantee existed when she attended Aurora Central. She recalled opening her first admission letter and for a moment believed her dreams would be crushed.
The guarantee ensures college dreams stay alive, she said, and might even create a similar dream in others.
“I feel so much joy for them,” Palacios Romero said.
Easier admissions don’t just benefit the students. The agreements help districts create opportunities for students.
Aurora Public Schools’ Zach Rahn said the district has tried to make the college application season simpler by using a system that tracks college, financial aid, and scholarship applications.
About 900 district seniors this year meet the CU Denver guaranteed admissions criteria of having a weighted or unweighted GPA of 3.0, Rahn said.
District officials want students to have a greater understanding and voice in the college-going process, said Rahn, who is the district’s executive director of curriculum and instruction. School leaders also want to reduce student stress.
“And at least in this one circumstance, that barrier has been taken down,” Rahn said. “Students know, ‘There’s a place that I can go to continue my education.’ ”
Easier admissions policies also benefit universities, which compete for students. High school student populations are expected to decline, meaning a smaller student population from which to recruit.
Crysta Diaz, director of undergraduate recruitment and admissions systems operations at CU Denver, hopes the guaranteed admissions agreement can help even more Aurora students see themselves on campus. About 500 Aurora schools alumni attend CU Denver, said school officials.
She’s excited to focus more on the financial aid aspect of admissions — an issue that often creates stress for students. Aurora students will also be eligible for merit-based scholarships and financial aid advising, she said.
“A partnership like this just shows them college is for them, and we’re here to help them, support them and open doors for them,” Diaz said. “It’s a huge access win for both us and the students.”
The afternoon gave Villalobos a lot to think about. She said she’s felt anxious about applying to schools, the financial aid process, and not knowing her major yet.
She liked what she heard from Romero Palacios. She now sees CU Denver as a community that understands her culturally, has attentive professors, and will help her figure out the financial aid process.
Plus, she knows she will get in if she wants to go.
“It makes me feel more at home,” she said.
Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.
