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A growing number of Colorado colleges and universities are making pacts with school districts to offer their high school graduates automatic admission.
At more selective colleges, eligibility is based on high schoolers’ grades. Less selective colleges may send all seniors a letter that says, “Congratulations! You’ve been accepted!”
Direct admissions agreements, as they’re sometimes called, are meant to reduce the stress of applying to college, encourage students to stay in state, and help those who come from low-income families see higher education as an option, national experts say.
Getting into college automatically doesn’t mean tuition is free. But Colorado has lots of programs and scholarships that can reduce the cost of college, sometimes to zero.
The following school districts and colleges have direct admissions agreements. This is a running list and will be updated. Know of a program that’s not on our list? Email co.tips@chalkbeat.org.
All Colorado students
Colorado Mesa University
Any Colorado student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 is guaranteed admission and a scholarship at Colorado Mesa University.
Any concurrently enrolled student — meaning the student took college classes at CMU during high school — is also guaranteed admission and does not have to reapply.
Colorado School of Mines
Any Colorado student that meets Colorado School of Mines’ criteria is guaranteed admission and a $2,000 per year scholarship. The criteria include that students must have an unweighted grade point average of at least 3.8, or an unweighted GPA of at least 3.6 plus at least a 1420 SAT score or a 32 ACT composite score. Students must also have completed pre-calculus or trigonometry and three years of lab-based science courses, including chemistry or physics. Students must not have earned any grades lower than a B- in any math or science course.
Denver Public Schools
University of Colorado Denver
Any DPS student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their junior or senior year is guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado Denver.
Colorado State University
Any DPS student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their senior year is guaranteed admission at Colorado State University in Fort Collins
Colorado State University Global
Any DPS student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.3 by the end of their junior year is guaranteed admission to CSU Global’s online bachelor’s degree programs.
Colorado State University Pueblo
Any DPS student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.3 by the end of their junior year is guaranteed admission at CSU Pueblo.
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Any DPS student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 is guaranteed admission at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Jeffco Public Schools
University of Colorado Denver
Any Jeffco student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their junior or senior year is guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado Denver.
Colorado School of Mines
Any Jeffco student with an unweighted grade point average of at least 3.8 and a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) endorsement on their high school diploma is guaranteed admission to the Colorado School of Mines.
Aurora Public Schools
University of Colorado Denver
Any APS student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their junior or senior year is guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado Denver.
Colorado Mesa University
Any APS student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 in their junior year is guaranteed admission and a scholarship to CMU. Any APS student with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in their senior year is guaranteed admission to CMU.
Littleton Public Schools
University of Colorado Denver
Any Littleton student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their junior or senior year is guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado Denver.
St. Vrain Valley Schools
University of Colorado Denver
Any St. Vrain student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their junior or senior year is guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado Denver.
DSST Public Schools (charter school network)
Colorado School of Mines
Any DSST student with an unweighted grade point average of at least 3.8 and a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) endorsement on their high school diploma is guaranteed admission to the Colorado School of Mines.
University of Colorado Denver
Any DSST student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their junior or senior year is guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado Denver.
Rocky Mountain Prep (charter school network)
University of Colorado Denver
Any RMP student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in their junior or senior year is guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado Denver.
Harrison School District 2
Colorado State University Pueblo
Any Harrison student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.3 by the end of their junior year is guaranteed admission at CSU Pueblo.
Greeley-Evans School District 6
Aims Community College
Any Greeley-Evans student can be automatically admitted to Aims Community College.
San Luis Valley + Adams 14
Adams State University
Any senior in 19 schools and districts, most of them located in the San Luis Valley, can be automatically admitted to Adams State University.
The districts and schools are: Adams 14, Alamosa, Centennial, Center Consolidated, Creede, Crestone Charter School, Huerfano, La Veta, Moffat Consolidated, Monte Vista, Mountain Valley, North Conejos, Rye High School, Sanford, Sangre de Cristo, Sargent, Sierra Grande, South Conejos, and Upper Rio Grande.
Central High School in Grand Junction
Colorado Mesa University
Any student at Central High School in Grand Junction with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) endorsement on their high school diploma is guaranteed admission and a scholarship to CMU.
Reporter Jason Gonzales contributed to this report.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
