In a few weeks, some eligible Greeley-Evans School District 6 high school students can expect to receive acceptance letters into college without even filling out an application.
A new program between District 6 and the University of Northern Colorado allows District 6 students to send information to UNC following their junior year year of high school to be considered for admission to college.
By submitting their name, address, grade-point average and other information traditionally included in a college application, local students can apply to UNC without submitting a formal application. UNC will answer participants with an admissions decision and information on scholarship options or financial aid.
Greeley Central students use their laptops to figure out math problems during an accelerated geometry class.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Greeley-Evans School District 6 is the pilot school system for the pathway, which was initiated by UNC as another way to make students aware of postsecondary educational opportunities and to break down barriers to college admission.
“There are a lot of students who will look at higher ed, and say, ‘It’s not for me, I can’t do it,’ ” said Pete Lien, UNC’s associate vice president for enrollment management. “And really, they’d be a great student, and we want to encourage them to go through the process. This is really getting out in front of those students and families in a proactive manner to identify you are ready for college, and we’re excited to welcome you to the campus community.”
UNC plans to reach out to and engage with other Colorado school districts on direct admission. Starting with District 6 was a natural step.
“There’s plenty of examples of how we work and support our local students within District 6,” Lien said.
With the direct admission pathway, District 6 assistant superintendent Anthony Asmus said students and families can check a box online to opt into the program. The box will be available for families when they update enrollment information, and it will allow the basic data to be shared with UNC — starting the admission process.
A University of Northern Colorado graduate reacts after receiving diploma during the May 2025 commencement ceremony inside the Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Information is not available at this point on the number of students who have opted into the program, according to District 6 and UNC.
Students may continue to send information to UNC through July and August as information is communicated to students about required documentation for the upcoming 2025-26 school year. The District 6 school year begins Monday, Aug. 11 for students in grades 1-12.
Over the past five years, about 40% of District 6 students go to college out of high school, Asmus said. It’s a percentage that’s remained flat over that time, he added.
District 6 leaders often talk about students being career and college ready when they graduate from high school. This means students may choose to enter the workforce or go to college and that they’d be properly prepared for the option they choose. The district has a career and technical education center at Jefferson High School.
The direct admission pathway to college at UNC is a “great opportunity to make sure our students know this is an option,” Asmus said.
In the past few years, UNC has introduced other initiatives and programs to improve and smooth the path to accessibility to a college education.
The university in fall 2024 started a financial aid program for eligible new and continuing undergraduate students called Tuition Promise. Tuition Promise covers standard tuition and mandatory fees for the students who meet set criteria: an adjusted gross income at or below $65,000 or a Student Aid Index of 3,000 or less. The Student Aid Index, or SAI, is used by college or career school financial aid offices to determine the amount of federal student aid a student would receive. The SAI comes from information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.
University of Northern Colorado students walk on the Greeley campus in February 2024. (Greeley Tribune file)Officials hoped Tuition Promise would “remove barriers” impacting students’ ability to receive an education, a UNC vice president said in December 2023.
Two years ago, UNC introduced an admission guarantee for eligible Colorado high school students. The admission guarantee was based on eight criteria, including a 3.0 cumulative high school weighted GPA, four years of English, four years of math or three years with at least a B in Algebra 2, three years of physical or lab science and three years of social sciences.
At the time, UNC Director of Admissions Erika Pepmeyer said the first-year admission guarantee was in place for accessibility and ease for applicant students and families.
Lien said criteria for admission under the direct admission program was based on the first-year guarantee criteria. He called the criteria a “baseline or academic eligibility” for the direct admission program: a 3.0 GPA or higher (weighted), four years of English and math, three years of physical/lab sciences, three years of social science and meeting all other high school graduation requirements.
There are other admission criteria for transfer students and students who come to UNC with a General Educational Development certificate.
Some of UNC’s admission standards are also dictated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Lien said. Those admission requirements include four units of math and English, three units of natural and social science, one unit of a world language and two units of electives.
Greeley Central teacher Carmen Whitehead teaches an accelerated geometry class for students hoping to get into advanced math classes while in high school on June 26, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Lien said those standards guide the work of the admissions department, but there’s much more that goes into admitting a student into college.
“It’s our job to listen and make decisions that allow a student to be successful,” Lien said. “We are looking for reasons to admit a student, not for reasons to deny a student. There’s a difference in that approach in how you work with and support students.”
Lien said the direct admission pathway addresses both the hurdles of accessibility in applying and affordability. He added direct admission programs nationally show to be effective in increasing both the number of students who apply and who are admitted.
Direct admission, though, does not always equal more students enrolling in college because of the complexities of financial aid, Lien added.
“We are tying those two things together so that we’re not just saying, ‘Oh, yeah, you’re admitted, but good luck with the financial side of things,’ ” he said.
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