(WDNews) Seniors in high school in Alabama will be able to accept offers of admission to colleges starting this fall without having to complete conventional applications, write essays, or pay application costs.
On Thursday, Governor Kay Ivey declared the opening of Alabama Goes to College: Direct Admissions. The statewide program aims to remove typical obstacles for children and their families and streamline the admissions process. Students will use the platform Match to establish a single online profile rather than applying to institutions one at a time. 39 participating two- and four-year institutions throughout the state will assess that profile after their transcripts are uploaded.
According to Chandra Scott, executive director of Alabama Possible, the nonprofit organization running the initiative, colleges are essentially courting them rather than applying.
As early as October 6, students who finish the Match profile could start getting direct acceptance letters. For pupils who intend to enroll in college in 2026, profiles must be submitted by September 23. Additional paperwork, essays, and reference letters—steps that Scott claimed sometimes deter kids from applying at all—are not necessary for this process.
According to her, we’re getting rid of everything that will hinder or even ease their search for a post-secondary road.
Scott also underlined the program’s financial advantages, pointing out that application costs, which sometimes range from $50 to $100, may mount up rapidly. According to her, that’s what separates a college application from a simple bill or prescription drug.
Alabama’s program is one of only a few statewide initiatives, partly based on Illinois One Click College Admit, but several national platforms, such as College Board and Niche, allow limited direct admissions. The procedure functions similarly to a matchmaking service, matching students with universities that match their academic profile and issuing formal offers of admission without requiring the student to submit an application.
Wallace Community College and Troy University’s Dothan campus are two of the 39 cooperating colleges that are situated within 100 miles of Dothan. Students in the Wiregrass area who wish to participate in the new program can do so with ease thanks to these local choices. The proposal also includes the main campus of Troy University, Tuskegee University, and the University of West Alabama.
Auburn University and the institutions of the University of Alabama system, however, are not taking part.
Concourse, an online tool that was initially utilized in test initiatives in places like Chicago and is currently spreading throughout the nation, powers the Match platform. The nationwide implementation in Alabama represents a significant change in the way students apply to colleges and is intended to increase access to higher education, particularly for individuals who may have previously felt intimidated by the process. The Alabama Possible website offers a complete list of participating universities.
