Alabama’s Direct Admissions program is entering its second year, giving high school seniors another chance to receive college admission and scholarship offers without submitting traditional applications, fees or essays.
The Alabama Direct Admission Initiative, run by Alabama Possible in partnership with EAB’s Appily Match, allows students to create a free profile, upload a transcript and receive admission offers from participating colleges.
‘Changing the question’
For the Class of 2027, students who complete their profiles by Sept. 14 are scheduled to receive in-state offers on Oct. 1 and out-of-state offers on Oct. 19. Students who complete profiles by Oct. 9 will receive both in-state and out-of-state offers on Oct. 19.
“Alabama Direct Admission is changing the question for thousands of students from ‘Can I get into college?’ to ‘Which college opportunity is right for me?’” said Chandra Scott, executive director of Alabama Possible. “That is a powerful shift.”
Scott said the program is intended to remove the college application itself as a barrier and put admission and scholarship opportunities directly in front of students, including some who may not have otherwise considered themselves college bound.
In the program’s first year, nearly 19,000 Alabama seniors participated and received 141,418 admission and potential scholarship offers from 39 in-state colleges and universities, including 17 four-year and 22 two-year institutions. The potential in-state scholarship offers were valued at about $2.8 billion.
“When nearly 19,000 seniors participated in the first year, we saw that Alabama students are interested in continuing their education; they simply need a clearer, more accessible pathway,” Scott said.
Seeking to expand
The statewide initiative also produced significant results at individual schools.
At B.C. Rain High School in Mobile, all 147 seniors participated, generating about $46.6 million in combined offers.
“As we enter year two, our goal is to reach even more students, and make sure every Alabama senior understands that there is a postsecondary pathway available to them,” Scott said.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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