Georgia’s Public Colleges Encourage High School Seniors to Claim Their Spot in Higher Education
Georgia’s public colleges and universities are launching a new initiative aimed at high school seniors, urging them to seize the opportunities available in higher education. In an effort to boost college attendance and cultivate a better-qualified workforce, the state’s 120,000 seniors will soon receive letters from these institutions, emphasizing the importance of claiming their spot in academia.
The program, known as Georgia Match, aligns with the national trend of direct admission, whereby colleges guarantee a place for prospective students based on their existing grades and a simplified application process. By reaching out to students who may have never considered attending college, the initiative aims to make them aware of the accessibility and affordability of public education in Georgia.
Participation in Georgia Match spans across the state’s 22 technical colleges and 23 out of 26 University System of Georgia institutions. To further incentivize seniors to apply promptly, all application fees will be waived during the month of November. The letters sent to students will indicate which state colleges and universities they are eligible for based on their grades, which are already collected to administer the HOPE Scholarship program.
While the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Georgia College and State University are not currently participating in the direct admission process due to requirements for standardized tests and additional considerations for admission, Georgia Tech is waiving application fees for in-state students throughout November.
The direct admissions approach has yielded positive results in other states. Idaho implemented a similar program in 2015, leading to an over 8% increase in new college students and almost a 12% increase in in-state enrollment over a two-year period. Other states, including New York and Minnesota, have also launched direct admission initiatives.
One of the main reasons behind the implementation of Georgia Match is to address the issue of high school graduates who either enter the workforce immediately or have an unknown status. Research indicates that college graduates generally earn higher salaries and are more likely to secure employment compared to those who only hold a high school diploma.
The Georgia Match letter, along with the accompanying publicity, seeks to establish a yearly fall tradition for seniors, their families, and high school counselors, keeping them well-informed about the available options for higher education.
A recent study found that direct admission programs increase the number of applications, particularly among students from non-white backgrounds, those whose parents did not attend college, and those from low-income families. However, the study also revealed that receiving a direct admissions offer did not necessarily lead to higher enrollment rates. The authors of the study highlighted other barriers, such as the cost of attending college, as factors that continue to hinder applicants.
Georgia officials aim to address these barriers through the state’s HOPE Scholarship and HOPE Grant programs. The grant program covers two years of technical college tuition for any high school graduate who maintains a C average, while the scholarship program covers four years of tuition for students who graduate high school with a B average and maintain a B average in college. Additional financial aid is available for students pursuing career fields classified as high demand by the state.
In addition to benefiting students, the program could also help colleges in Georgia as the number of high school graduates is expected to decline in the coming years. According to the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, the number of Georgia high school students graduating in 2037 is projected to be 12% smaller than in 2025 due to birth rates and migration trends.
Furthermore, the Georgia Match program may assist in reaching minority students following the U.S. Supreme Court’s abolition of racial preferences in college admissions. Although no public colleges in Georgia have utilized such preferences since 2001, the U.S. Department of Education has suggested that programs like Georgia Match can help promote diversity and inclusivity.
Georgia’s initiative to encourage high school seniors to claim their spot in higher education reflects a broader endeavor to provide accessible and affordable pathways to college. By implementing the Georgia Match program, the state aims to equip its students with the knowledge and opportunities they need to succeed in higher education and the workforce.
