Some of Utah’s best students will get guaranteed admission notices from the University of Utah starting this fall before they even apply.

Under a new program called “Utah Direct,” high school seniors with a GPA of at least 3.5 in four Utah school districts won’t need to wait to find out if they’ll be accepted to the University of Utah. Instead, qualifying students will be sent a letter this fall guaranteeing their admission once they apply to the state’s flagship institution.

“We know the act of just applying to college can be daunting,” said Steve Robinson, vice provost for enrollment management at the U. “Hopefully letting students know their admission to the U is guaranteed before they even apply will reduce anxiety about the admissions process and help them feel better about going to college.”

Utah Direct’s admissions guarantees start while students are in high school—an outreach effort the U is piloting to help more Utah students see themselves at the university. The program is being tested in the Canyons, Granite, Davis and Provo school districts this year.

As part of it, students will be sent the following notifications:

• 9th grade: All students receive fall letters welcoming them to high school and encouraging them to explore classes they like.
• 10th grade: Students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher receive a fall letter encouraging them to keep working hard and identify their interests while working on graduation requirements.
• 11th grade: Students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher receive a fall letter with advice on preparing for college and keeping their academic performance strong. Students with a GPA of 3.2-3.5 receive a letter with advice for strengthening their academic profile and preparing for college. Both groups receive a spring letter encouraging them to look ahead to making college plans.
• 12th grade: Students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher who satisfy course requirements receive a fall letter guaranteeing their admission to the University of Utah if they apply. Students with a GPA of 3.2-3.5 who satisfy course requirements are encouraged to apply early and make their application thorough.

Along with tracking students’ GPAs, district high school counselors will ensure students receiving the letters are also taking the core credits required for graduation. Since the U does not receive the students’ information, students who get a guaranteed admissions letter will still need to apply to the school. Applications are also required for students to be considered for scholarships. Approximately 5,000 Utah high school students will be eligible for guaranteed admission.

“Utah Direct is a really powerful message to our most at-risk students,” said Ben Horsley, the Granite School District superintendent. “The message is ‘We see the great work that you’re doing, you have incredible potential and we’d love to see you become a member of this fine institution and brighten your future.'”

Utah Direct students who complete their application to the U early will receive their official acceptance mid-fall.

Imporant admissions dates: 

• Aug. 1: Admission application opens
• Dec. 1: Admissions early action date and merit scholarship consideration deadline
• Feb. 1: Financial aid and scholarship priority date

New Scholarship for Rural Utah

In addition to the Utah Direct program, the U is working to increase access for students across the state by rolling out a new scholarship program. The Arches Scholarship will provide students who have a 4.0 GPA in counties that are classified as at least 25% rural by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute with $15,000 in scholarship money per year, fall and spring semesters, and an additional $13,700 for their first year if they live in university housing.

“We want to help students in rural Utah have easier access to a University of Utah degree,” said Robinson.

The scholarship provides the same award as the Point of the Mountain Scholarship that was announced last year and has the same academic requirements.

To receive the Arches Scholarship students must meet the following criteria:

• Utah resident
• First-time freshmen
• Have an unweighted cumulative 4.0 GPA, on a 4-point scale, from a public high school in one of the counties listed below at the time of application:
  • Beaver
  • Box Elder
  • Carbon
  • Daggett
  • Duchesne
  • Emery
  • Garfield
  • Iron
  • Juab
  • Kane
  • Millard
  • Morgan
  • Piute
  • Rich
  • San Juan
  • Sanpete
  • Sevier
  • Uintah
  • Wasatch
  • Wayne

Moving forward, students from Summit County will now be eligible for the Point of the Mountain Scholarship, in addition to students from Utah County.