In an effort to establish common expectations for college preparedness among incoming students, some states or higher education systems have adopted common admissions policies applicable to first-time, first-year students seeking admission at four-year institutions. Statewide or systemwide admissions standards commonly include minimum measures of academic performance, including class rank, high school GPA, completion of high school coursework or standardized assessment scores.
In some states, these policies apply across all public four-year institutions. In other states, they apply within a particular public higher education system. For example, states with multiple public university systems may have separate systemwide policies rather than a single statewide policy.
While some states grant individual institutions autonomy over additional requirements, more than half of states require a baseline of academic standards for admission to postsecondary institutions. Education Commission of the States researched admissions policies in all states to provide this comprehensive resource. Click on the questions below for 50-State Comparisons that show how all states approach the specific statewide admissions policies. Click here to view individual state profiles detailing data elements for a single state.
50-State Comparisons:
Does the state have a common statewide or systemwide admissions policy?
Does the policy include multiple measures to determine admission?
Does the state have a direct admissions policy?
All data points for all states.
Key Takeaways
Thirty states have either a statewide or systemwide admissions policy for four-year institutions. One additional state, Minnesota, has been identified since our previous comparison in 2022.
Twenty-seven states’ admissions policies provide alternative opportunities for admission to students who do not meet minimum standards.
Seventeen states have direct admissions policies or programs for high school students who meet certain criteria.
Definitions
Common statewide admissions policy: A policy that sets minimum admissions standards for first-time, first-year students. The policy is applicable to all public postsecondary institutions in the state, all postsecondary institutions in a certain sector and/or all postsecondary institutions in a certain system.
Multiple measures to determine admission: Whether a student is admitted to an institution or system is determined by a combination of factors, including performance on assessments, class rank, high school GPA, completion of high school coursework or an index. An index refers to a formula or scoring method that combines multiple academic measures (e.g., GPA, class rank, and assessment scores) into a single admissions benchmark.
Alternative opportunities for students who do not meet minimum standards: Policies that allow students who do not meet the established minimum admissions standards to be admitted to institutions or systems based on other criteria outlined in policy. For the purposes of this comparison, Education Commission of the States examined alternative opportunities for first-time, first-year students, although states offer alternatives for specific student populations (e.g., transfer students, out-of-state students).
Direct admissions: Policies that proactively notify or admit students to one or more public postsecondary institutions based on predetermined criteria. For the purposes of this comparison, Education Commission of the States includes direct admissions policies and programs established in statute, board policy, system policy or through agency-led statewide initiatives. Where a direct admissions program was not codified in state policy, sources may include official program pages or other state, system or agency materials describing the program.
