ST. PAUL — TrekNorth Junior and Senior High School and Red Lake High School are among 129 schools that will receive assistance through the state’s Direct Admissions program, which was launched last year to ensure graduating high school students know they qualify for admission to various Minnesota colleges and universities.
According to a release, participating colleges proactively notify high school seniors that they have been guaranteed admission based on their academic records and waive the application fee.
“Higher education is one of the greatest tickets towards economic growth and opportunity, but as a former teacher, I know the college admissions process can be a daunting process for students,” Gov. Tim Walz said in a release. “By making sure students know all of their options and waiving the cost to apply to schools, we are removing barriers and making higher education accessible for more students than ever across the state.”
A total of 23,684 students are now considered for proactive admission to 55 colleges and universities for the 2023-2024 school year.
Participating colleges and universities include Bemidji State University, Northwest Technical College and Red Lake Nation College.
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Last year, 40 high schools participated in the pilot program. The first two years of this program have been funded through a $1 million investment from Walz and the Legislature. The 2023 Higher Education Omnibus Bill, which passed the Minnesota House and Senate last week, includes $1.15 million in ongoing funding for statewide implementation.
Walz expects to receive and sign the bill this week.
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