IU Columbus expands Seamless Pathway program to more high schools
COLUMBUS, Ind. (The Tribune) — Earlier this year, Indiana University Columbus announced a seamless, direct-admit path to college for students in the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.
The Seamless Pathway program recently grew to include class of 2025 high school seniors attending Batesville High School, Columbus Christian, Edinburgh High School, Flatrock-Hawcreek School Corporation, Franklin Community High School, Greensburg Community High School, Hauser Senior High School, Jennings County High School, Seymour High School, Trinity Lutheran High School in Seymour and Whiteland Community High School.
IU Columbus has entered into a memorandum of understanding with each of these surrounding school districts to help simplify and demystify the application and admissions process for college-going seniors who meet the admissions requirements.
Students who meet the admissions criteria will receive a letter telling them they are eligible to be admitted to IU Columbus and directing them to complete a brief form to accept their admission. These students will not need to complete a traditional college application, nor will they need to request their high school transcripts or pay any fee.
The IU Columbus admissions team also will host special events and sessions at these high schools to explain the next steps to enrolling, share resources on paying for college, and provide information on the Indiana University undergraduate degrees attainable in Columbus. Seamless Pathway students also can enjoy social activities, as well as ongoing support services throughout their college experience.
“We are excited to partner with our neighboring school districts on direct admission of eligible students as part of our efforts to increase the college-going rate in our region, while also helping remove real and perceived barriers to higher education among high school students in South Central Indiana,” said Reinhold Hill, IU Columbus vice chancellor and dean, in a statement in a news release.
This initiative is modeled after an IU Indianapolis program offering automatic admission to Indianapolis Public Schools high school students who meet certain criteria, which was introduced in September 2023.
To learn more about the IU Columbus Seamless Pathway program, visit go.iu.edu/columbus-seamless-pathway.
IU Columbus Seamless Pathway partners schools, Batesville High School, Brownstown Central High School, Columbus East, Columbus Christian, Columbus North, Columbus Signature Academy, Edinburgh High School, Franklin Community High School, Greensburg Community High School, Hauser Senior High School, Jennings County High School, Seymour High School, Trinity Lutheran High School and Whiteland Community High School.
Indiana University Columbus is a small campus that provides big opportunities for students to discover who they are and who they want to be. We offer Indiana University undergraduate degrees in biology, business, communication studies, criminal justice, elementary education, English, general studies, nursing, psychology and sociology, and graduate degrees in business administration and mental health counseling. For information, go to columbus.iu.edu.
This article originally appeared Sept. 25, 2024, on The Tribune website.