Opinion: Utah Direct takes the stress out of the college application process

As their final year starts, Utah’s high school seniors are preparing college applications and thinking about big decisions to come this year. It’s admittedly a very anxious time as they determine which school they will apply to, gather admissions materials, request letters of recommendation and manage multiple deadlines and application fees.
This process can often present barriers that keep many qualified high school students from applying to college at all. At the University of Utah, we recognize that questions of affordability, quality and outcomes have never been more front-of-mind for students and their families, and we’ve led the way in making the application process more stress-free — and affordable — for students across Utah.
To that end, one of the most exciting projects we’ve launched is Utah Direct. Partnering with four pilot school districts, Utah Direct offers guaranteed admission to the U at the beginning of a student’s senior year for those who have earned a 3.5 GPA and have made appropriate academic progress. So, by the time their senior year arrives, these students have the huge relief of knowing they’ve already been admitted to one of the best public universities in the nation — without the student ever submitting an application! Along the way, the U sends letters of encouragement to students in each year of their high school careers, updating them on their progress toward completing these requirements and encouraging them to continue to succeed.
Superintendent Rick Robins of Canyons School District notes the excitement these letters can generate for his students. “I think about what that’s going to be like: 965 seniors in Canyons School District are going to receive this letter and know what that must feel like to be acknowledged and recognized, to hear you have the capability, that people do believe in your ability to take the next step and go on to the university level.”
The message to students, says Granite School District Superintendent Benjamin Horsley, is that “we see you, we see the great work that you’re doing, and you have incredible potential.”
Grant Nelson, a senior in Davis School District, sees a simpler application process as a big benefit for busy high school seniors: “I was worried about how hard it would be to apply to college. But since I got the Utah Direct letter, I realized getting into the U is going to be so much easier than I thought. To know that I’ve already been admitted takes so much pressure off!”
The University of Utah created Utah Direct to make one of the most demanding tasks for high school seniors much simpler. While this program is not yet in operation statewide, we’re adding new school districts as partners with Utah Direct regularly. As a result, we anticipate a less stressful college application season for students and families, and an improvement in college-going rates in our state overall.
“With this program, it’s our goal to eliminate barriers,” said Mitzi Montoya, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the U. “We hope this inspires confidence in students that they belong in higher education. We hope this message encourages more college-going. We hope that we have more partners across the state as we go forward. My hope is that ultimately what this communicates to students and their parents is that college-going is affordable, it’s possible, it’s achievable, and that students belong at the U.”
As Utah’s leader for college access, we bear a responsibility to remove the hurdles that keep otherwise qualified students from what may be the most life-changing experience of their lives. The U wants students who dream big — no matter their life circumstance. Simplifying the college application process is a huge step toward that goal.
Steve Robinson is the vice provost for enrollment management at the University of Utah.