HAMMOND, La. (AP) — Those entering college for the first time will be able to do so under easier admission rules beginning next year at one Louisiana university.
Southeastern Louisiana University President John L. Crain announced the school's new admissions opportunity called “Fast Track,” which will allow high school students with a minimum 2.50 grade point average to be automatically admissible starting in Fall 2022.
Under that program, neither ACT nor SAT scores will be required for entry. However, students will be required to submit those scores if they want to be eligible for TOPS or other institutional scholarships at Southeastern, the university said in a news release.
“As a leader in higher education, we are committed to serving the needs of our region by providing access to an outstanding post-secondary education and college experience,” Crain said. “Fast Track will allow us to provide earlier admission decisions for students, be flexible in using multiple potential measures to place them in appropriate courses of study and shepherd their success through academic support systems, including academic skill-building coursework and corequisite models for math and English when appropriate.”
While the existing admission criteria for the university remains in place, the additional option of entry based solely on the high school GPA allows for greater student opportunities and aligns with the mission of Southeastern, said Anthony Ranatza, the school's director of admissions.
“As the pandemic continues to disrupt some of the traditional admissions processes, such as securing ACT or SAT scores, Fast Track will allow Southeastern to provide faster admission decisions without having to rely on these scores,” Ranatza said.
Southeastern is the third largest public university in Louisiana, offering bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.