69ý

College & Workforce Readiness

Colorado to Admit Its Top Graduates

By Vaishali Honawar — January 25, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Starting next fall, the top 10 percent of students in every high school graduating class in Colorado will be guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado.

University officials said the top-10 plan is expected to help relieve admission anxiety for students and parents. “They know that going into high school, if they perform at this particular level at this GPA and class rank, they can get into the University of Colorado guaranteed,” said Jack O. Burns, the university’s vice president for academic affairs and research.

69ý admitted under the plan could be placed at any of the university’s three campuses—Denver, Colorado Springs, or the main campus in Boulder.

Three states already have similar programs, mostly with the goal of improving minority enrollment. California admits the top 4 percent of each graduating high school class to its state university system, Florida admits the top 20 percent, and Texas admits the top 10 percent.

While University of Colorado officials say that increasing minority enrollment is not at the center of their plan, they have other efforts aimed at achieving that end, such as precollegiate programs.

The Texas top-10 program, started in 1997, has run into problems in recent years. Seventy-five percent of students admitted to the flagship University of Texas at Austin last fall were accepted based on finishing in the top 10 percent of their high schools.

That rate has prompted university President Larry Faulkner to call for a cap on the number of students admitted under the program, saying it is “unhealthy” to admit such a large percentage based on a single criterion.

Mr. Burns said the University of Colorado considered Texas’ experience as it developed its plan and has built in safeguards such as minimum grade point averages and entrance-exam scores.

To get into the university, a student must complete a college prep curriculum and either graduate in the top 10 percent of his or her class, or have a minimum GPA of 3.8 out of 4 points.

“We are looking at numbers we can manage, based on previous students that have come into the university,” Mr. Burns said.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the January 26, 2005 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness The Way 69ý Offer CTE Classes Is About to Change. Here's How
The revision could lead to significant shifts in the types of jobs schools highlight, and the courses students are able to take.
4 min read
Photo of student working with surveying equipment.
E+
College & Workforce Readiness Even in Academic Classes, 69ý Focus on Building 69ý' Workforce Skills
69ý work on meeting academic standards. What happens when they focus on different sets of skills?
11 min read
69ý participate in reflections after a day of learning in Julia Kromenacker’s 3rd grade classroom at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky. on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
69ý participate in reflections after a day of learning in Julia Kromenacker’s 3rd grade classroom at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky., on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The Bullitt County district that includes Old Mill Elementary has incorporated a focus on building more general life skills, like collaboration, problem-solving, and communication, that community members and employers consistently say they want from students coming out of high school.
Sam Mallon/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Preparing for the Workforce Can Start as Early as 1st Grade. What It Looks Like
Preparing students for college and career success starts well before high school—and it doesn’t only involve occupation-specific training.
5 min read
Jenna Bray, a 1st grade teacher at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky., helps her student Lucas Joiner on an online learning assignment on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
Jenna Bray, a 1st grade teacher at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky., helps student Lucas Joiner on an online learning assignment on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The Bullitt County district, which includes Old Mill Elementary, has incorporated a focus on equipping students with more general life skills—like communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving—that employers and community members consistently say they want from students coming out of high school.
Sam Mallon/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness What the Research Says How Well Do Dual-Credit 69ý Do in College? A Look in Charts
New data show some students get more access—and more leverage—from taking postsecondary classes in high school.
3 min read
Illustration of students
Muhamad Chabib alwi/iStock/Getty