Austin College Joins Common App’s Direct Admissions Program
SHERMAN, TEXAS — Austin College has joined Common App’s direct admissions program, which will provide over 200,000 first-generation and low-income students with proactive admissions offers. Common App’s direct admissions program also includes tailored outreach and resources to families, and to counselors who have students receiving a direct admissions offer.
“The college application process is stressful for both students and parents; even more so for members of populations with some of the highest barriers to post-secondary opportunities. The Austin College Admission team strives to be a source of help and support to all the families we work with, and we see Common App direct admissions as another extension of that support,” said Mary Randers, Austin College Dean of Admission. “Students knowing they are wanted here at Austin College from the start of their application journey perfectly aligns with our commitment to inclusion and belonging. We are excited to participate in a program that helps more of Texas’s bright students find a path towards a college education.”
Jenny Rickard, President & CEO of Common App said, “We are excited for Austin College to join our direct admissions program, where even more students will now know that they are worthy and wanted on a college campus. “Overall, direct admissions is about changing the narrative of a college education from one of scarcity to one of opportunity, by ensuring students know that college opportunity is an abundant resource — and one that’s available to them.”
Common App has piloted a direct admissions program since 2021, offering admission to students who have created a Common App account and provided adequate academic information but had not yet completed all of their open applications. The latest iteration of the pilot offered admission to 33,000 students at 14 participating institutions, with over 800 students accepting their offers. Results showed the impact of the intervention were strongest for Black or African American, Latinx, and First-generation students.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.