More Marion County students can take part in IU Indianapolis’ seamless admissions initiative.
Through the program, high school seniors earning a 3.0 GPA or higher are automatically admitted to that campus. Instead of going through the entire application process, students can submit a short online form.
IU Indianapolis now has 10 schools and townships in the program, said PJ Woolston, vice chancellor of enrollment management. The program is meant to simplify the application process and enroll students who may not have considered college.
“We want to make sure that we're not just admitting them and enrolling them,” Woolston said. “We want to make sure that they're successful.”
The seamless admission program now includes:
- Decatur Township
- Irvington Preparatory Academy
- James and Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy
- Lawrence Township, Pike Township
- Rooted School Indianapolis at Eastern Star
- Warren Online Academy
- Warren Central High School.
Automatic admission for qualifying seniors in these schools begins in 2026.
Latha Ramchand, IU Indianapolis chancellor, has supported seamless admission, pushing staff to expand it, Woolston said.
“This program is transformative as we work to make the college admission process simpler and higher education accessible for all high school students around Marion County,” Ramchand said in a release.
IU Indianapolis launched the program last fall. Growing from a four-school pilot program, IU added Indianapolis Public Schools this year.
Woolston said the program will continue to expand. Though the university wants the pathway to be easy for students, Woolston said it’s just as important to make the process easy for schools, too.
“So that when the schools want to participate and create the seamless path with the students, all they have to do is sign up with us,” Woolston said. “We'll take care of everything on the back end.”
IU Indianapolis staff help students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is a program requirement. After enrolling, Woolston said students are offered tutoring and advising.
“We don't want them to start and then not finish, because that's lost time. Even more, it is lost money,” Woolston said. “We want to make sure that it's worth it for them.”
The first batch of seamlessly admitted students began classes at IU this year.
Woolston said admissions and enrollment staff usually work behind the scenes while students and faculty attract attention to the educational programs. But, parents, students and the public are noticing the seamless admissions initiative, he said.
“I've been really impressed, almost blown away, by how enthusiastic they've been about it,” Woolston said. “Because they've basically been like, ‘Look, this makes my life so much easier.’”
Aubrey is our higher education reporter and a Report For America corps member. Contact her at aubmwrig@iu.edu or follow her on X @aubreymwright .
