COME ON! Cal Poly Humboldt Announces Automatic Entry for Select Lucky SoCal Kids

Press release from Cal Poly Humboldt:

California State University (CSU) has partnered with the Riverside County Office of Education to offer the first-ever direct pilot admission for the CSU system. Eligible students at every public high school in Riverside County will soon receive direct admission to CSU for the fall of 2025, before they even apply.

Eligible high school students in Riverside County – those on track to complete college preparatory coursework (AG requirements) – will receive immediate, conditional admission to ten CSU campuses through a brochure mailed to their home address sent. The students then use the CaliforniaColleges.edu platform to select their preferred CSU campuses, with official acceptance letters sent directly from the universities.

“This partnership is Humboldt’s first-ever direct admission program, and we are excited to offer California students this opportunity to pursue a polytechnic education among the redwoods,” said Chrissy Holliday, Vice President of Enrollment Management & Student Success at Cal Poly Humboldt. “We hope to expand direct access to other districts in California, leveraging what we learn from these efforts and the power of the California Colleges platform and data partnerships. This is just one way we meet the needs of our state by preparing students for their chosen careers and a lifetime of success.”

Cal Poly Humboldt joins Channel Islands, Chico, East Bay, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Marcos and Sonoma that will offer direct access. Riverside students may apply to other CSUs not on the direct admissions list. If a student applies to an affected program or campus, additional criteria may be required for admission.

Humboldt has a long history of attracting students from Southern California, with 28% of our students coming from the region in Fall 2024. In keeping with Humboldt’s goal of providing access to higher education, the university saw the percentage of first-generation students rise to 42% of new student enrollments, while Pell grant recipients rose to 39% of the new student population.

“We are grateful for this groundbreaking partnership with the CSU to expand access to a world-class college education for our diverse and talented students in Riverside County,” said Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools. “As one of the fastest growing regions in California, the need for higher education professionals will continue to rise, and this partnership will remove barriers to higher education and welcome more college students to the CSU system through this innovative direct admission program. ”

After directly admitted students submit their applications, they must continue to complete AG requirements and graduate from high school. Once students have been officially accepted by the university of their choice, they must confirm their intent to enroll by the campus deadline and complete any additional enrollment steps, such as attending orientation, paying tuition, and providing final transcripts or other documentation. Students are also encouraged to apply for financial aid by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) as soon as possible, and no later than the deadline in California, which is historically March 2 was.

“We are excited to provide thousands of high school students in Riverside County with a direct path to higher education,” said April Grommo, CSU assistant vice chancellor of Strategic Enrollment Management. “We want students to know that the door to college is open to them, and we want to help alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty about applying to college. Riverside County is an excellent location for this first-ever program for the CSU because it is ethnically and economically representative of the diversity of California, and serves many of the students the CSU is so proud to serve.”

Eligible students and families can visit calstate.edu/rcoe for more information.