Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) today launched a new Direct Admissions initiative to provide Texas students with an innovative tool designed to streamline the college application process. “One of our top priorities in Texas is to ensure the next generation of Texans have the opportunity to choose the best education options so they can succeed in high-demand, good-paying jobs after graduation,” said Governor Abbott. “As a father, I understand how confusing and stressful the college application process can be for your family. With the launch of Direct Admissions, the college application process will be made easier for young students and their families to choose the best Texas college or university for them to lead successful lives in our state. Working together, we will continue to develop a college admissions process that is more efficient and effective for all Texas students and create a brighter future for our great state.” “We know that college admissions can be an exciting, but challenging process for students,” said Interim Commissioner of Higher Education Sarah Keyton. “The impact of that is real, with some students hesitating to even apply. Direct Admissions has the potential to reduce time, boost confidence, and increase transparency, encouraging Texans who might not otherwise consider college to take the next step.” “Through Direct Admissions, Texas is able to accelerate the state’s work to make the college admissions process more efficient and effective for Texas students,” said Chair of the THECB Dr. Fred Farias. “This effort will help more students achieve their educational goals while providing the educated workforce our fast-growing economy demands.” Direct Admissions is now available in My Texas Future, the state’s one-stop college and career advising website, providing students with a list of participating Texas institutions where they can qualify for acceptance before they even begin the college application process. With Direct Admissions, students share their academic information, including class rank, grade point average, and SAT/ACT score, through their My Texas Future profile. Students can receive their list as early as the end of their junior year. Once students know where they can be admitted via Direct Admissions, they will then need to complete an application in ApplyTexas to verify their academic information. This also allows higher education institutions to determine if students qualify for scholarship and program offers. If a student does not qualify for direct admission at a particular college or university, they may still apply through the traditional application process. Thirty-one universities currently participate in Direct Admissions:
- Angelo State University
- Lamar University
- Midwestern State University
- Prairie View A&M University
- Sam Houston State University
- Stephen F. Austin State University
- Sul Ross State University
- Tarleton State University
- Texas A&M University-College Station
- Texas A&M University-Commerce
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
- Texas A&M University-International
- Texas A&M University-Kingsville
- Texas A&M University-San Antonio
- Texas A&M University-Texarkana
- Texas Southern University
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University
- Texas Women’s University
- The University of Texas at Austin
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- The University of Texas at El Paso
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- The University of Texas Permian Basin
- The University of Texas at San Antonio
- University of Houston
- University of Houston-Clear Lake
- University of Houston-Downtown
- University of Houston-Victoria
- University of North Texas
- West Texas A&M University
Development of Direct Admissions was supported by philanthropic funds through THECB’s official nonprofit partner, the Texas Higher Education Foundation. Direct Admissions joins other tools developed by THECB, including My Texas Future and ApplyTexas, that help Texas students and families more easily and efficiently achieve their education and career goals. Students and families interested in finding out more about Direct Admissions can do so at My Texas Future.