Keene State College is guaranteeing admission for eligible students who are first in their family to attend college or are from a low-income background, according to a news release from the college.

The students, who must meet a certain grade point average, will be automatically admitted to Keene State College, the release said.

Direct admission programs can help break down the barriers to college by eliminating the need for a student to fill out a full application, with some also waiving the application fee, according to a 2023 study. The Universities of Wisconsin announced the launch of a direct admissions initiative in October 2023 at 10 of the system’s 13 universities, partnering with hundreds of school districts throughout the state to offer admission to students who meet certain guidelines. 

Sarah Kossayda, director of marketing and communications at Keene State, said the new program aims to increase enrollment and make college more accessible. "We talked about launching it last year, but chose not to because it was still pretty new," she said.

Keene State's 2024-25 application process opened on Aug. 1. The application must be submitted through the Common App, an online college application form that is free to access at commonapp.org/apply.

 The Common App allows each school to choose criteria to focus on for direct admission, in Keene State's case recruiting more first generation and low-income students.

"These are the students that we think would do great at Keene State," Kossayda said. "This process helps them feel comfortable and feel like they belong here."

As of 2023, 35 percent of undergraduate students at Keene State said they were the first generation in their families to pursue a college education, according to the school's office of Institutional Research and Assessment.

“This is exciting for Keene State and more exciting for those who may have faced barriers to higher education,” said Peg Richmond, director of admissions, in the news release. “... We want to build an uncomplicated bridge.”

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is still required to identify financial aid opportunities for applicants. Keene State is part of the Granite Guarantee program, which covers the cost of tuition for four years for New Hampshire residents who are eligible for the federal Pell Grant. More information about the Granite Guarantee program at the school can be found at keene.edu/featured/granite/