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Changes Could Be Coming to How Kentucky Universities Admit Students

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The board that governs higher education in Kentucky is considering a proposal to change the minimum guidelines for admission to public colleges and universities.

For students wanting to enter a state-supported, four-year institution, they would need a minimum high school GPA of 2.5, although schools would be allowed to set higher admission standards. 

CPE President Bob King says students with a lower GPA could be still be accepted, but they would have to enter into a learning contract with the college that would include a number of support services such as remedial classes and mentoring.

"This approach is saying to both parties, the students and the universities, that if you're going to admit a student with a 2.0 to 2.5, you're going to have to invest more in that student to get them to the finish line," King told WKU Public Radio. "We're saying to those students that you're entering with not quite the academic record that you need to have a high degree of certainty that you're going to succeed, so you're going to have to do some extra things."

Students who decline to commit to a learning contract would be referred to a community or technical college.

Dr. King says the proposed new guidelines are about getting students to make better decisions about where their postsecondary education begins and it's also about holding universities more accountable for helping students complete their degrees on time.

The proposal has already gained support from the state’s colleges and universities.  The CPE is expected to vote on amending admission guidelines at its next meeting on June 22.

Lisa is a Scottsville native and WKU alum. She has worked in radio as a news reporter and anchor for 18 years. Prior to joining WKU Public Radio, she most recently worked at WHAS in Louisville and WLAC in Nashville. She has received numerous awards from the Associated Press, including Best Reporter in Kentucky. Many of her stories have been heard on NPR.
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