The first statewide coursework requirements for getting into the state’s public colleges and universities will be softened so that schools will have enough Colorado students, higher-education officials said Monday.
Schools can make exceptions for students entering in fall 2008 with high grade-point averages or high ACT or SAT scores, even if those students don’t meet new requirements that will include four units of English and three units of math. Members of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education unanimously approved the one-year exception Monday.
Up to 20 percent of incoming students statewide would not have met the new standards.
Commissioners decided to back off after an alarming number of high school students in the graduating classes of 2006 and 2007, though not covered by the requirements, were failing to meet them.
School districts have had four years to get students in line with the state’s minimum college standards, but between 300 and 1,500 students a year hadn’t taken the right classes, said Julie Carnahan, chief academic officer for the commission.
“It’s not just a rural issue; it’s not just an urban issue. We suspect there are a variety of reasons this isn’t happening,” Carnahan said. “We felt like we needed some flexibility to avoid a train wreck.”
This is the first time the state has ever imposed minimum coursework standards to get into college.
Officials recently adopted even stricter standards for the high school graduating class of 2010 that include one year of foreign language and four years of math.
Carnahan said relaxing the standards next year should help colleges ease into the policy change and continue to serve all kinds of Colorado students.
“We certainly want to be cautious and make sure that all the citizens of our state who intended to go to college … still have the same opportunity,” she said.
Many college officials across the state welcomed Monday’s news. Some say it may not go far enough with needy populations.
“We’re pleased with the flexibility,” said Cathy Lucas, spokeswoman at Metropolitan State College of Denver. Based on 2005 data, state officials said roughly 20 percent of students admitted to Metro would not have met the new standards.
Lucas said the school was going to work to communicate to prospective students and school districts about what it takes to get into college in Colorado.
Roughly 20,000 Colorado students entered state colleges in 2005.
Michael Poliakoff, vice president for Academic Affairs and Research at the University of Colorado, said that holding high school students to a higher standard before they graduate will reduce the number who will need remedial classes when they get to college.
He called next year’s exception “rigorous and humane.”
“Remediation is not part of the mission,” he said. “It’s in no one’s interest to be taking in students who are not ready to hit the ground running.”
Roughly 14 percent of CU’s admitted students don’t meet minimum coursework standards. Poliakoff said he doesn’t expect that to change.
College admissions standards usually spark complaints in K-12 circles – especially school districts in rural areas – because many don’t have the resources to offer enough classes.
Tim Foster, president of Mesa State College and former director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, said he disagreed with the decision.
He thinks the state’s four-year schools should be more – not less – selective.
“It’s important for students to go to the right place,” Foster said. “Some students need to go to community college. Putting students in a position … where they can’t succeed isn’t fair.”
Staff writer Allison Sherry can be reached at 303-954-1377 or asherry@denverpost.com.
Admission requirements
The Colorado Commission on Higher Education has established coursework standards for students entering college in 2008 and 2010:
2008
Subject, No. of years
- English, 4
- Math, 3 (Algebra I-level and higher) Natural/physical sciences, 3 (two lab-based units) Social sciences, 3 (At least 1 unit of U.S. or world history) Academic electives, 2
2010
- English, 4
- Math, 4* (statistics and accounting accepted) Natural/physical sciences, 3 (two lab-based units) Social sciences, 3 (at least one unit of U.S. or world history) Foreign language, 1*
- Academic electives, 2
*Changes approved by the commission in July; it also agreed to a waiver process for students in districts that can’t offer all the required courses or who can prove they’ve mastered the material another way, such as SAT scores or through being bilingual.
Source: Colorado Commission on Higher Education
