As the browning leaves fall and the crisp autumn air breezes in, high school scholars graduating in the top 30% of their class are now eligible for automatic acceptance into some Connecticut state schools for the fall of 2024. Known as the Connecticut Automatic Admissions Program, or CAAP, top-performing students don’t have to worry about acceptance letters, application fees, or even college essays.
According to Connecticut State Colleges & Universities, some colleges that are participating in this program are all of the state schools, and others including:
Central Connecticut State University
Eastern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University
Western Connecticut State University
Goodwin University
Mitchell College
University of Bridgeport
University of New Haven
University of Saint Joseph
Proposed by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, the Connecticut Automatic Admissions Program was passed in June 2021 but went into effect for the class of 2023. This program serves students going above and beyond what is academically required of them and rewards them for their efforts. Through this program, colleges hope to increase applications to college. Hartford Business says, “The program comes as the state’s public college system tries to reverse a declining enrollment trend that has created financial and other challenges.”
As college gets closer, high school seniors are starting to think about whether they’re applying early decision or regular decision. Ultimately, the Connecticut Automatic Admissions Program’s goal is to make college more accessible for all students. According to the Chancellor of CSCU, Terrence Chang, the program will “help ease the pathway into college and eliminate barriers to higher education for Connecticut’s high school seniors who might not consider college.”
The schools participating in CAAP are partnering with Common App to make applications free from fees. Common App is a widely-used non-profit college application organization dedicated to making the application process less intimidating and easier for graduating high school seniors. This program is utilized all across the globe reaching students from Europe and Asia.
For the fall of 2024, the deadline is set for October 28, 2024. The only thing needed to be eligible is that students must be a resident of Connecticut and land in the top thirty percent of their class. However, although application fees were absolved tuition fees remain and for financial aid, students will have to complete FAFSA which provides free financial aid to students.
