Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced a significant increase in college enrollment across the state, attributing the success to the Georgia Match program during his annual workforce summit in Atlanta. Enrollment at technical colleges rose by 9% and by 6% at state universities and colleges compared to the previous year. The Georgia Match initiative involved sending 132,000 letters to high school seniors, guaranteeing them admission based on their academic performance and a simplified application process.
The program generated positive results with a 26% increase in applications to technical colleges and a 10% increase in applications to public universities and colleges. Governor Kemp emphasized the importance of continuing education to enhance job opportunities for students and bolster the state’s workforce. He stressed the necessity of cultivating a skilled workforce to attract companies and drive economic growth.
Georgia Match is part of a national trend known as direct admission, aiming to reach out to students who may not have considered pursuing higher education. The initiative targets students eligible to apply to technical colleges and highlights the state universities and colleges they qualify for based on their academic records collected through the HOPE Scholarship program.
While 22 technical colleges and 23 University System of Georgia institutions participate in the program, some prominent institutions like the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Georgia College and State University are not partaking due to additional admission requirements.
Governor Kemp highlighted the program’s role in addressing the projected decline in Georgia high school graduates by 2037 and expanding access to higher education opportunities. The success of similar programs in states like Idaho indicates the potential for increased college enrollment and improved access for first-time higher education students and their families.
The initiative to send out letters to high school seniors will continue, with application fees waived by most public colleges and universities in November. Additionally, over 1,000 adults who recently obtained a high school equivalency diploma will also receive informational letters. Students can now utilize the GAfutures.org website to directly send transcripts to colleges, expediting the application process.
