Guaranteed College Acceptance

For many high school seniors, college admissions are a time of stress and uncertainty. Students find themselves filling out applications, studying hard for standardized exams, and paying full attention in class to get the upper hand in college admissions. A high GPA and standardized test scores alone doesn't guarantee acceptance, or so admissions officers say.

A handful of colleges throughout the nation guarantee acceptance with a certain set of requirements. By taking advantage of schools with guaranteed admission, the student will find admissions a lot less stressful.

This article will identify schools with a tier-one ranking according to America's Best Colleges of 2009 provided by U.S. News & World Report. The list below provides 10 schools with guaranteed acceptance and a tier-one ranking.

*Note: Admissions and rankings vary each year. Consider this article was written in 2009 when determining accuracy. Do realize the information provided within this article is for acceptance into the college, and does not guarantee acceptance into all departments, due to different requirements.

Arizona State University (Rank: 121)

Student must meet one of the requirements for guaranteed acceptance:

a) 3.0 GPA in competency courses

b) Top 25%

c) ACT 22 (24 nonresidents)

d) SAT Reasoning 1040 (1110 nonresidents)

University of Arizona (Rank: 96)

Arizona residents attending a regionally accredited high school, have no course work deficiencies, and graduate within the top 25%, are guaranteed acceptance.

Washington State University (Rank: 116)

Residents of Washington, with a high school GPA of at least 3.5 or rank in the top 10%, are guaranteed acceptance.

University of Arkansas (Rank: 125)

Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, ACT of 20 or higher (930 SAT, reading/verbal and math only), and complete 16-unit preparatory course.

University of Oklahoma (Rank: 108)

There are a variety of factors the student can accomplish to accommodate guaranteed acceptance.

Resident of Oklahoma

• GPA of at least 3.0 and rank within the top 25% of the student's high school class.

OR

• ACT of at least 24 (SAT 1090) and have a GPA of at least 3.0 or rank in the top 50 % of the student's high school class.

Non-Resident

• GPA of 3.5 or higher and rank within the top 25% of the student's high school class.

OR

• ACT of at least 26 (SAT 1170) and have a GPA of at least 3.0 or rank in the top 50% of the student's high school class.

University of Texas (Rank: 47)

Must be a resident of Texas and rank within the top 10% of the student's graduating class.

Texas A&M University (Rank: 64)

Must be a resident of Texas and rank within the top 10% of the student's graduating class.

University of Nebraska (Rank: 89)

Rank in the upper one-half of the student's graduating high school class, or have a ACT of at least 20 (SAT 950 or higher, Critical Reading and Math only).

University of Iowa (Rank: 66)

Iowa residents must have a Regent Admission Index (RAI) of at least 245. Non-Residents must score a RAI of at least 255. The RAI is calculated by taking the ACT score x 2 (SAT Equivalent), + inverse of high school rank percentage, + 2 x GPA, + 5 x number of core high school classes completed.

University of Oregon (Rank: 108)

Student must have a GPA of 3.4 or higher and have completed 16 college preparatory courses with a C- or higher.

College admissions doesn't have to be a period of stress and frustration. The colleges in this article are highly respected, and a few are noted as being the best in their states. Successfully applying and meeting the requirements, ensures the student will be accepted to a highly respected college. However, it is highly advised the student visits the chosen college's website for other admission details such as course requirements and acceptance into certain departments.

List of Sources

"Freshman Admission Requirements, Preferential Deadlines and Steps" Arizona State University
"Comprehensive Review |Admission Requirements|" University of Arizona
"WSU Assured Admission Program" Washington State University
"University of Arkansas -- Office of Admissions" University of Arkansas
"Freshman Admission Requirements" University of Oklahoma
"Types of Applicants | Freshman | Be a Longhorn" University of Texas
"Ways to be Admitted" Texas A&M University
"Freshman Admission Requirements" University of Nebraska
"College of Arts and Sciences Admission Requirements for First-Year Students" University of Iowa
"Freshman Admission Information | Office of Admissions|" University of Oregon