The Personalized Admissions Project was created to answer a simple question: How do we get more qualified Arizona high schoolers, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, into higher education? The answer – tell qualified students they are admitted before they even apply.
By streamlining the application process, we remove a key barrier in attracting more students, especially first-generation students and students of color. And the data proves this is working.
The project began with a single district, Phoenix Union High School District, in the 2021-2022 school year. ASU sent acceptance letters to 1,453 Phoenix Union students who met or were close to meeting admission standards.
The program has since expanded to include many more districts and Arizona's two other public universities, the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University. Almost 11,000 school seniors received letters in 2023-24. These seniors roughly represent the demographics of Arizona seniors with about 43% white, 43% Latino, 5% Asian, 4% Black, 2% Native American and 41% lower income.
By streamlining the application process, we remove a key barrier in attracting more students, especially first-generation students and students of color. And the data proves this is working.
The project began with a single district, Phoenix Union High School District, in the 2021-2022 school year. ASU sent acceptance letters to 1,453 Phoenix Union students who met or were close to meeting admission standards.
The program has since expanded to include many more districts and Arizona's two other public universities, the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University. Almost 11,000 school seniors received letters in 2023-24. These seniors roughly represent the demographics of Arizona seniors with about 43% white, 43% Latino, 5% Asian, 4% Black, 2% Native American and 41% lower income.
