Indiana University South Bend and School City of Mishawaka are streamlining the path to college for high school students.
Qualifying seniors who participate in the seamless admission program will not need to complete a traditional application. They will only complete an online form for admission in fall 2025 and beyond.
IU South Bend grants full or conditional admission to students through a review of their portfolio. The school weighs factors such as grade point average, high school diploma type and standard test scores.
Andy Williams, interim deputy chancellor, said IU South Bend aims to simplify the admission process.
“Our goal is to make college education more accessible, enabling students to earn a distinguished IU degree at an affordable cost while ensuring they receive the support to succeed during their college careers so we can help build a new generation of leaders for our community,” Williams said in a press release.
According to IU South Bend, over 65% of its graduates stay in the Region to work. The partnership builds a pipeline for students and benefits local businesses and organizations.
“This partnership with School City of Mishawaka represents one way we can eliminate barriers to higher education,” Jill Pearon, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, said. “With this simplified application process, we are recognizing the hard work of these high school students and reinforcing our commitment to their success.”
Chad Brugh, Mishawaka high school principal, called the agreement a significant step, offering students a streamlined path to higher education.
Former Mishawaka graduates say they think admissions programs like this would have helped them during their high school journeys.
“Senior year of high school was extremely stressful for me, and the process of applying to college was confusing and only added to that stress,” Cienna King, Mishawaka High School graduate and IU South Bend sophomore,” said. “I’m excited about this new process being introduced because I know it will help future graduating seniors make their transition into college life easier.”
IU South Bend recently completed a similar agreement with the Elkhart Community School Corp. It is pursuing similar partnerships with other school districts in the area.
