Graduating seniors from 120 Minnesota high schools admitted to college before applying
Jessica Cabeen is Principal of Alternative Programs for Austin Public Schools, where high schoolers are eligible for Minnesota's direct admissions program.
Courtesy of Jessica Cabeen.
There’s a story about college applications that goes like this: to be accepted, students need to balance an impressive slate of extracurricular activities, perfect grades, high test scores and shining recommendation letters.
But the reality is that plenty of schools are not as competitive as Ivy Leagues portrayed in your favorite high school drama. But even for less selective colleges and universities, the process of applying can be arduous and costly.
This year, more graduating seniors in Minnesota are receiving letters with a list of schools that have accepted them without an application.
According to Inside Higher Ed, Minnesota is now one of 10 states with direct admissions programs, which are gaining popularity as institutions struggle to keep up their enrollment and try to make college more accessible. More than 40 high schools participated in the first year of the program in Minnesota.
For the second round this year, the number is up to more than 120. Principal of Alternative Programs for Austin Public Schools Jessica Cabeen joined MPR News Host Catharine Richert to talk about what this means for students in the district, which has a more diverse student body than the state as a whole.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHARINE RICHERT: There's this story about college applications that goes kind of like this, students need to balance an impressive slate of extracurricular activities, perfect grades, high test scores, and shining recommendation letters just to get in. The reality is plenty of schools are not as competitive as Ivy Leagues portrayed in your favorite high school drama. But even for less selective colleges and universities, the process for applying can be arduous and costly. This year, more graduating seniors in Minnesota are receiving letters with a list of schools that have accepted them without an application.
According to Inside Higher Ed, Minnesota is now 1 of 10 states with what are called direct admissions programs. They are gaining popularity as institutions struggle to keep up their enrollment and try to make college more accessible. More than 40 high schools participated in the first year of the program in Minnesota. This year, the number is up to more than 120. Joining me to talk about what this means for students in Austin, Minnesota, is Principal of Alternative Programs for Austin Public Schools, Jessica Cabeen. Welcome, Jessica.
JESSICA CABEEN: Well. Oh, my gosh. What an honor to be here. Thank you for letting me be a part of this today.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Yeah. I'm fascinated. So, you know, tell us a little bit more about Austin High School and Austin Online Academy. They were both part of this program last year, right?
JESSICA CABEEN: Correct. Yes. And so between Austin High School and Austin Online Academy, we have upwards of over 300 seniors that could participate in direct admissions this year. And so we heard about the program last year. As we continue to find ways to really open up doors for our incredible scholars down here in Austin, if you've never been to Austin, Minnesota, you're missing out. We have some of the very best kids in the state. And we wanted to find ways to continue to open doors for them and show them different pathways than maybe they thought they could realize.
And so when we found out-- and, of course, you know, it's a high school, so you hear bells in the background. Sorry about that.
CATHARINE RICHERT: No problem.
JESSICA CABEEN: But, you know, you're always on the job. But what we found is that kids didn't think it was an option for them. And so this really was a wonderful opportunity to say actually, yes, you are college material. And here's all the schools that would love to have you.
CATHARINE RICHERT: So I'm pretty close to Austin. I live in Rochester. I go there frequently. And I think that it's such a remarkably diverse community. And I know that shows up in the student body as a whole. In fact, Austin has a more diverse student body than the state in general, which is pretty remarkable. Who are the students that this program is meant to benefit the most?
JESSICA CABEEN: Oh. That's a great question. And I'm super biased. I'm going to be very honest because I have had the privilege of being their kindergarten principal, their middle school principal, and now I'm stalking them in high school. So I've known some of these kids since they were five. And I've known their families. And what I would say is you're right, it's almost upwards of 60% of our students are from an ethnic minority, predominantly Hispanic, Asian, or Black. And we do have some native American as well. But it really-- if you're not familiar with Austin, we were technically rural. But we don't look rural. That's for sure.
We just really have a diverse student body. We have over 47 languages spoken within Austin Public Schools. And we also have some diversity in our socioeconomic too in regards to free and reduced lunch as well and english language learners and special education. It's a well-rounded community for students to learn the skills of interacting with a diverse population of community members and then translating that into the workforce and college skills.
CATHARINE RICHERT: So how might this program help this particular type of student body?
JESSICA CABEEN: Absolutely. I think what I would say is it's really moving away roadblocks and speed bumps to accessing post-secondary options. It is overwhelming now. Now I've been in education for over two decades. And thinking back to when I applied to college, it was like paper, pencil, and send it in an envelope. And the options weren't as wide ranging as they are here. And so now moving forward 2023, 2024, I mean, you could google colleges, and universities, and two-year schools and have a plethora of schools. And in navigating that like which schools are certified, which schools are endorsed, which schools do FASFA. It's almost like a full-time job to navigate.
And students and families are busy. Like you mentioned in the bio. Like, we have extracurriculars. We have part-time jobs. We have all these other things. And so direct admissions really kind of narrows it down and says, hey, here are the schools that want you for who you are, for what you've already accomplished for your GPA, for your courses. And now you get to pick from that versus I think of it as like throwing a dart at a wall instead of a dart board. Like, OK, maybe I'm going to go here, maybe I'm going to go here. And then now it's saying, OK, here are the schools you're already accepted to, which one interests you.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Yeah. It certainly takes a little bit of the pressure off and just the complicated nature of applying for colleges. I still remember what that was like and it was a long time ago. So supporters of direct admission say it could be a way to ensure that low income students have access to college after the US Supreme Court struck down affirmative action earlier this year. How has that decision affected the students that you work with?
JESSICA CABEEN: I would say really what I found in my just two years here at the high school level is it's more about mindset, like, our student population doesn't know that they can go to school a lot of times because they haven't seen some of their family members go in front of them. So, you know, some of our students are going to be first generation college attenders. Some of our students are coming from families of refugee, that this is their first exposure in Minnesota or in the United States. And so those opportunities just look different because they've not seen that experience or exposure versus some of our other families of middle or upper class that, this is their-- they've been going to college forever this is just what our families do.
So I think really letting them see visions of themselves or versions of themselves in college is really helping them see, oh, if they can do it, so can I. So I'm so excited for this first class. But I'm honestly even more excited for the current freshmen as they watch their upperclassmen, their community members, their older siblings, their cousins forging a pathway that these freshmen didn't see possible either.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Yeah. So choosing college is a big decision, right? And getting accepted to like multiple schools probably is really exciting, but it also probably feels really overwhelming. How do you advise your students on what they should weigh as they're making their decisions?
JESSICA CABEEN: I know. And so it's kind of one of those things like so now what. Like what does this mean now? And we have this incredible, like, signing day. So we brought all the seniors in. We didn't tell them why, and they look at me and they all think they're in trouble. I'm like, no, this is not middle school anymore. But when they open their letters, they're like, wait, these schools want me?
And you should have seen the energy, and the excitement, and the pictures they were taking to send their parents. And then that wore off and they're like, OK, now do I do? What's next? And so we have a subcommittee with community partners here in Austin, with our counseling department, with our AVID. And what we're going to do now is create almost like a speaker series. And so we're going to offer sessions for students and families around, you know, choosing a college, essay writing, decoding FAFSA when that gets released, how do you write a personal statement, how do you get letters of recommendation.
And then we're also going to start staging college visits, not just for our seniors, but we really want to start opening those doors at the underclassmen level too. So they can actually get some feet on campus and really get to see, OK, do I want to live in a dorm? Do I want to go to a four-year school? Do I want to go to a two-year school? So it's one of those things where now that we've entered this program, it's opening our eyes to all the other things we still need to do to ensure that our students are making really, really mindful decisions about their next steps.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Right. Like really decoding the process, so it doesn't seem like such of a mystery. So do you think this is going to be a lasting shift, even if college enrollment numbers go up and stay up?
JESSICA CABEEN: I hope so. I hope so because I really think, back in the day, I did a lot of this on my own and my parents really helped me with it. And it became something that you did outside of school. And I really feel like when we start to think about pathways and programming for kids, it can't start early enough. It really can't. Letting kids even in elementary school and middle school get a sense of their profile of who do they want to be as an adult and then having educators that are incredible guiding them through that is going to be the best way for kids to make solid decisions when they're still developing.
Like, I think about this powerful decision you're making when you're 17, 18, and like, you're not even you know legal to gamble in Vegas, and you're making a decision about your future and a big financial one. So I think this is going to just continue to make students feel more confident and capable in whatever they decide to do.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Wonderful. Well thank you so much, Jessica. Jessica Cabeen is Principal of Alternative Programs for Austin Public Schools.
According to Inside Higher Ed, Minnesota is now 1 of 10 states with what are called direct admissions programs. They are gaining popularity as institutions struggle to keep up their enrollment and try to make college more accessible. More than 40 high schools participated in the first year of the program in Minnesota. This year, the number is up to more than 120. Joining me to talk about what this means for students in Austin, Minnesota, is Principal of Alternative Programs for Austin Public Schools, Jessica Cabeen. Welcome, Jessica.
JESSICA CABEEN: Well. Oh, my gosh. What an honor to be here. Thank you for letting me be a part of this today.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Yeah. I'm fascinated. So, you know, tell us a little bit more about Austin High School and Austin Online Academy. They were both part of this program last year, right?
JESSICA CABEEN: Correct. Yes. And so between Austin High School and Austin Online Academy, we have upwards of over 300 seniors that could participate in direct admissions this year. And so we heard about the program last year. As we continue to find ways to really open up doors for our incredible scholars down here in Austin, if you've never been to Austin, Minnesota, you're missing out. We have some of the very best kids in the state. And we wanted to find ways to continue to open doors for them and show them different pathways than maybe they thought they could realize.
And so when we found out-- and, of course, you know, it's a high school, so you hear bells in the background. Sorry about that.
CATHARINE RICHERT: No problem.
JESSICA CABEEN: But, you know, you're always on the job. But what we found is that kids didn't think it was an option for them. And so this really was a wonderful opportunity to say actually, yes, you are college material. And here's all the schools that would love to have you.
CATHARINE RICHERT: So I'm pretty close to Austin. I live in Rochester. I go there frequently. And I think that it's such a remarkably diverse community. And I know that shows up in the student body as a whole. In fact, Austin has a more diverse student body than the state in general, which is pretty remarkable. Who are the students that this program is meant to benefit the most?
JESSICA CABEEN: Oh. That's a great question. And I'm super biased. I'm going to be very honest because I have had the privilege of being their kindergarten principal, their middle school principal, and now I'm stalking them in high school. So I've known some of these kids since they were five. And I've known their families. And what I would say is you're right, it's almost upwards of 60% of our students are from an ethnic minority, predominantly Hispanic, Asian, or Black. And we do have some native American as well. But it really-- if you're not familiar with Austin, we were technically rural. But we don't look rural. That's for sure.
We just really have a diverse student body. We have over 47 languages spoken within Austin Public Schools. And we also have some diversity in our socioeconomic too in regards to free and reduced lunch as well and english language learners and special education. It's a well-rounded community for students to learn the skills of interacting with a diverse population of community members and then translating that into the workforce and college skills.
CATHARINE RICHERT: So how might this program help this particular type of student body?
JESSICA CABEEN: Absolutely. I think what I would say is it's really moving away roadblocks and speed bumps to accessing post-secondary options. It is overwhelming now. Now I've been in education for over two decades. And thinking back to when I applied to college, it was like paper, pencil, and send it in an envelope. And the options weren't as wide ranging as they are here. And so now moving forward 2023, 2024, I mean, you could google colleges, and universities, and two-year schools and have a plethora of schools. And in navigating that like which schools are certified, which schools are endorsed, which schools do FASFA. It's almost like a full-time job to navigate.
And students and families are busy. Like you mentioned in the bio. Like, we have extracurriculars. We have part-time jobs. We have all these other things. And so direct admissions really kind of narrows it down and says, hey, here are the schools that want you for who you are, for what you've already accomplished for your GPA, for your courses. And now you get to pick from that versus I think of it as like throwing a dart at a wall instead of a dart board. Like, OK, maybe I'm going to go here, maybe I'm going to go here. And then now it's saying, OK, here are the schools you're already accepted to, which one interests you.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Yeah. It certainly takes a little bit of the pressure off and just the complicated nature of applying for colleges. I still remember what that was like and it was a long time ago. So supporters of direct admission say it could be a way to ensure that low income students have access to college after the US Supreme Court struck down affirmative action earlier this year. How has that decision affected the students that you work with?
JESSICA CABEEN: I would say really what I found in my just two years here at the high school level is it's more about mindset, like, our student population doesn't know that they can go to school a lot of times because they haven't seen some of their family members go in front of them. So, you know, some of our students are going to be first generation college attenders. Some of our students are coming from families of refugee, that this is their first exposure in Minnesota or in the United States. And so those opportunities just look different because they've not seen that experience or exposure versus some of our other families of middle or upper class that, this is their-- they've been going to college forever this is just what our families do.
So I think really letting them see visions of themselves or versions of themselves in college is really helping them see, oh, if they can do it, so can I. So I'm so excited for this first class. But I'm honestly even more excited for the current freshmen as they watch their upperclassmen, their community members, their older siblings, their cousins forging a pathway that these freshmen didn't see possible either.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Yeah. So choosing college is a big decision, right? And getting accepted to like multiple schools probably is really exciting, but it also probably feels really overwhelming. How do you advise your students on what they should weigh as they're making their decisions?
JESSICA CABEEN: I know. And so it's kind of one of those things like so now what. Like what does this mean now? And we have this incredible, like, signing day. So we brought all the seniors in. We didn't tell them why, and they look at me and they all think they're in trouble. I'm like, no, this is not middle school anymore. But when they open their letters, they're like, wait, these schools want me?
And you should have seen the energy, and the excitement, and the pictures they were taking to send their parents. And then that wore off and they're like, OK, now do I do? What's next? And so we have a subcommittee with community partners here in Austin, with our counseling department, with our AVID. And what we're going to do now is create almost like a speaker series. And so we're going to offer sessions for students and families around, you know, choosing a college, essay writing, decoding FAFSA when that gets released, how do you write a personal statement, how do you get letters of recommendation.
And then we're also going to start staging college visits, not just for our seniors, but we really want to start opening those doors at the underclassmen level too. So they can actually get some feet on campus and really get to see, OK, do I want to live in a dorm? Do I want to go to a four-year school? Do I want to go to a two-year school? So it's one of those things where now that we've entered this program, it's opening our eyes to all the other things we still need to do to ensure that our students are making really, really mindful decisions about their next steps.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Right. Like really decoding the process, so it doesn't seem like such of a mystery. So do you think this is going to be a lasting shift, even if college enrollment numbers go up and stay up?
JESSICA CABEEN: I hope so. I hope so because I really think, back in the day, I did a lot of this on my own and my parents really helped me with it. And it became something that you did outside of school. And I really feel like when we start to think about pathways and programming for kids, it can't start early enough. It really can't. Letting kids even in elementary school and middle school get a sense of their profile of who do they want to be as an adult and then having educators that are incredible guiding them through that is going to be the best way for kids to make solid decisions when they're still developing.
Like, I think about this powerful decision you're making when you're 17, 18, and like, you're not even you know legal to gamble in Vegas, and you're making a decision about your future and a big financial one. So I think this is going to just continue to make students feel more confident and capable in whatever they decide to do.
CATHARINE RICHERT: Wonderful. Well thank you so much, Jessica. Jessica Cabeen is Principal of Alternative Programs for Austin Public Schools.
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