Indiana University Indianapolis continues to expand partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools

Indiana University Indianapolis has made it easier for even more high school students within Indianapolis Public Schools to continue their education following their high school graduation. Last year, Indiana University Indianapolis implemented the seamless admissions program for graduating students from certain schools within Indianapolis Public Schools. The pilot program has been seen as a success, and is being expanded to include even more schools for the Fall 2025 semester.

According to an article on Indiana University Indianapolis’ website, Latha Ramchand, who is the school’s inaugural chancellor and executive vice president, was quoted as saying of the reasons behind implementing this program and others like it, “IU Indianapolis is committed to supporting students and families through higher education, while also building the workforce for our state. Through programs such as this we are helping our community, while also educating the next generation of leaders and building the human capital that our city, state and region need. We are doing what we need to do to support the workforce strategy that our governor and our business leaders have created for our region.”

The seamless admissions program gives eligible high school students who are graduating from certain schools within Indianapolis Public Schools automatic admission into Indiana University Indianapolis, which will help them move from high school to college more easily and with more certainty than they would have when having to rely on traditional admissions processes at other schools. Students will not have to fill out an application, provide transcripts, or pay an application fee. In order to qualify, students must have a 3.0 GPA or better and be graduating from qualifying schools.

The schools that were included in the initial phase of the pilot program were Arsenal Tech, Crispus Attucks High School, George Washington High school, and Shortridge High School. Beginning in Fall 2025, the following schools now also qualify for the seamless admissions program: Christel House Watanabe Manual High School, Herron High School, Herron-Riverside High School, Hope Academy High School, KIPP Indy Legacy High School, Phalen Virtual Leadership Academy, Purdue Polytechnic High School-Broad Ripple, and Purdue Polytechnic High School Schweitzer Center at Englewood.

Aleesia Johnson, the superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, expressed her enthusiasm for the expansion of the program, saying, “Expanding the seamless admissions initiative with IU Indianapolis to all IPS high schools, including those in our Innovation Network, is a transformative moment in the educational journey for all of our students and families. We know that this initiative holds the potential to significantly enhance the numbers of IPS graduates attending colleges or universities. Together, we’re paving the way for a future where every student can aspire, achieve and seamlessly transition to higher education, contributing to the growing success of our graduates.”

In addition to a seamless admissions process, the program also provides participating students with more resources and support as they transition to college. Students will have access to support services from Indiana University Indianapolis, such as advising, mentoring, and tutoring, and career services via EmployIndy. 

PJ Woolston, who serves as the vice chancellor for enrollment management at Indiana University Indianapolis, extolled the benefits of the seamless admissions program, saying, “We heard from school counselors that our pilot initiative has helped encourage students who didn’t initially think college was for them to pursue higher education. Ninety percent of our graduates stay in Indiana after graduation, which means these students are equipped to give back to their communities and central Indiana.”

With this expansion falling into place for Fall 2025, Indiana University Indianapolis is already starting to consider future expansions, as well. The next round of inclusion in the seamless admissions program is Marion County schools.

For more information about Indiana University Indianapolis, visit the school’s website.