Admissions to Auburn are becoming increasingly competitive, and this year’s applicant pool is one of the largest groups the University has ever seen.
Auburn has only a limited number of freshman spots, and a large number of students are applying. So the University has had to think of other ways to accommodate those it is unable to accept, but would not normally reject.
The newest answer to this growing problem is “The Auburn Guarantee: Seamless Admission” program.
This admissions program allows students who have not been accepted into Auburn University’s 2008 freshman class to enroll in classes at Auburn University at Montgomery.
After the completion of 30 semester hours, students with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA will automatically be able to transfer to Auburn.
According to AUM’s admissions Web site, the program offers courses on the Montgomery campus as well as the Auburn campus, so students who wish to live in Auburn may do so.
“This program is a wonderful opportunity for partnership between the two campuses,” said John Fletcher of Auburn admissions.
Fletcher also said the program is different from existing admissions programs because there has been “no express guarantee.”
“This program is seamless, and successful students will be able to automatically transfer,” Fletcher said.
Similarly, Catina Woods with admissions at AUM explains that in no way did the students “fail to meet the requirements at Auburn.”
“Auburn did not have enough room to accommodate all of the students that applied for the fall 2008 semester,” Woods said.
Woods explained there has never been a program between AUM and Auburn’s campuses in the past.
“Students who maintain a 2.5 GPA will be guaranteed transfer to Auburn,” Woods said.
April Smitherman, a freshman in nutrition and dietetics, and Dawn Lowery, a freshman in education, said they think overall this program seems like a good idea.
“The Auburn Guarantee is a good alternative for those who were not accepted for the fall 2008 semester,” Lowery said.
Smitherman said the students still have to put forth the effort to transfer, so the program will not lower the academic standards for acceptance into Auburn.
“This program will allow those students who really want to be here the chance to eventually become part of Auburn’s student body,” Lowery said.
“The Auburn Guarantee: Seamless Admission” program is the newest way for students who truly wish to be part of the Auburn family, but who are unable simply because of space, to do so.
Although a student’s freshman year of college would be completed through AUM, students who take advantage of this process would still be able to reside in the Auburn area if they wish.
For those students who desire to go to Auburn University, “The Auburn Guarantee” does exactly what its name implies.
It guarantees, with few provisions, that a student will have a “seamless admission” into the University.
Through this process, students will benefit, as well as both Auburn and AUM, by developing a creative partnership between the two campuses.
