San José State University will soon guarantee admission for eligible seniors from Gilroy Unified and Morgan Hill Unified school districts.
To qualify, students need at least a 2.5 GPA — that’s about a C average — and they still have to submit an application. But once they do, they’ll automatically be accepted to San José State.
In Gilroy roughly 43 percent of graduates meet this requirement. In Morgan Hill, 50 percent do, according to state data.
If a student applies to a popular major — like nursing — there’s a chance they won’t be admitted directly into that program. But they may be able to transfer in later.
Crystal Alvarez, who works in Morgan Hill’s Educational Services Department, says it’s a major win for local families, where about 40 percent of students qualify for free and reduced meals.
"Our academic counselors, our school counselors are super hyped about this," she said. "The game changer that this is is just huge."
The district got the official green light this summer.
The program will start next school year.
