Stress-free application: College Connection guarantees acceptance

Carman Williams

cwilliams@weatherforddemocrat.com

Students in 25 surrounding counties received a college acceptance letter along with their diploma when they walked across the stage of their high school graduation.

Graduating seniors in qualifying school districts were automatically accepted to Weatherford College because of the college’s involvement with the Closing the Gaps initiative.

This program strives to have up 1.5 million students in Texas colleges and universities by 2015.

In order to meet this goal, 630,000 students must enroll and graduate from college in the next seven years — over two times the number that will attend college based on current trends.

In order to increase the number of high school graduates getting an advanced degree, colleges are trying to raise awareness among students and parents about the importance of a college degree.

Weatherford College has been involved with Closing the Gaps since it began several years ago.

This year, Weatherford College implemented the College Connection program to guide seniors through the college admissions process.

“By going out to high schools and sitting down with all seniors, we hope to remove the barriers that have historically prevented them from pursuing higher education,” Glenn Yockey wrote in an e-mail.

Yockey is the dean of enrollment management at Weatherford College.

He said although the college will avail itself to many students, the flexibility of Weatherford College’s class schedules will keep the school from over-crowding.

Yockey also said accepting almost all local graduates would not have a negative impact on the Weatherford College’s academic standards.

“Nothing has changed regarding the conditions of admission at Weatherford College,” he wrote. “Students still need to complete high school, provide a transcript and are still required to do needed testing and complete all prescribed remediation.”

Because of their cooperation with Closing the Gaps, Weatherford College received a $22,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

According to the College Connection Web site, Weatherford College will provide one-on-one support for every student, providing help with college applications, financial aid forms, college entrance exams and college course registration.

The Web site also includes a link for students to fill out their applications, financial aid forms and exams online.

Yockey noted many seniors completed the admissions process before graduation.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Web site, the organization’s commitment to Closing the Gaps reflects its commitment to Texas.

“Meeting those goals means a bright future of economic vitality, social independence and civic engagement for the citizens of Texas,” the THECB Web site states. “Not meeting those goals means a future of lower household incomes, more stress on social services and fewer people capable of participating as contributing citizens to this great state.”

Students in Aledo, Alvord, Boyd, Bridgeport, Brock, Bryson, Chico, Decatur, Gordon, Graford, Granbury, Jacksboro, Lipan, Millsap, Mineral Wells, Paradise, Peaster, Perrin-Whitt, Poolville, Santo, Slidell, Springtown, Strawn, Tolar and Weatherford ISDs are eligible for Weatherford College acceptance.