Education One’s first cohort of instant admit students settle into campus life

As a higher education authorizer, Education One at Trine University understands the importance of providing all public charter school students with equitable access to post-secondary educational opportunities, regardless of socioeconomic background. To address access barriers that exist for marginalized students in these Trine-sponsored charter schools, the authorizing office has teamed up with additional university personnel to intentionally expose Trine charter students to campus and the instant admissions process.

Through this new initiative, seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher are offered Instant Admission to Trine University as well as opportunities for financial aid through grants and scholarships.  While in high school, Trine-sponsored charter school students have access to over 20 free dual enrollment courses, making them eligible for a $1,000-per-year scholarship to use at Trine University.  The program has also created a co-branded school scholarship, awarding one student per school an $18,000 scholarship to be used at Trine University.

The Education One authorizing team has always been intentional in providing unique experiences for its K-12 charter school students, starting early with elementary students.  Students in these Trine-sponsored charter schools are able to participate in programs such as Trine Pals, March is Reading Month, and STEM Camps.

These early touchpoints introduce students to campus life and provide mentorship opportunities for Trine University students. As students get older, they can participate in campus tours, dual enrollment courses and various university competitions, such as Storm Tank.

To support students in determining if Trine University is the right fit for them, the authorizing team creates specialty visits centered on students' unique interests and provides schools with authentic opportunities to collaborate with Trine sports teams and clubs. Participating in visits, like the robotics specialty visit in collaboration with the Allen School of Engineering & Computing, have positively impacted students’ decision-making as they’ve determined the next steps in their educational journey.

One student shared, “My school was a [Trine-sponsored] charter school so I was exposed to Trine for most of high school.  I toured a few times and liked what was offered.”

Eventually, that student, as well as others from his high school, matriculated to Trine as a result of these positive experiences. This fall, as the first cohort of Instant Admission students make themselves at home on Trine’s campus, they are taking advantage of joining opportunities such as jazz band and FIRST Alumni. They all look forward to making new friends and learning more about what the campus and the local community have to offer.

Opportunities and partnerships are being developed to welcome the next cohort of Trine-sponsored charter school students to campus in Fall 2025.  As the charter cohort continues to grow, the goal is for these Instant Admission students to become student ambassadors, working with Education One’s Student Success Coach on welcoming new students to Trine.

This growing community will assist with touring Trine-sponsored charter school students and support incoming freshmen as they acclimate to campus life. The application process for the upcoming cohort is currently in process, with Instant Admission presentations taking place with Education One schools this fall.  

To learn more about potential partnerships with Education One’s Instant Admit process visit: https://www.trine.edu/education-one/.