INDIANAPOLIS Only about half of Hoosier high school seniors are going to college, but Indiana University Indianapolis is trying to change that by expanding a relatively new program that helps eliminate barriers.The university launched its Seamless Admissions program last year with Indianapolis Public Schools. Now, theyre expanding to more Marion County Schools and Townships that include: Decatur Township Irvington Preparatory Academy James and Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Lawrence Township Pike Township Rooted School Indianapolis at Eastern Star Warren Online Academy Warren Central High SchoolAny high school student that has a 3.0 GPA or higher, were automatically admitting them, they dont need to apply. Were working directly with the high school to find out who those students are," PJ Woolston, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at IU Indy, said. Qualifying seniors at these high schools will not need to complete a traditional application or pay a fee; instead, they fill out a short online form for automatic admission.The program made all the difference for one Arsenal Tech High School Graduate.At one point, I wasnt too sure if I could go to college, Kevin Lopez, who now wants to be an accountant and is finishing up his first year at IU Indy, said. I would always hear about how stressful it was to apply for college, how you have to write an essay. I wasnt too sure how I would do all that. The initiative hopes to reach more students like Lopez with its expansion.The admission process can be overwhelming, and its misunderstood, Lawrence North Principal Brett Crousore said. We believe that everyone should have equitable access to opportunities and so what IUI is doing provides that for our kids.Desmond Kuehn is a junior at Lawrence Central North whos already taking college courses through the schools College Core program. Colleges are getting harder to get into and less people are wanting to go, so if they know for sure somewhere they can get in and stay close to home, which is important to me," Kuehn said. The goal is to set more Hoosier high school students up for success well beyond the classroom, whether its at IU Indy or not.So much of this is really about getting to think about college proactively, Woolston told WRTV. It [Seamless Admissions] opened up a lot of opportunities for me because now I know I can accomplish a little bit more," Lopez said. IU Indy told WRTV the initiative has already increased the first-year attendance of IPS students at the university by more than 80%.At last check, more than 450 IPS high school seniors have already qualified for the university's Seamless Admissions program.This expansion will be effective for students applying for enrollment in fall 2026.For more information, click here.