College & University Partners

Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP) Universities and Colleges

The Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP) is a State program which ensures TPS students who qualify will receive guaranteed admission for the Washington state colleges and universities listed below:

Guaranteed Admissions Program

Qualifying for GAP Schools

Qualifying for GAP Schools

To qualify for the GAP program with CWU, EWU, Evergreen, WSU and WWU, seniors must meet or be on track to complete the following criteria:

Have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher
Be on track to complete the College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADRs)
- English - 4 yrs
- Math - 3 yrs
  - Algebra II
  - Geometry
  - Algebra
- Social Sciences - 3 yrs
- Lab Science - 3 yrs
- World Language - 2 yrs
- Fine, Visual or Performing Art - 0.5 yrs
- Academic Elective - 0.5 yrs
- Sr. Year, Math-Based Quantitative Course - 1 yr
  - Intermediate algebra (or higher), stats, chemistry or physics

Qualified students will receive an admission letter from college staff notifying them of their acceptance and next steps. Next steps will include:

Review required courses, maintain GPA, and stay on track to meet college admissions eligibility requirements
Research college(s) Programs of Study and financial cost, then determine whether your High School & Beyond Plan goals can be met before making a decision to accept an offer and apply
Fill out the “Common App” College Application Program
Send an unofficial transcript
File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)* Opening in a new window or the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA)Opening in a new window

*Completing the FAFSA/WASFA is strongly encouraged, but not a requirement for college admissions.

Snapshot of Guaranteed Admissions Program Required Courses

(Refer to CADRs Requirements for more specific qualifying courses)

4 credits of English
3 credits of Math (plus 1 credit of Senior Math-Based Quantitative Course)
3 credits of Science (Social Studies)
3 credits of Social Science
**2 credits of World Language
**1 credit of Fine Art

**Waivers acceptable in place of requirements

For more information: Guaranteed Admissions Program (GAP)

Admission Partner Universities and Colleges

In addition to GAP schools, TPS partners with the following secondary institutions to guarantee admission for qualifying seniors who meet their criteria.

Pacific Lutheran University (PLU)

Snapshot of PLU Automatic Admission Partnership. To qualify for PLU’s Automatic Admission Partnership, students must meet the following criteria:

Have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3
Complete 2nd Year Algebra or agreed upon equivalent
Meet high school graduation requirements

Snapshot of PLU’s Required Courses

(Refer to high school graduation requirements for more specific qualifying courses)

4 credits of English
3 credits of Math (including Algebra II)
3 credits of Science
3 credits of Social Science (Social Studies)
**2 credits of World Language
**1 credit of Fine Art

**Waivers acceptable in place of requirements

Qualifying students will receive an automatic admission offer, then complete next steps, including:

An Acceptance Form (letter of interest)
A FAFSA or WASFA* for full financial aid consideration

*Completing the FAFSA/WASFA is strongly encouraged, but not a requirement for college admissions.

For more information about criteria and timeline: PLU Automatic Admission Partnership

University of Washington Tacoma (UWT)

Snapshot of UWT’s Automatic Admission Partnership. To qualify for UWT’s Pathways to Promise Automatic Admission Partnership, students must meet the following criteria:

2.7 cumulative high school GPA
Completion of all College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADRs)
- English - 4 yrs
- Math - 3 yrs
  - Algebra II
  - Geometry
  - Algebra
- Social Sciences - 3 yrs
- Lab Science - 3 yrs
- World Language - 2 yrs
- Fine, Visual or Performing Art - 0.5 yrs
- Academic Elective - 0.5 yrs
- Sr. Year, Math-Based Quantitative Course - 1 yr
  - Intermediate algebra (or higher), stats, chemistry, or physics
A well-written personal statement and activities log

For more information about criteria and timeline: Pathways to Promise

Tacoma Community College (TCC)

Tacoma Community College

All TPS graduating seniors who apply to TCC are guaranteed admission. TCC offers one-on-one help to navigate the entry process.

Ways to apply to TCC:

Visit the TCC Admissions webpage to get a feel for their admission process.
Reach out to the TCC Outreach team at outreach@tacomacc.edu or call 253-566-6042.
Visit the TCC Welcome Center (Building 8), open Monday-Friday, until 5 p.m.

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