Gateway details: https://www.gtc.edu/admissions/multiple-measures

Gateway Technical College has enacted two measures to help students more easily enroll at the college, an important step to help students access an education in spite of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on their lives.

One measure was set in place as a result of the pandemic in an effort to help potential students, while the other was put into place just before the outbreak – but will also help students more easily begin their education.

Because of COVID-19, Gateway will accept unofficial transcripts to conditionally admit students to the college. Many high schools are closed at this point and aren’t producing official transcripts, so Gateway will take an unofficial transcript for students to be able support them during this time and help through the admission process. Those students can then obtain the official transcript when that becomes available in the future.

The college enacted a Multiple Measures system to reduce barriers and increase access for students. If incoming students have earned a 2.60 cumulative unweighted high school GPA, earned 12 college credits with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, or earned at least a technical diploma, they can forgo the entrance test. This system provides students with more options to display their expertise and potentially forgo taking the entrance test and be eligible for college-level coursework.

However, students who prefer using an ACT score or Accuplacer test for college entrance can continue to do so. Multiple Measures provides several options for students and puts them on the path to success by placing them in the classes they need to gain the fastest route to graduation.

“Research has shown us that high school GPA one of the stronger predictors for college success,” says Stacy Riley, Gateway vice president, Student Success and Enrollment Management. “The implementation of test optional admissions, or multiple measures, is one more way Gateway is reducing barriers for students to enroll at the college.

“We want to continue to expand access to higher education and support our students to reach their goal of attaining a college degree, and this is one way to do so.”

Testing officials say some do poorly on high-stakes testing such as an ACT or Accuplacer test and that a high school or college GPA may be a better indicator of a student’s academic level. Offering multiple measures as an option gives them one more way to access a college education.