Top 25% of Fort Worth ISD students will get automatic admissions to this Texas university

TX – Fort Worth students graduating in the top quarter of their senior class will earn automatic admission to Tarleton State University.

On Tuesday, Tarleton State University and Fort Worth ISD agreed to a multi-million dollar pact that will award annual scholarships and guaranteed admission to FWISD seniors in the top 25% of their graduating classes starting next year.

The state university, based in Stephenville, will also select one Fort Worth senior each year to receive a $10,000 scholarship that’s renewable for up to four years.

James Hurley, president of Tarleton State University, said in a news release that he hoped the model could be copied nationwide to boost post-secondary education by providing more opportunities and access to students.

“This is a big win for us, our students and the region,” Hurley saId.

FWISD Superintendent Kent Scribner said at Tuesday’s board meeting that the partnership offers promise and opportunity for many families who thought college was out of reach.

“Tarleton State University has really stepped up to the plate with the Distinguished High School Partnership Program,” Scribner said. “Their efforts truly recognize the academic success our graduates bring to any educational setting.”

Additionally, qualifying Fort Worth seniors who are already enrolled in the spring 2021 semester at Tarleton will receive increased financial aid through the partnership.

The university already has various programs for incoming students.

Those in the top 10% of their graduating class will qualify for a minimum of $3,000 in scholarships as part of the President’s Guaranteed Award Program. Students graduating in the top 25 percent of their class are also guaranteed a $1,500 minimum.

The Fort Worth school district serves nearly 80,000 students with about 4,500 graduating each year from its 21 high schools.

Tarleton’s fall enrollment hit a record high, up by 6.5% with 14,033 students, and its incoming freshman class was the largest the university has ever seen, up 9.5% from 2019. The university was ranked as one of the top 40 public schools by U.S. News and World Report.

The university’s Distinguished High School Partnership that was created in 2019 waives ACT and SAT requirements as well as application fees for qualifying Fort Worth seniors.