University of Vermont student Mae Mae Morrical didn’t become a Catamount via a traditional path, but according to her, the end result was still the same. “I called it the transition stages,” Morrical commented. “I came into UVM through the Guaranteed Admission Program, two semesters is all it took for me to apply and get into UVM, officially as an undergrad. And it feels really good, now that I can say I’m a transfer student.”
After her freshman year at the University of Arizona, Morrical wanted to transfer to UVM but her grades weren’t quite good enough. The South Burlington 2016 high school graduate learned about UVM’s Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP) as a possible pathway into UVM and a major in education that she really wanted. The GAP program provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate their academic readiness, earn college credit and ultimately enroll in an undergraduate degree program at UVM.
“It was stressful sometimes,” Morrical remembered. But GAP students don’t go-it alone. They have extra support to ensure their success through one-on-one sessions with a Continuing and Distance Education academic advisor and a mandatory 1-credit course, Foundations of Learning, helps teach students how to manage their time and lays the foundation for them to be a strong student. If GAP students meet the course requirements and maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA, they are guaranteed admission to UVM.
Morrical, now a 2ndsemester junior at UVM is majoring in early childhood education and minoring in special education. “I have such a sense of accomplishment and I’m so glad that UVM offered this program.”
She recognizes that everyone learns differently, so the additional support that GAP students receive in terms of time management and overall learning about the college experience is really helpful. “I would recommend that people apply, it really helps you succeed and officially puts you on a path into UVM.”
Her last bit of advice for potential GAP students? “Join some clubs, get involved. You’ll meet more people and really feel like you are already at UVM with everyone else.”
The Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP) is an alternative means of admission for students hoping to attend UVM. While the program is individually designed, all admitted GAP students are required to take a minimum of 18 credit hours in approved UVM courses and maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0.
Applications for UVM’s Guaranteed Admission Program are being accepted now for the fall.
