Even if they haven't applied, some students receive a college admission offer

Still, some colleges and students are enthusiastic.

George Mason University, a large public university in Virginia, offers direct access through the Common App and through a partnership with local high schools. The university first offered direct access through the Common App in 2022, when 28 students enrolled. The following year only six enrolled. That may be because more colleges are now participating in direct admission, so it has become more competitive, said David Burge, the university's vice president for enrollment management. Still, “things are going very well,” he said, adding, “From our perspective, but for the Common App Direct Admissions program, these students would not be at Mason.”

James Steen, vice president for enrollment management and marketing at Houston Christian University, a private Baptist college with about 4,200 students, including about 2,400 traditional students, said more than 6 percent of freshmen enrolled for fall 2023 were from Niche's direct access channel. “Direct admission is a great fit for HCU,” he said.

The university began offering direct admission through Niche (for applications for the current academic year) in 2022, offering scholarships based on different GPA levels. (In November, it also began participating in direct admission through the Common App.)

Steven Navarrette, 18, of Manvel, Texas, received an email from Niche when he was in high school saying he had been accepted by Houston Christian. He was skeptical at first, he said, but toured the school, about 30 minutes from his hometown, and decided to enroll after receiving enough financial support. He is now in his second semester, majoring in computer science. “The process is less of a headache,” he said of direct admission.

Here are some questions and answers about direct admission:

Do colleges verify the information provided by direct admission students?

Yes. Students self-report their GPA, which schools confirm. (Test scores are not always required, but some schools will accept them if submitted). Self-reported information has proven to be “remarkably accurate,” Niche's Mr. Skurman said. But if the information is incorrect, schools can withdraw an offer or reduce the scholarship offered.