College application submissions are around the corner and over a dozen Coronado students graduating this spring are taking advantage of a program to secure a spot at a local university campus.
Coronado Unified School District and California State University, San Marcos, a public university in San Diego’s North County, approved an agreement last school year that makes Coronado’s class of 2025 the first to participate in a program offering guaranteed admission if certain requirements are met.
The program is intended to provide students an automatic spot, which can significantly reduce stress associated with the college admissions process, said the district’s lead counselor, Kristen Ereno.
Ereno, who began work to make the program available at the campus earlier this year, said “the most significant aspect of this program is that it provides students with a valuable local university option that is both affordable and accessible.”
To be eligible to apply and receive guaranteed admission Coronado students must complete CSU approved course requirements, have at least a 2.5 GPA upon graduation, submit a financial aid application, and take junior year state assessments.
The high school counseling department estimated 20 to 25 students would submit applications following the district’s official program rollout this fall, an offering available across neighboring districts.
Ereno, who oversees the high school’s counseling and college and career programming, said she plans to seek similar agreements with other local universities.
Program offering
CSU San Marcos enrolls over 17,000 students in 43 undergraduate programs, 24 master’s programs, 11 teaching credentials and one joint doctoral program.
Jerry McCormick, the university’s director of strategic communications, said 17 high schools in San Diego County participate in guaranteed admission programs with CSU San Marcos.
The university has agreements with 25 partner school districts, including outside San Diego County, according to its website. The school says a guaranteed spot helps students who want to attend college stay motivated throughout high school.
These agreements ensure that CSUSM students come from a variety of backgrounds that represent the language, ethnic, and economic diversity of the region, reads the school’s page.
The Coronado school board approved a five-year agreement in April.
Admission requirements
Students seeking guaranteed admission must meet program requirements and apply between Oct. 1 and Dec. 2.
To qualify, students must earn a C grade or higher in courses specified by the state university system, and earn a minimum 2.5 grade-point average in those classes. They also must take the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress mathematics and English assessments in their junior year or successfully complete additional coursework designed to build the appropriate skills and knowledge. Finally, they must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or The California Dream Act application by March 2.
Kheng Waiche, the Office of Recruitment and Outreach Interim Associate Director, said the program makes exceptions for students who end up graduating from Coronado High School, but do not reside in Coronado.
Ereno said that’s one of the benefits for students who are military connected or inter-district transfers.
“A lot of our [Coronado High School] graduation requirements align to the A-G requirements,” said Ereno.
Four out of five CHS students who graduated in 2024 met University of California and California State University’s A-G requirements, according to data reported by Principal Karin Mellina.
The program does not include the school’s nursing major, which has a Nov. 30 application deadline.
“[Students] can apply and they’re still guaranteed admission,” explained Ereno. “If they don’t get into the nursing program, they would choose an alternate major.”
The agreement also says students are no longer required to take the SAT reasoning test or ACT exam, but those scores could help students place into college math and English courses.
“This agreement opens doors for students who may not have considered attending a four-year university otherwise,” added Ereno.
